Apple advises new customers how to hold new iPhone 4
June 25th, 2010 • 20 CommentsSweet muscular Jesus. It’s not even out the box a day and already it’s getting ripped to shreds. Yesterday blogs went into meltdown after iPhone 4 owners discovered their new precious lost reception if they went as far as holding the thing to their ear. In particular, left-handed people are screwed if they think of doing something as audacious as make a phonecall. Unbelievably, Apple responded last night by stating it’s not an issue they can fix with a software update – you’ll just have to hold your phone differently:
Gripping any mobile phone will result in some attenuation of its antenna performance, with certain places being worse than others depending on the placement of the antennas. This is a fact of life for every wireless phone.
If you ever experience this on your iPhone 4, avoid gripping it in the lower left corner in a way that covers both sides of the black strip in the metal band, or simply use one of many available cases.
Engadget mentions that there there have been reception issues with previous models of the iPhone and even the Nexus One, but when a phone has a terminal fault because of a new design, it seems incredibly dickish of Apple to tell users it’s their fault the handset that cost them a mortgage payment is already knackered.
UPDATE – Thanks to avid Bitterwallet reader and CNET UK scribe Ian Morris for providing careful step-by-step instructions on how to fix the iPhone 4 reception problem. Hurrah!
[Engadget]
In other words, they were not tested by sinister people before launch.
Just tried holding my phone.
What kind of chimpanzee limbed person holds their phone in the bottom left when making a call?
Hold it right handed and it’s physically impossible to block the bottom left.
If you’re left handed you have to twist your hand and risk dropping it if you’re dumb enough to hold it at the bottom.
And I have big hands.
So, the new big feature of this phone was using the outer case as the antenna, yet they forgot that earthing such a device would render it useless, did they not realise that skin/humans conduct and hence would be earthing the thing everytime they touch it…?
@Matt
You’re not thinking the Apple way – it’s revolutionary!
Don’t worry. I’ve solved this problem already:
http://crave.cnet.co.uk/mobiles/0,39029453,49306011,00.htm
Sorry about the horrible self-publicity. But I’ve got an ego to feed — and it’s hungry.
@ Alexis
You obviously use your phone the same way they do on all those reality shows – try holding it to your ear like all us mere chimpanzees
suitably swept under carpet! No-one will know!
Gizmodo have a few vid examples of this…
http://gizmodo.com/5571171/iphone-4-loses-reception-when-you-hold-it-by-the-antenna-band?skyline=true&s=i
Jobo doesnt have the problem, he has sycophants to hold his phone infront of him so its always hands free.
Surely, if you hold the phone in your hand, thumb up one side and fingers down the other side, youll grip pretty much all the phone?
WTF
IS DIS REAL
Apple never thought that people will be ‘holding’ the device when making and receiving calls.
I also take it that Jobs & Co never owned a mobile phone before or read the first two pages of the instructions where is says DO NOT COVER OR TOUCH the immediate area surrounding the antenna.
Lke PaulH said, this is revolutionary because it’s Apple. Where all other phone manufacturers place the antenna near the top of the device WITHOUT integrating it with a metal cover, Apple decides to do exactly the opposite. Retarded!!
Stewie tried to tell you, you didn’t listen.
@ Mr Miagi et al.
See Dan’s link which shows right and wrong way to hold a mobile phone when making a call
If you placed an X-large Durex (the size i always buy) over the phone, that will cure the problem and save you £25 on that bumper thing.
Just tape the phone to the side of your head like they did on that Malibu advert!
Wow, so I can go out and buy the most expensive shiney phone on the market and then have to stick a giant rubber bumper on it just so I can make a call? ….. WTF, IS DIS REAL?
In other news, there is still a queue of apple fanboys outside O2 in Manchester. I swear three of them were just staring through the window jerking off watching other people buy the phone.
I’ve tried all sorts of flesh/iPhone kama sutra positions and no matter what I do, even at home with shit Orange reception, the signal doesn’t change one bit.
So, meh. SEP.
Brian here….this makes me think, wonder if i should wait until 5gs is released next year.
‘or simply use one of many available cases.’…..Fuck off
“or simply use one of the many available proper phones that work”