Sort by time | Sort by thread (beta)

Link to this comment:

Share to:

All Comments (367)

Sign In or Sign Up now to post a comment!
  • Comment removed

  • don't death grip your phone -_-

    death grip any cell phone at it's antenna point and the signal will drop, you're just crying because its Apple

  • Turdliest phone ever produced

  • I never had problems with the antenna,

    never dropped calls with my iphone 4 !!!!!!

    NEVER NEVER

  • I love the things the iphone does so well except this?

    see it here at

    myzippy13

  • Another complete IDIOT who thinks the fine piece of technology that is the iPhone 4 is supposed to work perfectly and exactly how he wants it to... If you want to use an iPhone with all of it's amazing features, you're going to have to make a few compromises. Which are nothing huge anyway.... Buy a decent case, and hold the phone a little differently, and stop crying... This is the problem with older people and technology, they don't understand that it's not all perfect....

  • @tbwj21 For the price people pay for these, it should work EXACTLY as intended.

    "If you want to use an iPhone with all of it's amazing features, you're going to have to make a few compromises."

    Thank you for that completely asinine response... It is truly amazing how the mind of a fanboy works (or doesn't in this case). The only compromise made should be on the part of Apple's inept R&D department, since that is where this major design flaw was first slated to be put into production.

  • I havent seen one person useing there phones without a protective case on the phones and i have one as well and i dont have any issues with mine at all and have never had a dropped call yet . You would think that it would be a problem then if the entire area was covered by the case but its not .

  • I still see people buying these phones reguardless of the problems. I rather buy something which works. You spend all that money or sign a long contract and you get something which you cant even make a call with. The hardcore iphone users would say the bumper solves everything. Oh plz give me a break. Thanks for the video!

  • Comment removed

  • thts wht I call demo...u really exposed iphone 4's blooper!! way to go Mr.!

  • I have a problem with my iphone signal

  • SWEET SHADES. swag swag swag

  • Same problems in Italy, better to wait for Iphone 5 ;)

  • how to hold thee phoneee hahahahaha this is a funny thinggg :DDDD

  • simple fix, get a bumper, or just dont put your finger there

  • how did you figure that out

  • you sir are an idiot.

  • @xGab1 why are you calling him an idiot

  • Your country just suck, I live in Sweden, in the middle of the bloody forest and I can't drop a single call or make it worse holding my hand like that.

  • Don't buy an iphone 4 now...wait for updates!!!

  • Ok i agree with you that that is annoying, but its not big issue, i mean it did not affects the use of the phone.

    This things always happen with the first buyers.. bugs and stufs.

    I hope they fix this.

  • OK, that's it. I'm gonna drop out from the waiting list that I am in,

    which I should be getting one tomorrow.

    Reception + Transmission issue (Antennagate)

    Proximity sensor issue

    one-drop-shattered helicopter glass

    Damn! I think I better stay with my solid iPhone 3G.

  • why do you even buy it lol

  • i cant reproduce it... maybe its the phone service that has the issue?

    I'm in Norway

  • All smart phones have this problem, but the reason why people are freaking out is because they expect more from Apple and that's why people buy from them. This shouldn't be an excuse from the people who made this phone, but do realize that Apple consists of people, not gods. They may make great products, but people make mistakes. :( Don't be so hard on them, lol.

  • u just changed my mind on buying one in the morning... ill wait till the improved versions comes out..

  • i bought this and i am very sad about this problem..i have never been able to stay on the internet long enough to get anything done. im very upset. been to ATT to apple and their solution is to swap it out for a new iphone4 with same issues i have a friend who is on his 7th phone.

  • Could I use your video in one of mine, I intend to show clearly how this issue works.

  • great video, I was about to pull the trigger on one of these!

  • There is no problem with the iPhone4, which is why Apple is giving free bumpers to solve a problem that doesn't exist. Good one, Steve!

