Submitted by
Users who Dugg This
Ross Miller
394 Followers
stencilnyc
15 Followers
Joshua Topolsky
2116 Followers
hawksfan03
63 Followers
ed.drumheller
93 Followers
Laura June
618 Followers
phillaholicJun 25, 2010
Ummmmm. @hawksfan03 That was my initial reaction, but i don't know. I've already bought one and I'm waiting for fedex to route it correctly to get to me. I guess I have 30 days to find out if it's as much of an issue as everyone is making it out to be. Comment is buried, click here to see the rest.
rdubbsJun 25, 2010
It definitely is easy to reproduce, but it hasn't been an issue for me yet … not on calls anyway (the phone's thin, and that corner just doesn't touch my hand when I'm making a call). When holding the phone to access the web and run apps however, I do find myself resting that corner of the phone in my hand, slowly losing reception.
subductionJun 25, 2010
The problem is that if the Fedex guy holds the box in his left hand all the labels fall off and it will never arrive.
That's not a flaw, that's the way Fedex designed it.
hangman16Jun 26, 2010
I haven't been able to reproduce the issue with my phone. I really have tried but it just won't happen.
themadmuleJun 25, 2010
f**k Apple.
xtraaJun 25, 2010
**** Capitalism?
xtraaJun 30, 2010
I see. 15 of your mentally disabled boyfriends dugg me down and dugg you up.
First Apple, who is next?
masterkhaxJun 25, 2010
OooOoooO we're on Digg so you can say that and get hundreds of Diggs and then feel good about yourself, Nice :)
robdazombaJun 25, 2010
The Angry Android Zealot meeting is called to session.
Closed AccountJun 25, 2010
Remember, you don't adjust the iPhone to fit you, you adjust yourself to fit the iPhone. It's magical!
dafragstaJun 25, 2010
Amazing!
homerrJun 25, 2010
Classic Apple 'form follows function' example.
pinheddJun 25, 2010
it's not magic, it's just apple
nathanima1Jun 25, 2010
Okay, this is 5th straight thread I've seen that has a horse/camel/ass head for the user pic. Tell me this is just coincidence or some esoteric holiday.
zirchxworldJun 25, 2010
whos operating who?
luddyJun 25, 2010
*Checks calendar* nope not April 1st...
redfox2600Jun 25, 2010
To be fair, I would give the same knee jerk response too. Before realizing that we seriously f**ked up.
Closed AccountJun 25, 2010
Judging by the 4:20 PM timestamp, and the fact that Engadget posted their article on the problem at 7:53 AM, even with time zone differences, that gives Steve Jobs more than enough time to become well aware of the severity of the issue.
ode1085Jun 25, 2010
copied from the top comment on the article...
th3macdud3Jun 25, 2010
A friend of mine has one and said the issue is actually really easy to avoid and TRULY is not a big deal. A lot of mobile phones have right and wrong ways to hold them. The Razr had those problems. A lot of other phones that used extendable antennas had issues if you placed your finger over the antenna. Bad design?? maaaybe, but it's certainly avoidable! Comment is buried, click here to see the rest.
samadams2point0Jun 25, 2010
actually, the mac dude is right. Every cell phone is designed differently meaning no one phone is held the same as another. Whether it be buttons to avoid pressing or not placing your finger over the GPS if you still have one of those older phones that have an extendable antenna. I had the phone he was talking about, the old Razr, the GPS antenna was located right near the main antenna and if you put your finger over it, it affected signal. He may be a fanboy but he's actually spot on with that one.Comment is buried, click here to see the rest.
speedJun 25, 2010
Except, my Razr still worked when I held it the way that felt natural to me. So did the Razr2 and so does my 3G. If the iPhone4 is a different story, then I will not buy it.
pjjohn73Jun 25, 2010
Then them phones are defective also. Should not have to plan how to hold your phone. People would bash any other company for this. Apple can be bashed too
th3macdud3Jun 25, 2010
wtf ever, I'm changing my name. Digg users take one look at my sn and never take me seriously.
