Apple Takes on Droid X With Latest Smartphone Antenna Video

[mrochester]

No its not. It is like asking why are you holding a piece of paper you are writing on with your left handed. IE the pen would be in your left hand and you would hold the paper with your right hand.

You are just holding the phone. The manipulation would be done with the dominant hand. That is why I ask the question. I am right handed and hold the phone in my left hand because I use my right hand to manipulate the screen.

Think about one of your hands being a mouse pad and the other manipulating a mouse. If you were left handed, which hand would manipulate the mouse and which hand would be the mouse pad?

I think you're assuming the poster is using 2 hands to control the device. It's perfectly possible to use one hand, which would be the left, which would bridge 'the gap' as a result. Given that Apple believe a device should fit around the user, and not the other way around, should he be expected to change how he holds his phone? Also, since he could hold the original iPhone, the 3G or the 3GS in exactly the same way and experience no problem, don't you think that points to the conclusion that there's something wrong with the iPhone 4?

 

[rsocal]

Actually if you understand anything about business and public relations, this is Apple's way of showing the majority of the buying public that signal issues are not unique to the iPhone 4. Just because you don't agree with how they grip things is irrelevant. This is damage control and also vanquishing any notion that other phones don't have this problem.

I think Apple is doing a great job with this. And before you go off, I can hold my iPhone 4 just fine in either hand without having experienced any dropped calls. In a low signal area the bars will drop a little, again not unlike most other smartphones. The one finger thing is utter baloney, no way I can replicate that on my iPhone under any signal conditions.

Why don't you people just return your phones and quit yer bitchin'?

They can’t return what they don’t own!!!
Get it, they’re talking out of their ass!!!

 

[WozzaX]

After using one for a month now, I find the iPhone 4 to surpass the 3GS in many ways.

The sleek and solid build quality, ultra-responsiveness, blazing speed, Retina Display, HD camera, better sound quality, noise-canceling mic, longer battery life, and better overall reception (yes, reception has improved over that of the 3GS in comparable locations, to date) - not to mention Face Time, LED flash, and twice the RAM.

I've had no issues with dropped signal or calls, and am especially pleased for the choice of having a phone with an external antenna - a choice of having the antenna encased, or not.

Having experienced it, I would never go back - superior form and function, truly a thing of beauty.

I know that the phone is better than the 3GS.

But Apple are the lowest of the low of all companies out there now.

Plus, are you some Apple PR rep?

You took that speech right out the Apple handbook.

 

[HLdan]

Visit any Apple Store and you'll see them. I have been to 2 stores and was amazed at the number of people returning and complaining.

BS, I live near 5 Apple stores that I frequent often and not once have there been people in line returning their phones, in fact many of them have small lines outside waiting to purchase them. I've seen the Apple employees escorting them in one by one and taking them to an iMac to sign them up for service. I see you're a new registrant, how much are you getting paid to come here and spread lies and FUD?

 

[rsocal]

I know that the phone is better than the 3GS.

But Apple are the lowest of the low of all companies out there now.

Plus, are you some Apple PR rep?

You took that speech right out the Apple handbook.

Originally Posted by DMann
After using one for a month now, I find the iPhone 4 to surpass the 3GS in many ways.

The sleek and solid build quality, ultra-responsiveness, blazing speed, Retina Display, HD camera, better sound quality, noise-canceling mic, longer battery life, and better overall reception (yes, reception has improved over that of the 3GS in comparable locations, to date) - not to mention Face Time, LED flash, and twice the RAM.

I've had no issues with dropped signal or calls, and am especially pleased for the choice of having a phone with an external antenna - a choice of having the antenna encased, or not.

Having experienced it, I would never go back - superior form and function, truly a thing of beauty.

+1
The iPhone 4 is great and Apple is a great company, my stock seems to show that a lot of people agree!

 

[chr1s60]

See my post above, because people are stuck with AT&T contracts

Actually if you understand anything about business and public relations, this is Apple's way of showing the majority of the buying public that signal issues are not unique to the iPhone 4. Just because you don't agree with how they grip things is irrelevant. This is damage control and also vanquishing any notion that other phones don't have this problem.

I think Apple is doing a great job with this. And before you go off, I can hold my iPhone 4 just fine in either hand without having experienced any dropped calls. In a low signal area the bars will drop a little, again not unlike most other smartphones. The one finger thing is utter baloney, no way I can replicate that on my iPhone under any signal conditions.

Why don't you people just return your phones and quit yer bitchin'?