  • i like the way you test it :)

  • The most ludicrous statement is from Steve Jobs saying that the way to correct this is to hold the phone in a way so as not to hit the problem area...the way we hold the phone is natural and in any case, the way we hold the phone should not be an issue with any phone.

  • Time to wake up, Macfags. Steve Jobs is fucking you up the ass. You aren't hip or cool for owning Apple products--just stupid.

  • @TheFrogTower they're cool man , for having apple products, the rest of us are just jealous because we can't afford them : \

  • I would have thought that this was an obvious assumption, as i would have believed that it recieves and transmits on the same frequency, is this correct? If so then you are simply restating what everyone has been saying since the original release. This is not a new problem.

  • PEANUT HEAD... LOL

  • jajaja ET, mi homeee jajajaja

  • The iPhone 4 is quite expensive for a Chinese phone.

  • no offence people but why buy and overrated i-pod?you could have spend that hard earned cash on something more useful and practical

  • fat philly d?

  • geohot and steve should work together and an iphone should be the best phone ever

  • @SexIsNotForKids Thats stupid, geohot will just increase the security while jobs decrease reception.

  • It's funny that apple explains how their phones go through such extensive signal testing, but yet they didn't find such a big problem like this.

  • very funny!!

    go gizmodo go !! hahahaha

  • "Tutorial to how to hold a phone"? wtf?

  • Great, another "Bad iphone4" video. Here's an idea: Rather than make another stupid video, if you’re unhappy with your iphone4 RETURN IT! If not, you’re just riding the hype.

    But, we both know you won't return it, right? Even with the issues, it's still the coolest, best working ultra portable computer released to the public (so far).

    So, enjoy the ride.

  • "Okay, I'm over it now."

    Run with that.

  • I don't care if Apple will fix the problem, accept return or recall the iphone 4.

    the point is that Steve Jobs knew it before releasing the crap iphone 4.

    this is the first time apple made a case for the iphone. it's obvious that there's something behind it. and why he instantly replied to an email and telling not to hold it that way without checking with his staffs.

    You fanboys are supporting Steve Jobs that exploit people to make iphones over 30 hours and not well paid.

  • Why?

  • why do you have an iPhone? you look like a PC, JOKES!

  • freak!!!!

  • IF YOU AINT HAPPY RETURN IT Go F* a Goat!!

  • What a tool bag! Take it back.

  • Just return your iphone.

  • get a htc hd2 unlocked its so much better!!!!

  • I'm waching this right now on nightline

  • youre so beautiful

  • I believe on this guy, he looks like an apple product user.

  • Putting an antenna outside on the side like iphone 4 has, is not an intelligent design. The moment its comes in contact with your skin, it "grounds" !! Hence you see the issue.

    Infact there is nothing innovative about this design. It has been thought by others too and have been rejected due to grounding issues.

  • poor iphone fanatics...this is worse than the bp spill !!!

  • WHO GIVES A SHIT , BIN IT AND BUY SOMETHING OTHER

  • Life goes on. Have they cleaned the oil spill yet.

  • Mself27 thank you for making this video. hopefully it will be brought to the attention of apple ( although they probably know ) or even brought to the attention of the media. I will be posting this on facebook and hopefully it gets around. im doing my job in spreading the word,. other people. you should try to!

  • Well done!

    I still want one,

    But it's interesting to see a good example of call quality degradation.

  • Great video.

  • Done some test on my iPhone 3G and have been able to duplicate many of the Reception/Transmission issues that are found on the iPhone 4. When holding my iPhone 3G, the phone loses 2 to 4 bars and Reception/Transmission speeds are dramatically reduced (I used the SpeedTest app). Maybe we should be testing other iPhone models, as well as Droid phones to get a better perspective on this issue.

  • I don't understand why EU rights let this broken phone on his market. But I think its matter of time.

  • Great job.

    You pointed out the problem very clearly.

