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Some iPhone 4 launch units lose signal when held with left hand - Page 5

post #161 of 446
6/24/10 at 11:53am
Quote:
Originally Posted by thompr View Post

So get a "bumper" too. Probably a good idea anyway, to protect the edges (and antenna) if you drop the phone.

Thompson

Don't tell me what to get.

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post #162 of 446
6/24/10 at 11:54am
Just checked mine and no problems at all, no matter where I hold it.
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post #163 of 446
6/24/10 at 11:55am
Quote:
Originally Posted by mr_cazorp View Post

This is happening with my iPhone 4. I can replicate it with very little contact between the two antennas.

Design flaw? I think it's certainly possible. After all these things were field-tested in 3G-shaped disguise cases which would prevent this kind of physical contact.

Limited to certain handsets? Not sure. When I first read about this issue I tried it in my office and couldn't replicate it. I thought I was safe. But my office building has a 3G repeater - when I went out into the world and tried it, the signal went right away.

It'll be remedied one way or another. Dunno why but I have a feeling this can be addressed in a software update.

That's worrying.

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post #164 of 446
6/24/10 at 11:56am
Quote:
Originally Posted by willrob View Post

A commenter at the Gizmondo story about this said he spoke to Apple, that they are sending him a replacement phone, and the problem stems from some units failing to get a "protective coating."

Hopefully it's true. It really doesn't mean much if Apple doesn't have a official press release about this.
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post #165 of 446
6/24/10 at 11:57am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stevie View Post

Defending Apple is fine.

Attacking other posters is the behavior I find objectionable.

Defending Apple when there's a clear issue is not fine. Not sure who was "attacked" btw.

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post #166 of 446
6/24/10 at 11:59am
Quote:
Originally Posted by irnchriz View Post

... However this does not excuse Apple from shipping with what appears to be a fairly major flaw. If there is indeed a coating missing then they should, at some point, arrange for users to swapout their handsets. ...

Well, if it is just a "protective coating" issue, it is not a "major flaw", it's a manufacturing issue. And, given Apple's history, I think it's pretty certain that they will take care of everyone. There might however, be a glut of refurbs hitting the market, which could be a bonus for some people.
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post #167 of 446
6/24/10 at 12:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ByronVanArsdale View Post

Really? Time to lay off the coffee.

I want to buy one, I want to use it as a phone. I will be paying €600. Coffee? I don't think so.

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post #168 of 446
6/24/10 at 12:02pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by DJinTX View Post

I tend to leave my wifi turned off unless I am at home, mainly to save battery. In any case, if you disable your wifi do you get the same results? I wonder if having both wifi and the 3g radio functioning at the same time has any bearing on this.

That's interesting.

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post #169 of 446
6/24/10 at 12:04pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ireland View Post

That's interesting.

Yeah, unfortunately he tested this and at least he didn't get different results with wi-fi off. Oh well, I'll turn my Hypothesis Machine back to full speed.
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post #170 of 446
6/24/10 at 12:04pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by willrob View Post

A commenter at the Gizmondo story about this said he spoke to Apple, that they are sending him a replacement phone, and the problem stems from some units failing to get a "protective coating."

That makes far more sense than all the crap people are postulating... that Apple did this on purpose to sell bumper cases (please) or equally ridiculous... that Apple would screw up something this obvious. There's no chance Apple engineers wouldn't have foreseen this issue and come up with a workaround. Even if they are that dumb... it would not have be caught in testing. And of course Apple did testing with "naked" phones. There's no way that all of the testing was only done with phones in cases.
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post #171 of 446
6/24/10 at 12:07pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by anonymouse View Post

Well, if it is just a "protective coating" issue, it is not a "major flaw", it's a manufacturing issue. And, given Apple's history, I think it's pretty certain that they will take care of everyone. There might however, be a glut of refurbs hitting the market, which could be a bonus for some people.

Ooooooooo... excellent point :o)
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post #172 of 446
6/24/10 at 12:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Proximityeffect View Post

Same results with my 3GS after I read about this last night.

Exactly... after you read about it.