First off i never once complained about my phone, but instead the way Apple is attempting to throw other people under the bus in an attempt to cover up their issues. The one finger touch causing signal loss has been shown in numerous videos including Consumer Reports so your call of "utter baloney" is total BS. Find me another phone where I can cause total signal loss with one or two fingers and the phone not even in my hand.

 

[Lord Vader]

I know that the phone is better than the 3GS.

But Apple are the lowest of the low of all companies out there now.

Plus, are you some Apple PR rep?

You took that speech right out the Apple handbook.

Who will take you seriously? Yep, that's right ...

 

[-aggie-]

I know that the phone is better than the 3GS.

But Apple are the lowest of the low of all companies out there now.

Plus, are you some Apple PR rep?

You took that speech right out the Apple handbook.

I thought BP Oil was the lowest of the low? Hyperbole much?

 

[Max(IT)]

Apple misses the point though.

Consumers report showed that with the tip of the finger at the spot where both antennas are connected, the iPhone 4 looses so much signal, it could drop a call.
Consumers report never even mentioned death grip or even held it tight!

The main issue is, Apple should have placed that spot where the antennas connect each other, at the top right of the phone, and not the bottom left where it's 99% of the time covered by the users hand.

You could be right, but my video shows that all this "one finger / dead signal" is mostly due to AT&T crap network.

Apple tries to show that their phone sucks as much as other smartphones because smartphones suck in general . I disagree that smartphones suck, but that's what Apple is trying to show. (P.S. i'm being sarcastic). But honestly though, my nokia E72 doesn't have a death grip ...

Actually, nokia E series are among the worst phones in the world, speaking about death grip. E71 was in fact the first phone to bring this issue at media level.

That's what a design flaw is. It's like saying, just because people keep getting electrocuted when they use this phone, doesn't mean there is a design flaw -- it's just that skin and electricity don't mix.

Please.....

Psst ... I will give you a secret: all phones need an antenna, and placing it inside a thin plastic cover don't change the attenuation issue so much.
Apple's videos are just demonstrating that ...

Apparently nobody did. In fact, if you search youtube today, you'll find no one has been able to replicate the Droid X death grip. Several people have tried and failed.

That seems to suggest that Apple are making these videos under circumstances so artificial that they don't apply in real life.

Don't let that stop you, though.

Keep quoting yourself doesn't change things: apple's video in right there, to show the issue on Droid X. And last time I checked, Motorola didn't sue Apple for being liar, so the video is true and they know.
Nice try. Move on.

 

[wescravn]

I wish they could of pointed out how the Droid X, is like a hybrid 1980's palm/windows mobile device. HDMI=who needs that. Hook your phone to a TV, sad!

 

[cutmoney]

Wow

We can't fix it so we'll attack our competitors.

Apple continues their pettiness--I think maybe it's time for Jobs to leave.

Apple is doing this because of the huge threat of Android.

Android is eating Apple's lunch in the smart phone market and soon the tablet market.

When you are scared and desperate you take desperate measures--just what this is.

I typically don't post on this forum but a comment like this just warrants a response. This is probably the most ridiculous post I have read in a VERY long time. First, Apple is by no means petty, these videos are only a direct response to the media blowing this antenna issue out of proportion. Apple is just trying to make everyone understand that this is an issue which is not unique to the iPhone 4, it is with every smart phone on the market today. Of course, if you test two phones side by side on different networks and the Verizon phone has full signal, it is less likely to drop bars than the iPhone with less strong reception. But, that's nothing to do with the iPhone, that's AT&T.

Had this issue never been publicized so widely, there would have been no need for Apple to respond with these videos. In fact, I do feel like these videos are helpful because they show that there really isn't an issue which is isolated to the iPhone 4. Not to mention, I have yet to have a single dropped call on my iPhone 4. In fact, I get MUCH better reception in my low reception area than I did with my previous iPhone 3GS, so I am VERY happy with my phone (as are the other millions of iPhone 4 users).

The Steve Jobs comment is my favorite. That has to be one of the stupidest comments I have ever read. Apple went from nearly going out of business, with a stock price of $14 (I know, I owned it) to overtaking Microsoft in market cap, nearing Microsoft's profit in this most recent quarter, releasing best selling product after product, and killing their previous profits quarter after quarter. Apparently whoever made this comment has no business (or common) sense whatsoever, or maybe just wants Apple to fail, those could be the only explanations for such ridiculous comments.

