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iPhone 4 Antenna Problem, key demonstration

B

BobHail

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
May 15, 2009
619
0
OMG!!! :eek:

Check this video out, it´s pretty sick:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvH-i7rKPJc

This has to be the biggest FAIL in Apple´s history! I don´t know how they are going to rise back to feet from this. This is devastating for them as a trusted "quality" company.

If you think about it with common sense, you shouldn´t be touching the freaking antennas! I guess Apple "thought differently". :rolleyes:
 
Leo Laporte did a test with a Blackberry and Palmpre by doing the same thing this morning and guess what... they lost their signal too. This is actually something pretty common in cell phones when you cover the antenna with your hand.

I did the test as well and noticed it lost signal when I did it indoors but not outdoors.
 
As I stated in another thread, you're constantly touching the antennas as the whole steel band is the antenna. The problem occurs when your finger creates a bridge between the WiFi/GPS/BT antenna and cell antenna in the lower left hand corner is what is causing the signal problem.
 
EmbraceNext said:
Leo Laporte did a test with a Blackberry and Palmpre by doing the same thing this morning and guess what... they lost their signal too. This is actually something pretty common in cell phones when you cover the antenna with your hand.

I did the test as well and noticed it lost signal when I did it indoors but not outdoors.
Click to expand...

Well if it´s "pretty common", why don´t some people have this issue? Please enlighten me. I guess they have "magical" hands? :rolleyes:
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Again, use a case or bumpers and you have no problem. I your "sick" over it sell your iPhone to someone who isn't and they can use a case or bumpers and get along just fine. You go get your droid or blackberry or greenberry or what ever you think will make you happy.

I have a case on my iPhone 4 which I purchased right after I picked up the phone to protect its' glass body and have not had any antenna problems.
 
The entire reason for the existence of the black non-conductive band separating the two antennas is to insulate them. Placing the key over the band effectively removes it. The black band IS Apple's solution to this problem!
 
Tom G. said:
Again, use a case or bumpers and you have no problem. I your "sick" over it sell your iPhone to someone who isn't and they can use a case or bumpers and get along just fine. You go get your droid or blackberry or greenberry or what ever you think will make you happy.

I have a case on my iPhone 4 which I purchased right after I picked up the phone to protect its' glass body and have not had any antenna problems.
Click to expand...

yes cough up $30 to fix a problem that shouldn't even be a problem in the first place
 
BWV1080 said:
The entire reason for the existence of the black non-conductive band separating the two antennas is to insulate them. Placing the key over the band effectively removes it. The black band IS Apple's solution to this problem!
Click to expand...

The problem is that your hand creates a bridge that can have the signals to go around the rubber seam and mix in with each other causing the interference. Apple had to have thought about that.....
 
Tom G. said:
Again, use a case or bumpers and you have no problem. I your "sick" over it sell your iPhone to someone who isn't and they can use a case or bumpers and get along just fine. You go get your droid or blackberry or greenberry or what ever you think will make you happy.

I have a case on my iPhone 4 which I purchased right after I picked up the phone to protect its' glass body and have not had any antenna problems.
Click to expand...

This person was OWNED by Apple. :D
 
As I've already posted on another site, I must admit to wondering about the RF reception on the iPhone 4 when Steve Jobbs described the external antennas. To my knowledge, this is the only 'phone with such an arrangement.

Anyone with the most basic knowledge of electronics must know that the efficiency of an aerial (antenna) is effected when it's capacitance is increased when in electrical contact with another conductor, in this case, the users hand. If the hand is "sweaty" it is more conductive and the effect is more noticeable These points were noted by CNET.

In areas if relatively high signal strength, the effect would not be so noticeable which could explain why some people are experiencing problems and others are not. Also noted by CNET.

As far as solutions are concerned, the use of a bumper, which would act as an insulator between the hand and the iPhone, should, and has been shown to help. However, this may not be popular with some people.
 
John T said:
As I've already posted on another site, I must admit to wondering about the RF reception on the iPhone 4 when Steve Jobbs described the external antennas. To my knowledge, this is the only 'phone with such an arrangement.

