Did user 'winterspan' just solve the iPhone 4 antennae riddle?
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Quote:
Originally Posted by winterspan
as has been repeated a thousand times, all cellular phones --- and all rf devices --- will have their signal strength attenuated to some degree if you cover their antennae with your hands or other body parts. Consequently, many, if not most cell phones will show an increased signal strength when you set it down on a table. No one is disputing this.
In fact, this should also happen with the iphone 4 to some degree, depending on how much you are covering the antennae portion.
On the other hand, at least some of the iphone 4 units are experiencing a different phenomenon which is far more disruptive and can lead to a complete loss of signal. This phenomenon only occurs when the antennae is covered in a specific fashion, namely when it is held in a left-hand orientation. Based on all the reports, it almost assuredly is related to the fact that two different external antennae come together on the bottom-left corner of the device. These antennae are electrically separated by a small piece of rubber which keeps them from contacting each other. It appears that when someone holds the iphone 4 in their left hand --- with their skin contacting both antennae --- they can act as a conductor and short the antennae together. This probably depends on local conditions, skin conductivity, etc, but appears to be widespread.
Some of the questions that immediately come up when this is discussed are:
1) how would apple's engineers miss such a basic engineering flaw?
2) why does this only affect certain people and not others?
Additionally, there was a rumor going around that a customer service representative told a customer that there was a manufacturing defect related to some "iphones not receiving a coating"...
With this information, i think the most rational explanation is that the iphone 4 was indeed designed to receive a special non-conductive, perhaps anti-corrosive, coating on the stainless-steel antennae during the manufacturing process -- and something went wrong on at least some of the assembly lines
this would easily explain the problem with how apple's engineers wouldn't see a basic engineering problem. Similarly, coupled with the fact that signal strength is highly variable based upon local conditions/radio frequency/topography, this would also explain why many people are unable to replicate this problem. Their device may not have the manufacturing defect, or perhaps their signal strength is very high and so less affected by the antennae shorting than a device with a lower signal to begin with.
The only part of this situation that is still confusing is apple's varied responses. I'm beginning to think that once apple figured out how widespread this manufacturing defect could be, and in order to avoid a costly recall, they decided to downplay the issue and act like the antennae issue is normal behavior.
What do you guys think?
as has been repeated a thousand times, all cellular phones --- and all rf devices --- will have their signal strength attenuated to some degree if you cover their antennae with your hands or other body parts. Consequently, many, if not most cell phones will show an increased signal strength when you set it down on a table. No one is disputing this.
In fact, this should also happen with the iphone 4 to some degree, depending on how much you are covering the antennae portion.
On the other hand, at least some of the iphone 4 units are experiencing a different phenomenon which is far more disruptive and can lead to a complete loss of signal. This phenomenon only occurs when the antennae is covered in a specific fashion, namely when it is held in a left-hand orientation. Based on all the reports, it almost assuredly is related to the fact that two different external antennae come together on the bottom-left corner of the device. These antennae are electrically separated by a small piece of rubber which keeps them from contacting each other. It appears that when someone holds the iphone 4 in their left hand --- with their skin contacting both antennae --- they can act as a conductor and short the antennae together. This probably depends on local conditions, skin conductivity, etc, but appears to be widespread.
Some of the questions that immediately come up when this is discussed are:
1) how would apple's engineers miss such a basic engineering flaw?
2) why does this only affect certain people and not others?
Additionally, there was a rumor going around that a customer service representative told a customer that there was a manufacturing defect related to some "iphones not receiving a coating"...
With this information, i think the most rational explanation is that the iphone 4 was indeed designed to receive a special non-conductive, perhaps anti-corrosive, coating on the stainless-steel antennae during the manufacturing process -- and something went wrong on at least some of the assembly lines
this would easily explain the problem with how apple's engineers wouldn't see a basic engineering problem. Similarly, coupled with the fact that signal strength is highly variable based upon local conditions/radio frequency/topography, this would also explain why many people are unable to replicate this problem. Their device may not have the manufacturing defect, or perhaps their signal strength is very high and so less affected by the antennae shorting than a device with a lower signal to begin with.
The only part of this situation that is still confusing is apple's varied responses. I'm beginning to think that once apple figured out how widespread this manufacturing defect could be, and in order to avoid a costly recall, they decided to downplay the issue and act like the antennae issue is normal behavior.
What do you guys think?
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Comments
This deserves more attention.
No you don't.
There are a couple of reports around that suggest it's not a big deal:
http://www.macintouch.com/readerrepo...tml#d24jun2010
"Got off the phone with Apple. They're sending me a new one overnight. They said they're aware of the issue, and it has something to do with a missing protective coating on some of the parts."
http://www.electronista.com/articles...snt.reception/
"Apple chief Steve Jobs may have confirmed a firmware-based solution to the iPhone 4's supposed reception problems through an e-mail to a fan. The executive told the reader that "there is no reception issue" but to "stay tuned" for more."
Guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens. I haven't read people reporting actual dropped calls because of this, just that the bars drop. Generally the opposite that there are fewer dropped calls.
http://www.boygeniusreport.com/2010/...ng-procedures/
Also, that "stay tuned" e-mail wasn't confirmed via 'full headers' like the other e-mails Arnold Kim was able to login a view.
Ok, yep. I was able to login to verify this to some degree. Email exists. So seems real. (no way to view headers though.)
The only source where it seems like a software update might be coming, is some shady disappearing thread from the Apple discussion boards.
I haven't read people reporting actual dropped calls because of this, just that the bars drop. Generally the opposite that there are fewer dropped calls.
http://www.insanely-great.com/news.php?id=11151
Video including Microcell
http://www.tuaw.com/2010/06/29/tuaw-...4-phone-calls/
Video including Microcell
That video looks pretty bad. If the Applecare document is genuine, it shows Apple are taking entirely the wrong attitude over this. Hopes are up for a 4.1 software update to correct this and if it doesn't arrive, I'm guessing a few people will be returning their phones. We'll only really know if people are having real-world issues with having to hold the phone a certain way if it's unusable enough that they feel the need to return it though.
AnandTech: Apple's iPhone 4: Thoroughly Reviewed
No one can comfort you better than Mr Jobs did: Just don't hold it that way.
P.S. It will never be pleasant to hear about your finger luxation.
Sent from my iPad YEAH. Call me an Apple hater y'all :-p
I know I should stop bragging about the iPad but I just got it and it doesn't seem to have reception issues