For me - this bar issue has been going on forever. With my 3GS I sit in the exact same spot at home when I use the phone for web etc, and my 3G or WiFi bars float up and down. This has been going on since day one ( a year now).

Granted, I cannot 'induce' it.

I'm just saying.... your milage may vary. Future results may not reflect past performance.
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post #173 of 446
6/24/10 at 12:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by willrob View Post

A commenter at the Gizmondo story about this said he spoke to Apple, that they are sending him a replacement phone, and the problem stems from some units failing to get a "protective coating."



(have a link for this?)

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post #174 of 446
6/24/10 at 12:14pm
I have thought long and hard about this and I have made my decision. Like many of my decisions, it will be ridiculed by companies that develop resource hogging video applications and phone platforms that are more suited for porn distribution. I have decided that Apple is going to be a right hand company going forward. It is unfortunate that you can not please everyone. However, we must choose our markets and 11% left handed population is not enough for us to focus on.

We need to be able to control the way the phone is used so that we can provide the best user experience possible. By ensuring the new iphone 4 is held with your right hand it allows us to control how application developers deploy their menus and action clicks. Especially the pinch to zoom capability. We have found pinching and zooming with the right hand vs the left hand to make the user experience less intuitive.

We understand that some members of the press who have a habit of stealing phones before they are released have tried to paint this as a problem. We assure you that we intended it to be this way, a right handed phone only.

Stevie Jobs

Note: This is a parody...in case you were too stupid to tell or too anal and got upset anyways.
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post #175 of 446
6/24/10 at 12:19pm
I will confirm that I have the dying signal issue. Just putting your finger on the bottom left where that black line is, will start it. After a few seconds the bars start to disappear and continue to drop every couple seconds. Yesterday my calls were dropping like crazy and network kept going to searching.

It's not the end of the world and is easy to avoid for calling once you are aware of it.,I don't think it really matters if you are left or right handed, it's in a position that you may touch regardless. The worst part is that if you are playing a game, it's in the spot where you'd put your thumb. So you pretty much need to hold it by the glass if you are playing a network game, or want your phone to still be able to receive calls.
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post #176 of 446
6/24/10 at 12:30pm
I don't think it is a corrosion problem because the band is Stainless steel, right? I believe it is a loose connection problem.
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post #177 of 446
6/24/10 at 12:32pm
Engadget has it:

http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/24/s...d-left-handed/

Gizmodo has it (last video):

http://gizmodo.com/5571171/iphone-4-...yline=true&s=i

Now the big blogs have iPhone to retest for this specific issue, they all have it. Coincidence? Don't think so.

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post #178 of 446
6/24/10 at 12:33pm
i just talked to an apple rep and he said wow i didnt realize till now i just tried on an iphone 4 we have here then said hmm ill get a senior advisor the senior advisor said that they have been making reports to the engineering dept all morning and i would get a call back from them on what they r gonna do to resolve this
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post #179 of 446
6/24/10 at 12:33pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stevie View Post

Har!

But seriously, things that crazy are not true in the vast majority of cases.

Indeed, things that crazy almost never happen.

That's why it's so crazy. Har.

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post #180 of 446
6/24/10 at 12:37pm
I was going to get my iPhone today but something tells me this is going to be an issue. I really want it but I think I'm gonna have to wait to see what happens.

It seems Apple didn't think too much about skin-to-metal from the issues I've been reading/hearing about so far.

Apple should have made something like a clearcoat on the metal, so the metal would still be seen (for visual design) and the skin would not come in contact with it. That should be problem solved. Another idea would have been to build in a clear bumper which also protects from drops as well.
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post #181 of 446
6/24/10 at 12:39pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by steviejobs View Post

I have thought long and hard about this and I have made my decision. Like many of my decisions, it will be ridiculed by companies that develop resource hogging video applications and phone platforms that are more suited for porn distribution. I have decided that Apple is going to be a right hand company going forward. It is unfortunate that you can not please everyone. However, we must choose our markets and 11% left handed population is not enough for us to focus on.

Haha!

