Reality Check: the iPhone 4 launch in perspective

[modul8tr]

I understand where you're coming from, really I do.

And if I wanted to, I could apply for one of the open Antenna Engineer positions Apple posted last Wednesday when all this brouhaha began. I might not have the actual specific degrees they're looking for, but I could sure as hell get the job based on hands-on experience with building and supporting microwave radio communications equipment since the very early 1980s.

First rule of microwave antenna design: don't touch the antenna, ever.

Do you recall Steve Jobs' comment in the past when asked about Apple potentially making a tablet device and he said: "If you see a stylus or a task manager, they blew it" ?

That's easily transposed over to the antenna design on the iPhone 4:

"If it needs a case or a coating, they blew it."

And there ain't a microwave antenna engineer on the planet that will say otherwise if he/she knows what they're actually talking about.

Just out of curiosity I have to ask (and this is a sincere question), why did you buy the phone if in your opinion the design is flawed? If never touching the antenna is the rule, and the i4 antenna is clearly on the outside? Or did you think it was coated?

Again, I don't know if there are bum phones, or if the design itself is so horribly flawed it should never have been implemented. My guess is it isn't the latter, as the reception is fine or greatly improved for many. The ability to make calls, or get signal in places i've never been able to before, shows me there's something vastly improved here. The data speeds are crazy.

There are lots of variable's going on here for people unable to get reception. And for many the device simply works. I guess it all remains a mystery for a little while longer.