Consumer Reports 'Can't Recommend' iPhone 4 Due to Signal Issues

[Apollo 13]

I have no regrets returning my phone. I think the ppl that are keeping their phone is fawking nuts. Apple will release another phone that fix this problem next year, and all the ppl that bought the phone this year are stuck with a 2 year agreement and can't even upgrade unless they pay full price.

 

[Anuba]

So I'm supposed to take a critique seriously that doesn't understand that most 'lefties' hold a phone in their right hand (to facilitate writing with the left) just as most righties hold it in their left?

Err... can all lefties just speak for themselves, please? I'm a leftie, but I wouldn't voluntarily hold the phone in my right hand while making a call unless my left hand was in a cast. It's nice for you that you write a lot, myself I pick up a pen once a month or so (thank you, computers).

The only situation where I hold it in my right hand is when I need to type a lot of text (when I'm typing an SMS or something quick I just keep it in my left hand while typing with my thumb).

No two lefties are alike in this respect. I know total lefties who inverse absolutely everything, they keep the mouse on the left side of the keyboard and hold a guitar like Jimi Hendrix. Myself I do everything like a rightie except writing and brushing my teeth.

 

[mdatwood]

Based on some of these posts on here, if Apple dropped an A-Bomb on a major city, the Apple fanboys on here would blame the city for being there.

STOP DRINKING THE KOOL AID.

This is utterly AMAZING. Truly amazing on the depths some of you fanboys will go. TRULY amazing.

w00master

I'm not a fanboy and rip Apple all the time. The issue is that you have people on one side "design defect *all* iphone 4s suck" and on the other "there is no problem." In reality the issue falls in the middle. I have a friend who got his phone at launch and has the issue. His other friend who got his a week later, no issue. I got mine later and no issue. And, believe me that I have tried hard to replicate the problem by going to know low signal areas and trying to make it happen.

It's not a design defect. IMHO, all signs point to a manufacturing defect with the first batch of phones handed out on release day and possibly the next couple days after. People are posting that as they have received replacement phones the issue is gone, so even more evidence of a manufacturing problem.

Now, how Apple is handling the issue is horrible. My guess is that they still haven't figured out which phones are effected and even if they did they still don't have the stock capacity to offer new ones, so they wait. A little communication would go a long ways with this issue.

 

[Champ1]

But you shouldn't have to. You may not like the "feel" of the Android phones...but at least you can hold them anyway you want.

I will agree that the iPhone4 form factor is the best on the market...but at what cost? Apple screwed this up. They simply released a phone with a major design flaw. Apple and its die hard fans should acknowledge that.

What they need to do is announce that a hardware fix is in the works, and that for those that are not satisfied with the pending software fix - a full refund will be offered, or a credit towards the updated hardware due this fall.

The positives far out weigh the negatives to me. That is how I look at it. If I were to live in an area with poor coverage I probably wouldn't get one. But I live in an area with great coverage so it is no big deal. I plan on getting a case no matter what anyway. Its a no brainer to me. If it really bothers you don't get one or take it back if you already purchased one. If it is as big of a deal as you say it is then Apple will pay for it down the road. Time will tell.

 

[txpotato]

even if they do, what happens in a year or two ? how durable is this coating ?

This ultimately still seems to me to be a bad design decision. Coatings don't last forever and often not for very long. What were they thinking ? Certainly would be one way to force people to buy a new iPhone in a couple of years as their aging iPhone 4 starts dropping calls.

We will get IPHONE 5 next year. Apple will make this coating last at least 1 year (or 11 months)

 

[boriscolombia]

I just can not believe so many people are asking so much about iphone. This phone is great. It can take great picture and video, it can surf web, it can send and receive emails, it can show maps.......etc. It just can not make a phone call if you touch the antenna. Stop complaining, think about all the good things SJ provided.

iPHONE not icamara or isomethingelse, instead of putting so much extra crap they should have worried about making the phone part work.

 

[asleep]

Engadget: Consumer Reports confirms iPhone 4 antenna problems -- and so do we

http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/12/consumer-reports-confirms-iphone-4-antenna-problems-and-so-do/

 

[Romanesq]

not scotch tape

Not every case stops it, might be why he said that. Also he wasn't being an ass by using the scotch tape as its a well known "fix"

I had tried that and it didn't work. He said duct tape and used that!

