iPhone 3G -- similar reception problems

[jayducharme]

I said before that my 3G suffered no reception problems when holding it. I was wrong. The drop in the signal just takes time, but it happens consistently. I always blamed AT&T for crappy coverage; it turns out that holding my phone gives me crappy coverage.

I made a video clearly showing this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrLujjG9i3E

This probably happened with my previous (non-Apple) cell phone, but I didn't realize it. I think Apple's concept with the iPhone 4 -- to place the antenna on the outside of the phone -- is a step in the right direction. Now I know why so many early phones had an extendable antenna, to keep it away from direct skin contact.

EDIT: I should note that this demo was done with iPhone OS 3.1.3

 

[xmtgx]

ATT is the most overloaded network in the US, shame we cant spread the iphone love around to other ISPs, Though I don't have issues here in Jersey with coverage.

 

[shawntkeating]

is this running ios4 on your 3G?

 

[jayducharme]

is this running ios4 on your 3G?

No. I just edited my post to clarify that.

 

[puckshaw]

I have the problem with the 4 and tried to duplicate it on my old 3G last night (which is now on my second line). I had my hands completely surrounding it and couldn't even get it to drop 1 bar. The iP4 on the other hand immediately starts losing signal when I hold the lower left corner. Both are running iOS4.

 

[shawntkeating]

No. I just edited my post to clarify that.

Interesting. Is this something you have discovered since the iPhone 4 has been released?

Or

Have you seen this in the past?

 

[jayducharme]

Interesting. Is this something you have discovered since the iPhone 4 has been released?

Yes. I watched videos of the iPhone 4 issues, and it suddenly sank into my thick skull that the signal drop took time. So this morning I sat on my porch where I had four bars of EDGE reception. I held the iPhone as I normally would when making calls (as I hold it in the video, with my hand cupping the back). I waited, and then saw the bars begin to drop. I removed my hand and held the phone with two fingers. Slowly, the signal strength went back to what it was before. I repeated this several times. My hand had to cup the phone. It didn't seem to matter whether I tried to stay toward the top or bottom.

In retrospect, I can now see that this has always happened. I just chalked it up to AT&T's bad reputation. I couldn't understand how one day I could have five bars of 3G and the next day have two bars of EDGE in the same location. It's not like I'm in a metropolis with heavy mobile usage. It appears that all along my signal strength issues were due to the phone itself. I never had suspected it before, because I thought very highly of Apple and assumed their product was the best phone money could buy.

I do still love the iPhone, and I'll be getting the 4th generation. But I'm going into it with a more realistic expectation of what Apple can produce.