As far as Android launching in to the tablet market, I'm sure that'll go real well. We've seen how well others have done in the tablet market, I'm sure Android will do the same. I'm pretty sure with sales of 3.2 million iPhones in just over three weeks Apple couldn't really be called "desperate." The only this Apple is desperate for right now is faster iPhone manufacturing so they can keep up with the demand.

 

[firewood]

Think the other phone manufacturers wouldn't refute it if they could??

It's extremely likely that the other phone manufacturers couldn't refute it even if they really wanted to. All these cell phone manufacturers also have big expensive RF testing chambers just like Apple. If Apple can find these weak spots in one of their antenna test chambers (even if no non-expert user could find them for youtube), these other cell phone manufacturers also have found them on their devices in their own expensive RF test chambers, and that knowledge would likely come out in any legal action for defamation, and make the competition look even worse.

Apple knows this, which is why they aren't afraid to post these videos in plain view of their competition's huge legal departments.

The other phone manufacturers are just more clever about not publicizing their antenna issues, whereas Steve pointed to the magic spot on the i4 during a major keynote.

 

[stealthman1]

The whole idea of these videos is dumb. Sure you can make phones lose signal by holding them extremely tight. That's not what the real issue is though. The iPhone 4 loses signal with a finger touching a specific spot. It has nothing to do with a death grip.

I've got an area at work where my 3Gs drops to three bars. If I set it on the toilet paper roll holder, three bars. If I just lay it in the palm of my hand it will drop to 1 bar or switch to edge. My Blackberry Curve however, goes from 4 bars to NO SERVICE just by resting it in the palm of my hand. I assure you, no death grip is required. Dark YouTube videos really don't prove much.

 

[Veri]

Actually if you understand anything about business and public relations, this is Apple's way of showing the majority of the buying public that signal issues are not unique to the iPhone 4. Just because you don't agree with how they grip things is irrelevant.

Imagine if MS built a 'phone with a screen so fragile that holding it normally would distort the whole screen, and gripping it fairly tightly would shut down the screen entirely. Now imagine that their response to PR flack is to take every other smartphone on the market and jump up and down on it, breaking every single LCD and remarking, "Other 'phones have this problem too."

That's what Apple did.

In playground terms, it's not even, "No, YOU are weak!" but the more pathetic, "I may be weak, but so - if I kick you hard enough - are you!" At least the Mac vs PC ads showcased good-humoured pretension.

Online coverage suggests that the response to a fault in an otherwise good 'phone is causing as much PR damage as the original fault. Is this arrogant '90s Apple preaching to the choir while other smartphones have caught up and chomp away at its market, just as Windows 3 nibbled at System 7 and Windows 95 left it bruised the corner? Jobs demonstrated that he knows how to stay competitive in the music player business, but can he do the same in a market of many mature players?

As someone whose life doesn't depend on the outcome, I must say I find it all very entertaining to watch.

 

[0098386]

I typically don't post on this forum but a comment like this just warrants a response. This is probably the most ridiculous post I have read in a VERY long time. First, Apple is by no means petty, these videos are only a direct response to the media blowing this antenna issue out of proportion. Apple is just trying to make everyone understand that this is an issue which is not unique to the iPhone 4, it is with every smart phone on the market today. Of course, if you test two phones side by side on different networks and the Verizon phone has full signal, it is less likely to drop bars than the iPhone with less strong reception. But, that's nothing to do with the iPhone, that's AT&T.

Had this issue never been publicized so widely, there would have been no need for Apple to respond with these videos. In fact, I do feel like these videos are helpful because they show that there really isn't an issue which is isolated to the iPhone 4. Not to mention, I have yet to have a single dropped call on my iPhone 4. In fact, I get MUCH better reception in my low reception area than I did with my previous iPhone 3GS, so I am VERY happy with my phone (as are the other millions of iPhone 4 users).

The Steve Jobs comment is my favorite. That has to be one of the stupidest comments I have ever read. Apple went from nearly going out of business, with a stock price of $14 (I know, I owned it) to overtaking Microsoft in market cap, nearing Microsoft's profit in this most recent quarter, releasing best selling product after product, and killing their previous profits quarter after quarter. Apparently whoever made this comment has no business (or common) sense whatsoever, or maybe just wants Apple to fail, those could be the only explanations for such ridiculous comments.

Then it's a shame you were forced to post that.

iPhone 4: Loses lots of db when touched. 1 antenna per radio.
Other phones: Loses less db when squeezed tight. 2 antennas per radio.

Everyone else seems to have grasped this (in the right location too).

