As expected, the many sterling reviews of the latest iPhone’s elegance are accompanied by a few complaints about hardware issues. With the iPhone 4, some consumers are complaining about poor reception. But other consumers on Apple’s discussion forum say they can’t replicate the issue.
Apple acknowledged possible reception issues with the way the iPhone 4 is held. The iPhone maker’s solution: Hold the phone the right way.
“Gripping any 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,” Apple said. “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.”
What’s the Root of the Problem?
Michael Gartenberg, a partner at Altimeter Group, has looked into the issue and says Apple has a valid point. In his experience reviewing hundreds of mobile devices, it’s common for phones to have reception issues depending on how they are held.
“Some phones even come with warning stickers saying not to touch the phone in certain places or you are not going to be able to make calls,” Gartenberg said. “That is one of the challenges of phones and antenna design.”
Still, there are so many conflicting reports from consumers that it’s difficult to determine the root of the problem, if there is a single cause. Although Apple has acknowledged the reception issue as valid as it relates to the way in which consumers hold the phone, Gartenberg said it’s not clear whether the issue actually causes iPhone 4 users to drop a call or lose data. What’s more, he added, holding the phone in…