Apple Had No Obligation To "Fix" This *Non*-Issue

[Jellotime91]

Face it, people. This is a reality of modern technology.

You think this issue is new on the iPhone 4 only??? Are you honestly that naive? Nokia and RIM have learned how to defy the laws of physics? It does not appear as such.

E71 Signal Issues:
YouTube - Nokia E71 Signal Issues
YouTube - Nokia E71 signál
YouTube - e71 signal loss, similair antenna problem to iPhone?

BlackBerry Signal Issues:
YouTube - Blackberry Antenna Problems same as iPhone 4
YouTube - Blackberry Bold 9650 Death Grip
YouTube - Blackberry Bold 9700 - Signal Attenuation

Is that enough proof for you?

Why don't you buy one of these phones and ask Nokia or RIM for a free case?

Call me a fanboy, but I think Apple's solution is actually BETTER, because the weak spot of the antenna is plainly tactile and visible, so you can mindfully ignore it and learn with muscle memory not to cut your phone's signal off.

 

[Mustang5Oh]

im right handed so the issue never affects me at all. when i text and surf the web i hold the phone in my right hand and use my right thumb to type or i turn it to landscape and type that way so i never see the issue unless i purposely try and do it.

 

[Jellotime91]

im right handed so the issue never affects me at all. when i text and surf the web i hold the phone in my right hand and use my right thumb to type or i turn it to landscape and type that way so i never see the issue unless i purposely try and do it.

Exactly, and most consumers are right handed.

The Samsung Captivate has this exact same issue, just as bad as the iPhone 4, but it's on the right-hand side. That is about 9x worse in terms of the percentage of users it will effect, but will that issue be publicized at all? Will Samsung face ANY public scrutiny? No.

People are literally complaining that the signal issue is reproducible when they try purposefully to reproduce it. Not to mention people everywhere are claiming they are getting drastically IMPROVED reception over previous generations.

 

[Smlk]

I agree. This stuff has been so blown out of proportion. I love the phone and don't have any issues. I really think it's the competition stirring things up continually. The phone is a great piece of equipment.

 

[theiPhonechick]

Tell em.

 

[lungho]

And through this whole hoopla, the media nor Jobs has mentioned anything about the proximity sensor issue some are experiencing. This whole antenna thing has been blown way out of proportion.

 

[Alli]

Jobs did mention the proximity sensor thing in the press conference yesterday. I think it was overshadowed by the antenna thing. Sounded like they are working on a software fix for that part.

 

[Jellotime91]

@lungho, as @alli said, El Jobso mentioned that they are working on that during the presentation.

 

[Mustang5Oh]

Exactly, and most consumers are right handed.

The Samsung Captivate has this exact same issue, just as bad as the iPhone 4, but it's on the right-hand side. That is about 9x worse in terms of the percentage of users it will effect, but will that issue be publicized at all? Will Samsung face ANY public scrutiny? No.

People are literally complaining that the signal issue is reproducible when they try purposefully to reproduce it. Not to mention people everywhere are claiming they are getting drastically IMPROVED reception over previous generations.

exactly 98% of people cry that it drops out when they death grip it with the intent to kill the signal. heres an idea...dont do that! 2% of meople seem to be crying that it drops during a call, at least tha is a real complaint. the fact it drops when you are showing off the death grip who cares?!?! i agree with steve...hold the phone different or return it and become a fandroid or something.

 

[big9erfan]

Apple faces such criticism simply because they claim to be a step ahead and above everyone else. This antenna was a marvel of engineering and the way Jobs went on about it at the initial i4 announcement, it was second to none. Now they say "we've got the same problems everyone else has. Sorry".

Apple puts themselves out like they are a step ahead of everyone and if that's the expectation they put out there then they should be held to that.

Did they HAVE to give out free bumpers? No. Not at all, but it would have severely impacted their public image, and not in a positive fashion.

 

[Jellotime91]

In the ways that I mentioned, this antenna really is a cut above the rest, it only shorts when one tiny, avoidable slit is covered.

This new antenna also performs drastically better than the previous generation in sufficient service areas...

Apple simply hasn't managed to defy the laws of physics yet, and you have no reason to expect that from them or anyone else.

