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The Real Problem with the iPhone 4 is Yet To Be Addressed
- Thread starter kuaiyouming
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And you have a problem with the phone, I get it.
1) hold it differently
2) exchange it, perhaps you have a more sensitive phone
3) put a case on it
4) return it...you will not be happy with the iPhone 4 in its current incarnation
Just realize ranting/bashing will get you nowhere.
Still loving my 3G. And keeping it.
After seeing the press conference, I came to the conclusion that Apple knows there is a defect. And they know that a real fix will cost them a lot of money, so instead they are offering a (extremely) low-cost, short-term fix in the form of free bumpers/cases. Stuff that is made and shipped for mere cents, sold for $29,- (29,- here in Holland!) is now free, which will cost Apple a fraction of a total recall.
Apple then said "hey, everyone is having this issue, so don't blame us!". I can hold my HTC Desire (awesome phone, by the way) any way I want, as well as my iPhone 3G, 2G and Blackberry Bold any way I want and I'm still able to make phone calls. Nice try Apple shifting the blame to the whole branche, but at least I don't require a bumper/case for those phones to be able to make a phone call.
So yeah, I'm still hanging on to my iPhone 3G here and I'm even considering switching to the HTC Desire since Android 2.2 is just around the corner. For Apps, music, video's and stuff, I'm considering either an iPad or next-gen iPod touch. Being able to do everything on one device is nice, but not a requirement for me.
Still, I hope Apple learns from this mistake. I'd love a new iPhone (especially because of the fact that since iOS4 my 3G is quite slow) but I want to be able to use the iPhone without any bumpers or cases. I only use a sleeve for my iPhone; never a case. The iPhone is pretty, and cases and bumpers only make it ugly and cheap IMHO.
After seeing the press conference, I came to the conclusion that Apple knows there is a defect. And they know that a real fix will cost them a lot of money, so instead they are offering a (extremely) low-cost, short-term fix in the form of free bumpers/cases. Stuff that is made and shipped for mere cents, sold for $29,- (29,- here in Holland!) is now free, which will cost Apple a fraction of a total recall.
Apple then said "hey, everyone is having this issue, so don't blame us!". I can hold my HTC Desire (awesome phone, by the way) any way I want, as well as my iPhone 3G, 2G and Blackberry Bold any way I want and I'm still able to make phone calls. Nice try Apple shifting the blame to the whole branche, but at least I don't require a bumper/case for those phones to be able to make a phone call.
So yeah, I'm still hanging on to my iPhone 3G here and I'm even considering switching to the HTC Desire since Android 2.2 is just around the corner. For Apps, music, video's and stuff, I'm considering either an iPad or next-gen iPod touch. Being able to do everything on one device is nice, but not a requirement for me.
Still, I hope Apple learns from this mistake. I'd love a new iPhone (especially because of the fact that since iOS4 my 3G is quite slow) but I want to be able to use the iPhone without any bumpers or cases. I only use a sleeve for my iPhone; never a case. The iPhone is pretty, and cases and bumpers only make it ugly and cheap IMHO.
I questioned your analogy...then offered a better one and futhered the discussion. If you can't see the difference between my response and your questioning my vocabulary skills, we will never have meaningful discourse.
And had you read my other posts I don't, as a cell phone user, care about attenuation...until it disrupts my call. Attenuation happens. Come back with why ANYONE should care as long as they are getting good quality calls that aren't dropped and we'll talk.
Are you serious? <1% difference is hardly catastrophic. It could be attributed to any number of factors, some if which Jobs theorized of earlier.
Sooooo what you are saying is, it's not a problem if you just ignore or avoid it? Or simply put, "don't hold it like that"? I know people have been using analogies galore, but seriously, the only reason people are using analogies is because some of you are so thick headed that you can't allow a point to be made.
If your new 4 door sedan came with 1 rear door permanently locked due to a design flaw, would you just use the other rear door and shrug it off? Yes, I realize comparing a car to a phone is not the same thing. The point is, SOME PEOPLE think it's an issue. I, for example, can't imagine using the phone without touching that infamous spot on the bottom left. I can't help it. It's just the only way I feel natural using the phone. When I send text messages, browse the internet, send short emails, or do anything that requires one hand to hold the phone while the other navigating/typing... I naturally cover that dreaded spot with my left hand.
It wasn't a problem on the iPhone 2g, 3g, or 3gs. What I can't accept is that I have to now suddenly change the way I hold the new iPhone. The point is not that there's attenuation if you grip cellular phones, which is what the whole forum is flooded with right now. The point is ONE SPECIFIC SPOT on the iPhone 4, which is very commonly 'touched', causes attenuation. I don't need to bring up that damn picture with all the circled ways to hold the phone. You've all seen it for the nTH time and should understand that at some point, you WILL hold it while touching that spot... while using 3G more often than not (email, web browsing, google maps, qik live recording, etc.).
