iPhone 4 Signal Declines While Being Held? A Longstanding Issue?

[zMudvayne]

The funny thing is that nobody noticed that when Steve Jobs was doing his presentation?? The 3GS opened the page and the iPhone 4 was struggling... on the same network. I suspected right then and there the iPhone 4 had reception issues... now it's confirmed. I guess we'll have to wait for iPhone 5.

At WWDC Steve Jobs was using WiFi... has anyone confirmed that WiFi also drops reception / slows down while you're holding the phone? The biggest evidence we have right now is that the phone shows a decrease in reception (yet, for the most part, still maintains calls and internet.....hmmm...)

 

[Zander-Fragile]

No need. We believe you. It's still irrelevant until someone does some controlled tests.

It's not irrelevant to those who need to use their phones frequently for business, and have already switched over from the 3GS. There are some impressive mac zombie apologists roaming here.

 

[d00m42]

So lets assume this whole touch scenario is true - will something like the Wrapsol prevent it from happening?

Anything that shields the metal rim of the phone from your fingers SHOULD solve the problem. It would really have to cover everything completely though (without even slivers of metal exposed), so your best bet is a polycarbonate shell. I'll look into it more tomorrow when I have the phone.

 

[unklebooey]

Bingo.. this is actually it!

It's meant for your right hand. Your'e right hand fingers won't bond the two pieces of metal together. But your left hand palm will... creating the issue!

This is absolutely true! I am a lefty, and my bars were dropping to 1 and zero until I put the phone down. I tried it with my right hand and the bars didn't drop.

The spot that makes the bars drop is the lower left hand side of the phone (where the black line is). Lay the phone on a desk and just cover that black line with one finger and the bars will drop!

 

[omfgaturtle]

http://img130.imageshack.us/img130/4066/screenshot20100624at122.png
http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/4066/screenshot20100624at122.png

Sent this email to steve jobs, here is what he replied.

This is really steve, folks. At least you can know that I am not faking it, perhaps someone at apple is, who knows, but to my understanding, its steve.

 

[Magaman]

Wow, I can't believe the amount of people defending Apple with this, saying that all cellphones have reception issues when being held, or why not just use bluetooth. Listen, I'm not only an avid Apple user, but also a shareholder, and this reception issue is 100% BS. People should be able to hold a phone and talk, I have NEVER owned a cellphone that when held would lose signal to the point of drop calls. Don't defend them and make excuses, cause it's just going to lead to overpriced sub-standard products in the future.

Now with that said, I canceled my order once this news hit (mine wasn't shipping till next week). I already have a handful of friends who got theirs, and the issues are mixed. Some have the signal issues some don't, it's really 50/50. The ones with the signal issues will hold the phone like normal and the signal will drop till it drops a call. On-top of that all of them have the screen issue as well, and some have issues with the hands-free being staticy as well. People without the issue also don't have the screen or hands free issues. That being said, this is more then likely a bad hardware batch. All signs point to hardware as stated all over this thread, and if thats the case, a software fix won't fix it.

Another note, ATT when called said don't bring it to them you need to go through Apple, Apple says they won't have units for exchange obviously. Also ATT said that it will be possible to get your contract rolled back due to a return, obviously the entire return is going to be a headache for anyone.

As of now I'm waiting, I have enough issues getting things done with Apple and ATT due to my account having a business discount on it. So I'm waiting and seeing.

 

[_Refurbished_]

Hold your hands around your current 3G / 3GS (touching the metal frame) and you'll see that your bars will drop. I went from five bars to one bar. When I put my case on, my signal was steady.

As others have said, this is true with any antenna. The iPhone 4's implementation of the antenna may be flawed. If that's the case, expect to get "free" bumpers. That's not an ideal solution, but you have 30 days to return the phone if you're not satisfied.

Personally, I'm going to put mine in a case. Not an issue for me.

As for the screen issues...it's no shock to me that the screen has issues. I went through a few iPhone 3G's last year. Either the screen had yellow tinting or gradient inconsistency. Finally, I found one that looked "normal" and I've stuck with it for the past 6 months.....

None of the iPhone's have been perfect. Those expecting the "perfect" device should reconsider that notion next year.