Seriously though, if you hold it in your right hand while making a call with your pinky on that black slot it still drops calls - these are the latest videos popping up. So for right hand people on a call it will effect them, and when pecking with your right hand and hold with your left it will effect them: visa versa for lefties. But depending on the particular user, where the hand naturally rests may be ok or not. I see it actually affect more right handed users, as making calls is only a small % of iPhone usage. While web browsing most right handed people hold the phone in their left palm.

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post #182 of 446
6/24/10 at 12:42pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by alessio21 View Post

i just talked to an apple rep and he said wow i didnt realize till now i just tried on an iphone 4 we have here then said hmm ill get a senior advisor the senior advisor said that they have been making reports to the engineering dept all morning and i would get a call back from them on what they r gonna do to resolve this

Pennies are dropping in Cupertino.

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post #183 of 446
6/24/10 at 12:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stevie View Post

Har!

But seriously, things that crazy are not true in the vast majority of cases.

Indeed, things that crazy almost never happen.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ireland View Post

That's why it's so crazy. Har.


So is this like foreplay?
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post #184 of 446
6/24/10 at 12:44pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by bigmike View Post

I was going to get my iPhone today but something tells me this is going to be an issue. I really want it but I think I'm gonna have to wait to see what happens.

It seems Apple didn't think too much about skin-to-metal from the issues I've been reading/hearing about so far.

Apple should have made something like a clearcoat on the metal, so the metal would still be seen (for visual design) and the skin would not come in contact with it. That should be problem solved. Another idea would have been to build in a clear bumper which also protects from drops as well.

Obviously you're not a golfer.
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post #185 of 446
6/24/10 at 12:44pm
Has anyone thought about the fact that Steve Jobs himself couldn't get the iPhone 4 to load a page during the WWDC keynote? Perhaps this wasn't a wifi issue, but an iPhone issue.

This is really sad.

Apple should know better... they'll be giving out bumpers for free... I guarantee it!

Anyone agree?
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post #186 of 446
6/24/10 at 12:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by thespaz View Post

Has anyone thought about the fact that Steve Jobs himself couldn't get the iPhone 4 to load a page during the WWDC keynote? Perhaps this wasn't a wifi issue, but an iPhone issue.

This is really sad.

Apple should know better... they'll be giving out bumpers for free... I guarantee it!

Anyone agree?

I disagree. They're going to offer a real fix - not a band-aid. A band-aid would really piss people off I think.
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post #187 of 446
6/24/10 at 12:52pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by gescom View Post

Why is everybody complaining so much about it?
It's a feature !!!

You are all missing the point, this is a right-wing plot, devised, and implemented by Teabaggers.
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post #188 of 446
6/24/10 at 12:54pm
Oofah! That sounds like a significant design oversight.

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post #189 of 446
6/24/10 at 12:57pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by thespaz View Post

Has anyone thought about the fact that Steve Jobs himself couldn't get the iPhone 4 to load a page during the WWDC keynote? Perhaps this wasn't a wifi issue, but an iPhone issue.

Completely different issue. Besides, the iPhone 4 was in his right hand (demo starts at 38:45 in keynote video).
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post #190 of 446
6/24/10 at 12:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by eightzero View Post

I took mine out to test this in various locations, but I seem to have lost it. Last time I saw it, I had it in a bar near Redwood City. Anyone had any problems in that location?

I dunno, which bar?
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post #191 of 446
6/24/10 at 1:02pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mazda 3s View Post

I can confirm it with my brand new iPhone 4 that I picked up this morning from the AT&T store. Holding the iPhone in my left hand with the bottom left corner resting in my palm, pinky and adjacent fingers grasping the bottom right corner, and index finger on the top left corner, I drop from full bars to 1 or even NO SERVICE.

In my hand:




Sitting on the table:


Did you actually try to make a call though? That would be the best test in that it would tell us whether it's the bar display or the actual signal being dropped.

With all the blather back and forth on this list, I haven't heard of anyone actually having bad service because of the bars dropping yet. Several people talk about "being dropped" but it's obvious from the phrasing that they are just using the term incorrectly. Has anyone actually done this, replicated the bars disappearing, and then actually had a call dropped? Maybe, maybe not. Even with all the text spilled already, no one is being clear enough for us to tell.