It's not even about being left handed or right handed. If you are left handed and hold the phone with your left hand, you get shafted with call signals. If you are right handed and input / navigate with your right hand, you get shafted with 3G. Incidentally, I get double the pain because I use my left hand to pick up calls and I'm right handed so I navigate with my right and hold with my left.
I believe many aren't just grilling apple or talking crap. I think many are like me, who genuinely love the iPhone brand so much that this issue is really hurting them. I DON'T want to give up my iPhone experience like everyone here is saying to do (eg. Return it if you don't like it). I've used the iPhone since the first release on day one of each version. I just want them to fix it. I don't care if it's secretly through a new manufacturing process/coating or publicly announcing a new revision after or around september 30th. I just want to have my cake and eat it too... and in this case, it would be to have an iPhone 4 that handles calls/network data like the 3GS. (ie, no easy way to attenuate the signals. I'm talking about just a finger on the wrong spot... not death gripping).
Check out anandtech's review on iOS 4.01.
http://www.anandtech.com/show/3821/iphone-4-redux-analyzing-apples-ios-41-signal-fix
They demonstrate that attenuation can be lowered to NEAR 3GS levels on the iPhone 4 if a non-conductive tape is used around the outer rim of the phone. Please apple... pull some magic out of that hat once more and fix this issue by somehow incorporating a fix similar to the anandtech article while retaining the same look/feel of the current design.
Not really.
First of all, call quality is dependent upon the signal strength. Therefore, attenuation of the signal results in degraded call quality.
Secondly, speed tests of the cellular data have shown significant decreases in upload and download speeds when the antenna is attenuated.
By the way, by definition, attenuation means degraded signal (call) quality (intensity, i.e. the decibels).
First of all just so we're clear, the right slit on the phone affects nothing. It's merely cosmetic. I wasn't quite sure what you meant when describing holding the phone in separate hands.
And as I stated, most people won't HAVE to hold the phone differently because they either:
don't cover the weak spot in normal use
use a case
aren't in a bad coverage area that would result in dropped calls should they attenuate the signal.
But the MAJORITY of users will benefit from the antenna's design.
dabomb665m, you are the one being "thick headed". Your post the other day referred to your 3GS. Do you even have an iPhone 4. If you do, have you actually had dropped calls? If so, put some clear nonconductive tape over the implicated are and you have the look you want. If you don't have an iPhone 4 or don't have problems yourself, you are mindlessly adding to the noise.
The design of the iPhone will not change any time soon.
The design of the iPhone will not change any time soon.
I'll try to be more clear... but first, take a look at Apple's website. They describe the "spot" http://www.apple.com/antenna/ very clearly here. The part about the hands... if you look at the first set of comparisons where the left side is practically holding the phone only with fingers while the right side is just holding the phone on the palm of the hand... this is what I'm talking about.
I naturally hold my phone like the picture on the right.... not with my fingers. It was never an issue with any of the previous iPhones. With the iPhone 4, this covers the one vulnerable spot on the phone, which causes issues for me. It's not bad if you pick up the call with your right hand. It's also not bad if you are left handed and navigate the screen with your left. Both of these scenarios will most likely not "touch" the weak spot.
All I'm saying is that I am unlucky enough that I naturally pick up calls with my left hand, therefore touching the spot. I also naturally use my right hand to navigate the phone and therefore touching the spot. I may be in the minority, but that still doesn't mean that there isn't an obvious weak spot on the Phone.
I'm not really arguing the merits of the design. I'm sure most things are a trade-off here and there. I also can't argue whether this issue helps more people than it hurts, as there's no way I can even begin to locate/collect that kind of data besides anecdotal records. I also can't comment on how few are affected because of how many people using cases. What I do know is... when the antenna was internal on the previous iPhones, there wasn't one spot that made the phone extra weak. Sure, the iPhone 4 may have better reception if you don't ever touch that spot... but in my opinion... and because of my usage habits... I'd rather have the old reception capabilities and not have to deal with tip toeing my fingers around the iPhone 4.
Again, Anandtech's article shows that it can be remedied to an extent by insulating the antenna. The kapton tape used was able to almost drop the attenuation by HALF... bringing it nearly to 3GS levels of attenuation when the 3GS is held. If apple can introduce some kind of coating on the frame, something similar might be achieved... making the phone useful to me without a case.
