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Out of the many ways that it is comfortable to hold it, one sometimes doesn't work. This is not a fix - it's a mild adjustment to usage patterns.

The only way of comfortably holding the phone while using the 3G connection for data always, 100% of the time, causes the data connection to degrade to the point of unusability for both me and my wife, when used in my home or at my office.

The only way of comfortably holding the phone while securing it against falling to the ground always, 100% of the time, drops calls when more than 30 feet away from the microcell in my house, and causes massive call quality degradation if more than 10 feet away.

My old treo, iphone, iphone 3g, iphone 3gs, do not have these problems no matter how held.

The fact that it works for you is nice, but to many people it's broken.
 
Ugh, I feel bad for Ruben Caballero - sure hope he doesn't get crap for this when it's obviously not his fault.

Wonder if he knew his name was being thrown around in the media. I can only imagine this being the start of Ruben's worse day ever.

Nonetheless, glad someone caught it... sucks that no one listened.

This is totally a leak from Caballero or a colleague/friend of his to protect him. He's probably getting tons of internal crap, has said "I told you so" in response to Jobs, and is now using the old PR tactic of leaking to defend.
 
The only way of comfortably holding the phone while using the 3G connection for data always, 100% of the time, causes the data connection to degrade to the point of unusability for both me and my wife, when used in my home or at my office.

The only way of comfortably holding the phone while securing it against falling to the ground always, 100% of the time, drops calls when more than 30 feet away from the microcell in my house, and causes massive call quality degradation if more than 10 feet away.

My old treo, iphone, iphone 3g, iphone 3gs, do not have these problems no matter how held.

The fact that it works for you is nice, but to many people it's broken.

Odd. I can see signal drop only when I touch the specific seam on the side of the phone - I can cover the entire outer rim of the phone with my hands and have no problems so long as I leave the little black line clear. As a result, any way I would hold the phone with my right hand, and most of the ways I would hold the phone with my left hand are fine. For data, the issue is a bit worse - I can hold it comfortably in my left hand for data, but it's a non-instinctual way to hold it. Right hand is fine, though - I can easily avoid touching the seam.

I saw in another thread someone else that had a much more severe problem.

I suspect there are two issues. One is the problem found and demonstrated by Consumer Reports, where a noticeable drop in signal happens when a specific spot barely a millimeter wide is touched. This problem is widespread - perhaps even universal. It is also not a problem that significantly impacts normal usage of the phone.

Then there are phones with more severe defects that have device-breaking signal problems. I've seen a few people on forums mention these. Even assuming (as is always the case) that some of these people are trolling, it's clear there's a non-zero rate of this defect. Without very good data, it's impossible to tell if this problem is particularly widespread for an electronic device. After all, every piece of electronics has a non-zero lemon rate.

The former issue has gotten unusual media attention and Apple is thus going to have to fix it to avoid egg on their face, regardless of the fairness of that. They'll probably do that by making bumpers free.

The latter issue has gotten caught up in the former issue, and is being mistaken for it, but is, I would guess, within the normal parameters of device failure and solvable via normal return/repair channels.
 
I think the image you displayed does not cause me any surprise. You have one bar of GPRS signal and have <10k speed. Now if you tell me that this happened on a place where you had decent 3G reception and then 'death-gripped' which caused reception to drop to one bar GPRS then I agree with you.
I get a similar effect.

With bumper, 4 bars of 3G, 1.3Mbps download speed in death grip mode.

Without bumper, with deathgrip, it drops to 1 bar GPRS and I get 14kbps, i.e. approximately a hundredfold reduction in data transfer speed.

Without bumper, no deathgrip, 4 bars of 3G, 1.3Mbps download speed.

Note: there's about a +/-30% variation in the numbers I quoted above from test to test. Those are the averages over 10 tests.

The conclusion is clear: the deathgrip on a naked iP4 produces a drop in signal to GPRS from 3G, causing a massive reduction in data transfer rates.

It's possible that in areas with very strong 3G signal, the grip won't be enough to cause the drop to GPRS, but in moderate signal areas, it's a killer.
 
But in the case of Apple, the company's products are really suffering because of nutty aesthetic theories being given way too much weight in product design. Ives has become like a contemporary Frank Lloyd Wright, producing the equivalent of Wright's leaky houses. (I'm just using Wright as an example. Most name architects these days produce monstrosities that don't function well as buildings but serve simply as works of art reflecting their creators' egos).

I went to school for architecture and industrial design. Perhaps because of a strong collaboration with Taliesin West, or just because he truly was a master, we were led to idolize FLW. But in our ID classes we were chastised for projects whose form trumped their function.

We were often reminded that we weren’t in art school but rather design school. Art exists for its own sake. Design must have a function, and function as it’s intended to function.

Obviously there were some mixed signals between the adulation of a known form over functioner and being chastised if we did so our self. I guess when you’re a master, or have a big enough reality distortion field, you can do whatever you want.

Paraphrasing:
Mr. Johnson [of Johnson & Johnson and owner of the magnificent Wingspread]: Mr. Wright the ceiling is leaking on my dining table.
Mr. Wright: Move the table.
 
