Steve Jobs talks about signal problems

By
Adrian Gabor
-

Yesterday we presented several articles related to the problems that the new iPhone 4 has with the signal due to its construction which apparently does not quite match the way we normally hold the phone because the positioning of the hand in the lower left area of the phone blocks its reception. Many iPhone 4 users have reported similar problems, so it seems to be a manufacturing defect and not a random problem that occurs only in certain devices. An iPhone 4 owner beset by this problem and the fact that it affects the quality of calls SENT an e-mail to Steve Jobs asking for an explanation and this is what he replied:

Hi Steve,

So, um, just got my iPhone 4. Its lovely and all, but this 'bridge the two antennae to kill your reception' thing seems to be a bit serious. If I bridge them with my hand or with a piece of metal the bars slowly drop to 'Searching...' and then 'No Service'.

Its kind of a worry. Is it possible this is a design flaw?

Regards

– Rory Sinclair

And the answer:

Nope. Just don't hold it that way.

So the problem is not with the phone itself, but with the way we hold the phones in our hands, that is TOTALLY WRONG! And the discussion continues:

Actually, its not calls that concern me, but i've just been writing a text and its very natural for me as a right-handed person to hold it that way, with the part of my hand at the base of my thumb covering the point the antennae meet, and it kills the reception each time.

I mean, pretty much as soon as I move my hand it comes back, but its pretty crazy... is this the reason Bumpers exist?
– Rory

And the answer:

Just don't hold it that way then.

Is it clear yes? We do NOT know how to hold a phone. But still ..

Well, yeah, that's what I'll do, but you have to admit that's a workaround, yeah? I mean, normally there aren't limits to how you can hold a phone.
I seriously dig the phone, its totally amazing, but I think this is what many would call a design flaw.

– Rory

And the last answer of Steve Jobs:

Sure there are – every phone has these areas of sensitivity, depending on the location of the antenna. Some phones even ship with labels warning customers not to cover certain areas with their hands.

The matter is quite clear, Apple denies the existence of this problem, so there is a possibility that we will have to buy a device with the help of which we can hold the phone from certain angles in order to be able to talk to it, send an SMS or access the Internet. To be honest, I was disappointed by this attitude of those from Apple, it's normal for some phones to have problems like this, but it's the first time I see a phone over €600 losing the signal when you hold it in your hand.

What do you think? Have these problems changed your intention to buy an iPhone 4?

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21 COMMENTS

  7. @ionut: in nici un caz nu e de la OS, e problema hardware. Depinde insa foarte mult de semnalul retelei in locul unde te aflii. Nu stiu de ce dar am impresia ca americanii cu shit AT&T-ul lor au si probleme de semnal… iar cand mai acoperi si antena cu mana e normal sa iti scada din liniutele de la semnal

  8. @Ionut, @TheDog: Eu nu am niciuna dintre problemele alea pe Orange. Am acoperit telefonul cu mana si nu a scazut deloc semnalul nici pe EDGE nici pe 3G, totusi eu am o folie InvisibleSHIELD pe spate si nu stiu daca afecteaza in vreun fel.

  9. Exact cum ma gandeam,trebuie sa fi totusi nesanatos la cap sa-tzi cumperi Iphone 4 apoi sa-tzi mai achizitionezi nush ce carcasa urata pentru a avea semnal.Pana la urma iti cumperi Iphone in primul rand sa vb nu? sau doar de dragul de a avea un tel de fitze….M-am convins Iphone 4 NU MERITA:)

  11. @zaone: acelasi lucru l-am facut si eu pe 3gs-ul meu pe vodafone. Nu a scazut nici macar o liniuta semnalul indiferent de cat si cum l-as fii tinut acoperit in maini. Mentionez ca si eu am ishield pe el iar palmele nu vin in contact direct cu marginea aceea metalica.

  14. pai invisible shield ar trebui sa ajute nu sa afecteze, exact ca in video cand pune ala scotch, eu am 2G / cosmote, folie invisible shield doar pe ecran, am acoperit cu ambale maini tot telefonul si nu a scazut nici macar o bara, posibil sa fie si de la semnalul lor, unele video abia statea la 4 din 5 linii.

  16. Multi folosesc iphon-ul in zone urbane, unde semnalul e f. bun asa ca nu vor simti o mare pb cu diminuarea semnalului, dar vor fi destui care sa se vaiete de aceasta hiba a iphone4, asa ca apple va fi nevoita ori sa schimbe structura antenei ori sa se faca linistiti ca ploua, eu tind sa cred a doua varianta, ganditi-va si voi: lanseaza cu surle si trambite un produs f. tare, scump, si mai apoi sa anunte probleme cu receptia gsm?! – e descalificant… Asta e si motivul hotaratoe (pe langa pb. banilor) pt. care am sa aman suficient de mult achizitionarea unui iphone4.

  17. eu tin minte ca atunci cand aveam 3gs cu 3.1.2 aveam aceeasi problema cu semnalul. Dar niciodata cand vorbeam la telefon nu s-a intamplat sa-mi faca figuri. Deci nu consider o mare problema aceasta chestiune si nu ma va face sa renunt la a-mi cumpara un iPhone 4.

  18. Nu ma face sa renunt la iphone 4, insa steve ar trebui sa puna in pachetul telefonului si un cd cu un tutorial despre cum trebuie sa tinem telefonul in mana.

  20. Da, am incercat si eu pe 3GS cu 3.1.3 pe vodafone, neverlocked, fara nici o folie.

    Daca il tin in mana dreapta iar degetul mare pe toata lungimea iPhone-ului acesta pierde semnal, de la 5 la 2 linii.

    Asta e, dar in viata reala vorbesc normal, fara probleme de semnal.

    Eu nu-mi mai bat capul, cu prima ocazie imi iau iPhone 4.

    qed