I'm not asking for a redesign. And no, I don't use it myself yet. I upgraded my brother's phone which is on my family plan. When I use his phone for browsing the internet, I have to shift my hand away from my natural position to not cover that spot because 3G drops almost completely. I can replicate it each time using the speedtest app.
I don't get what it is you are even defending. All I'm saying is, for some people, it's an issue. How hard is that for you to believe? Is it any harder for you to believe that I don't like pork? If you took the time to read my post, you would see the whole point of it is to show that some insulation can fix majority of the issues. Except, I don't want to have to tape my own phone if apple can just coat it in the future production batches. That is all I'm saying. I can't imagine anyone who would rather have to fix something themselves rather than having the product come 'prepared'.
This is why I will be waiting for the white to see if they added some kind of coating. But that's neither here nor there.
If you think the difference is 1%, you are being duped.
Think carefully about that statistic. It's 1 more dropped call per 100. But how many dropped calls does the 3GS experience? This they don't tell us, that's how they are duping us.
To illustrate, let's say, for the sake of illustration, that the iPhone 3GS drops 5 calls per 100. That means the iPhone 4 drops 6 per 100. That's a whopping 20% increase in dropped calls. Use other numbers and you'll still see that the 1 more dropped call per 100 is a pretty significant difference.
I feel your pain. And I don't want you to take my response personally, but there has been so much garbage spouted on here by obvious trolls. I know a lot of left hand phone holders without problems with call or data. That having been said, the issue affects a minority of users. You, unfortunately, seem to be in that minority.
There IS an issue. That issue can be remedied by a case/bumper...he'll, even duct tape. Even if Jobs, in the Q&A yesterday, said he wanted his cake and eat it too, he and you can't. If you buy an iPhone 4 as of today, you will have to sacrifice the "naked" form for function. I am sure Apple is experimenting with materials/coatings to fix the issue. Perhaps by the September 30 date they'll come up with something.
Don't worry, I'm not taking it personally. This is a web forum after all... and we all have to be weary of "teh trolls". I just want some people to understand that there ARE people complaining out of LOVE for the phone, not hate. I want it to work the way I used my other iPhones because I simply can't stand the notion of NOT upgrading and skipping this generation solely due to the way I'm used to operating the iPhone.
Here's the exact link to the Anandtech article with the cool looking gold insulating tape: http://www.anandtech.com/show/3821/iphone-4-redux-analyzing-apples-ios-41-signal-fix/3
It's about 2mils thick according to the article... and drops the attenuation of the phone by almost half! As smart as apple's engineers are... I can't imagine they aren't looking into something like this... but as a coating done at the factory.
Like the antiglare screens on their computers, it'll be offered as a custom feature for left-handed holders.
For the low low price of +$50? I'm on it like red on Apples
That is one of the worst comparisons I have seen in a long time on a forum that is filled with horrible comparisons and even worse analogies.
I agree for the most part. I actually agree with a lot of the things said from both sides of the argument. Is it blown a little out of proportion? Hell yes. Is Apple being a little dodgy and not 100% truthful? Hell yes. You can't blame either of these responses. Like in relationships... love and hate is a thin line. It's solely due to the fact that loving something/someone penetrates deeply into emotions. When that love feels left in the dark, it could quickly turn into what appears to be strong hatred. The great thing is... only a small ray of light will turn this hatred bred from love... back into love.
Apple has a reputation to maintain... they CAN'T be 100% truthful by virtue of how human society operates. They need to put out flames by calming/appealing to the masses first. The government does essentially the same thing. Anyone who had a lick of education knew that we had no business going to Iraq. Whatever the 'real' reason was, what the government told the masses was a veil. 9/11 != Saddam. The fact is... the mass majority of people "ate it up" while the educated shook their head in disbelief.
What we are seeing now with Apple is similar, from a PR perspective. There are those out there who can see the problem as it is... a design that carries the drawback of attenuation touching a certain spot. Rim knows it, Nokia knows it, Anandtech knows it... and so do a host of other reputable experts in the industry. They are "educated" on the matter and they are shaking their heads. Every article that came out about the Antennagate press conference has been criticizing the dodgy nature of the conference. Even this forum is filled with people who don't believe the numbers / info given to be 100% truthful.
I think Apple is smart enough to fix this issue and not become what the Bush administration became. I don't need them to answer the public completely honestly or come out and admit any fault. Silently fixing the issue and letting the fire slowly burn out is just fine for me. When there are problems, the noise is louder from the public. The media then amplifies it, and that in turn amplifies the public again. When you fix the problem... the public won't say anything as there is no problem... the media takes longer to "find out things are fixed" and people generally won't care about the news. That would be the perfect solution for Apple.