Apple really is a cut above the rest in many ways, but they aren't from the future. They aren't 'woz'ards.

 

[OTACORB]

LOL: I thought this was funny, Apple Bites

No phone is perfect that is for sure! I love mine!

 

[Jellotime91]

I think the iPhone 4 is as perfect as phones get XD...

They all have this issue, just in different places.

 

[big9erfan]

Jello,

I love my iPhone, I really wouldn't swap it for any other phone that is currently out. Apple made it out that their new design was simply amazing. Their main mistake was making it ridiculously easy to de-tune the the antenna.

Anyone that came from a device with a stylus will be used to holding the device in their left hand and using their right to manipulate the screen. Add to that all the left handed people. It's way more than the 0.55% that Apple claims. I never called Apple. My gf never called Apple, nor did my 4 co-workers with iPhones. That's 6 people with iPhones, all that can replicate the issue, with ease, that never called Apple. Small sampling, I know, but it is still a legit sample.

Apple still could have placed the antenna in a place less likely to be easily griped and cause reception issues. Place the break near the top or more towards the bottom and you'd have greatly reduced the chance for anyone to even run into this. If this is such a non-issue, the iPhone 5 will have an identical or very similar antenna. I really don't think that's what we will see.

 

[Steve Doherty]

I think it's a problem that's been blown out of proportion, but a problem nonetheless. Giving away free bumpers is a band-aid fix to appease consumers. Apple now have given themselves a window of time (until Sept 30) to put a hardware fix in place. I'll be very interested to hear about any changes to the NEXT batch of iPhone 4s.

I couldn't care less, and will be getting an iPhone 4 as soon as it hits Australia and I'm eligible for an upgrade.

Steve

 

[Jellotime91]

Jello,

I love my iPhone, I really wouldn't swap it for any other phone that is currently out. Apple made it out that their new design was simply amazing. Their main mistake was making it ridiculously easy to de-tune the the antenna.

Anyone that came from a device with a stylus will be used to holding the device in their left hand and using their right to manipulate the screen. Add to that all the left handed people. It's way more than the 0.55% that Apple claims. I never called Apple. My gf never called Apple, nor did my 4 co-workers with iPhones. That's 6 people with iPhones, all that can replicate the issue, with ease, that never called Apple. Small sampling, I know, but it is still a legit sample.

Apple still could have placed the antenna in a place less likely to be easily griped and cause reception issues. Place the break near the top or more towards the bottom and you'd have greatly reduced the chance for anyone to even run into this. If this is such a non-issue, the iPhone 5 will have an identical or very similar antenna. I really don't think that's what we will see.

Top is illegal due to safety regulations.

No room on the bottom due to dock connector, speakers, etc.

Right side would be even worse as most users are right-handed.

.... -_-

 

[bbaggins]

Ordered 7/7 via ATT online. Per Email it's en route, expect delivery tomorrow.

Am left-handed but will deal with antenna issue with or without bumper.

Had HTC droid phone for three weeks, didn't like it, Iphone wannabe, fell short!

Dennis

 

[Scuba629]

I'll agree its been blown out of proportion but I must say that my Bold 9700 had way better reception. I'm using the Apple bumper now and hope that a case like Outterbox will help give me better reception.

I'm guessing it won't as the bumper should be alleviating most of my signal loss but hey I guy can dream.

Maybe my phone is faulty.. I really am not sure these days,

 

[Ipheuria]

Thanks Jello for saying what I've thought when I hear people complaining that the free bumper is not a good enough answer. I mean are you whinning because you are hoping for something so un-realistic? Those people want a total re-design and ofcourse they would keep their phones while the phone goes back to the drawing board to be re-designed. What about us who haven't gotten the phone yet? they don't care that is the attitude of today's egocentric society who only care about the world in terms of their personal small slice of the world. Let us just pretend that Apple was able to put the antennae on the top since they were the first to do this antennae how would they know to put it there? now that the phone is out it's all well and good to say they could have this or could have that but unless there's a time machine how does that help the situation? So lets say it was on the top no one has put it there before so no one knows what problems will come from that placement. There are always new problems to every scenario that is why sometimes you have to go with the less of two evils.

 

[Jellotime91]

I guarante if it were at the top people would be covering it on purpose and complaining about it, just as they are now.