Apple engineer warned Steve Jobs about iPhone 4 reception last year
An Apple engineer warned the company's executives last year that the design of the iPhone 4 could lead to reception problems, and a carrier partner also expressed concern about its external antenna before the June launch, according to a new report.
Citing an anonymous source, Bloomberg reported on Thursday that last year Ruben Caballero, a senior engineer and antenna expert with Apple, told management at Apple that the design of the iPhone 4 could cause reception problems. Specifically, it said that Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs was warned of the issues during the design phase of the iPhone 4.
In addition, an unnamed carrier partner allegedly expressed concern to the company before the device's launch on June 24.
Apple declined to comment for the story, and would not make Caballero available for an interview. The media outlet also attempted to e-mail Caballero directly, but the engineer did not respond. The company also declined to reveal what it will discuss at a press conference scheduled for 10 a.m. Pacific Time Friday.
The rumor casts doubt on speculation that Apple's secrecy may have caused the company to be oblivious to the issues experienced when the iPhone 4 is used without a case. A prototype device being tested by an Apple engineer that wound up being publicly disassembled was shielded by a case that made it look like a previous-generation iPhone 3GS.
"Apple's industrial design team, led by Jonathan Ive, submitted several iPhone designs before Jobs and other executives settled on the bezel antenna, said the person familiar with the company?s design," the report said. "Caballero, the antenna expert, voiced concern in early planning meetings that it might lead to dropped calls and presented a serious engineering challenge, the person said."
Specifically, Caballero allegedly voiced concern that if a user used their hand to bridge the gap between the cellular and Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/GPS antennas on the exterior of the device, it could interfere with the signal. That's exactly what independent wireless experts and the nonprofit Consumer Reports have said occurs with the final product.
By covering the bottom left corner of the device, users can bridge the phone's two external antennas by using their skin as a conductive agent. Doing so can cause signal to drop by as much as 24.6dB, tests have shown, which could result in slower data speeds and dropped calls in areas with poor reception.
Citing an anonymous source, Bloomberg reported on Thursday that last year Ruben Caballero, a senior engineer and antenna expert with Apple, told management at Apple that the design of the iPhone 4 could cause reception problems. Specifically, it said that Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs was warned of the issues during the design phase of the iPhone 4.
In addition, an unnamed carrier partner allegedly expressed concern to the company before the device's launch on June 24.
Apple declined to comment for the story, and would not make Caballero available for an interview. The media outlet also attempted to e-mail Caballero directly, but the engineer did not respond. The company also declined to reveal what it will discuss at a press conference scheduled for 10 a.m. Pacific Time Friday.
The rumor casts doubt on speculation that Apple's secrecy may have caused the company to be oblivious to the issues experienced when the iPhone 4 is used without a case. A prototype device being tested by an Apple engineer that wound up being publicly disassembled was shielded by a case that made it look like a previous-generation iPhone 3GS.
"Apple's industrial design team, led by Jonathan Ive, submitted several iPhone designs before Jobs and other executives settled on the bezel antenna, said the person familiar with the company?s design," the report said. "Caballero, the antenna expert, voiced concern in early planning meetings that it might lead to dropped calls and presented a serious engineering challenge, the person said."
Specifically, Caballero allegedly voiced concern that if a user used their hand to bridge the gap between the cellular and Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/GPS antennas on the exterior of the device, it could interfere with the signal. That's exactly what independent wireless experts and the nonprofit Consumer Reports have said occurs with the final product.
By covering the bottom left corner of the device, users can bridge the phone's two external antennas by using their skin as a conductive agent. Doing so can cause signal to drop by as much as 24.6dB, tests have shown, which could result in slower data speeds and dropped calls in areas with poor reception.
Comments
which could result in slower data speeds and dropped calls in areas with poor reception.
Every area where AT&T has server is a poor reception area! lol
I love Apple and their products (and have a number of them, but no iPhone because I hate AT&T service), but I think Steve's ego is getting a bit large and his attitude towards us little people is getting out of hand. Back away from the God complex Steve.
Apple's prior-to-release knowledge of the issue is consistent with producing for the first time its own iPhone case (bumpers) and omitting Field Test Mode from iOS 4.
Just validates the fact that Steve Jobs puts profits before anything else including the customers that keep his ass in mock-turtle neck sweaters. He has proven that he is no less a money grubbing scumbag like the rest of the corporate ignorati that play hard working customers for dummies. Signal bars my ass...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38260210...ence-wireless/
P.S. Good thing, that LinkedIn shows named guy is approximately what we're urged to think he is...