pablo101Jun 25, 2010
or maybe we just don't agree with your comment, think of that?
kitsuaJun 25, 2010
It took you this long to work that out?
lynnehkJun 25, 2010
Yeah, thanks for the help Steve. What an arrogant douchebag. Only a cult leader could make crazy statements like this and get away with it.
phillyocJun 25, 2010
Just remember to try different positions until one that works.. just hope you're not trying to dial 911 at the time or anything.
mareksoonJun 25, 2010
You won't believe me, but my 3Gs does the exact same thing covering the exact same area. I go from five bars to one. Turn on field test mode *3001#12345#* and watch the db level. Mine goes from -78 down to -103.
hotrats76Jun 25, 2010
And its this way on EVERY cell phone.. Look in the books of the any Blackberry or HTC phone and you will see something to effect if you experience issues, don't hold it like that.
mistrbrownstoneJun 25, 2010
To everyone saying "Don't hold your phone like that":
When you use the phone in landscape orientation your thumbs naturally touch the worst spot on the phone as far as this flaw is concerned. Should people have to consciously avoid holding their phone in certain ways just to be able to use it?
stormtrooprJun 25, 2010
Just don't have thumbs.
duh...
spire3660Jun 25, 2010
now the TRUE reason for the iphone not having a hardware keyboard is revealed at last. Well played Mr. Jobs, well played.
cyclozionJun 25, 2010
Who makes calls in landscape mode?
mikepictorJun 25, 2010
people using facetime in landscape mode?
Mind you, then you are on wifi, not cellular transmission.
mistrbrownstoneJun 25, 2010
"Who makes calls in landscape mode?"
WTF is wrong with you? Are you so faithful to Apple that you are blind to the obvious? You need reception in order to use data too, and plenty of people use the phone in landscape for applications that required data service. Do you find it unrealistic that a person might, I don't know, BROWSE THE INTERNET in landscape orientation?
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2365650,00.asp
"In our testing, we discovered that the iPhone 4 "death grip" is definitely real. Using the Speedtest.net speed testing software, we started a test with the phone sitting on a tabletop. If we picked up the phone with a slightly sweaty hand and purposefully put one finger on each of the three "lines" around the edge of the device, with the corner tucked into the pad of the hand, the speed dropped dramatically and sometimes stalled out. Returning it to the tabletop caused things to speed up again. Adding one of Apple's rubber "bumpers" to the phone negated the death grip, so it clearly has something to do with conductivity."
cusomanJun 25, 2010
Overheard at the Genius Bar:
"You don't want to have to hold it that way? Well have a look here at Apple's latest invention... it's the iPhone Bjorn! It hostlers your phone close to your ear so you don't have to hold it at all! No signal loss! It's magical!"
sirkanJun 25, 2010
I guess no one at Apple is left-handed. As a leftie, I caused the problem right away. Steve's solution for me? Stop being left-handed, I guess.
ashokpaiJun 25, 2010
no, its just another 30 dollars to steve's charity trust (if he has one)
tracydangerJun 25, 2010
I'm right-handed, but hold my iphone in my left hand most of the time. I guess I'll rely on my bluetooth more now.
Closed AccountJun 25, 2010
Surely it would be an issue for right-handers too?
I hold the phone with my left hand, to allow my dominant hand to do other things.
(I am acutely aware that there is a reference to a certain human activity but that is not what I am referring to)
spiralprophetJun 25, 2010
but without flash support you're really limited with that other activity. ;-)
funnythatJun 26, 2010
This account has been closed by the user
magus_melchiorJun 25, 2010
"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."
I suppose if I stick my Droid in a Faraday cage, it'll lose reception, too. /s
And it wasn't too long ago that they touted the "genius" of using the stainless steel case as the antenna.
