iPhone 4 Drops Signal When Held Wrong

[Thorin]

The wife needed to replace her Blackberry Pearl some months ago - she'd gone through several handsets in less than three years, each having some kind of mechanical problem.  Instead of replacing it with yet another Pearl, she switched to the iPhone.  I convinced her to get a 3GS rather than a 3G, given the supposedly quicker connection.

Then talk of an iPhone 4 started swirling around.

Then my son asked for an iPhone for his birthday.  We said no but meant yes, trying our best to surprise him with something he thought he'd never get.  His birthday was before the iPhone 4's release date, though, so we got him a 3GS just like the wife's.

For quite a while, I wondered whether I should have waited and gotten him the latest, greatest.  Until the news came out that the iPhone 4's antennas are on the outside of the case, and that holding it a certain way will cause the antennas to short-circuit and drop connection.

Congratulations, Apple, for being completely stupid and not covering the antennas and also putting them somewhere that many people will put their electricity-conducting sweaty palms!  But don't worry, Steve Jobs says to just avoid holding it in that way, and then Apple comes out with a press release:

Gripping any mobile 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.

Yeah, except not every wireless phone loses signal!  None of the non-iPhones we've ever owned in our lives have had this problem!  Oh, and the antennas were always encased in some plastic bit, even the pull-out ones.

But it looks pretty, right?

[Tom]

Well at least one person was able to "fix" it with clear nail polish. Another used scotch tape, and yet more used protective cases/covers.

Not that thats a good excuse or anything, at least the fix is simple for those who have already bought one.

[Mr. Analog]

As Nelson might say: HA-HAH!

For a company that prides itself on form factor testing they really@!((%$@... CARRIER LOST

[Lazybones]

According to rumors the 4.0.1 update will get released Monday and fix the issue in software. Many reports also state that the meeter displays little or no signal but phone calls do not drop..
Yet another site reports that this happens on the 3GS after updating to 4.0.

The suggestions about holding it wrong from apple are funny however..

[Tom]

[Mr. Analog]

oooo snap!

[Stewie521]

That is just stupid. Seriously, I don't think Apple is gonna get a lot of sales with their new and improve iPhone. Sorry...let me rephrase that. Their new and improved piece of CRAP!

[Tom]

This meme rocks.

[Darren Dirt]

"Grip Of Death", I love the name for this little @%&# up...
http://money.cnn.com/2010/07/02/technology/iphone_update/index.htm

[Mr. Analog]

This meme rocks.

LOL

[Lazybones]

 

http://blogs.consumerreports.org/electronics/2010/07/apple-iphone-4-antenna-problems-dropped-calls-att-signals-bars-os-software-bugs-glitches-os-os4-iphone4-reception-problems-in.html

iPhone 4's supposed signal woes aren?t unique, and may not be serious

[Tom]

Yes. repeated dropped calls aren't serious. Nothing to see here folks, just your phone not working, especially in an emergency!

[Lazybones]

Yes. repeated dropped calls aren't serious. Nothing to see here folks, just your phone not working, especially in an emergency!

If you read it you will note that they say it consistently performs better than the 3GS an not any worse than other phones.

Also noted since the original iPhone AT&T coverage and network suck balls.

[Darren Dirt]

This meme rocks.

http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/steve-jobs-bill-gates-comic (of course)

[Tom]

Yes. repeated dropped calls aren't serious. Nothing to see here folks, just your phone not working, especially in an emergency!

If you read it you will note that they say it consistently performs better than the 3GS an not any worse than other phones.

Also noted since the original iPhone AT&T coverage and network suck balls.

Better != good