Also a "visual feedback" sometimes causes more confusion than any actual problems. Will people still think there is a signal drop if the bars don't change?
An Apple engineer warned the company's executives last year that the design of the iPhone 4 could lead to reception problems, and a carrier partner also expressed concern about its external antenna before the June launch, according to a new report.
If true, Apple needs to face the consequences.
But hasn't anyone learned anything about putting their faith in unconfirmed rumors put forward by bloggers? Maybe if someone is willing to come forward and use their name, we might have a story here. Or maybe if Ruben or someone in a position to know confirms it?
I am not at all surprised that Apple was totally unaware of this issue prior to releasing the phone. I'd be even more disappointed if they were. Really, the issue is as much marginal signals in some areas as it is a design flaw. While I can hold the phone and watch the signal fall to "No Signal" in some areas, in areas of good reception it will lose several bars but not drop a connection altogether.
Totally agreed. I hate to sound like an Apple Apologist, but this article is complete bullshit. Actually both the Bloomberg and AI article are.
It has also resulted in reception problems that led Consumer Reports to refrain from endorsing the iPhone 4, weighed on the company?s shares and stepped up pressure on Apple to issue a fix.
That's quite an unproven allegation. "It" has not "resulted in reception problems." "It" has resulted in what is apparently a drop of a few bars in SOME phones. Millions of other users cannot reproduce the problem, including me.
The author doesn't have real confirmation of the engineer's supposed comments. They have an anonymous third party that claims this particular engineer told Jobs. How would this person know? The quote itself is not even direct. It's a interpretation:
"Caballero, the antenna expert, voiced concern in early planning meetings that it might lead to dropped calls and presented a serious engineering challenge, the person said."
Then there is this bit, thrown in by AI itself:
Specifically, Caballero allegedly voiced concern that if a user used their hand to bridge the gap between the cellular and Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/GPS antennas on the exterior of the device, it could interfere with the signal. That's exactly what independent wireless experts and the nonprofit Consumer Reports have said occurs with the final product.[/quote]
Why does "Slash" need to frame the statement this way? Answer: To bolster the credibility of the highly suspect Consumer Reports. CR has been rife with problems over the years, from inadequate non-expert testing, to bias. And ooohh! They're NON-PROFIT!!! Why is that people hear the word "non-profit" and immediately go orgasmic? Newsflash: It's just a fucking tax-filing status. "Non-profit" is not synonymous with "moral, selfless, competent & uninterested in making money."
Ok Apologists, line up to take your turn at discrediting the source.
Yes, and someone with 166 posts, you are eminently qualified to judge who the apologists are here. Noob.
But hasn't anyone learned anything about putting their faith in unconfirmed rumors put forward by bloggers? Maybe if someone is willing to come forward and use their name, we might have a story here. Or maybe if Ruben or someone in a position to know confirms it?
You mean like putting faith in your survey you presented that has no stated methodology and was from a financial company that has AAPL rated as a buy ?
Yes, and someone with 166 posts, you are eminently qualified to judge who the apologists are here. Noob.
LOL, I love those "not enough posts" posts.
I didn't call anyone an Apple apologist, did I? Whom did I name? Your post makes zero sense. A little touchy, aren't you? Too close to home?
Guess I'm just pointing out the obvious. Any contrary article results in the assasination of the source by numerous posters. Will happen here as a well. You don't think so?
Just validates the fact that Steve Jobs puts profits before anything else including the customers that keep his ass in mock-turtle neck sweaters. He has proven that he is no less a money grubbing scumbag like the rest of the corporate ignorati that play hard working customers for dummies. Signal bars my ass...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38260210...ence-wireless/
That website is owned by Microsoft.
Ok Apologists, line up to take your turn at discrediting the source.
Careful. You'll be -- you are - discredited.
That website is owned by Microsoft.
Not the source...
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-0...enna-flaw.html
Anyways all this will be rendered moot when 4.0.1 includes a SOFTWARE fix that solves everyone's problems. Then Apple will use the Friday press conference to declare victory.
There is no camera because they could not get it to function properly - at all.
Fired the engineer in charge of camera.
Brought in new Engineer who within 1 week said the problem was with the Industrial Design:
- the mounting needed to change
- the material coating was causing reflections in to camera and needed to change as well
Apparently that was not well received and he was almost fired as well.
But apparently they came to their senses and realized he was right.