 

[juicedropsdeuce]

http://img130.imageshack.us/img130/4066/screenshot20100624at122.png
http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/4066/screenshot20100624at122.png

Sent this email to steve jobs, here is what he replied.

This is really steve, folks. At least you can know that I am not faking it, perhaps someone at apple is, who knows, but to my understanding, its steve.

When I emailed him he said this, basically the same thing:

Get a bumper.

-Steve

 

[SPUY767]

Watch my signal degrade as I place this cube made of Bronze mesh over the iPhone.

 

[MacCheetah3]

Hi

every iphone does this.....


NEXT!!!

You mean, "every phone does this."

Radio tranceivers can be very sensitive to a number of things. The first is the most obvious and that's your hand creating an additional barrier. The next one isn't as obvious and may affect the iPhone 4 a bit more than other phones with the metal but not by a ton. Touching a radio antenna can both hurt and help. Good examples. Sometimes when you grab a stereo antenna or "rabbit ears," it helps and sometimes it makes it worse. This is because your body conducts electricity and when you touch the antenna, the tranceiver will use your body as an extension. This changes the characteristics of the antenna, therefore, messing up the optimal frequencies. In a perfect setup, the length and diameter of the antenna will optimize reception and transmission of a certain frequency range. Finally, any change in already difficult conditions will be much more substantial.

All cellular phones give handling tips to avoid the antennas as much as possible. Of course, holding it with finger tips compared to your entire hand is usually better.

 

[Bevz]

My 3G has always done this... Only with the 3G signal though. It doesn't effect the strength if my phones locked onto an EDGE connection. It's never bothered me or been an issue.

 

[juicedropsdeuce]

Watch my signal degrade as I place this cube made of Bronze mesh over the iPhone.

I haven't tried that yet. But it definitely does it when I hold it. It drops to zero and searches. I don't know what to do.

 

[juicedropsdeuce]

Hi

You mean, "every phone does this."

Radio tranceivers can be very sensitive to a number of things. The first is the most obvious and that's your hand creating an additional barrier. The next one isn't as obvious and may affect the iPhone 4 a bit more than other phones with the metal but not by a ton. Touching a radio antenna can both hurt and help. Good examples. Sometimes when you grab a stereo antenna or "rabbit ears," it helps and sometimes it makes it worse. This is because your body conducts electricity and when you touch the antenna, the tranceiver will use your body as an extension. This changes the characteristics of the antenna, therefore, messing up the optimal frequencies. In a perfect setup, the length and diameter of the antenna will optimize reception and transmission of a certain frequency range. Finally, any change in already difficult conditions will be much more substantial.

All cellular phones give handling tips to avoid the antennas as much as possible. Of course, holding it with finger tips compared to your entire hand is usually better.

Ha! This coming from a guy with a black macbook. Geeez....

 

[PeterQVenkman]

As does Gizmodo.

Apparently so does the design of the iPhone.

 

[TuffLuffJimmy]

It's not irrelevant to those who need to use their phones frequently for business, and have already switched over from the 3GS. There are some impressive mac zombie apologists roaming here.

I'm not saying people aren't having problems, and sure it could be a design error. But it's not widespread, and no one has any evidence that it occurs more often in iPhone 4 than any other mobile phone.

 

[DeepIn2U]

10 bucks says he or a friend turned on a cellphone jammer when he picked it up.

LMAO! I just had an image of Woz with a jammer in hand with Jobs beside him bellyaching while jamming. Oldschool fun.

 

[Zmmyt]

Can't say for sure if this is related to the construction of the phone or not, but I have the exact same issue at work where we have a very weak signal in general.

Out and about this issue never occurs.

 

[MacCheetah3]

Hi

Ha! This coming from a guy with a black macbook. Geeez....

What's wrong with black MacBooks?

Anywho... I said all that with plenty expeience. I live in an area where I can barely get less than full bars but my parents are in more rural areas with very sketchy AT&T coverage. Of course, that makes this symptom very relevant and annoying. I've absolutely seen pricey Samsung, LG, Nokia, etc handsets exhibit extremely similar actions.

On top of all that, I took an electronics class in high school that turned into a HAM radio course half way through. Long story... Anywho... Those guys are extremely geeky with this radio communication stuff.

