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I will give apple some credit tho, aside from this issue, when i am not touching it in that inch area, i get better reception almost everywhere Ive tried and call setup and completion is WAY WAY faster than any other cell phone Ive ever had.

So at least I know whats causing it and if im having a call problem (most areas drop bars but i keep service) I know to double check im not touching there.
 
field test

I'm still on my 3GS, but I cannot do a field test. Is anyone able to? If not I wonder why. I'm reserved for tomorrow, but boy am I worried.
*3001#12345#*
 
I just got through playing with one in an AT&T store and I did not notice any difference in bars whether I was holding it or not. I am wondering if this might only be an issue where there is 3G coverage. We only have edge. Just a thought.
 
I can't get it to do this on any of my phones... I have full bars with it laying down and then hands on the sides and its still full bars...
 
Question:

Although you wouldn't hold the phone like in the video for a call, you would for web browsing/using the iPhone for other things. Does this inhibit the 3g service as well?
 
People please get a grip. I have a 3g with iOS4 sw. If i hold the phone the way he does in the video ... sure enough I drop down to no reception. But who grips a phone like that when making a call?
When I hold the phone as I normally do(with just my fingers...not surrounded by my whole hand!) it has no effect on reception.
If you hold the phone the way he does, your fingers stop you getting it to your ear!

I challenge any one on this forum to pick up their phones now as though making a call and see how much of your hand touches the edge. I bet you don't bridge the gap and the bars remain the same.

Storm in a tea cup is the expression i think:rolleyes:

First of all my 3G doesn't exhibit any issues with holding it... secondly, why wouldn't you hold a phone like that? Maybe while on speakerphone? Maybe while browsing? Maybe while texting?

To go on about why someone 'just shouldn't hold the phone like that' in defense of what looks like a pretty blunderful design flaw is really pretty petulant.

This IS a problem. As someone who's getting up mighty early to pickup my iPhone tomorrow, I sincerely hope this is fixable soon... not by using a bumper, not by holding it in a specific way, but a real fix. Otherwise I'm going to feel pretty stupid about paying $400 for two phones that are rendered useless when you touch them.
 
You have thirty (30) days from date of purchase and signing of new contract to return the iPhone 4 and cancel the contract with no penalty. Also, remember: Over-anxious first adopters always get the buggy stuff. Patient people wait and let things settle down. Just saying.

Great comment. Ever stopped to think that the early adopters are the reason the lazy (sorry, patient) people get all the good stuff? If we all waited, we'd all be early adopters. Fixing these problems isn't time based, it's people based.
 
Anyone noticing a decrease in WIFI signal while holding it? If the antennas are interfering with each other with contact, shouldn't wifi be affected as well?
 
I will give apple some credit tho, aside from this issue, when i am not touching it in that inch area, i get better reception almost everywhere Ive tried and call setup and completion is WAY WAY faster than any other cell phone Ive ever had.

So at least I know whats causing it and if im having a call problem (most areas drop bars but i keep service) I know to double check im not touching there.


Shaddow825,

can you try using a piece of scotch tape over the lower part to see if that creates enough separation? I wonder if we can get around this problem aesthetically (i.e. caseless) and invisibly enough.
 
Guys! I tested this with my 3GS and the results were exactly the same!

I have an Incipio Feather case on. It went from 5 bars to one or two bars the minute I picked up the phone in my hand. Couple times it even lost the connection for a few seconds. Weird!
 
look guys there is only one company to blame for all of this, its ATT. They mess up everything!
 
TEST THIS BY BEING ON A CALL!!!

Enough with the same test by everyone when you're not on a call. ACTIVELY BE ON A CALL AND DO THE TESTS!

It kills the call! I initiate calls with it laying on the counter (speakerphone). My wife picks up on her end, we talk, I pick up the phone and hold it normally and the bars start ticking down until the call drops.
 
The hardware issue is a bug that will get fixed soon...

What's truly annoying is that I just called one of the local Apple stores and was informed that all iPhone related products, including the bloody bumper, will require me to stand in line with everyone that is there to purchase a phone.

Not to be an elitist but if I wanted to stand in line I wouldn't have spend three hours on the ATT website trying to pre-order the phone...
 
Why should it matter how people hold their phones? Just because you hold it one way doesn't make it the right way.

All i'm saying is no one grips a phone like that to make a call. Try holding yours to your face like that. I bet you just use your fingers.

Thats why the videos of face time don't have a reception issue...the are holding their phone normally not in a gorilla like grip!LMAO!
 
When the iPhone 3G launched, there was a thug on how cool it was with antennas. It said that it uses things like the chrome display bezel, the camera chrome border and headphone jack border as antennas. There is a flap of meta soldered to tr logic board on my 3GS that touches the chrome display bezel, but I'm not sure what antenna it is for.

yeah i know that, but are you touching all three at once?

someone test this (im in a no service zone)....touch the bezel, headphone jack and silver ring around camera on a 3G or 3Gs. Does it drop signal? If so, then the iP4 has a big flaw.
 
Guys! I tested this with my 3GS and the results were exactly the same!

I have an Incipio Feather case on. It went from 5 bars to one or two bars the minute I picked up the phone in my hand. Couple times it even lost the connection for a few seconds. Weird!

are you on iOS4?
 
Shaddow825,

can you try using a piece of scotch tape over the lower part to see if that creates enough separation? I wonder if we can get around this problem aesthetically (i.e. caseless) and invisibly enough.

Surely you would need to cover enough that you couldn't make the connection, i.e. most of the metal?

Though I'm thinking that invisibleshield material would probably do the job brilliantly!
 
Guys! I tested this with my 3GS and the results were exactly the same!

I have an Incipio Feather case on. It went from 5 bars to one or two bars the minute I picked up the phone in my hand. Couple times it even lost the connection for a few seconds. Weird!

I tested on my 3G. I wrapped both hands completely around it. It only dropped 2 bars for me. I am on iOS4.
 
Not holding my iPhone4 by the sides it does in fact get better reception in places that are known to be bad w my 3GS...

That said...

When I hold my iPhone4 like a phone, my signal goes from full to one bar... Hasn't lost service all the way yet... But the phones only a few hours old.

In short... My device suffers from this issue as well. I'll have to try a case out...
 
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