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Take deep breaths....

Retire, relax....it's just a phone, remember?
 
I don't have a problem understanding that if you cover the antenna on any device it'll affect it's signal. I learned this with a black and white TV twenty years ago. Sure, previous phones have spoiled me in that regard but obviously the problem can still exist. Knowing this, I amn choosing to keep my phone. Everyone will understand if you chose not to.

Apple obviously had problems understanding how people hold a phone.
 
neither do i, maybe the genius designers should have thought about that before they put it right where people hold the phone.

Maybe. But they made a choice and now their customers and potential customers will too.
 
As a reminder, if you are not fully satisfied, you can return your undamaged iPhone to any Apple Retail Store or the online Apple Store within 30 days of purchase for a full refund.

There you go, take your phones back or shut your materialistic Apple loving mouths. ;)
 
I don't like their response, but I think its the best spin move they could do. I don't seem them admitting the design flaw and doing a recall. Fixing what the bars show doesn't change the fact that it's dropping calls and data when held the "wrong way". I don't see that a software update is going to truly change a hardware problem.

Mostly, I'm just disappointed. It was a very hard decision for me in trying to decide between getting an HTC EVO and getting the iPhone 4. When I finally decided the iPhone4 won out, now we have a clear design flaw that won't be fixed by a software update showing "true bars" on the phone. I've owned iPhones ever since they came out and have one now, and love the UI and design of Apple's iPhones, but this doesnt seem to have an easy fix to it. I can only hope I guess the iPhone 5 will have fixed the issue. In the interim though, I'll probably have to go with another phone. I'll give it a few more weeks though in case they DO happen to come out with some sort of miracle fix.
 
Never good not to Vote

I guess I'm one of those .00001% of people who returned their IPhone4. I actually discovered the issue first, then sought the forums out to see if other people where experiencing the same type of issue. Sitting on my couch 1/2 hour or so after unboxing, I noticed that all 3g access would stop when accessing email or safari.

Now I've used my similar 3g all the time checking emails and things from that spot on the couch, so I knew immediately all was not well.

I really don't understand the reaction people are having to this issue, I obviously like apple products and also have a macbook pro but it seems the masses are brainwashed. Not sure if it's the hype, or the cool factor or the scarcity apple created with the preordering but why would people keep a product that doesn't live up to it's core function is strange.

I like Apple for the great visual design of their products, however, a phone needs to function as a phone. Who is really going to remember to grab the thing by two fingers and hold it like a british cup of tea when on the phone for an hour or having to make a quick call when distracted.

And I would say to all the people who have had the issue, and are keeping their phone or running out to buy a case. In essence your complicit in this game. All fairness to apple, if only a couple thousand phones get returned why would you expect them to act any differently. I'm sure if they go 100-150k, their actions would be totally different.

Your vote is basically with your money! And not voting is supporting this type of corporate behavior and not keeping Apple honest.
 
So this means that Apple will finally be showing users how crappy the AT&T network really is.

Shame a good phone gets ruined on such a *@#% network!

Um. The network is the same it always has. Apple will finally be showing how crappy their radio really is.
 
Why are all of the iPhone 4 threads packed with so many newbies? While there are negative comments about the device from some old-timers, the most vitriolic ones seem to be from people that signed up in the last month or two. Strange. Trollville.
 
Let me sum this up

DESIGN FLAW

Name me another cell phone where you drop calls and lose data connectivity the minute that you touch a particular part of the phone.

For those that think this was not a design flaw, do you really think that Apple Engineers intentionally designed this as a feature? If so, why?
 
I don't really see how it can just be a misrepresentation of the signal strength if people are reporting dropped calls and data grinding to a halt.

I agree with you 100% as I know a number of people who drop calls every time they use the phone with there left hand, at the same amount of minutes into the call... Apple you SUCK!
 
Sorry for repost both my previous but would like help

I do not own and Iphone 4 (yet, but soon depending on what happens with this issue) but after reading the reports of the reception problem I can understand what the problem is. It is a simple miss match of antenna. I am to understand that the 2 aerials used by the phone, WiFi and cellular, are incorporated in the metal around the edge of the phone and are separated by the thin black strips, one on the top and the important one on the left bottom corner. When your hand comes into contact with the bottom left corner your hand is effectively joining the 2 aerials together, because it conducts, and therefore causing a miss match with the antenna, just like the VSWR being out of range on the old CB radio equipment.
Someone with an iPhone 4 can help me out here by testing this theory by putting a pair of rubber gloves on and putting their hands on the bottom corner and see if the drop in signal is as dramatic as it is without the gloves. You will, as Steve Jobs says, lose some signal by covering the antenna in any way but see if it isn't as bad as with your bare hand. I am interested in your findings.
If I am right the only real way to cure this problem would be to put a non conducting coating around the edge of the phone, or bumper, or change the design to put the antenna/casing joints (thin black strips) on the bottom and top of the phone, where nobody touches when using the phone.
Let me know what you think and, Steve Jobs, if you're reading this and think I have a good point and maybe I'm right I am open for a job if you have one for me, I'm fed up of being self employed and not appreciated. :)


