i seriously hope it's a software thing... This would blow ***. Engaget reporting now too.. http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/24/some-iphone-4-models-see-signals-drop-to-0-when-held-left-handed/
Right now, I'm firmly of the opinion that the Internet is overhyping a nonissue. It's FUD. For now. I reserve the right to change my opinion if and when Apple does anything about this beyond the issuance of iOS 4.0.1.
Have you tried the stuff in the vid? are the claims legit? If it really loses signal for holding the antennas then I'm not sure i want it. How else are you supposed to hold it??
Yeah, I've tried it. Like I said, I did see a drop in signal strength as indicated on the bar graphs, but at the same time, Mossberg's review states that Apple's response to this behavior is that it's a bug in the way signal strength is represented graphically, not an actual loss in connection. Right now, I tend to believe that explanation, because I'm not losing the ability to make and receive calls even with my finger on the gap. And honestly, it's pretty easy to hold the phone without putting a finger directly on the gap between the two borders, so I'm just sort of shrugging my shoulders at this. To me it looks like an Internet firestorm that has little to no relation to reality. Right now, at least. And really... am I supposed to believe that a team of industrial designers conceived this thing without regard for how the antennas would react to touch and the inevitable occurrence of a finger touching both antennas at the same time? Am I supposed to believe that the field testers for both Apple and AT&T totally missed this during months of trial? Occam's Razor moment right here.
I hope I am too. It's only 7:45 AM in Cupertino. Plenty of time for The Jobsian to figure out what to do about this, if anything. I'd guess a press release is in order, and maybe a fast tracking of 4.0.1 with the signal bar fix. If there IS something to this, then Apple's got a gigantic recall on their hands... but I doubt that's going to happen. I will say that I'm more tempted this morning to buy the Invisishield than I was last night.
my problem is with those videos recording during a speed test... you can clearly see it take a hit when the bars drop.
Yeah, there's definitely something going on there. Not saying there isn't, just that I don't think it's a matter of poor antenna design. Might have something to do with the on-the-fly frequency band switching--maybe the finger triggers it? I'm not an electrical engineer or a radio expert, I couldn't say. I would be incredibly surprised if this turned out to be a flaw of the antenna design, because that would imply a flawed QA process.
check this: http://www.fastcompany.com/1663461/...+Company+Headlines)&utm_content=Google+Reader The articles referenced in this one as to why Gizmodo has it out for Apple: http://www.fastcompany.com/1628679/...do-jason-chen-iphone-seize-search-police-raid http://www.fastcompany.com/1628188/police-raid-gizmodo-jason-chen-iphone-4-leak-apple-seize-seizure
i got mine yesterday morning too, has anyone used face time yet? its pretty crazy. every thing about this phone is better than my 3g. if you dont have it, you have to get it.
Interesting ad at the bottom of this page considering the content of the last few posts. As said though how could that type of major flaw escape design testing? Unless a production flaw arose after R&D but still it seems very unlikely. If it is true a case would be an easy fix.
Completely coincidental, but it's one of those coincidences that make you wonder if Muck et al. aren't reading this thread and trying to send us a hint. A production flaw is possible, since the iPhone 4 has so many subcontracted parts in addition to the primary assembly at Foxconn/Hon Hai. But if it were a flaw, you'd think it would show up in every device. But instead you have a wide range of experiences: some people don't have the problem at all, some see a reduction in bar count while still being able to use the phone just fine, and some legitimately lose service. Coupled with the yellow blotches underneath some screens, a bad production run is very possible. You have to think Foxconn/Hon Hai was under extreme pressure to meet that "10 times 3GS" demand. Couple that with the spotlight they've been under over employee suicides lately, and you have a legitimate but unlikely cause. Again, I think this is largely overblown. Sadly, I don't know anyone else with an iPhone 4, so I haven't tried it out. But for some nice topical fodder, have a look at John Gruber's take on FaceTime:
I thought the ad system is based on keywords found in a threads text. Kind of a target marketing thing. Though Muck being partnered with Steve Jobs in an evil plan for global conquest would be more likely.
