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I would also add that since majority of iPhone users will inevitably use a cover/sleeve with their iPhones, i do not see this to be gravely disastrous.
 
I fully agree with what you said. Why then would any company build a case that only envelopes the antenna and not the rest of the phone? Looks like Apple is deliberately preventing conductive contact with the antennas. The bumper is just an attempt to hide this reception flaw in the disguise of a "phone cover". But to be fair, the Nexus One has suffered from reduced signals from touch on DAY 1, and Google has eventually given up all hope to remedy this. I would say iPhone is not the only phone that suffers from this fate and is only highly publicized because of all the hype.

It was rather suspicious that Jobs gave such prominence to the 'bumpers' during the keynote...I guess we now know why. ;)
 
Yeah right, it is only a software issue how the bars are being displayed and you don't drop calls or anything....

Left: iPhone on the table
Right: iPhone in your hand

500x_handsonreceptionprobs.jpg
 
Oh I wouldn't say Jobs had given any more publicity to the bumpers than he gave to other Apple accessories like the iPad's. IIRC he only gave it a 20-sec introduction.
 
Signal dropping when the iPhone is in my hand is something I've noticed on not only my original iPhone, but also my 3g too - I've just got really used to it/assumed it was O2's shabby signal quality....but it is something really annoying when it comes to loading website and such. That's the trouble with devices getting smaller, it seems they have to sacrifice performance quality.

Why don't we just go the way the Japanese do - making their phones bigger and fatter so they can do a bunch of crazy things and make decent phone calls?...
 
Yeah right, it is only a software issue how the bars are being displayed and you don't drop calls or anything....

Well, if the problem is due to cross talk between two antennas that are transmitting different frequencies (Wifi vs. 3G), then perhaps they can tweak the band filtering to reduce the affect of one against the other.

Perhaps this is why some people don't notice it while others do ... AT&T in some areas might be using 1700MHz, while other areas might be using frequencies closer to 2100MHz (closer to the 2400MHz of Wifi and harder to filter out Wifi without also attenuating the 3G signal)
 
Shiny fallout

If you believe that 3GS was just a backup plana and they were working on this iPhone for a very long time it's impossible miss this, so the only other explanations are that this is just a conincidence and only some phones will suffer from this issue or they comletely ignored the problem they knew about.

Any other possibilities?

Reality. For nearly everyone that gets the new iPhone, it will be the first time they actually spent hours upon hours scrutinizing anything since puberty. Scrutinizing a cell phone will lead to certain obvious discoveries one may have not noticed previously about cell phones because prior to this event all cell phones sucked ass and weren't worth scrutinizing. Everyone is so enamored by this thing they can't even think straight. Some poor souls are convinced there is something defective with their phone or the design, basing all judgement on a cell phone exhibiting expected and known behavior and the multitudes across the internet reporting cell phones exhibiting expected and known behavior. It's astonishing, the way bull spreads. There are people posting here that would bet their lives that there is a design flaw, because "look, see, when I do this, look what happens!!" failing to see how they and everyone else reporting this behavior is missing pretty much any evidence that would support the claim that their phone or the design is defective. So... which is more likely... if you buy an iPhone, you instantly are a expert radio engineer and know exactly what you are talking about because you saw it with your own eyes? or iPhone causes delusions? I think we know which is reality.
 
For the record, my iPhone (32gb, sim free from Apple) using a 3 UK sim doesn't do this. I've tried it multiple times and the signal hasn't ever dropped below 4 bars, which is normal for where I live!
 
i had some reception problems at my home with my 3gs, it would switch between 3G and E and sometimes it just hang.

I got my 4G and it will stay on 3G and never switches to E so I have had several times when NO Service is displayed.
 
What's the big deal? Doesn't this happen with all phones? Every phone I've ever owned has had the signal strength decrease when it's held; it's physics! Obviously my current 3GS is included.

Yes, but when you have 5 Bars and hold the iPhone and it goes down to searching and drops a call, it's not normal. Only time will tell if it is software or hardware that is an issue. Either way, at least AT&T can't be blamed for it, as the issue is with the iPhone 4 it's self.
 
Yes. AT&T sucks.

AT&T is the favorite whipping boy but is it not possible that Apple is still figuring out how to design a reliable mobile phone? They are still inexperienced in this field compared with companies like Nokia.

I love Apple products and have an iPhone 4 coming today but I think continually blaming AT&T for every iPhone related problem is extremely naive.
 
This is a major flaw. I have personally tested it, and sure enough the calls either fail or the signal gets really low. How did this get past testing?
 
AT&T is the favorite whipping boy but is it not possible that Apple is still figuring out how to design a reliable mobile phone? They are still inexperienced in this field compared with companies like Nokia.

I love Apple products and have an iPhone 4 coming today but I think continually blaming AT&T for every iPhone related problem is extremely naive.

Agree w/ your point - don't think this particular issue is a carrier issue. Nonetheless, AT&T sure hasn't put much effort into getting their network ready for what they knew was coming - they are barely handling the iPhone.

All that to say though, the constant AT&T bashing sure does get tiresome.
 
I think Apple should send out free bumpers - at least to all preorder customers.

I created a facebook group for this very reason. If a facebook group can do anything (which is debatable), feel free to join in and lend your voice.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=129853823715910

Just a friendly suggestion - "DEMAND" is a strong word. Even if you got 15 million people in your group, you wouldn't really be in a position to demand something. Demand is harsh language and it turns people off to even listening to your request - plus it looks funny with one guy in the group demanding something from Apple, though that will change :)

Probably not the best foot to get off on when asking for something, which you are asking, right?

I DEMAND you change it now! See how that works?
 
I think Apple should send out free bumpers - at least to all preorder customers.

I created a facebook group for this very reason. If a facebook group can do anything (which is debatable), feel free to join in and lend your voice.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=129853823715910

No. They should send free replacement phones that actually work. Having to use a bumper is not a reasonable solution for a phone that costs this much.
 
I have the same problem, I'm left handed and noticed it when I was talking on the phone it kept dropping my calls. So I spoke with Apple and apparently they have no idea how to fix the issue yet unless they give us all bumpers for free. I hope more people call in and complain cuz when I called in I was the 2nd person they received a phone call complaining about the problem.
 
my service has gone completely downhill with iOS4 and a 3G device. My wife's phone has also a 3G device and I walked around the house with both looking at the signal strength. My 3G (iOS4) and My wife's 3G (3.xx) had a difference of 2-3 bars, mine being lower. Awful. Plus calls I do connect with, that do not drop are just awful in reception. The iOS4 update has been everything but an upgrade for me. From the installation process to functionality it is has been utterly poor and disastrous. :(
 
this is why they made bumper cases to keep your hands off the metal

Does this still occur with a bumper case on the iphone4 in the US on AT&T?
I have one ordered, wont ship till July 2, debating on going to the store to buy one, and canceling my order
 
Things I've learned from this thread:

Gizmodo sucks for pointing out that Apple screwed up, but Apple can never screw up because they're Apple. And AT&T sucks. Because it's AT&T's fault that the iPhone has a major flaw. And everyone will just fork over more money to Apple to buy a bumper to fix a problem that shouldn't exist in the first place. But it's all OK, because it's Apple, and Apple can do no wrong.
 
Bars are never an accurate representation of signal strength. Most likely the signal is extremely weak and the higher bars are inaccurate. This has happened with every phone I've ever owned, not just iPhones. Cell signals are extremely susceptible to interference. Just consider times when you have a bad signal and moving your head an inch to one side improves things dramatically. I doubt the degrading signal would happen near a tower during transmission.
 
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