Just thought of another little test to prove my point.

Are you listening Steve Jobs!!!


On the top of the iPhone 4 there is another little black strip, which separates the 2 antenna's, try putting your bare hand across that and press hard like you would grip your phone on the side and see if it does the same because in theory you are still joining the 2 antenna together.

I'm 99% sure this is the problem, please prove me wrong so Apple don't have to redesign the case which would mean me waiting a while to get one.

If you could let me know if my thoughts are right or wrong I would be very grateful. Email me at dk2002@onetel.com
Thanks
Darren
 
I guess I'm one of those .00001% of people who returned their IPhone4. I actually discovered the issue first, then sought the forums out to see if other people where experiencing the same type of issue. Sitting on my couch 1/2 hour or so after unboxing, I noticed that all 3g access would stop when accessing email or safari.

Now I've used my similar 3g all the time checking emails and things from that spot on the couch, so I knew immediately all was not well.

I really don't understand the reaction people are having to this issue, I obviously like apple products and also have a macbook pro but it seems the masses are brainwashed. Not sure iif t's the hype, or the cool factor or the sacrity apple created with the preordering but why would people keep a product that doesn't live up to it's core function is strange.

I like Apple for the great visual design of their products, however, a phone needs to function as a phone. Who is really going to remember to grab the thing by two fingers and hold it like a british cup of tea when on the phone for an hour or having to make a quick call when distracted.

And I would say to all the people who have had the issue, and are keeping their phone or running out to buy a case. In essence your complicit in this game. All fairness to apple, if only a couple thousand phones get returned why would you expect them to act any differently. I'm sure if they go 100-150k, their actions would be totally different.

Your vote is basically with your money! And not voting is supporting this type of corporate behavior and not keeping Apple honest.

Firstly, lying is not a corporate trait - it's a human one. Secondly, if people had problems with the core functionality of their devices (whatever that core functionality would be to each individual) and didn't seek a fix or return the device they would be rather stupid. The thing is, a lot of people aren't experiencing any (or enough of a) problem.
 
I touch (bridge) both external antennas, call is dropped. There is no other phone out there, on any provider, that acts the same way.

Design flaw. Shame on Apple.

Once again you have a bad defective phone. You need to run to the apple or ATT store and return it and get one that works. I touch my phone all over and it never drops data or calls. My phone is perfect. If it was like yours, I would have already returned it.
 
You know the coverage map does not actually account for the hundreds of little gaps in coverage that exist due to structure, interference, etc.

yes I do understand that the coverage map isn't completely accurate my problem is that they are basically telling me that everywhere I have tested this in the whole city must really actually have only 1 or 2 bars. By there theory anyways.
 
Wow....its like they have the Obama Press Corp working for Apple.

My phone dropped 27 calls, including THIRTEEN, when I was on the phone with Apple & AT&T.

Those 13 calls I wasn't even holding the phone.

Wife's phone exhibits the same problems, identical. No problems with our 3GS's at all.

As far as signal strength, right after a few of those dropped calls I did a 3G speed test, 3.5mbps down, 1.4mbps up, doesn't seem like a signal problem to me does it?

Apple is making a fool of themselves to anyone with half a brain, unfortunately that leaves legions to support them.


The proximity sensor issue is a widely publicized bug. Perhaps this is your issue. I am sure there will be a software fix forthcoming. Your problems do not appear to be related to the antenna in any way.
 
DESIGN FLAW

Name me another cell phone where you drop calls and lose data connectivity the minute that you touch a particular part of the phone.

For those that think this was not a design flaw, do you really think that Apple Engineers intentionally designed this as a feature? If so, why?

Design trade-off. Making the antenna external allowed them to make it bigger and with less metal blocking it, allowing it to grab more of a signal.

Unfortunately that only works if you don't touch it.

Worth it? Not to me. Maybe to everyone else.
 
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