Odd. I can see signal drop only when I touch the specific seam on the side of the phone - I can cover the entire outer rim of the phone with my hands and have no problems so long as I leave the little black line clear. As a result, any way I would hold the phone with my right hand, and most of the ways I would hold the phone with my left hand are fine. For data, the issue is a bit worse - I can hold it comfortably in my left hand for data, but it's a non-instinctual way to hold it. Right hand is fine, though - I can easily avoid touching the seam.

I saw in another thread someone else that had a much more severe problem.

I suspect there are two issues. One is the problem found and demonstrated by Consumer Reports, where a noticeable drop in signal happens when a specific spot barely a millimeter wide is touched. This problem is widespread - perhaps even universal. It is also not a problem that significantly impacts normal usage of the phone.

Then there are phones with more severe defects that have device-breaking signal problems. I've seen a few people on forums mention these. Even assuming (as is always the case) that some of these people are trolling, it's clear there's a non-zero rate of this defect. Without very good data, it's impossible to tell if this problem is particularly widespread for an electronic device. After all, every piece of electronics has a non-zero lemon rate.

The former issue has gotten unusual media attention and Apple is thus going to have to fix it to avoid egg on their face, regardless of the fairness of that. They'll probably do that by making bumpers free.

The latter issue has gotten caught up in the former issue, and is being mistaken for it, but is, I would guess, within the normal parameters of device failure and solvable via normal return/repair channels.

My problems occur on three iphone 4's (i am on my second - my first was replaced - I now use it only for development. It also occurs on my wife's).

The problem is that when I hold the phone in my left hand (which I do at all times when using it as a phone or as a internet device) that seam is touching my palm near the webbing between my thumb and forefinger. This is the only comfortable way to hold the phone (for me and my wife, and from photos apparently for steve jobs as well). The result is a drop from 5 bars to 1 or 0 [and call loss] on ios 4.0, and a drop from 4 bars to 0 on ios 4.1, though 4.1 does work much better with the microcell, typically dropping only one or two bars, and holding the connection.
 
Hoax

Has anybody else actually read the Bloomberg article?

The authors won't identify either of the two sources. They insisted on being anonymous.

So it's really just rumor. Remember the guy at the New York Times who was making up stories?

Do we really still believe stories without references?

Now, we're supposed to believe that guys making $$$,$$$ would leak to Bloomberg's columnist for peanuts.

And risk their jobs when Apple goes on the warpath ?

No, I don't think so.

Jobs would have simply ordered a clear lacquer for the antenna. Simple enough to do.

And it would have stopped most of the problem with minimal delay.

I think the problem slipped by testing because all the prototypes were in bumpers.

A monumental goof, but not fraud.
 
This really isn't looking good from Apple's perspective. I honestly don't see any other option then doing recall on iPhone 4. In the long run it will pay off. If they just continue denying the "non-issue" then the bad press just keeps on rolling. Giving away bumpers won't do. Its just like saying "we know we screwed it up but hey take this rubber band and try to get over it". Apple should be all about excellence in design and if it doesn't meet that requirement then that product should never be released. Hence the recall.

Rush Limbaugh said it was a non issue. After all when you compare this fluff non-issue with Microsoft's very REAL disasters(BSOD, RROD, Vista), what are we talking about? Holding Apple to some unfair standard of PERFECT? :apple:
 
Apple ignoring a senior engineer

So I read the Mac news on how Apple ignored their senior engineer on the antenna problem. What boggles my mind is how could they ignore an engineer let alone a senior engineer. Those are the guys who make sure the product functions correctly. Ya the iphone looks awesome but dont sacrifice function for form. Then they blame the users for holding the wrong way. What a mess. I hope they fix this issue as I and many others really like the iphone.
 
So I read the Mac news on how Apple ignored their senior engineer on the antenna problem. What boggles my mind is how could they ignore an engineer let alone a senior engineer. Those are the guys who make sure the product functions correctly. Ya the iphone looks awesome but dont sacrifice function for form. Then they blame the users for holding the wrong way. What a mess. I hope they fix this issue as I and many others really like the iphone.

Apple is more proficient in selling stuff than in engineering. No surprises here.
 
But, I mean, the logic that a fix like this is unreasonable... by this logic Nintendo shouldn't have pushed wrist straps as a fix for the problem that users sometimes through their Wii controllers through their TV screen.

It functions fine. I have one. I use it. To make calls. Frequently. They don't drop.

Comparing wrist straps on a game controller to dropped calls on an iphone? huh?

And it doesn't function fine for me. I had one (returned it), I used it to make calls. Frequently. Calls dropped all the time.

I had a iphone 3G function fine for me. I used it to make calls. Frequently. They don't drop.

Just because you don't have an issue doesn't mean that everyone else is being petty and over-reacting. Congrats on having a phone that works great in your area.
 
Think !

So I read the Mac news on how Apple ignored their senior engineer on the antenna problem.

And because it's in the news, it must be true !

