Consumer Reports initially dismissed the iPhone 4’s antenna troubles by saying that it’s not necessarily unique to the phone. But after testing the device and recreating the problem, the consumer publication has concluded that it cannot recommend the iPhone 4 until Apple addresses the antenna issue.
Consumer Reports’ opinion is significant because it’s well respected by mainstream consumers and the tests they’ve conducted appear to be the most comprehensive by an independent organization. Unfortunately, Consumer Reports hasn’t provided much actual data to bolster its findings.
Consumer Reports tested three iPhone 4s in a special chamber designed to block out wireless signals. Inside, they recreated a cell site and tested the phone’s controversial external antenna.
Like many other accounts, Consumer Reports found that signal degradation is significant when users touch the left hand corner of the iPhone, where two of the antennas meet. The degradation is enough to drop calls when existing reception is weak.
“…Apple needs to come up with a permanent – and free – fix for the antenna problem before we can recommend the iPhone 4,” the publication wrote. The report says the test results call into question Apple’s earlier explanation that the perception of dropping signal strength was due to a software problem that over-estimated the signal meter of the iPhone 4. Apple has said a software update in the coming weeks will fix the problem, which it said was present in previous models as well.
The Consumer Reports researcher said tests on an iPhone 3GS and a Palm Pre did not produce the same signal loss. However, covering the antenna in the lower corner with thick duct tape or other non-conductive material remedies the issue.
Will a software update fix the problem, or is it going to be duct tape? Shhhh! I can hear Steve hyperventilating as we speak…..
Your skin acts as an electrical resistance across the antenna gap and electrically de-tunes the antenna which is part of an RF tuned circuit, something any novice ham radio operator could tell you. Insulating the gap with transparent plastic tape would fix that issue and not be too noticeable.
It is inconceivable to me that Apple actually missed this problem in testing. I don’t think they could have.
Actually, if you are a subscriber to Consumer Reports, the iPhone 4 gets the best rating of all the smartphones tested. The most thumbs up.
http://tinyurl.com/n2erqg
#34, Winston,
The engineers were too busy making sure they didn’t leave their iPhones in bars. Well, except that one engineer who had to borrow a phone so he could make job interviews.
#34 Winston…clear nail polish works well too.
The bottom line is that the iPhone4 has an engineering flaw, and Apple has done nothing to help and everything to dicert attention from the problem. This is a company that trumpets its technical excellence with every breath. That’s why this is a big issue. If Apple wasn’t such an arrogant organization they wouldn’t be under such fire.
For the record, I just turned in my 1st-gen iPhone for a Droid. After getting that butt-reaming (how quickly the market forgets how Apple treated their early adopters) from Apple I swore I’d never buy another Apple device again, and I’ve bought at least 6 iPods and still have my Color Classic in a corner of my office.
Sadly, too often the force for good and change turns into the evil that was fought against in the first place.
[I still have my Sansa player you reviewed years ago…works great still -ed.]
Steve is not hyperventilating, he’s having his cronies do this instead,
http://engadget.com/2010/07/12/apple-deleting-mentions-of-consumer-reports-iphone-4-piece-on-f/
#40 I would classify #38 about the same as #13
Considering #13 is only talking about one thing I don’t see how you can lump us together. But then again, you are blind to facts so why should I be surprised you’re too stupid to read people’s posts.
For the record, I am not completely unknown in this industry as someone with a relatively decent grasp of tech. I an also someone who actually has supported Apple in print in my publications in the past.
Apple should have confronted the issue with truth from the first complaint. Just for example, let’s say that maybe the antennas in the bad phones have a poor solder join or component alignment. That would cause a few to misperform, right?
Maybe if Apple pulled in a few phones from those complaining they could do a test and prove or disprove the problem. Instead they hid behind their reputation (which is getting pretty threadbase right now) and told people they were imagining things.
You, qb, sound like the kind of person that would blame a battered wife for bringing on the pain.
Most engineers, like me, want to do what is good and right. The ultimate decision, however, comes from management.
For example, I’m arguing with our VP Engineering on his decision to “fool” proof something that an operator clearly was not trained to do…install a tiny rod in it’s pocket. So instead of the operator follow my procedure and be train, he’s going all out to spend hundreds of dollars to get the tooling change >.>!
That’s the type of dumbshit decisions made by managers, not by most engineers.
#1 I found this post strangely interesting. If this person is not being sarcastic then it says very bad things about iphone users that pretty much matches up with the Youtube cartoon.
The Iphone fans seriously remind me of abused wives willing to put up with anything as long as the bleep they are living with will let them hang around and be their football.
The problem itself is the triumph of fashion over function. Apple knew about it from day one and made the bumper to fix it.
That Apple is charging $29.00 for this bumper when it most likely cost a nickle and they should have shipped a couple of them with the iphone and the fan boys in girls are just going with it when they are being massively shafted leaves me dumbfounded.
I can’t understand anyone who will happily be that much of a door mat.
smartalix. Well that was creepy enough for me to roll off. pedro is just a loveable troll – I actually like the guy. You, my friend, need a psychiatrist.
It was nice knowing you guys.
I wish they would have Paul Thurrott on Mac Break Weekly to drop some truth bombs on those other guys. He seems to be appreciate their products but isn’t afraid to criticize. It would make for some great radio.
That said I haven’t had any call problems with my new iPhone and haven’t been able to recreate the issue. I am currently in a pretty good coverage area though. It was pretty bad 2 years ago but they’ve added to the network since.
qb,
You are a wierd guy. Take your Apple fanboy trolling with you.
Apple is already facing no less than three class action lawsuits launched by iPhone 4 users irate at the smartphone’s inability to function properly unless held in a Jobs-approved manner.
Three lawsuits alleging unfair business practices and false and misleading advertising by Apple have surfaced, with two filed in San Francisco each attempting to secure expensive class action status.
One of the lawyers filing in San Francisco puts it thus:
“Apple’s sale of the iPhone with this unannounced defect, assuming Apple’s prior knowledge of the defect, constitutes misrepresentation and fraud.
In omitting to disclose the defect in the iPhone 4, Apple perpetrated a massive fraud upon hundreds of thousands of unsuspecting customers.”
This lawsuit is demanding a free $30 “bumper,” a rubber casing coincidentally sold by Apple which happens to coincidentally prevent the signal loss issues, for every customer who pre-ordered the phone.
Another separate suit filed in Maryland is out for cash:
“[Apple] actively suppressed and concealed the fact that the iPhone 4 could not be held in a manner consistent with the normal usage of wireless communication devices.”
Critics have decried Apple’s “arrogant” reaction, with it dismissing complaints and telling users to hold their phones properly and stop wasting Steve Jobs’ valuable time.
I will make this short and to the point HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH inhale HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH nuff said.
We just had a bit scary situation in thunderstorm, had to land on small island and broke the boat. Lighting also broke the nearest cell antenna and I thought my waterproof Nokia phone broke too because I didn’t get any signal. For some reason my friend’s iPhone4 worked enough to get a call through. I was testing if it makes any difference if I hold my finger at the antenna junction, no difference. It turns out my friend had put thin layer of clear nail polish on it. Those Americans are so clever.
I agree, most people who buy iPhones don’t read CR. CR readers like to make informed decisions on their purchased. People who buy iPhones, or any other Apple product, buy on impulse.
Appletards eh, the world would be a better place without em