Now if Woz was part of the design team, you probably wouldn't even see this problem.
ashokpaiJun 25, 2010
do you notice the lack of plain english while explaining the flaw ?
they choose to hide under "technical design complications" rather than a simple "flaw".
no "we own up" its "you've gotta be stupid , how dare you ? you are supposed to lap it up without any complaints" instead.
nishanthkJun 25, 2010
depends on if they were holding it in such a way that they would experience the problem. It's very likely during testing they just had it laid down on a table, or were holding it awkwardly towards a camera.
hurricanedcJun 25, 2010
I don't think I'm ever gonna buy another Apple product until this wild animal is out. My MacBook Pro is pretty and all, and I like OS X, but there aren't many discernible benefits over Windows.
I mean christ, my BlackBerry Tour doesn't drop calls no matter how I hold it and nobody ever described it as "magical." Between the fact that Steve Jobs has the nerve to say "just change how you hold it" and the fact that the slobbering masses will still keep the phone despite this glaring technical failure, I don't see why I should give Apple another penny of mine.
bobturboceoJun 25, 2010
Says here you were going to buy an HTC Evo before this issue even came to light:
http://digg.com/gadgets/HTC_Evo_suffering_from_glass_separation_issues_Engadget?t=33277279#c33277279
Doesn't seem like you had plans for another apple product.
hotrats76Jun 25, 2010
Wow, getting called out on your bulls**t sucks huh?
drex8Jun 25, 2010
"Steve Jobs Describes iPhone 4 Signal Strength as a 'Non Issue'" http://www.macrumors.com/2010/06/24/steve-jobs-describes-iphone-4-signal-strength-a-non-issue/ Steve says it's a non issue, and I agree with him.
Non issue. Just return it.
ashokpaiJun 25, 2010
the problem is good enough for them to stop issuing those flawed phones!
blorcJun 25, 2010
It is a non-issue. Even the critics in the media are experiencing better signal attenuation, and it generally does not affect people. If it's affecting you, why not just exchange it?
http://daringfireball.net/linked/2010/06/25/nyt-gizmodo
kewl4evaJun 25, 2010
Hahahaa...Apple....Hahahahhahaaa !!!!
amitaitJun 25, 2010
WE APPLE! WE NEVER MISTAKE!
esfisherJun 25, 2010
AND WE DOESN'T AFRAID OF ANYTHING!
brecourt_manorJun 25, 2010
Apple is REVOLUTIONIZING the way we hold our phones.
trigonometronJun 25, 2010
Jonathan Ive is kneeling in a dark room somewhere, whipping himself and crying softly.
alexp2adJun 25, 2010
A take on this from an antenna engineer: http://www.antennasys.com/antennasys-blog/2010/6/24/apple-iphone-4-antennas.html
Closed AccountJun 25, 2010
I find it funny that I have always used my "candybar" style phones with the "Vulcan Antenna Grip" which I assume is to hold the phone with your fingertips instead of palming it.
The way I hold my iPhone in my left hand (I'm left handed)
1. Thumb at center of bluetooth antenna side.
2. Pinky under the dock connector.
3. Middle and ring finger end up about 1/3 and 2/3 positioned on the cell antenna side.
4. Pointer finger at the top corner just next to the power button.
peaceshotJun 25, 2010
It's feature!
Closed AccountJun 25, 2010
Haha. Jobs' response is the same one I had in another one of these stupid Diggs. I saw the video of the "proof" that this phone is broken and the only thought I had in my mind was: What kind of retard holds a phone that way?Comment is buried, click here to see the rest.
designetJun 25, 2010
I saw the video of the "proof" that this phone is broken and the only thought I had in my mind was: What kind of retard designs a phone that way?
Man you people are idiots. You put the antenna where a large percentage of people put their palm and wonder why reception drops. Perhaps it's because YOU DESIGNED A CRAP ANTENNA! Ever think of that?