Found out a hard plastic case works well and so does Best Skins Ever. 😎

 

[Apollo 13]

Regardless of how many people use the Consumer Report as a buying guide, it doesn't deter Apple's sales. This is STILL the biggest launch in Apple's history, even with the signal problem ongoing. People don't care. I don't care. Then again, I live in their 2nd biggest city so I always have great signal...

sales me nothing if less then 30% of the ppl buying the phone are new. Most of the ppl that are buying the Iphone are upgrading their phones.

 

[sswitze1]

Mine Works

I have been a long time iphone user. I upgraded from a 3G to the Iphone4. The new phone is vastly superior. I am not convinced the signal issue is a major problem, as even with the antenna drop issue the reception is still better than my old 3G. Could the phone have been designed better to mitigate this problem, the answer is yes. However, is this phone still better than the prior iphones, again in my opinion the answer is yes. Some people I know will disagree with me, but I just don't see the problem as a major issue after using the phone heavily for over a week in multiple locations. The couple places I have dropped calls, were the places I always dropped calls with AT&T with my old iphone. I should also mention that my observations have been made while using the phone without a case/bumper. I think a lot of people have expectations that every Apple device will be better than it really is. I think some people in these forums literally treat the iPhone4 as the Iphone7 with their expectations. That being said, this is still a superior phone to most on the market, and no I am not a Apple fanboy. Just a long time iphone user.

 

[aaaaaaron]

😀: That is lame and unintelligent. It works (does HD video + editing) , may just drop calls if you hold it wrong, tho.

found another one

 

[notoaststereo]

It sucks for a lot of people that it's happening. Luckily my phone doesn't replicate the problem.

Apple should probably recall the phone though.

 

[Misplaced Mage]

Software absolutely CAN solve hardware problems, in many cases. In fact the software is completely written to work with hardware design, and software can be adjusted to better perform with any given hardware. This is absolutely true 100% of the time. Software and Hardware work together.

It remains to be seen whether or not software will FIX this particular problem. But at a bare minimum, software WILL be able to reduce the impact of the problem - and that may be enough to make it a non issue.

You are demonstrating a lack of knowledge of basic physics and RF engineering. Yes, software can help to a point. The fact that UMTS uses a CDMA air interface also helps a great deal. But if the cell phone's antenna is detuned, the receiver's ability pick up, filter out from background noise, and amplify the base station's signal is drastically reduced. If the receiver isn't capable of supplying the digital signal processor an input signal from which accurate 1/0 decisions can be made, it's a moot point how good the software is. GIGO.

Then there are all the issues with closed-loop power control and output power of the cell phone's transmitter through a detuned antenna… Yeck.

 

[kernkraft]

Monumental denial

No problems with my iPhone 4. I was able to replicate this issue once, in another part of town, by burying the corner of my phone in my palm as the Internetz taught me to ("Now squeeze real tight, hold, and watch the signal bars!"). But holding it as I normally would I have no problems.

Is it really that hard to rotate the phone in your fingers by 2mm or so to prevent the corner from being covered by your fleshy palm? Really?

And while most (all?) phones have their antenna-killing sensitive spots, it seems only the iPhone's deserves front-page attention. 🙄 And is CR going to do this type of test with all smartphones (seek out the magical death grip/touch of death) from now on? I doubt it.

Seems like a tempest in a teapot to me. Had this not made the evening news, I doubt 90% of the iPhone users who are currently complaining would have even experienced a problem had they not been shown how to replicate it.

In related news, my iPhone camera won't take a decent picture when my finger is covering the lens. WHY CAN'T APPLE DESIGN A CAMERA PHONE THAT WORKS THE WAY I WANT TO HOLD IT??? 😡 🙄

I'm also waiting for a golf club that will give me a good swing no matter how I hold it. Because I deserve it.

Apple should just give out free bumpers (a complete rip-off at $30 anyway) and put out the PR fire (surely being fueled in part by its competitors). It's not that hard.

I have the suspicion that you wouldn't admit even if you experienced the issue on a regular basis...

There are a few MR members who still believe what Apple Inc claims. But I think for most of us, it became obvious that they are misleading people by trying to cover up the issue (literally, with a bumper).

 

[Mad Mac Maniac]

You can afford it.

Each iPhone you sell gets you $599-$699 ($199-$299 plus $400 kickback from AT&T). Your $29 bumper probably only costs about $10 to make. Give some away, please.

This makes me laugh... 10 bucks?? Not a chance. Even if you account for the development and creation of whatever machines and assemblies required it still sits under 10 bucks. And when you dismiss all that one time overhead, each bumper probably costs like 20 cents to make.