Yeah, the ads are targeted, but it's just so much more fun to imagine Muck frantically calling the advertisers screaming "Their reception isn't working due to physical contact! SHOW OFF THE CASES NOW!" Why, no, I did not sleep last night, thanks for noticing.
Its youtube, so take with a grain of salt, but appears that the same issue has happened on a 3G running iOS4. So its looking just like a software issue. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84Lpt2YkF3Q"]YouTube- iPhone reception issue on iPhone 3G.mov[/ame]
I also do recall hearing that iOS4 has a feature to pick the tower signal with the least noise? Does anyone else know about this? Would explain what the potential issue could be.
I've been mentioning this for a couple pages now. Basically, the iPhone 4 will switch radio channels to a less congested band in order to reduce interference and the likelihood of a dropped call or inferior reception, sort of like how you can set your home wifi antenna to automatically select and change its radio channel based on the amount of active interference at the time. It might have something to do with the signal bar dropping, but I don't think it has a lot to do with it. For what it's worth, I've read that someone called Apple support, and they claimed that a protective coating wasn't applied properly at the ends of the metal bands, which is causing the problem. Apparently they're going to replace the guy's phone. I might give this a shot.
Setting aside the radio reception, I'd like to point out that Engadget's claims of durable as hell battery life are more or less true. I've only used the phone very casually, and aside from plugging it in to sync, I haven't had to recharge the phone yet. Current battery level is at 31%.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03PQyWp0mWE"]YouTube- iPhone 4 Drops Calls when Left Corner is Touched[/ame]
Yeah, I question the legitimacy of that email. Seems too trollish and not really a legitimate response. Jobs is usually better about his replies. But if true... wow. The strange thing for me is that people are experiencing this on older iPhones. That suggests to me something else is going on here. It really could be the way iOS measures signal strength. Also, battery update: I've been streaming sports talk radio since my last post in order to purposefully drain the battery. (Yes, I've sat through Kevin Rogers for the sake of this thread. You're WELCOME.) I've gone from 31% to... 13%. This battery is incredible.
Battery is ridiculous. I think the issue is with the phone switching to a weaker signal, because the hand creates too much noise. But thats just a theory of mine. Anyone know how to sync text messages to itunes? I spent 30 minutes last night trying to do it, but got nowhere
You don't sync texts specifically, but they're part of the backup package iTunes makes whenever you sync.
Okay, Apple's released a statement basically saying every phone has reception issues if you hold it in a way that covers up the antenna. It's a little bit of a weasel statement, because that's not quite the issue being reported. There are also reports that some people have exchanged their phones and no longer have the antenna issue, which would hint that the real problem is that a protective coating of some sort was misapplied or not applied to a batch of product during manufacturing. I'm considering getting my phone exchanged just to be absolutely sure, with an eye toward resale value in two years.
i'm hoping the batch that comes mid july will be fixed. Also, people who had the Jul 2nd preorder are already starting to get theirs shipped. I'm hoping i dont have to wait till mid july.
I'm just gonna wait until January, honestly when this clears up. I jailbroke my good ol' iPhone 3G with iOS4 and don't have any speed issues. I have all the software features now, I can wait for the hardware
There's an ABC news outlet that filmed a guy who had the antenna problem, got an exchange on the spot, and the new phone did not have the issue. Starting to look like a protective coating was misapplied or not applied during a specific manufacturing run. As usual, the hysteria is worse than the issue.
Same with nearly all of the reviewers. Engadget says their review unit has the issue, but they never noticed it during the week they tested the iPhone before writing up their review. My phone has the problem, but either I have an odd hand curvature or the people whining about it do, because I can hold the phone in my left hand and maintain a conversation just fine. The Invisishield is still pretty tempting though.
I ordered one of these: http://cgi.ebay.com/Air-Jacket-Appl...ewItem&pt=PDA_Accessories&hash=item1e5ca275c1
I can't stand cases. Considering how cheap replacement parts are, I'll just take my chances on it breaking.