Read the original Bloomberg article and you'll see this: "the person, who is not authorized to speak on Apple’s behalf and asked not to be identified".

In other words, we have no idea that it's true or not. No names were cited in the article, and we can't find out if the anonymous source even works at Apple.
 
My problems occur on three iphone 4's (i am on my second - my first was replaced - I now use it only for development. It also occurs on my wife's).

The problem is that when I hold the phone in my left hand (which I do at all times when using it as a phone or as a internet device) that seam is touching my palm near the webbing between my thumb and forefinger. This is the only comfortable way to hold the phone (for me and my wife, and from photos apparently for steve jobs as well).

Baloney. Hold the phone as you usually would. Then place your index finger on the back of the phone, and extend it, letting your hand reshape as needed. You can then relax the finger significantly. Congratulations on your new comfortably held phone.
 
Baloney. Hold the phone as you usually would. Then place your index finger on the back of the phone, and extend it, letting your hand reshape as needed. You can then relax the finger significantly. Congratulations on your new comfortably held phone.

that leaves me holding the phone by my finger tips. That then requires me to put my pinky on the bottom edge of the phone to prevent it from slipping and falling to the ground. I find that position very uncomfortable, both because my fingers get fatigued, and because it presses the phone hard against my ear.

But it's the same arrogance that suggests that because you don't have a problem no one else does that leads you to claim you know what is comfortable and uncomfortable for other people.
 
Bs ???

When this problem surfaced, Apple originally said it was a software problem - that the software was showing too many bars and when the signal went down the user was actually seeing the accurate signal level.

At the time, I had a hard time understanding the explanation. How can a software problem be triggered by where you hold the phone? I am not a techie, so I don't understand how one has anything to do with the other.

Is the software problem a different issue, is it tied to the antenna issue, or was this just a load of BS by Apple to try and cover up the real problem?

I'm just curious.
 
Now we know why they released an accessory day one, for the first time.
Interestingly, Apple denies concern was ever expressed.

Sorry Apple, I no longer believe a word you say.
 
so some magazine claimed an apple senior engineer said that and all you go ape ****, can one of you link me to a confirmation?
 
This is totally a leak from Caballero or a colleague/friend of his to protect him. He's probably getting tons of internal crap, has said "I told you so" in response to Jobs, and is now using the old PR tactic of leaking to defend.

That makes sense and thanks for pointing that out. I was just imagining coming into work and realizing that your name was in the news for this kind of thing and not knowing how it got there - quickly realizing that day was going to suck!:D

It would never be a problem if your boss was reasonable - which Im starting to believe, more and more, that Jobs is not.

The guy who told you so is the guy you want to keep around - I'd be pissed if I were Caballero. I hope Apple does the right thing here concerning him and we don't see him pandering for a job elsewhere.

Unfortunately, Apple has had a track record of firing people for bad reasons lately.

As this story unfolds its going to be interesting to see what Apple did know and did not know, specifically Jobs
 
Confirmation?

so some magazine claimed an apple senior engineer said that and all you go ape ****, can one of you link me to a confirmation?

I emailed the author pointing out that he quotes anonymous sources with no background at all.

Apple just released a statement that it's an outright lie.

It was pretty hard for me to believe somebody at Apple would risk their job for a leak.

Much easier to believe this is yet another hoax, like those faked Steve Jobs emails two weeks ago.
 
The only way of comfortably holding the phone while using the 3G connection for data always, 100% of the time, causes the data connection to degrade to the point of unusability for both me and my wife, when used in my home or at my office.

The only way of comfortably holding the phone while securing it against falling to the ground always, 100% of the time, drops calls when more than 30 feet away from the microcell in my house, and causes massive call quality degradation if more than 10 feet away.

My old treo, iphone, iphone 3g, iphone 3gs, do not have these problems no matter how held.

The fact that it works for you is nice, but to many people it's broken.

Unsuitable for you. Not broken.

I have a friend who didn't buy last years model of a certain popular car because the door was the wrong size for him to not bump his head getting in. On this years model, the door and seat configuration is slightly different, he fits, so he bought one. But there's probably someone who won't buy this years model because the leg room appears to be slightly less.

Neither car is broken, or about to be recalled.

If you don't fit in/around an i4 because of headroom/handroom issues, then trade it in for a 3GS, or some other product that fits your hand and works for you.
 
Unsuitable for you. Not broken.

I have a friend who didn't buy last years model of a certain popular car because the door was the wrong size for him to not bump his head getting in. On this years model, the door and seat configuration is slightly different, he fits, so he bought one. But there's probably someone who won't buy this years model because the leg room appears to be slightly less.

Neither car is broken, or about to be recalled.

If you don't fit in/around an i4 because of headroom/handroom issues, then trade it in for a 3GS, or some other product that fits your hand and works for you.

No, broken. It doesn't work as a phone for a large percentage of the population. It has a bad-enough reputation that it is impacting sales and stock price. That's broken.


If you made a car that could only be driven in its top gear if you keep your left foot off the floor ("don't drive it that way") it's not "unsuitable" for people who can't hold their leg in the air - it's broken.
 
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