Closed AccountJun 25, 2010
Actually, a large percentage of people DON'T hold their phone in a vulcan death grip. You have to hold your phone in a very specific way to cover the antenna completely to the point of losing bars. In actuality, the only people who hold their phones like that are the retard drama queens who make YouTube videos of iPhones that drop reception.Comment is buried, click here to see the rest.
Closed AccountJun 25, 2010
Didn't you notice that all the photos in that montage have over 3 bars of reception? Are you stupid or something? The whole discussion is about holding the phone in such a way that there are NO bars--which you have to be holding the phone in a vulcan death grip for it to happen.Comment is buried, click here to see the rest.
designetJun 25, 2010
christ, what a dick
NO all that proves is that the screenshots on the phone are fake...just like EVERY iphone and ipad advert the screens are "simulated". Every apple ad i've ever seen says "SIMULATED" somewhere on it, that's why nobody ever needs to put their user-name and password into anything on apple adverts and everything downloads in 1/2 second
demonsruleJun 25, 2010
hold my penis Steve ,oh wait your holding it wrong:O
davidtcJun 25, 2010
Well that video shows that it is an old problem and no one complained about it then. Just seems that now that there is an antenna there people notice it and are now going to complain.
Anyways, poor design by Apple if you can't hold your phone how you normally do. Looks like it would have been smarter to put that design along the top portion of the phone
mercedes383Jun 25, 2010
This account has been closed by the user
drleephdJun 25, 2010
so tell me again, Steve.
What reasons brought you to the conclusion that AT&T's network creates the overall best end user experience?
Follow up question:
How does the end user benefit from not having the choice of which carrier will provide service for their iPhone?
jabbrwockeyJun 25, 2010
Verizon told Apple to go f**k themselves when originally approached about the new "iPhone".
planetexpressJun 25, 2010
We have modified the design of the iPhone such that the "dropped call" user experience, as perfected by AT&T, can be brought to users on other networks.
We will be testing this technology in the iPhone 4 and will be looking at releasing it on other networks shortly.
magamiakoJun 25, 2010
I dunno, not a dealbreaker for me, heh.
g4m3rgrrlJun 25, 2010
Holding it wrong???!! business people should know better than to fault the customer...if their design wasn't so shotty then the issue wouldn't be such a problem. anyone hear about the yellow spot issue? no flash? LOL! apple, what a joke.
mrg823Jun 25, 2010
Honestly, I don't think this problem is that widespread. Mine has no noticeable problems (this, the screen residue, or anything else yet to be discovered), even if I wrap both hands around the phone in an attempt to block every part of the antenna. I also saw several other users try the same thing, and none of their iPhones exhibited the problem either.
Moreover, there's absolutely no way Steve Jobs actually wrote that...it's either fake or was written by some low-level employee who thought he/she was helping. Sure, he's arrogant, but even he knows better than to send a glib one-line response like that.Comment is buried, click here to see the rest.
bpaterson2000Jun 25, 2010
Are you new here or something. Jobs replies to every single email that has been posted publicly as a 'glib one line response'
designetJun 25, 2010
agreed, he always writes like that....it's s**tty but it's true
nothlitJun 25, 2010
It depends on the signal strength in your area. If you are in an area with marginal reception to begin with, the phone may still report 5 bars when you aren't holding the phone, but as soon as you pick it up, the bars start dropping like flies. Happens inside my apartment, but if I go outside it doesn't; presumably the building is blocking enough of the signal that it's only a problem inside.
Closed AccountJun 25, 2010
I've had every single iPhone since it's inception. I will not be buying this one. I've actually just sold my 3GS to buy an HTC. We'll see how that goes.
vintersemestreJun 25, 2010
Is there a phone called 'HTC'? Everyone keeps saying that and I'm certain they mean HD2 or some phone made by HTC.
railzJun 25, 2010
Wouldn't recommend the HD2. Not until WM7 is out at least. I'd go with Evo or Incredible as they're due to 2.2 this summer (Evo has more news about 2.2 though)
superherofiveJun 25, 2010
Wow... if I were face to face with Steve Jobs and he said that I would actually hit him. That is the absolute highest level of dickery I've ever witnessed. Thank goodness I don't own a cell phone.
