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.
Actually, no.
The item should simply work as advertised.
It should not need an additional purchase or some other kludge by the end user.
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.
Congrats, you are the first person here to mention this. \
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.
There is no protection from the dimwitted.. Did the above poster actually bother to read any posts on this thread before victimizing readers with his post?
This forum, and many other sites are filled with evidence of the problem affecting some handsets. There is a youtube video here demonstrating the problem (found on this forum).
Engadget says "One iPhone 4 demonstrated the issue everytime it was held in our left hand (as a right-handed person is apt to do) so that our palm was essentially bridging the two antennas. You can see that in the video after the break. Bridging the two with a finger tip, however, didn't cause any issues with the reported reception. If we had to guess, we'd say that our conductive skin was acting to detune the antenna -- in fact, we've already managed to slowly kill two calls that way so it's not just an issue with the software erroneously reporting an incorrect signal strength. That said, we had no issues when Apple's $29 rubber bumper accessory (given to us free for standing in line) was attached, creating a buffer between our palm and the antennas. Our second UK-purchased iPhone 4 was fine, showing none of these handling symptoms."
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.
Sorry to be frank, but do you understand how ridiculous your post sounds? You say that the signal is going to drop if you touch the antenna and "do not touch the antenna"...
Yet Apple designs a phone with an external antenna that in normal use is going to be touched by the human body -- DUH!
As for making a case mandatory, that shouldn't be the case. You should't have to buy a case to make your phone function properly.
There is no protection from the dimwitted.. Did the above poster actually bother to read any posts on this thread before victimizing readers with his post?
This forum, and many other sites are filled with evidence of the problem affecting some handsets. There is a youtube video here demonstrating the problem (found on this forum).
Engadget says "One iPhone 4 demonstrated the issue everytime it was held in our left hand (as a right-handed person is apt to do) so that our palm was essentially bridging the two antennas. You can see that in the video after the break. Bridging the two with a finger tip, however, didn't cause any issues with the reported reception. If we had to guess, we'd say that our conductive skin was acting to detune the antenna -- in fact, we've already managed to slowly kill two calls that way so it's not just an issue with the software erroneously reporting an incorrect signal strength. That said, we had no issues when Apple's $29 rubber bumper accessory (given to us free for standing in line) was attached, creating a buffer between our palm and the antennas. Our second UK-purchased iPhone 4 was fine, showing none of these handling symptoms."
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.
Well, so much for a case fixing the problem. I just went out and bought a Belkin case which wraps around the sides and back of the phone.
As soon as I place it in my hands, the bars start dropping all the way down from full to one bar. With one bar, I can still receive and make a call. However, if I hold it in my hand long enough, it will switch from one bar to no bars and say "NO SERVICE". At that point, I cannot make or receive calls.
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.
It has to be the couch springs. They are producing a local distortion field.
Sorry to be frank, but do you understand how ridiculous your post sounds? You say that the signal is going to drop if you touch the antenna and "do not touch the antenna"...
Yet Apple designs a phone with an external antenna that in normal use is going to be touched by the human body -- DUH!
As for making a case mandatory, that shouldn't be the case. You should't have to buy a case to make your phone function properly.
Seems like if you have to have a case to prevent skin/antenna contact, then that nifty patented external antenna, is not-so-external anymore.
Everyone, from an electrical engineering standpoint, this makes total sense. If you even touch an antenna, you're changing the physical properties of it because now your hand is part of the antenna. You're effectively loading the antenna down. When the left hand is used, you're bridging between two antennae with your hand adding capacitance, loading and all kinds of other stuff. In my opinion, this is a stupid design. When I first found out the edges were the antenna, I knew this would happen and I was very curious to know how apple was going to get around physics. Looks like they didn't. Physics = 1, Apple = 0.
... As for making a case mandatory, that shouldn't be the case. You should't have to buy a case to make your phone function properly.