 

[sishaw]

Ouch! I kind of suspected that the software fix idea was an attempt to band-aid a hardware issue.

 

[Stay Tuned]

You're testing it wrong.

Steve
Sent from my iPhone

 

[kironin]

Could anyone enlighten us non-Americans as to the magnitude of this? I don't know anything about this so-called "Consumer Reports" or their reputation/influence. Is it a household name that the general public cares about or is it an obscure fanzine that has a devoted following of 3 housewives and a small dog?

Consumer Reports is a respected non-profit organization that started in 1933 by dedicated group of professors, engineers, journalists and labor leaders. It takes no advertising money from commercial companies and it's considered independent. Over the years several of it's testings have revealed major design flaws in products that have led to large recalls and famous cases of lawsuits particularly with automobiles. If they confirm the defect, it's a big deal. They have a rep for being careful and thorough in their testing.

 

[Romanesq]

Amazing...

I have been a long time iphone user. I upgraded from a 3G to the Iphone4. The new phone is vastly superior. I am not convinced the signal issue is a major problem, as even with the antenna drop issue the reception is still better than my old 3G. Could the phone have been designed better to mitigate this problem, the answer is yes. However, is this phone still better than the prior iphones, again in my opinion the answer is yes. Some people I know will disagree with me, but I just don't see the problem as a major issue after using the phone heavily for over a week in multiple locations. The couple places I have dropped calls, were the places I always dropped calls with AT&T with my old iphone. I should also mention that my observations have been made while using the phone without a case/bumper. I think a lot of people have expectations that every Apple device will be better than it really is. I think some people in these forums literally treat the iPhone4 as the Iphone7 with their expectations. That being said, this is still a superior phone to most on the market, and no I am not a Apple fanboy. Just a long time iphone user.

It never ceases to amaze me that an individual without the finger of death problem thinks that really there is no problem.

There's no problem for you. Congrats.

Now back to our story: there's a problem. 😛

 

[Sasha Trice]

1. Most (all) people DO have this problem
2. Apple aren't replacing IP4s with the reception issue (because they all have it)

Speak for yourself. I've had no problems with my iPhone 4. It's an awesome phone, the best I've ever seen. I'm not saying there isn't a problem for some but not for everybody. People who are happy aren't as vocal as people who are angry, this is not as big a problem as it seems, probably.

 

[Misjah]

Based on some of these posts on here, if Apple dropped an A-Bomb on a major city, the Apple fanboys on here would blame the city for being there.

STOP DRINKING THE KOOL AID.

This is utterly AMAZING. Truly amazing on the depths some of you fanboys will go. TRULY amazing.

w00master

What the heII are you doing on this forum dude? Why don't you join the other geeks at some fandroid forum... Here you may learn how to install Linux, and download warez on your newborn EVOs (ohh Sorry... I forgot... No battery)

 

[thewiccaman]

Signal Issues

My twopenn'orth: maybe I'm just lucky, or Orange UK is an exceptional network [unlikely!] but I can't report any discernible difference in call quality/lost signal than my 3GS.

Yes, I have a case on my 4G but I would have one anyway irrespective of any signal issues.

Like I say, maybe I'm lucky but I'm loving my 4G.

 

[Battlefield Fan]

Hopefully apple will release the white iPhones and they will have a minor hardware fix and then apple will recall all 2 millionish black iPhones and then we'll be good. It'll be interesting to see if this "software fix" works.

 

[aughsum]

the simple fact is apple put out a horrible phone. yet fanboys are blind idiots and are gonna defend this to death. if the evo, or any windows or google phone had this problem, they would be all over it claiming apple makes stuff that just works and is the best quality. Until people wake up and wont blindly buy ****** products that dont work or underperform massively, then maybe apple will start actually innovating and creating awesome products again. They have become a me too company, and anyone saying they are just perfecting and making the features the best available and just idiots or fanboys.

why do you people come to apple message boards?

works perfect for me, sucks if it doesnt work perfect for you.

if you don't like it, return it for a full refund.

 

[iMacoo7]

Workarounds like this will increase strain on cell-phone towers.

They'll probably do it. It will probably hurt the busy carriers (like AT&T) more than the ones in other countries. It's probably part of the reason we have these problems (I'm guessing). I think Apple turned some stuff down in this phone to make the iPhone less of a burden for the carriers. (Another guess.)

If so, it looks like it's not working too well.

Too many pages to sift through, Agreed though all the same. Every model that has came out has been "tuned" down in some way. Only time will tell what the outcome of this whole situation will be