101melodyJun 25, 2010
You don't own a cell phone, yet you're on digg.
Figures... :-/
bamatimeJun 25, 2010
what else would you do, tough guy?
hotrats76Jun 25, 2010
Come on guys, he is 11 years old and not allowed to have a cell phone yet..
raidy11moonJun 25, 2010
WOW with all this bad press he definitely going to fix it
napierttJun 25, 2010
Nah! Fan boys will buy anything
hardeep1singhJun 25, 2010
Seems to me they didn't use Nokia's patented technology in making this, because of the lawsuit.
mindfuckxJun 25, 2010
form over function ?
krandenJun 25, 2010
Steve Jobs is way past the point of caring at this point. He could make a s**tty product like the Ipad and people will buy it because its an apple product. In fact Jobs realizes that people like gimicky products such as the Iphone where they willl buy every new version, which is why they care less about their regular computer production at this point. They are just selling far more iphones and Ipads now so keep cranking out a new model as fast as you can with tons of new accessories for you to buy to make the product better.
skulldumpJun 25, 2010
Apple, now introducing iHold for free.
fdiskJun 25, 2010
They will fix it by shipping it with 2 chopsticks.
ham__Jun 25, 2010
Actually it seems like Steve's comment is a bigger deal than the 'defect,' which doesn't seem to be too severe.
jewzombiejesusJun 25, 2010
guy: "hey Doc, my neck really hurts when i turn it to the left."
doctor: "well, don't turn your head to the left, then. that'll be $50 plz."
guy: "hey Lexus, the car turns off when i turn left."
Lexus: "don't turn left, then."
when this issue came out yesterday i wondered at the possibility of Jobs being snarky like this and saying "don't hold it that way" and dismissed it as too douchy even for Jobs/Apple.
guess i gave them too much credit. i cancelled my iPhone order right after i read this article. enough smug hipster bulls**t is enough.
dirkycJun 25, 2010
In soviet Russia, you fit phone.
bigsteveJun 25, 2010
Me, one friend, and two folks in front of us in line picking up our iPhones all couldn't reproduce this now matter how hard we tried. I'm not standing up for Apple, or offering us four lucky guys as any sort of evidence that this isn't happening, I'm just saying it might not be every phone. And trust me, if it starts happening to mine, it's going right the f**k back.
That said, Steve Jobs is a genius, like it or not... and given that, he probably has some sort of social interaction disorder, and somewhere in his head, it might even sound okay to say crap like this. Like many production issues with Apple products in the past, I foresee this quietly getting resolved in some unannounced Rev2, and addressed in some fine print on the website.
archangel21xJun 25, 2010
I can't believe that Steve Job's response to this complaint was to simply hold the phone differently. I guess that's their new slogan. Instead of Think different it's now, Hold your phone different.
tophervossJun 25, 2010
The problem doesn't happen if you have a case on it. If they were disguising all of their test phones in cases like the one Gizmodo got, that could explain how they didn't discover the bug earlier.
cmatthes1Jun 25, 2010
They should just give EVERYBODY a freaking bumper.
trifoldJun 25, 2010
"Doctor, it hurts when I turn my head."
"Well, stop turning your head!"
Apple, that is not how a company should solve problems with their products.
docholiday22Jun 25, 2010
According to Gizmodo, those of us that bought the iPhone 4 have to hold the iPhone like a Crab Monster.
deanrowsJun 25, 2010
Alas they are not making calls or using any apps that couldn't already be using wifi.
/what I'm sure apple's layers are going to point out.
andywartholJun 25, 2010
Stop masturbating to Steve Jobs' terseness.
rgloverJun 25, 2010
My 3G does this too. In the same spot. Sucks, but no real surprise. Plus, who holds their phone like that and comfortably makes a phone call?