It would have been a nice rhetorical flourish, given the number of times 'case' occurs in this paragraph, if you had ended with, "Case closed." Just a thought.
Well, so much for a case fixing the problem. I just went out and bought a Belkin case which wraps around the sides and back of the phone.
IT DOES NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM!
As soon as I place it in my hands, the bars start dropping all the way down from full to one bar. With one bar, I can still receive and make a call. However, if I hold it in my hand long enough, it will switch from one bar to no bars and say "NO SERVICE". At that point, I cannot make or receive calls.
There is no protection from the dimwitted.. Did the above poster actually bother to read any posts on this thread before victimizing readers with his post?
This forum, and many other sites are filled with evidence of the problem affecting some handsets. There is a youtube video here demonstrating the problem (found on this forum).
Engadget says "One iPhone 4 demonstrated the issue everytime it was held in our left hand (as a right-handed person is apt to do) so that our palm was essentially bridging the two antennas. You can see that in the video after the break. Bridging the two with a finger tip, however, didn't cause any issues with the reported reception. If we had to guess, we'd say that our conductive skin was acting to detune the antenna -- in fact, we've already managed to slowly kill two calls that way so it's not just an issue with the software erroneously reporting an incorrect signal strength. That said, we had no issues when Apple's $29 rubber bumper accessory (given to us free for standing in line) was attached, creating a buffer between our palm and the antennas. Our second UK-purchased iPhone 4 was fine, showing none of these handling symptoms."
The good news seems to be this is not happening to all iPhones so logic seems to suggest a manufacturing issue not design. Perhaps as someone else suggested something as simple as a bad ground connection.
Comments
OK. So don't get a life.
And don't tell him what not to get either, Mr. smarty-pants.
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.
Actually, no.
The item should simply work as advertised.
It should not need an additional purchase or some other kludge by the end user.
Hope Springs Eternal,
Mandricard
AppleOutsider
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.
Congrats, you are the first person here to mention this.
Nope. See post #22.
I have never been called anything so vile in all my life.
How dare you sir/madam!?!
I take it that folks don't get out much in Austin?
And don't tell him what not to get either, Mr. smarty-pants.
My pants are not smart. But everything else is....
Nope. See post #22.
Yeah, i was being sarcastic. It has been mentioned many times.
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.
There is no protection from the dimwitted.. Did the above poster actually bother to read any posts on this thread before victimizing readers with his post?
This forum, and many other sites are filled with evidence of the problem affecting some handsets. There is a youtube video here demonstrating the problem (found on this forum).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03PQyWp0mWE
Engadget says "One iPhone 4 demonstrated the issue everytime it was held in our left hand (as a right-handed person is apt to do) so that our palm was essentially bridging the two antennas. You can see that in the video after the break. Bridging the two with a finger tip, however, didn't cause any issues with the reported reception. If we had to guess, we'd say that our conductive skin was acting to detune the antenna -- in fact, we've already managed to slowly kill two calls that way so it's not just an issue with the software erroneously reporting an incorrect signal strength. That said, we had no issues when Apple's $29 rubber bumper accessory (given to us free for standing in line) was attached, creating a buffer between our palm and the antennas. Our second UK-purchased iPhone 4 was fine, showing none of these handling symptoms."
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.
Sorry to be frank, but do you understand how ridiculous your post sounds? You say that the signal is going to drop if you touch the antenna and "do not touch the antenna"...
Yet Apple designs a phone with an external antenna that in normal use is going to be touched by the human body -- DUH!
As for making a case mandatory, that shouldn't be the case. You should't have to buy a case to make your phone function properly.
I take it that folks don't get out much in Austin?
And with that, I shall have to challenge you to a dual.
There is no protection from the dimwitted.. Did the above poster actually bother to read any posts on this thread before victimizing readers with his post?
