4 ms·

What is perhaps most intriguing here, especially about the antenna problem is that in the field tests they were probably using that iPhone 3G disguise case that

What is perhaps most intriguing here, especially about the antenna problem is that in the field tests they were probably using that iPhone 3G disguise case that Gizmodo revealed Apple testers were using. What's interesting there is that that case would impede discovery of this hand contact problem because the hand wouldn't thus short the two side antenae together as a case would be over it. I'm hoping that these were thoroughly tested on Apple's campus without case because on the surface this looks like a deep flaw in what Jobs vaunted as a revolutionary product design, signaling that Apple was it's own worst enemy in providing inadequate testing conditions in pursuit of it's trademark secrecy.

weaksauce 16y ago
You could probably fix it with some insulator such as clear tape or some kind of screen protector like material.
- matthew-wegner 16y ago
  Or Apple's "bumper" case, and 1st-party accessories are a rare move for them.
  - jfager 16y ago
    1st-party accessories are a rare move for them. What? They've had tons of first-party accessories.
- jcl 16y ago
  I've heard it's also been tested to work inside the shell of an iPhone 3GS.
nixme 16y ago
I was discussing the new iPhone with a friend from a competing hardware manufacturer the day after the original announcement and he was surprised about the external antenna design. He said the industry generally shies away from exposing antenna metal since skin is lossy and grounded and that even a minor dent or crack from a fall could change the reception characteristics dramatically. Using a case may basically become a requirement.
- MWinther 16y ago
  Engadget reports that one of their units is having this particular problem, but their testing unit does not. To me, that sounds like something is wrong with a number of the first units released, rather than a fundamental design flaw. Either way, it can't be the way Apple would like to start this release, since they want to make units that go to new customers rather than to replace units already bought. I just hope they find the problem quickly and are open about the issue.
ubernostrum 16y ago
I've tried every combination of fingers and hands on every part of the phone in every configuration I'm physically capable of, and I can't make it lose signal with a touch. Similarly, plenty of videos have been posted of people who can't make it happen. Which suggests that... wait for it... there's not some huge fundamental design/manufacturing flaw in the iPhone's antennae that Apple didn't notice or wants to cover up. Instead, it's just another cell phone that's picky about signal strength, like pretty much every other cell phone ever manufactured. Hell, Macrumors published video from 2008 showing an old iPhone doing exactly the same things people are now claiming to be a brand-new phenomenon unique to the iPhone 4: http://www.macrumors.com/2010/06/23/iphone-4-signal-declines-while-being-held-an-old-issue/ http://www.macrumors.com/2010/06/23/iphone-4-signal-declines... Add to this the fact that the "story" started at an outlet which has a pretty big and well-known axe to grind against Apple, and I feel like we need a whole lot more than some youtube videos and a bunch of "me too" posts in a forum to make a big issue out of this.
- ahk 16y ago
  Just because a bug appears seemingly randomly does not mean it's not a bug. When I was a kid watching tv with an indoor antenna, anytime there was poor reception I'd go and hold the antenna and reception would improve or get a lot worse. So, I've no problems believing that this is an issue, that it affects different people differently at different times, and that Apple knew about it and made those shells as a fix (a trade-off in exchange for greater compactness of the device) for those who want it.
  - ErrantX 16y ago
    From my time at university doing electronics we observed that some people do cause this effect - one person in our department consistently shorted anything he touched. We never figured out why but I know a couple of other people who have the same problem.
    - lutorm 16y ago
      Maybe depending on how "sweaty" people are, which would affect the contact resistance of their fingers?
deleted 16y ago
[deleted]

weaksauce 16y ago

You could probably fix it with some insulator such as clear tape or some kind of screen protector like material.

matthew-wegner 16y ago
Or Apple's "bumper" case, and 1st-party accessories are a rare move for them.
- jfager 16y ago
  1st-party accessories are a rare move for them. What? They've had tons of first-party accessories.
jcl 16y ago
I've heard it's also been tested to work inside the shell of an iPhone 3GS.

nixme 16y ago

I was discussing the new iPhone with a friend from a competing hardware manufacturer the day after the original announcement and he was surprised about the external antenna design. He said the industry generally shies away from exposing antenna metal since skin is lossy and grounded and that even a minor dent or crack from a fall could change the reception characteristics dramatically. Using a case may basically become a requirement.

MWinther 16y ago
Engadget reports that one of their units is having this particular problem, but their testing unit does not. To me, that sounds like something is wrong with a number of the first units released, rather than a fundamental design flaw. Either way, it can't be the way Apple would like to start this release, since they want to make units that go to new customers rather than to replace units already bought. I just hope they find the problem quickly and are open about the issue.

ubernostrum 16y ago

I've tried every combination of fingers and hands on every part of the phone in every configuration I'm physically capable of, and I can't make it lose signal with a touch. Similarly, plenty of videos have been posted of people who can't make it happen. Which suggests that... wait for it... there's not some huge fundamental design/manufacturing flaw in the iPhone's antennae that Apple didn't notice or wants to cover up. Instead, it's just another cell phone that's picky about signal strength, like pretty much every other cell phone ever manufactured. Hell, Macrumors published video from 2008 showing an old iPhone doing exactly the same things people are now claiming to be a brand-new phenomenon unique to the iPhone 4: http://www.macrumors.com/2010/06/23/iphone-4-signal-declines-while-being-held-an-old-issue/ http://www.macrumors.com/2010/06/23/iphone-4-signal-declines... Add to this the fact that the "story" started at an outlet which has a pretty big and well-known axe to grind against Apple, and I feel like we need a whole lot more than some youtube videos and a bunch of "me too" posts in a forum to make a big issue out of this.

ahk 16y ago
Just because a bug appears seemingly randomly does not mean it's not a bug. When I was a kid watching tv with an indoor antenna, anytime there was poor reception I'd go and hold the antenna and reception would improve or get a lot worse. So, I've no problems believing that this is an issue, that it affects different people differently at different times, and that Apple knew about it and made those shells as a fix (a trade-off in exchange for greater compactness of the device) for those who want it.
- ErrantX 16y ago
  From my time at university doing electronics we observed that some people do cause this effect - one person in our department consistently shorted anything he touched. We never figured out why but I know a couple of other people who have the same problem.
  - lutorm 16y ago
    Maybe depending on how "sweaty" people are, which would affect the contact resistance of their fingers?

deleted 16y ago

[deleted]