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iPhone 4 Drops Calls when Left Corner is Touched

OnNightfall said:
Just got my iPhone 4, was really worried about what was on this thread... NO PROBLEMS! I don't wanna call anyone liars or trolls but I have no issues and am getting 3.2 speeds on my 3G! LOVING THIS!

My advice, get it for yourself because I am not having any* issues. Tried holding every single way I could and never lost a bar.
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Good to see another one :D

It isnt as big a deal as the media exploits it.. Its just a matter of your signal strength.

If you dont want this issue, and you think your signal strength isnt good enough to fight this issue, focus more on not bridging the antennas too much.

This happens with all iPhones / iPod touches.. Cover the antenna with flesh, and bars will drop.
 
TroyBoy30 said:
sorry but I cannot duplicate your issue with my phone. I have been trying since I saw the reports about this issue. I just tried again this morning, holding it the same way, and my bars actually increased!
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Ditto for me! Works perfect! Screen is perfect!
 
I'm having the issues - I've been wondering why I've been dropping calls since yesterday... (non-stop).

I think the problem is even worse when holding the phone between your ear and shoulder.

I'll try to grab another iPhone 4 to video this in a bit, but a few seconds after putting my left hand on the phone the signal drops from 5 bars to 2 or 3, I grab it by the glass instead and the signal comes back up to 5 bars...
 
When making calls, how do you guys hold the phone?

Do you hold it with your index finger on the center, pressing it to your ear and then thumb and middle finger supporting the sides? Any issues like this?
 
pianodude123 said:
Right, exactly.


ALL iPHONE 4s will have this problem. It is not a case by case basis with the phone, it is simply how strong the signal is where you live. This is why some people are experiencing it and some are not.
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This may be true. I live in an area where AT&T's network is very suspect. I had hoped that the new antenna design would help out quite a bit. However, it seems to have made things worse. I can reproduce this problem exactly it scary.

However, I really hope this is just a "batch" issue. Then it can be fixed. And, I'll be damned if I can't get a white one then.

This is going to be a major headache and embarassment for Apple and it should be. How could they honestly have tested this device out and not seen this problem? C'mon, it so apparent. Just wait until I have to explain to the wife why we had to spend $600 on this product. Ugh.
 
pianodude123 said:
Where do you live??

NYC is known to have very strong signal everywhere.
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Wait, what? Are you even in NYC? Try using that phone near Battery Park. Service is also spotty at times for me on Park Ave and 70th. Oddly, when I am in the suburbs, service is usually pretty good.
 
OnNightfall said:
Just got my iPhone 4, was really worried about what was on this thread... NO PROBLEMS! I don't wanna call anyone liars or trolls but I have no issues and am getting 3.2 speeds on my 3G! LOVING THIS!

My advice, get it for yourself because I am not having any* issues. Tried holding every single way I could and never lost a bar.
Click to expand...

Post a video then. I hate to come off so harsh but I'm willing to bet most people not having this problem aren't holding it long enough or are just Apple apologists in denial.

They are the trolls, not those with the problem.
 
I have not read through all of the 14 pages of this thread, however I think it can not be repeated enough: There will always be flaws in any new product from any manufacturer. It would be nearly impossible to get 100% perfect. I got my iPhone 4 yesterday and I can not reproduce the antenna issue at all. My sense is there is a large silent majority of iPhone users who do not have the issue so lets keep this in perspective. If you think your phone is flawed, take it to the Genius bar and I'm sure they will quickly swap it out without question as they have done in the past with flawed launch day phones.
 
I'm betting apple will develop a fix for this that genius' can apple instore.that back comes off super easy now. So I'm betting genius' will be replacing batteries and fixing this easily.
 
This issue probably slipped through the field testing because they all had rubber/plastic cases on them to disguise them as a 3GS phone.
 
What band are these testers on with drop calls

I know where I live ATT is still on 800 mhz(3G) but I think most areas are 1900.Be interesting to see if there is any diference.
 
Ferris23 said:
I believe all phones have this problem and those that don't are either in veyr strong signal areas are their hands aren't as conductive as others either because of humidity or just different skin types and static or something.


This DOES NOT seem to be a "problematic batch" Unless by problematic batch you mean the entire release of Iphone 4.
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I'm in ft lauderdale right now and have had no problems. Each of us tried holding the phone and testing all crazy positions but no signal issue. My3gs actually would always fluctuate in our apt but the 4 has been a rock so far. Tried bit 3G and wifi. I hope it's not all phones as mine seems perfect so far.

Ps it's damn hot down here.
 
Quote from Engadget article:

"...If we had to guess, we'd say that our conductive skin was acting to detune the antenna -- in fact, we've already managed to slowly kill two calls that way so it's not just an issue with the software erroneously reporting an incorrect signal strength. That said, we had no issues when Apple's $29 rubber bumper accessory (given to us free for standing in line) was attached, creating a buffer between our palm and the antennas..."

I find it almost hard to believe that simultaneous launch of Apple's "bumper" product and iPhone 4 is mare coincident... It sounds like expensive fix of a faulty product instead...

Read the full article here: http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/24/some-iphone-4-models-see-signals-drop-to-0-when-held-left-handed/
 
Very strange here. I could duplicate it last night, but now I can't. In a very poor signal area I connect with 2 bars and it goes to 1, but stays connected with no drops. I'm in the southeast.
 
Just to add to this thread, I can reproduce this with a UK iPhone 4 32GB on o2.

Easiest way is to place your index finger over the black divide, touching both pieces of metal either side. Within 3-4 seconds you have instant signal loss. :(
 
kas23 said:
This is going to be a major headache and embarassment for Apple and it should be. How could they honestly have tested this device out and not seen this problem? C'mon, it so apparent. Just wait until I have to explain to the wife why we had to spend $600 on this product. Ugh.
Click to expand...


Because some guy lost their test device in a bar.
 
Of course this isn't going to act the same for everyone. Two people standing at different distances and in different orientation to cell towers could easily have two different experiences when the signal declines (bars lost).

The problem is real - the fact that some people don't lose connection doesn't change that...they could simply be in a better location in relation to the cell tower.

Out of all of these conspiracy theories, the only thing we know for sure is that this is a real issue that apparently shows up large enough numbers to validate it.
 
Gazerbeam said:
This issue probably slipped through the field testing because they all had rubber/plastic cases on them to disguise them as a 3GS phone.
Click to expand...

My dad works for motorola and i can tell you that hardware devices like this undergo rigerous testing. They have to asits mandated by FCC. My dad was saying that there is 0 chance these weren't tested naked. Not only that but they test in many many different "fields" to measure the impact of interference to fine grain the design.

I know people are upset but its ridic to assume they did not test it properly.
 
Just picked up mine this morning. What a bummer. I have 4 bars with the phone sitting on my desk, place a finger over the lower left gap and watch the bars drop slowly down to 1 and often no signal at all.

No difference if Bluetooth is on or off - same result.

Major goof, Apple.
 
Yep, just got my 32gb and low and behold, i'm affected. Got it from CPWH in UK on Vodafone. I loose at least 2 bars if i place my finger across the line. I loose 3G and Edge. Apple need to fix this.
 
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