Anyone with the most basic knowledge of electronics must know that the efficiency of an aerial (antenna) is effected when it's capacitance is increased when in electrical contact with another conductor, in this case, the users hand. If the hand is "sweaty" it is more conductive and the effect is more noticeable These points were noted by CNET.

In areas if relatively high signal strength, the effect would not be so noticeable which could explain why some people are experiencing problems and others are not. Also noted by CNET.

As far as solutions are concerned, the use of a bumper, which would act as an insulator between the hand and the iPhone, should, and has been shown to help. However, this may not be popular with some people.
Click to expand...

The whole steel band is the antenna. If it was through simple contact, you would have reduced reception anyway. The problem occurs at the lower left seam between the GSM antenna and the Wi-Fi/GPS/BT antenna and when your hand or finger touches both antennas at the same time which negates the rubber seam separating the two antennas. I can touch the rubber seam alone and it doesn't affect the signal. It is only when my finger touches both antenna's, the signal degrades.
 
i have no loss of reception no matter how I hold the phone. I am in a strong signal area (nyc). I think they'll come out with a software update.
 
John T said:
As I've already posted on another site, I must admit to wondering about the RF reception on the iPhone 4 when Steve Jobbs described the external antennas. To my knowledge, this is the only 'phone with such an arrangement.

Anyone with the most basic knowledge of electronics must know that the efficiency of an aerial (antenna) is effected when it's capacitance is increased when in electrical contact with another conductor, in this case, the users hand. If the hand is "sweaty" it is more conductive and the effect is more noticeable These points were noted by CNET.

In areas if relatively high signal strength, the effect would not be so noticeable which could explain why some people are experiencing problems and others are not. Also noted by CNET.

As far as solutions are concerned, the use of a bumper, which would act as an insulator between the hand and the iPhone, should, and has been shown to help. However, this may not be popular with some people.
Click to expand...

Ya, it's a shame that the Apple people don't have a basic knowledge of electronics. Where were you when they needed you. :rolleyes:
 
BobHail said:
That´s why the serious push for the bumpers? :mad:
Click to expand...

Did I miss this "serious push for the bumpers" somewhere? Other than at the end of the keynote I don't recall Apple ever showing them in any iPhone promo videos or even featuring them anywhere prominently on their website (other than on the bottom half of the store page).
 
-aggie- said:
There are plenty of people who don’t have this problem. One shouldn’t assume either is a majority. We simply don’t know yet.
Click to expand...
Well, actually, those people may have the problem and not know it for three reasons:

  1. The iPhone reports 5 bars down to about -80 to -90 dB.
  2. Hand position reduces the signal by up to 20 dB
  3. The people with no problem may have a -60 or better signal in their area. So while they drop to -78 their bars won't go down - e.g. they have the problem but don't know it.
So, it's not a problem for them now. What happens if they don't get it handled and find themselves in a lower signal area? It could show itself in the future, assuming this is a 100% design flaw and not a high frequency defect -- software or hardware.
 
admanimal said:
Did I miss this "serious push for the bumpers" somewhere? Other than at the end of the keynote I don't recall Apple ever showing them in any iPhone promo videos or even featuring them anywhere prominently on their website (other than on the bottom half of the store page).
Click to expand...
If anything, Apple was bragging about not really needing protection due to the thing being practically unbreakable. The only time I saw a push for bumpers was from site reviews saying the side area could get dinged.
 
Tom G. said:
Again, use a case or bumpers and you have no problem. I your "sick" over it sell your iPhone to someone who isn't and they can use a case or bumpers and get along just fine. You go get your droid or blackberry or greenberry or what ever you think will make you happy.

I have a case on my iPhone 4 which I purchased right after I picked up the phone to protect its' glass body and have not had any antenna problems.
Click to expand...

What a stupid response.


"Buy the new Iphone 4! And make sure you separately purchase a case because our engineers are too incompetent to make a phone that can actually make phone calls!"
 
coz said:
i have no loss of reception no matter how I hold the phone. I am in a strong signal area (nyc). I think they'll come out with a software update.
Click to expand...

How can a software update possibly fix a physical design flaw? Apple will need to design a new revision of the phone.
 
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