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I don't get all the hate for the request.

The original poster's request is very reasonable.

I too believe that every iPhone 4 has this "issue" and the difference between people seeing it and not seeing it is due to:

1) local signal or towers
2) conductivity of the person doing the test

example: http://twitter.com/aacduke/statuses/17073421802

I have two iPhones that are "affected". If there is anyone within a couple of hour radius of Richmond, VA and has an iPhone 4 that doesn't exhibit this behavior, I'll meet you and do a side-by-side. I suspect that when side-by-side either my iPhone 4 will suddenly be "fixed" or your iPhone 4 will exhibit the behavior.

arn

Thanks.

I'm near Peterborough UK and I am happy to meet up with anyone with a 'perfect' iPhone 4.
 
I don't think this is just an issue with the iPhone. Like Jobs said in his email response:

"In a followup email, Jobs then expanded with this explanation:
Gripping any phone will result in some attenuation of its antenna performance, with certain places being worse than others depending on the placement of the antennas. This is a fact of life for every wireless phone. If you ever experience this on your iPhone 4, avoid gripping it in the lower left corner in a way that covers both sides of the black strip in the metal band, or simply use one of many available cases."

I tried this on my work phone by wrapping my hand around the bottom of the phone I can make the bars drop to nothing right away, but when I let go they return back to full strength.
 
I don't think this is just an issue with the iPhone. Like Jobs said in his email response:

"In a followup email, Jobs then expanded with this explanation:
Gripping any phone will result in some attenuation of its antenna performance, with certain places being worse than others depending on the placement of the antennas. This is a fact of life for every wireless phone. If you ever experience this on your iPhone 4, avoid gripping it in the lower left corner in a way that covers both sides of the black strip in the metal band, or simply use one of many available cases."

I tried this on my work phone by wrapping my hand around the bottom of the phone I can make the bars drop to nothing right away, but when I let go they return back to full strength.

That's a fair point mate but doesn't really help here. People are holding the iPhone naturally and dropping signal. You don't have to go out of your way to replicate it if you're in a bad reception area.
 
I too believe that every iPhone 4 has this "issue" and the difference between people seeing it and not seeing it is due to:

1) local signal or towers
2) conductivity of the person doing the test

add:

3) Degree of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and strength of current meds for same
 
I can make the bars drop by holding the left side of my 3GS. I've had it for a while and have never noticed until now. It's never caused me to drop a call or lose my data connection.

Does the issue seem to be on all 3GS phones as well?
 
Are you serious or just dumb? Actually don't answer that, I already know.

No, you don't get it kiddo. If its working, its working. If its not, then you have an issue.

Its working. Whats the problem?

Double up on your meds there.
 
People who don't care whether this problem affects all phones or just some of them should just ignore this thread. The OP has a very good point that we should find out if:

1) all the phones are the same and differences in people make the failure occur.

Or

2) there are actually some phones that have a special defect that other phones don't.

If your phone works for you, then don't come in here and complain that some people are trying to figure what is gong on. Enjoy your phone and mind your own business.
 
I don't think this is just an issue with the iPhone. Like Jobs said in his email response:

"In a followup email, Jobs then expanded with this explanation:
Gripping any phone will result in some attenuation of its antenna performance, with certain places being worse than others depending on the placement of the antennas. This is a fact of life for every wireless phone. If you ever experience this on your iPhone 4, avoid gripping it in the lower left corner in a way that covers both sides of the black strip in the metal band, or simply use one of many available cases."

I tried this on my work phone by wrapping my hand around the bottom of the phone I can make the bars drop to nothing right away, but when I let go they return back to full strength.

The issue isn't about losing bars so much as it is about losing reception (different) as well as data transmission. I have an old Nokia 6010 that I can wrap my hands around entirely and it won't lose a single bar. Different phone makers calibrate the bars differently. Having said that though, it has been proven in several videos and elsewhere that touching the lower left seam of the iPhone 4 can cease reception AND data transmission ENTIRELY.

This person put their phone next to a speaker and you can SEE & HEAR the transmission ceasing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wzn8QhrYIvI

The OP's test is a valid one and I agree that every phone probably does suffer from the issue.
 
So your saying everyone on here has a phone with a problem. But thy dont knowit. Trust me if every owner of iPhone. had a problem it would be bigger new than it already is. I still think it's software cause mine works great.
 
