Consumer Reports changes stance, cannot recommend Apple's iPhone 4

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Comments

  • Reply 41 of 406
    robin huberrobin huber Posts: 3,949member
    An RF engineer interviewed by Leo LaPorte and referenced on latest MacBreak weekly podcast stated categorically that this business of bridging the two antennas with skin is pure nonsense. The tape solution is useless because there is no problem there. The actual problem has to do with signal blocking, and that occurs when the hand covers enough of the antenna when signal strength is already weak. This calls into question CR's results. I generally respect their intentions, but I don't think they researched this issue fully enough before announcing results. Hope Apple challenges them.
  • Reply 42 of 406
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Outsider View Post


    Tape and bumpers are not the answer people. Seriously.



    They need to apply a coating to the antennas. It would be clear but enough to stop the issue from happening. Unfortunately, that would involve a recall, or at the very least a trip to the Apple store and a Genius to swap out the antennas with coated ones.



    I wouldn't be surprised if Apple is already working on a recall solution. It would be very easy to apply some sort of clear covering on that metal strap. They can arrange to have this available at all Apple stores. It would only take about 10-15 minutes per phone.
  • Reply 43 of 406
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by JoeDyndale View Post


    Calm down people. This is a problem, but the solution is either free or extremely cheap, and easy to implement.



    Stop being patronizing. The comments here -- at least so far -- are quite sober and calm.
  • Reply 44 of 406
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by samab View Post


    Hell, Apple is even waiving its restocking fee.



    I?ve never seen a restocking fee on a cellphone within the 30-day trial period. I think it might be law since the device has to be used with a carrier.
  • Reply 45 of 406
    kent909kent909 Posts: 731member
    There are many issues with technology in general. The current iPhone 4 problem is just one of them. The thing that amazes me is that if I were to buy an iPhone 4 and use it to replace my Vonage phone my monthly bill would go from $30 to $104 minumum. Why is no one complaining about how much money to costs to use one of these phones. They may be smart phones, but the people using them are not real smart.
  • Reply 46 of 406
    tulkastulkas Posts: 3,757member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by GQB View Post


    Um, I've still yet to meet anyone demonstrating that this is a 'problem'.



    Again...

    "Doc... it hurts when I do this."

    "Then don't do that".



    Move your GD finger a millimeter.



    The antenna design is still a vast improvement for those not trying to get in on a phony class action.



    Too late, you moved your hand (imagine someone actually adjusting the graps during a call) and you dropped your call.
  • Reply 47 of 406
    Its incredible how people haven't figured out the real problem, and it is NOT a reception/signal problem. People are complaining and returning their iphone 4 because of "Bad Reception" and a lot of Call Drops. Actually what is really happening is a "BAD" Proximity Sensor. I have had my iPhone 4 since day 1 and I have had no issue with my signal, sometimes it is a bit low (very few times), but normally it works very well. The proximity sensor is the real issue. I keep hanging up calls, clicking mute, speaker and FaceTime. Mainly when people click End Call, Hold or Mute they actually think there was a problem with the call. A lot of friends who have had the iphone for the first time (including my wife), think it is a call drop/ reception issue, I know exactly what the problem is because I have had an iPhone since June, 2007. The real problem is the Proximity Sensor, and people are returning their iPhones 4 just because they have read that the signal problem is severe and they think it is a hardware problem. Proximity Sensor will be fixed in the next update (hopefully) and people will realize that by "Magic", all the signal problems were actually fixed.
  • Reply 48 of 406
    sacto joesacto joe Posts: 895member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    Consumer Reports announced on Monday that it cannot recommend the iPhone 4 to potential buyers due to reception problems that are a result of the design of the handset.



    Here's the full quote:



    "Consumer Reports' engineers have just completed testing the iPhone 4, and have confirmed that there is a problem with its reception. When your finger or hand touches a spot on the phone's lower left side?an easy thing, especially for lefties?the signal can significantly degrade enough to cause you to lose your connection altogether if you're in an area with a weak signal. Due to this problem, we can't recommend the iPhone 4."



    IF YOU'RE IN AN AREA WITH A WEAK SIGNAL.



    How weak, and how much weaker does it need to be before other phones also lose the connection? In other words, we need the problem quantified.
  • Reply 49 of 406
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    You really can?t see a difference between CR and others testing and reporting on an issue with a bunch of Chicken Littles claiming the sky is falling because an acorn fell on their head? Anyone can make absolute claims to something, and they may be occasionally correct, but without a cogent argument to back up claim it?s all just emotion driven dramatics.



    I agree that some people (in particular, one across the pond!) were over-the-top, but most of us chose to focus on the substance, not the style, of comments related to this issue.
  • Reply 50 of 406
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by kent909 View Post


    The thing that amazes me is that if I were to buy an iPhone 4 and use it to replace my Vonage phone my montly bill would go from $30 to $104 minumum. Why is no one complaining about how much money to costs to use one of these phones.



    You?re comparing a phone service that piggybacks on your home?s internet with a nationwide cellphone service?
  • Reply 51 of 406
    tulkastulkas Posts: 3,757member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by samab View Post


    These are some of the most irresponsible advices I have ever seen here.



    Anyone who has already bought the iphone --- is still within the 30 day get out of jail full refund zero ETF period. Hell, Apple is even waiving its restocking fee.