This forum, and many other sites are filled with evidence of the problem affecting some handsets. There is a youtube video here demonstrating the problem (found on this forum).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03PQyWp0mWE
Engadget says "One iPhone 4 demonstrated the issue everytime it was held in our left hand (as a right-handed person is apt to do) so that our palm was essentially bridging the two antennas. You can see that in the video after the break. Bridging the two with a finger tip, however, didn't cause any issues with the reported reception. If we had to guess, we'd say that our conductive skin was acting to detune the antenna -- in fact, we've already managed to slowly kill two calls that way so it's not just an issue with the software erroneously reporting an incorrect signal strength. That said, we had no issues when Apple's $29 rubber bumper accessory (given to us free for standing in line) was attached, creating a buffer between our palm and the antennas. Our second UK-purchased iPhone 4 was fine, showing none of these handling symptoms."
That would be a resounding, No.
Nope. See post #22.
Actually, see post #8
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.
Well, so much for a case fixing the problem. I just went out and bought a Belkin case which wraps around the sides and back of the phone.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Belkin+-...6084&cp=1&lp=1
IT DOES NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM!
As soon as I place it in my hands, the bars start dropping all the way down from full to one bar. With one bar, I can still receive and make a call. However, if I hold it in my hand long enough, it will switch from one bar to no bars and say "NO SERVICE". At that point, I cannot make or receive calls.
I honestly don't know what to do now
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.
It has to be the couch springs. They are producing a local distortion field.
Sorry to be frank, but do you understand how ridiculous your post sounds? You say that the signal is going to drop if you touch the antenna and "do not touch the antenna"...
Yet Apple designs a phone with an external antenna that in normal use is going to be touched by the human body -- DUH!
As for making a case mandatory, that shouldn't be the case. You should't have to buy a case to make your phone function properly.
Seems like if you have to have a case to prevent skin/antenna contact, then that nifty patented external antenna, is not-so-external anymore.
Ken
And with that, I shall have to challenge you to a dual.
iPhones at 10 yards ... held in right hands of course.
... As for making a case mandatory, that shouldn't be the case. You should't have to buy a case to make your phone function properly.
It would have been a nice rhetorical flourish, given the number of times 'case' occurs in this paragraph, if you had ended with, "Case closed." Just a thought.
Well, so much for a case fixing the problem. I just went out and bought a Belkin case which wraps around the sides and back of the phone.
IT DOES NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM!
As soon as I place it in my hands, the bars start dropping all the way down from full to one bar. With one bar, I can still receive and make a call. However, if I hold it in my hand long enough, it will switch from one bar to no bars and say "NO SERVICE". At that point, I cannot make or receive calls.
I honestly don't know what to do now
This is where you call Apple to get a new phone,
that has the coating on the antenna band,
that prevents the contact,
that diminishes the signal,
that drops the call,
that makes you sad
Now everybody, second verse...same as the first
There is no protection from the dimwitted.. Did the above poster actually bother to read any posts on this thread before victimizing readers with his post?
This forum, and many other sites are filled with evidence of the problem affecting some handsets. There is a youtube video here demonstrating the problem (found on this forum).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03PQyWp0mWE
Engadget says "One iPhone 4 demonstrated the issue everytime it was held in our left hand (as a right-handed person is apt to do) so that our palm was essentially bridging the two antennas. You can see that in the video after the break. Bridging the two with a finger tip, however, didn't cause any issues with the reported reception. If we had to guess, we'd say that our conductive skin was acting to detune the antenna -- in fact, we've already managed to slowly kill two calls that way so it's not just an issue with the software erroneously reporting an incorrect signal strength. That said, we had no issues when Apple's $29 rubber bumper accessory (given to us free for standing in line) was attached, creating a buffer between our palm and the antennas. Our second UK-purchased iPhone 4 was fine, showing none of these handling symptoms."
The good news seems to be this is not happening to all iPhones so logic seems to suggest a manufacturing issue not design. Perhaps as someone else suggested something as simple as a bad ground connection.