 

[rsocal]

I typically don't post on this forum but a comment like this just warrants a response. This is probably the most ridiculous post I have read in a VERY long time. First, Apple is by no means petty, these videos are only a direct response to the media blowing this antenna issue out of proportion. Apple is just trying to make everyone understand that this is an issue which is not unique to the iPhone 4, it is with every smart phone on the market today. Of course, if you test two phones side by side on different networks and the Verizon phone has full signal, it is less likely to drop bars than the iPhone with less strong reception. But, that's nothing to do with the iPhone, that's AT&T.

Had this issue never been publicized so widely, there would have been no need for Apple to respond with these videos. In fact, I do feel like these videos are helpful because they show that there really isn't an issue which is isolated to the iPhone 4. Not to mention, I have yet to have a single dropped call on my iPhone 4. In fact, I get MUCH better reception in my low reception area than I did with my previous iPhone 3GS, so I am VERY happy with my phone (as are the other millions of iPhone 4 users).

The Steve Jobs comment is my favorite. That has to be one of the stupidest comments I have ever read. Apple went from nearly going out of business, with a stock price of $14 (I know, I owned it) to overtaking Microsoft in market cap, nearing Microsoft's profit in this most recent quarter, releasing best selling product after product, and killing their previous profits quarter after quarter. Apparently whoever made this comment has no business (or common) sense whatsoever, or maybe just wants Apple to fail, those could be the only explanations for such ridiculous comments.

As far as Android launching in to the tablet market, I'm sure that'll go real well. We've seen how well others have done in the tablet market, I'm sure Android will do the same. I'm pretty sure with sales of 3.2 million iPhones in just over three weeks Apple couldn't really be called "desperate." The only this Apple is desperate for right now is faster iPhone manufacturing so they can keep up with the demand.

+1
Thank you, now I don’t have to type that…….

 

[Lord Vader]

Then it's a shame you were forced to post that.

iPhone 4: Loses lots of db when touched. 1 antenna per radio.
Other phones: Loses less db when squeezed tight. 2 antennas per radio.

Everyone else seems to have grasped this (in the right location too).

Of course.

 

[John Dillinger]

Not to techies no - but most of apples customers aren't techies, and for them this is quite clever PR.



How could they do that I wonder?

Hmm not so sure. This isnt stuff that the majority of Apple customers will get to see. If they aired these things on TV, sure.

If a prospective customer saw these vids, I dont think they would sway anyone towards an ip4. "Oh its just as crippled as the rest. Great....... iPhones are more popular tho so will still get it." Its just complete rubbish and I think unseen territory to devote chunks of your own website to competitors. Cheap shot.

And it cant be too difficult to be humble when you've had worldwide criticism of your latest device's "brilliant engineering", and you've had to issue a "fix" ie free bumpers.

Sad thing is Jobs will have had to approve all these videos for them to be posted on their own website

 

[firewood]

iPhone 4: Loses lots of db when touched. 1 antenna per radio.
Other phones: Loses less db when squeezed tight. 2 antennas per radio.

Everyone else seems to have grasped this (in the right location too).

Sports car: Loses lots of MPG when accelerator pedal is pushed. 4 cylinders (turbocharged).
Family sedan: Loses less MPG even with accelerator pedal smashed to the floor (but gets less MPG to begin with). 8 cylinders.

Everyone else seems to have grasped this (as perfectly normal).

Buy the car (cell phone) that fits your needs.

 

[wescravn]

How come I feel that "ANDROID" users and "Windows Phone 7" users are coming here to rile shxt up? Maybe cause they're jealous they're stuck with a POS, and can't afford a real phone .

 

[HLdan]

Hmm not so sure. This isnt stuff that the majority of Apple customers will get to see. If they aired these things on TV, sure.

If a prospective customer saw these vids, I dont think they would sway anyone towards an ip4. "Oh its just as crippled as the rest. Great....... iPhones are more popular tho so will still get it." Its just complete rubbish and I think unseen territory to devote chunks of your own website to competitors. Cheap shot.

I think you meant, "Sway anyone AWAY FROM an iP4".

 

[Max(IT)]

Yup.

If they had cheated and made the phenomena up - there would have been lawsuits before the hall was empty.

And of course it adds context - the grip of death doesn't just affect the iphone.

Absolutely right.
Thinking about Apple cheated about this issue is so ingenuous ...

The Droid X video doesn't show the same issue. iPhone 4 = 1 finger on the small spot that is located where you naturally put your hand goes it. Droid X = smother the antennaS with every available fingers and you might see a drop in signal.

