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Sept 2016 Nordic Study: iPhones have worst antennas
- Thread starter Idefix
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yep, confirmed, Apple has repositioned the antenna bands. Meaning that Apple has known about poor call quality for quite some time.
All the more disturbing when you think about all the dismal press Apple received for "ÿou're holding it wrong."
All the more disturbing when you think about all the dismal press Apple received for "ÿou're holding it wrong."
That's what you say it means. It's not "confirmed" just because you say so.
Why does it mean that and not that they changed the design to make it newer/different/nicer?
They've moved the antenna bands for almost every single iteration of the iPhone. I'm sorry, but correlation =/= causation.
Some background, for reference, to show that Apple has been paying attention to iPhone antennas for ages. Steve Jobs was embarrassed by the iPhone 4 antenna disaster (which primarily affected those holding the phone in their left hand, similar to the poor reception for left-handers in the Nordic Study cited above).
My point in all this: Apple doesn't rearrange the antenna bands for cosmetic or esthetic reasons.
here's an article about Apple's black lab's antenna testing from 2010, which Apple undoubtedly only allowed because of the iPhone 4 controversy:
https://www.engadget.com/2010/07/16/inside-apples-black-lab-wireless-testing-facilities/
and here's a re-hash or the ÿou're holding it wrong" controversy from 2010:
4. Antennagate and the Grip of Death
"Don't hold it that way" isn't a very customer-friendly response to complaints that the new iPhone doesn't work properly when held a certain way. But that was exactly Steve Jobs' message in 2010 when users started complaining of a "death grip" that caused wireless network connections to weaken or die when holding the then-brand-new iPhone 4 a certain way.
As evidence mounted that covering the phone's antenna with your hand could dampen the signal, Apple was steadfast that was no issue. After much investigation and discussion, Apple ultimately capitulated and agreed that holding the iPhone 4 a certain way was indeed a problem.
The Aftermath
After relenting, Apple provided free cases to iPhone 4 owners; putting a case between the antenna and the hand was enough to solve the problem. Apple pointed out (correctly) that many smartphones had the same problem, but it still changed its antenna design so that the problem was never as serious again.
source: http://ipod.about.com/od/iPhoneHelp/tp/The-8-Biggest-Controversies-in-iPhone-History.htm
and Consumer Reports confirmed the iPhone 4 antennagate problem, resulting in Apple shamefacedly issuing free bumpers:
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/...eports-can-t-recommend-the-iphone-4/index.htm
My point in all this: Apple doesn't rearrange the antenna bands for cosmetic or esthetic reasons.
here's an article about Apple's black lab's antenna testing from 2010, which Apple undoubtedly only allowed because of the iPhone 4 controversy:
https://www.engadget.com/2010/07/16/inside-apples-black-lab-wireless-testing-facilities/
and here's a re-hash or the ÿou're holding it wrong" controversy from 2010:
4. Antennagate and the Grip of Death
"Don't hold it that way" isn't a very customer-friendly response to complaints that the new iPhone doesn't work properly when held a certain way. But that was exactly Steve Jobs' message in 2010 when users started complaining of a "death grip" that caused wireless network connections to weaken or die when holding the then-brand-new iPhone 4 a certain way.
As evidence mounted that covering the phone's antenna with your hand could dampen the signal, Apple was steadfast that was no issue. After much investigation and discussion, Apple ultimately capitulated and agreed that holding the iPhone 4 a certain way was indeed a problem.
The Aftermath
After relenting, Apple provided free cases to iPhone 4 owners; putting a case between the antenna and the hand was enough to solve the problem. Apple pointed out (correctly) that many smartphones had the same problem, but it still changed its antenna design so that the problem was never as serious again.
source: http://ipod.about.com/od/iPhoneHelp/tp/The-8-Biggest-Controversies-in-iPhone-History.htm
and Consumer Reports confirmed the iPhone 4 antennagate problem, resulting in Apple shamefacedly issuing free bumpers:
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/...eports-can-t-recommend-the-iphone-4/index.htm
Why not? If they don't see issues being caused by the re-arrangement and they see that they can get a newer looking and perhaps more pleasing to more people design, they could very well use that as a motivator--it doesn't have to be the only motivator, but it can certainly be an important one. As part of their redesign of new models they can also perhaps see that it makes sense to move something elsewhere for all kinds of reasons, not necessarily that its previous location was bad in some way. That's not to say that things don't get moved because there might be some issues with where they are or something like that, but they can certainly also be moved for all kinds of other reasons, or combinations of different reasons.
I encourage friends to use FaceTime Audio with me as well.
They are amazed at the call quality
Going back to 2010: It was strongly rumored that an iPhone engineer had reported reservations about the iPhone 4 antennas to Steve Jobs. Jobs reportedly liked the design so much he overruled the engineer. Much bad publicity ensued.
Bloomberg later reported (and stood by its story when Apple challenged the story) that a lead iPhone engineer was fired.
Result: Nobody at Apple is moving antenna bands around unless it demonstrably improves voice and data. Nobody gets fired by rubber-stamping the tried and true iPhone 6 antenna bands.
There is no way to link poor antenna call quality, especially for left-handers (ie the Nordic Study) and redesigned iPhone 7 antenna bands.
But it sure is suggestive.
So in the first part there you are saying that the antenna was the way it is in iPhone 4 was because someone (in that case Steve Jobs) essentially liked the design and not necessarily because of functionality. Then you are saying that the antenna wouldn't be placed somewhere because of design decisions and essentially only because of functionality. The two statements conflict with each other. There are all kinds of reasons why antenna design might be changed, there's no way to say which ones or which combinations really apply and to what degree when there is a change (short of actual information coming from Apple to that effect).