    Apple cannot close their eyes to this issue.

  • Good suggestion is don't buy the iPhone 4. Wait till next summer.

  • the iphone 4 should be called the iFail

  • seriously.

  • lol steve said in the keynote before iphone 4 released that they made best design for antenna,

    he was right best for their pockets!!!

  • How could Apple manage to STOP view counters??????!!!!!!!

  • Developers: Uhh Steve, people are complaining about that antenna issue we anticipated.

    Steve: So?

    Developers: We were just wondering how you wanted to address the issue.

    Steve: Tell those dumb shits to not hold it that way.

    Developers: What if they do hold it that way.

    Steve: I dunno, make up a cover story or some shit. Just don't let them know we fuked up.

    Developers: How about we tell them that the signal strength has been wrong since the first iPhone.

    Steve: Perfect, they'll believe that.

  • @Augustito8782 nows thats funny......made my day

  • The video demonstration is well put together-to the point. Good video. Thanks.

  • Who actually uses this phone to call people anyway?!?

  • Good video but highly inaccurate with the "bigger then we believe" there's only a couple hundred people with this problem out of millions?

    So,yeah.....

  • Question: Could you put a bit of tape above the insulator gap, thus dealing with the issue of short circuiting the two antennae with your finger (as the tape would insulate the antennae from your finger)? Would this nearly invisible 2¢ fix solve the problem?

  • A real good video, nice and clean demonstration about the design flaw of the phone - really nice video!

  • great video, I'm still think about buying the iphone 4, I have the iPhone 3G, I think I'm going to stick to that for now and wait to see what happens, I love apple and it's products I have a mac, but honestly I don't like the way they have handled this situation with the iPhone 4, this is definitely an issue with the phone, I'm think Sprint's Evo 4G Phone.

  • i have the same issues - i drop calls all the time - it is so frustrating - i am about to take my phone back

  • Why did you buy the phone if you knew this would happen? I really don't understand people who by something that is broken out of the box.

  • iphone sucks

  • Great video, although I cannot say that I experience the same problem. I only experience it if I had gloves on.

  • Great report

  • IF this is real, I feel empathy for this consumer (as well as the vast minority of consumers (in proportion to the number of units sold) having this alleged issue). I believe this to be PROPAGANDA! I have been using an iPhone for over two years and have enjoyed the user experience and functionality far more than any phone I've ever owned (more than two dozen since 1998). I have experienced no such issues with any of my iPhones (including the current model). Hype evokes hype. Sheople = misnomer!

  • wth my iphone 4 is stuck with no service. but my mom's iphone 3g is in the same spot and has 4 bars

  • omg sometimes we cant even hear you

  • you should all practice the american tradition and sue people sue.

  • iFail

  • send this to steve

  • @4K4K1K0 I did!! TWICE!! No response.

  • Clear and simple.. nice job Mike

  • Switch to an android device.

  • Thank You for posting this video. I certainly hope that SteveJobs and his Apple Team see your video.

    All defect phones should be recalled. And imo a bumper should be given out for free based on this design flaw.

  • Good video mate. Great to be able to hear exactly what it means to 'drop a call'. I have a question though; could it be the software misinterpreting the reception and thinking it has no coverage, when it actually does?

  • @lordcroesus

    basedband software does not work like that. One thing is the signal BAR mapping given a baseband reading, and other is what the modem actually does based on the physical layer readings. In other wortds, you can change the software to show 10 BARS is you want, but when it comes to demodulating a frame, what is important in the actual reading over the air. One thing is the user interface and BAR display and other thing is the actual demodulator Signal to Noise Ratio SINR

  • Thank you for posting this. They need to RECALL this piece of shit.

  • steve jobs just fucked more then 1.5 million costumers

  • This is a fundamental design flaw..Anyone who works in Radio design can easily conclude it without thinking twice..The phone requires physical redesign..Well, since apples's knowledge in Radio design is pretty dubious, it is time to talk to the design subcotractor in Taiwan or China

  • This is an unbelieveable catastrophic error.