Not the same issue at all. Until Apple posts videos of phones losing signal because of the tip of 1 finger, this is all spin trying to divert attention from the real problem.

The iPhone 4's problem is not an industry problem since it doesn't require covering up the entire antenna. The industry doesn't have a problem where 1 finger can make you lose 8 times more signal than a normal phone. Heck, even the 3GS doesn't have that problem.

And as usually you just ignore facts to fight your personal war against iPhone ...
In the video the Droid X is just held NORMALLY, and signal went from 3 down to ZERO bars.
These are facts.

And in this video I can show you that the "one finger death" is a myth, caused by a very poor network.
But keep ignoring it, dude. We know your agenda.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EfawQj-Rto&feature=youtube_gdata

No, you believe it to be the most sensible when what you actually mean is that you agree with it.

I'm neutral on the subject, and seeing that I hold phones in my left hand I simply cannot buy an iPhone. I'd love to, but I can't. However other phones do not have the same problem as Apple.

Apple's antenna is exposed with only a tiny split between 2 antennas. Anything conductive that just touches the gap will cause a massive signal drop.
Other phones have to be squeezed (an actual death grip, unlike the iPhone 4's death tickle) to get a small signal drop. Other phones aren't affected in the slightest.

The problem is Apple is demonstrating that others have this problem. Except to pull it off you have to put a lot more effort in than just holding the phone, and even then the signal loss isn't that big.
Can you not see that?

No phones has been "squeezed" in Apple's videos. They ar just held in a normal way, the same normal way you haters/bashers/whiners initially claimed to be a problem with iPhone 4.

Interesting to see how a 2 bars drop on the iPhone is a big issue while a 3 bars drop on a Droid X is "a small signal drop"

More to the point, other manufacturers HAVE refuted it. Motorola and Nokia both posted comments on it and HTC made multiple tweets about it.

They've even made the front page on MacRumors. So to go ahead and say "no other manufacturer have refuted it" is as insulting to anyone's intelligence as what Apple is doing.



And they can't do that, at all. As Nokia stated, the industry switched to dual antenna setups long ago to lessen the impact of the problem Apple is showing, hence why Apple needs to use 7 fingers per hand to replicate "the issue" on other phones. Instead of trying to deflect this, they should be working hard at fixing their single point of failure. Maybe... I dunno, a dual antenna setup next time ?

Apple's problem is easy to pinpoint : Noobs. They've just come into the industry, they don't have the experience at making phone devices that others have and they just made a newbie mistake. Own up, wise up, and do better next time. Don't try to pass off your single finger failure as an "industry problem" when the industry fixed it years ago, before you even had a glimmer of an iPhone.

Nokia, RIM and Htc just gave us PR's bs.
Not a single demonstration of their phones to be "death grip free".

That's the thing, these phones don't have the same problem. The problem on the iPhone is that touching one spot - you don't even need to hold the device - causes the signal to drop considerably. With these other devices you actually have to hold them to make the same thing happen. Apple have yet to show us how they are fixing this permanently. Showing videos of other phones loosing signal is just a deflection from the actual issue.

Execpt that is not true: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EfawQj-Rto&feature=youtube_gdata

Have you listened to yourself recently? I mean seriously.

His probably right: there actually are people paid to spread disinformation. It's a sad but well known marketing procedure ...

 

[currentinterest]

Wife and son just got iPhone 4s. No death grip or spot touch problems here. Son has several friends with iP4s and no one has a complaint. (They are having great fun using FaceTime at parties.) I asked about the dropped call problems; he said everyone thinks Apple showed it happens to other phones more than the iPhone. Looks like Apple is winning the PR battle with the public.

A couple of friends who have Droids were apologetic, and feel left out, saying their parents wouldn't change their contracts to AT&T so they could have an iPhone. They said as soon as Apple phones were available on their carriers, they would switch. Looks like the antenna is no problem for the teens around here.

 

[wescravn]

Just an FYI. I have work blackberry's 8820 and 8900. They both lose bars easily when coupled. I even barely touched the blackberry 8820 and it went from four bars to two bars.

I was able to get two bars from each phone easily.

I'm happy apple is educating the public on cellphone issues. This will force the carriers to-do some work now.

I see this antenna issue as a +, and not a minus.

Mind you I have had 0 dropped calls. Thank You!

 

[firewood]

The main issue is, Apple should have placed that spot where the antennas connect each other, at the top right of the phone, and not the bottom left where it's 99% of the time covered by the users hand.

Are you trying to be funny? There is an antenna gap between the two antenna segments at the top.

Take a look.