 

[TennisandMusic]

When I emailed him he said this, basically the same thing:

Get a bumper.

-Steve

Can you post a picture of this?

 

[Castiel]

I think people are looking a little too into this. People are watching those bars like hawks now.
1 bar or 5 bars, seems the same to me.

Besides, who really gets many bars with AT&T anyways?

 

[snowboarder]

I'm not saying people aren't having problems, and sure it could be a design error. But it's not widespread, and no one has any evidence that it occurs more often in iPhone 4 than any other mobile phone.

It's simply ridiculous how blind someone can be.
It might already easily be called "religion"...

 

[chill1n]

A stationary cell phone is a happy cell phone.

A cell phone receives its best possible reception when perfectly still.
This has always been true of all cell phones.
I'm going to keep posting this because there's a number of stubborn, um... "scientists" out there that are missing their fallacy. Where is your control? That's not science. Get a clue and ST*U. (message repeats)(4)

Thanks to those that read and understood... you guys are teh great hope for humanity. Please have children.

To those that are struggling to understand why their shiny new iPhone is still a cell phone, and susceptible to the limitations of all cell phones, just step back and try to imagine that you are missing some crucial understanding of the situation... imagine that you are making sweeping and unsupported observations about all cell phones, even though you only have a single phone. Try to get it into your imagination, first... and then open your eyes and realize this is what you are doing. You're saying "it should do this, and it shouldn't do this" yet you are basing everything you are saying on the one phone in front of you. Don't you see that everything is nonsense unless you have at least two phones. Only then can you even begin to hypothesize, and only just hypothesize. To actually be able to make an intelligent, informed judgement, you need... well, I don't want to confuse you, but you need a lot more cell phones.

 

[dtich]

This is absolutely true! I am a lefty, and my bars were dropping to 1 and zero until I put the phone down. I tried it with my right hand and the bars didn't drop.

The spot that makes the bars drop is the lower left hand side of the phone (where the black line is). Lay the phone on a desk and just cover that black line with one finger and the bars will drop!

i only get a minor drop when i short the left side section with the bottom section. (i count 3 sections separated by black lines - dialectrics?) i can easily avoid this by not touching the bottom section w my palm. not really an issue.

a bumper will eliminate the issue, sure, but i may not even bother. my feeling is the reception with the antennas in an external config like this will be better in general, and the tradeoff is that you can short them in certain hand-hold configurations... solution: be aware of how you hold your phone.

no big deal, nothing new, not a 'deal-breaker' or even remotely a reason to return the phone or cancel an order. i honestly have to say i think people hold apple inc. up to such higher standards than other companies.. this kind of scrutiny, picayune investigations, are fairly silly. and likewise the complete generalizations that follow from them. how anyone could say 'apple botched this release', or 'apple always has horrible QA issues' is beyond me. they are far and away the most consistently high quality devices bar none. i have been an apple user for more than 20 years now, and while i've had several frustrating hardware issues over the years, they have almost always been handily resolved, and never really inhibited my use of the product too terribly. these screen issues, audio glitches, antenna questions, and the like, are not the norm, they are the exception, and fairly often, imho, are greatly exaggerated. yes, it's no fun to get a lemon, or to unluckily pickup a series at a point where apple has made a small design mis-step, but really... name me one other manufacturer with a better overall quality achievement...? not really.

i'm sorry if the little screen discolorations and audio glitches are a real problem for people - but i've personally never had an issue and i've had every model iphone, 10 or 11 models of powerbook, 7 or 8 desktops, couple xserves, myriad ipods, a newton, airports galore, and one appletv.

(...now of course i've jinxed myself horribly and the next things i get will be crap. lol.)

 

[bahooki]

Man, you guys are making a lot out of a well known issue that affects all cell phones. Obviously just because of the redesigned antenna people are more sensitive to such sensationalist journalism, like the crap Gizmodo and Engadget are known for.

Yeah right. I hold my phone like a phone and it drops every single call I make. I hold it awkwardly between my thumb and forefinger and not a single call drops. That's not making a lot out of anything. That's a huge problem. Regardless of what apologists want to say.

 

[SchneiderMan]

Hahahahaha and people camp overnight for that..