Also, while i'm talking about written accuracy, could people stop using the term "design flaw"? It's not a design flaw unless it occurs on all units, which it appears not to at this time.
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post #192 of 446
6/24/10 at 1:03pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by thespaz View Post

Has anyone thought about the fact that Steve Jobs himself couldn't get the iPhone 4 to load a page during the WWDC keynote? Perhaps this wasn't a wifi issue, but an iPhone issue.

This is really sad.

Apple should know better... they'll be giving out bumpers for free... I guarantee it!

Anyone agree?


If they don't, are you going to give us bumpers?

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No matter what type of media...movies, music, books, photos and web pages

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post #193 of 446
6/24/10 at 1:03pm
Of course the signal it's going to drop if you touch the border, It's an antenna, and every antenna in every device that uses one does act like that when you touch it. Every cellular device says "do not touch the antenna".

This thing isn't an issue at all. It's a normal behavior. It is solved with any non-conductive case, like almost any iPhone case. Like the Apple Bumber.

And if you are going to complain that you don't want to use a case then you are a complete stupid that doesn't protect your purchases.
lvidal.-
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post #194 of 446
6/24/10 at 1:04pm
Can anyone show a video with it not losing a signal while holding it left-handed or a finger over the gap?
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post #195 of 446
6/24/10 at 1:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by thompr View Post

My prediction is that:

(1) Apple will roll a new hardware revision that fixes the problem, and
(2) Apple offers free bumpers to anyone that is suffering problems. (Which would only be people that don't already have bumpers) and
(3) Cave in to those who demand that they want a bumperless phone (even if the bumper is free).

I suspect that with this path, there will be a lot less replacement phones going out than with your path.

Oh, also that it will take a hell of a lot longer than "several weeks" to "roll a new hardware revision". Testing the solution must be robust, and the FCC may need to do a re-qualifying process (not sure about the latter). Regardless, the internal testing will be robust, and meanwhile, several weeks worth of inventory is churning through the factories now. They will sell those down and offer free bumpers.

Thompson

I completely subscribe to this idea. Whether or not Apple will go with this approach is yet to be seen. I think you will have to see, weeks and weeks of people complaining and a much more wide spread of issues before they go to the extremes you are suggesing. I'd like to see that, since i was one who was waiting for the smoke to clear from the pre-sales. However, one thought would be that they fix the problem on the White phone, yet to be released so far. That would be huge for me since that was the color i was waiting on in the first place. I'll be really interested to see how this evolves. I currently downloaded the iOS update on my white iP3G and love it! So i can defenitely wait for hardware updates
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post #196 of 446
6/24/10 at 1:08pm
By the way... for the people saying that "Didn't Apple field test this thing?"

Well, if using a case solves the problem, don't you think Apple had a case around it to conceal it from the public while they were field testing. If so, then that's probably how they didn't realize there was a problem.

There. I said it.
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post #197 of 446
6/24/10 at 1:09pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by SDW2001 View Post

Looks like I'm ordering that $30 bumper after all. If it is a skin-on-metal issue causing the antenna problems, then I'd think a case might fix it.

I completely agree.

Seriously, many here are saying that having to add a bumper is a deal breaker.

Ridiculous.
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post #198 of 446
6/24/10 at 1:09pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by lvidal View Post

Of course the signal it's going to drop if you touch the border, It's an antenna, and every antenna in every device that uses one does act like that when you touch it. Every cellular device says "do not touch the antenna".

This thing isn't an issue at all. It's a normal behavior. It is solved with any non-conductive case, like almost any iPhone case. Like the Apple Bumber.

And if you are going to complain that you don't want to use a case then you are a complete stupid that doesn't protect your purchases.


I have never been called anything so vile in all my life.
How dare you sir/madam!?!
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post #199 of 446
6/24/10 at 1:10pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by solipsism View Post

I had it sitting next to me on the couch. My left side. It had 1 bar but then I picked it up with my left hand and all bars came back. Surely there is a design flaw involving couches that Apple didn't vet.

Next I'll try defibrillating the device while soaking in ionized water.

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post #200 of 446
6/24/10 at 1:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ireland View Post

Don't tell me what to get.

OK. So don't get a life.
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