Consumer Reports initially dismissed the iPhone 4′s antenna troubles by saying that it’s not necessarily unique to the phone. But after testing the device and recreating the problem, the consumer publication has concluded that it cannot recommend the iPhone 4 until Apple addresses the antenna issue.
Consumer Reports’ opinion is significant because it’s well respected by mainstream consumers and the tests they’ve conducted appear to be the most comprehensive by an independent organization. Unfortunately, Consumer Reports hasn’t provided much actual data to bolster its findings.
Consumer Reports tested three iPhone 4s in a special chamber designed to block out wireless signals. Inside, they recreated a cell site and tested the phone’s controversial external antenna.
Like many other accounts, Consumer Reports found that signal degradation is significant when users touch the left hand corner of the iPhone, where two of the antennas meet. The degradation is enough to drop calls when existing reception is weak.
“…Apple needs to come up with a permanent – and free – fix for the antenna problem before we can recommend the iPhone 4,” the publication wrote. The report says the test results call into question Apple’s earlier explanation that the perception of dropping signal strength was due to a software problem that over-estimated the signal meter of the iPhone 4. Apple has said a software update in the coming weeks will fix the problem, which it said was present in previous models as well.
The Consumer Reports researcher said tests on an iPhone 3GS and a Palm Pre did not produce the same signal loss. However, covering the antenna in the lower corner with thick duct tape or other non-conductive material remedies the issue.
Will a software update fix the problem, or is it going to be duct tape? Shhhh! I can hear Steve hyperventilating as we speak…..
#14 Trust me, a gay owner is what all pets would want to have.
You? Do you consider your mule a pet or a form of transportation?
#8. Dallas, Yes it was a little over the top….even for me. Removed.
Alright…whoever did that to the cat needs to be duct taped and pimp-slapped…and my pimp hand is strong.
@#16 guess you didn’t bother watching the video since they clearly explain that what you just said is not true.
#22 thank you for that.
Now, if we could get a pic of steve jobs trussed up in duct tape that’s a different matter…
What a bunch of techno-pawn APPLETARDS!
I suppose we can now expect the price of duct tape to go up now that it’s an officially endorsed/sponsored Apple “product.”
And thanks to all you pinko commie loving apple-tards too for encouraging Heir Jobs with all your purchases. Seik heil you motherf***ers!
Time for a recall. Either that or Apple will sue CR for saying bad things about the Jesus phone
Ouch. Seems like a lot of people have something against Apple.
Why, this Jap fella appears to be saying that Apple loyalists are chronic wankers (NSFW).
http://sankakucomplex.com/2010/07/13/miyazaki-ipad-users-nothing-but-chronic-masturbators/
# 28 MRN said, “…saying that Apple loyalists are chronic wankers”
Welll … aren’t we alll?
orry my keyboard is a llittlle sticky.
#16 Ah, the always entertaining macfan in denial. Have you been to the macbar yet? Or are you one of those that has the in-house macstore?
#21 said: “Trust me, a gay owner is what all pets would want to have.”
That’s what the owner of duct tape cat said.
“Doctor, it hurts when I do this.”
“Then stop doing this.”
We all deal with a thousand products every day that aren’t perfect and we learn how to accommodate their flaws. That’s the nature of engineering.
I don’t own an iPhone, I don’t want an iPhone, I don’t even like Apple very much. But I see this for what it is — a razor-thin chink in Apple’s armor that people are using to score points. Just put your damn finger somewhere else when you hold it.
S.
People are going to get a protective case for their phone anyways, from one of MANY companies, which makes this a complete non-issue. This antenna thing is so overblown. Its just a vehicle for people to complain (or make money if you are an internet personality) Most reply here are just people entertaining each other with their self perceived pseudo wit.
#31 Sagrilarus
There should be a term for people who are rabidly anti Apple. I’m amazed how many people are completely pwned by Apple and are completely fixated by a company that doesn’t have or even desire a majority of the computer and phone markets. In fact, they do more to drive up Apple sales and keep them in the press than anyone.
Rabid Apple haters are bigger victims of the Jobs marketing machine than any fanboi.
Your skin acts as an electrical resistance across the antenna gap and electrically de-tunes the antenna which is part of an RF tuned circuit, something any novice ham radio operator could tell you. Insulating the gap with transparent plastic tape would fix that issue and not be too noticeable.
It is inconceivable to me that Apple actually missed this problem in testing. I don’t think they could have.
Actually, if you are a subscriber to Consumer Reports, the iPhone 4 gets the best rating of all the smartphones tested. The most thumbs up.
http://tinyurl.com/n2erqg
#34, Winston,
The engineers were too busy making sure they didn’t leave their iPhones in bars. Well, except that one engineer who had to borrow a phone so he could make job interviews.
#34 Winston…clear nail polish works well too.
The bottom line is that the iPhone4 has an engineering flaw, and Apple has done nothing to help and everything to dicert attention from the problem. This is a company that trumpets its technical excellence with every breath. That’s why this is a big issue. If Apple wasn’t such an arrogant organization they wouldn’t be under such fire.
For the record, I just turned in my 1st-gen iPhone for a Droid. After getting that butt-reaming (how quickly the market forgets how Apple treated their early adopters) from Apple I swore I’d never buy another Apple device again, and I’ve bought at least 6 iPods and still have my Color Classic in a corner of my office.
Sadly, too often the force for good and change turns into the evil that was fought against in the first place.
[I still have my Sansa player you reviewed years ago...works great still -ed.]
A week before options expiry and AAPL earnings and we get a massive ramp up in Apple-the-sky-is-falling stories. In 2 weeks Wall Street and Washington will have made billions on the market scam, this story will have blown over, a Consumer Report reporter and Mollie Wood will have collected a nice cheque for their trouble.
#33 Just put a picture of your unicorn and & bet everyone will love mac as much as you. BTW qb, how are you gonna label #38?