So your saying everyone on here has a phone with a problem. But thy dont knowit. Trust me if every owner of iPhone. had a problem it would be bigger new than it already is. I still think it's software cause mine works great.

Yes that is my opinion which no one has been able to dis-prove YET.
 
I can make the bars drop on mine if I try, sometimes.
With normal use however, so far no dropped calls or Internet. It works no worse than my 3G did.
For me it's a non issue at this point, maybe I'm just holding it right and don't realize it.
 
I can make the bars drop on mine if I try, sometimes.
With normal use however, so far no dropped calls or Internet. It works no worse than my 3G did.
For me it's a non issue at this point, maybe I'm just holding it right and don't realize it.

Do you think that there is a right and wrong way to hold it then?
 
Not sure why there is so much animosity toward the author of the thread. It's a completely reasonable request. My phone works and I am unable to replicate the antenna issue. When my friend gets back in town I'll have him try here. He's experiencing the defect.

If he's unable to produce the problem here, its obvious that strong signal strength is masking the problem. AT&T used to have a field testing mode that you dial in to get to, although I can't do it for iOS 4.0. Anyone know what the number is? It showed actual signal strength versus the graphical representation.
 
So your saying everyone on here has a phone with a problem. But thy dont knowit. Trust me if every owner of iPhone. had a problem it would be bigger new than it already is. I still think it's software cause mine works great.

No, he's saying every iPhone has the same potential for the defect, and that other factors make it more or less likely to come out. These factors include the particular signal strength in your location.

arn
 
Not sure why there is so much animosity toward the author of the thread. It's a completely reasonable request. My phone works and I am unable to replicate the antenna issue. When my friend gets back in town I'll have him try here. He's experiencing the defect.

If he's unable to produce the problem here, its obvious that strong signal strength is masking the problem. AT&T used to have a field testing mode that you dial in to get to, although I can't do it for iOS 4.0. Anyone know what the number is? It avowed actual signal strength versus the graphical representation.

Great. Let us know how it goes. Where are you located?

arn
 
I shake my head over these people who claim their phones aren't affected simply because they bridge the antennas on their phone and it doesn't drop. Are they really so dumb that they don't get what everyone's saying???

In case you're SLOW let me restate this very succinctly. In any given location (and some claim with different people due to moisture content, etc.) you may not see the symptom AT ALL. However, in locations where signal strength isn't as great, bridging the antennas will cause enough signal loss to cause the bars to drop. So, the key is to have the same person, in the same location bridge the antennas of two phones with one exhibiting the problem and the other not.

It's a valid request. I really hope people who simply say "mine isn't affected because I just touched the corner and my phone is fine" realize just how incredibly stupid they look.
 
Not sure why there is so much animosity toward the author of the thread. It's a completely reasonable request. My phone works and I am unable to replicate the antenna issue. When my friend gets back in town I'll have him try here. He's experiencing the defect.

If he's unable to produce the problem here, its obvious that strong signal strength is masking the problem. AT&T used to have a field testing mode that you dial in to get to, although I can't do it for iOS 4.0. Anyone know what the number is? It showed actual signal strength versus the graphical representation.

I'm ending my efforts here. Please let me know the results of your test when your friends get back in town. A PM will be really appreciated.
 
Not sure why there is so much animosity toward the author of the thread. It's a completely reasonable request. My phone works and I am unable to replicate the antenna issue. When my friend gets back in town I'll have him try here. He's experiencing the defect.

If he's unable to produce the problem here, its obvious that strong signal strength is masking the problem. AT&T used to have a field testing mode that you dial in to get to, although I can't do it for iOS 4.0. Anyone know what the number is? It showed actual signal strength versus the graphical representation.

Definitely looking forward to seeing your results! This is exactly what many of us are wanting to see! I think many will have their perceptions of the problem change regardless of how this one turns out.
 
Great. Let us know how it goes. Where are you located?

arn

College Station, TX. AT&T signal in my experience hasn't been great here. It's definitely not as good as areas like Houston. During football games its impossible to even send out a text message. Should be a really good town to test this issue.
 
I still think it's only some phones. If it was all then apple would have a big big problem. I tried in many diff places in nj and it works everytime. Minus the usual slow 3G but that's just AT&T cause it will happen with my phone on the table.
 
Don't need too or can't? :)

Why don't YOU prove it? You posted earlier that it should be easy to find someone who doesn't have this issue. So go find them and compare it to your "broken" phone and test the damn things yourself. Why are you trying to put this burden on everyone else?
 
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