    Irresponsible how?





    If he choose to return it, that is fine. Apple has made it easy. At the same time, while it is a real issue, it hardly is the end of the world. I don't like the idea of having to change you behavior to use the phone. I don't like the customer having to buy a case to fix the problem. But, there is a work around.



    Pull the pickle out of your ass. Again, while a real problem, it isn't like you can't still use the phone.
  • Reply 52 of 406
    ochymingochyming Posts: 474member
    Why serve free ad to the competition and haters?

    This is very stupid Apple, very stupid.
  • Reply 53 of 406
    robin huberrobin huber Posts: 3,949member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by noexpectations View Post


    I wouldn't be surprised if Apple is already working on a recall solution. It would be very easy to apply some sort of clear covering on that metal strap. They can arrange to have this available at all Apple stores. It would only take about 10-15 minutes per phone.



    RF engineers have said that contact is not the issue, blocking signal is. If they are right this whole coating or tape issue is a non-starter. Even if it was it wouldn't be Apple's style to have people lined up at their stores to get their phones fixed. More likely, if a physical fix is necessary/possible, they will simply exchange the phone for a new one. The old phones will be fixed at a facility, then re-sold as used at a reduced price.



    I expect it will be quite a while before we are done with this story. Both sides, haters and fans, will have their good days and bad days. Meanwhile, my phone is being delivered today and I am very excited to test it and see what all the hubbub is about.
  • Reply 54 of 406
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by GQB View Post


    Um, I've still yet to meet anyone demonstrating that this is a 'problem'.



    Again...

    "Doc... it hurts when I do this."

    "Then don't do that".



    Move your GD finger a millimeter.



    The antenna design is still a vast improvement for those not trying to get in on a phony class action.



    Good for you! We heard you twice the first time.



    Leave the rest of us to wallow in our angst......
  • Reply 55 of 406
    mazda 3smazda 3s Posts: 1,613member
    Well it's about damn time!!



    Cue all the naysayers saying that CR is the devil...oops, too late
  • Reply 56 of 406
    anonymouseanonymouse Posts: 6,857member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by plegaria View Post


    Its incredible how people haven't figured out the real problem, and it is NOT a reception/signal problem. People are complaining and returning their iphone 4 because of "Bad Reception" and a lot of Call Drops. Actually what is really happening is a "BAD" Proximity Sensor. I have had my iPhone 4 since day 1 and I have had no issue with my signal, sometimes it is a bit low (very few times), but normally it works very well. The proximity sensor is the real issue. I keep hanging up calls, clicking mute, speaker and FaceTime. Mainly when people click End Call, Hold or Mute they actually think there was a problem with the call. A lot of friends who have had the iphone for the first time (including my wife), think it is a call drop/ reception issue, I know exactly what the problem is because I have had an iPhone since June, 2007. The real problem is the Proximity Sensor, and people are returning their iPhones 4 just because they have read that the signal problem is severe and they think it is a hardware problem. Proximity Sensor will be fixed in the next update (hopefully) and people will realize that by "Magic", all the signal problems were actually fixed.



    It's been mentioned here that the proximity sensor may be related to some perscentage of "dropped" calls that are blamed on signal. Yet, it's unlikely this was involved in the CR testing, and it definitely seems as though some phones suffer complete signal loss when the seam is bridged while others don't.
  • Reply 57 of 406
    dylerdyler Posts: 37member
    I have the best reception I have ever had with AT&T on my iPhone 4, so this sounds like a bunch of crap. How does CR know this is a hardware bug, they just reproduced the effects in their lab that does not mean a software fix will not fix the problem. Apple may be working on something else as we speak, we do not know and these people sound like idiots, they recommended the phone and then later came out and said we did not test it and now we did so we cannot recommend it, something smells fishy here? Did Google pay them off?
  • Reply 58 of 406
    wonderwonder Posts: 229member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by iancass79 View Post


    The case, although helpful, doesn't solve the issue like others say. I bought the "magic reception fix" bumper and it did help, but did not fix the issue.



    You reply does nothing to confirm that the issue in in fact a 'short' across black separator.

    If this was the issue then the case would solve the problem, just like a piece of tape.

    If is does not solve the problem, then you don't actually know what the problem is, but one thing is for sure, it is not a short across the black strip as you have eliminated that.
  • Reply 59 of 406
    tulkastulkas Posts: 3,757member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by anonymouse View Post


    As I've written before, PR may have been stunned (actually, they probably were) but I doubt the iPhone engineers were.



    But they didn't qualify it with "certain employees within Apple were stunned (mainly the marketing dept, accounting and some of the janitorial staff) to find...". They said "we" as in Apple. Apple said they were surprised.



    They also, explicitly said it was a mistake.
  • Reply 60 of 406
    ochymingochyming Posts: 474member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tulkas View Post


    Irresponsible how?





    If he choose to return it, that is fine. Apple has made it easy. At the same time, while it is a real issue, it hardly is the end of the world. I don't like the idea of having to change you behavior to use the phone. I don't like the customer having to buy a case to fix the problem. But, there is a work around.



    Pull the pickle out of your ass. Again, while a real problem, it isn't like you can't still use the phone.



    Hey, Hiro's teacher is right.

    I believe in that and that that is also a right.
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