    Is it me or does ever apple product have major flaws.....I remember ipod first coming out and the big scene about the battery problems.

    People are going to lose trust.

  • @Harrysound I do not think people are going to stop buying iPhones.

    The average iPhone user does not buy this phone due to its quality, but to its looks and how this product makes them feel...maybe cool or who knows.

    Apple has change the rules on technology: It is not about high tech innovation and cutting edge technology. It is about developing some kind of emotional link with the consumer that will make them buy shit like the iPhone4. It is a interesting marketing phenomenom.

  • ppl who thinks tat software can solve this issue must be real big apple fan

  • U sure this is Not just the Mikrophone u holdin off? ;)

  • Apple sucks.

  • @banditfan29 So, it should be mandatory people use a case over their phone now? Idiot?

  • I tried the test you did in the video and I cannot reproduce the transmission effect. I have to admit that it seems that I'm not affected by the problem at all, because my reception does not drop a bit, even when I connect both antennas with my finger. So it might be the case that it is not a design issue?

  • @LED2001 I think it depends on the person and if that individual person is a good conductor of electricity in this manner. But i'm just an idiot. It's probably more complicated then that

  • Thank you, Apple, for responding to and acknowledging =A= problem with the iPhone 4. Would you please now address the issue I am demonstrating here WITH TRANSMISSION?

  • @Mself27 It must be very hard for you. When you cover an antenna it stops. Now if you hold it like 99 percent of the population with your thumb just over the top.. it works! Or just send it back and cry and wait for iPhone 5. In the meantime buy an nice 'open sauce' Google robot that rips your app's from your phone. Simples!

  • Apple have just today issued a press release indicating that the problem is a software problem where the "number of bars displayed is inconsistent with actual received signal strength".

    While that may, in fact, be an issue with this device and/or software... I would still like Apple to explain exactly how a simple test, with ONE FINGER can cause TRANSMISSION POWER TO DROP SO MUCH as to create a loss of audio, as I have shown in this video.

  • @Mself27 Yeah, now how does "displaying bars" have anything to do with what you demonstrated here today? I wish we could show these video to jobs in person and say...SEE?! It's an optical illusion. THE BARS REALLY ARE GOING DOWN!

    Okay...calming down now. Watcha think of the droid x ad in the new york times? ;-)

  • @Mself27 I bet Steve Jobs thinks that your hand is a software not hardware.

    Because update improve the software not hardware... Hope you get what i mean...

    Nice video though!

  • Im happy i still haven't got an i4, because it's not in Belgium yet. I hope Apple can fix this problem when it does come to Belgium...

    Nice vid, very instructive

  • well what do ya know...aint that a bitch...lol

  • Why didn't apple just cover the metal with plastic. wouldn't that fix the problem?

  • I can picture an Apple RF Systems Engineer saying....hey, there is a problem with the new antenna...iPhone4 did not meet WCDMA TRP phantom head performance specs. We should redesign the antenna since it iwill cause dropped call and lower data throughput performance...and then a MBA asshole will say: What??? what is this nonse sense TRP spec what??? I have an MBA, I know best and I say why don't we go ahead and go commercial....it is not a defect and don't forget your TPS report mmmmok!!!!...

  • High end smart phones like the iPhone4 should not have this problem at all. In fact, most advanced smartphones nowdays use high performance antenna diversity so that if one antenna sees a signal degradation, the statistical correlation with the diversity antenna will keep the overall performance and mitigate deagration in the call quality. iPhone4 does not even have antenna diversity...sad...very sad.....I am very disappointed with Apple...I bet engineers spoke out but MBA assholes ignored them

  • @RadioGuru100 Like the droid x? Yeah. But you're missing one very big thing here: if apple built a worthy antenna into the phone it wouldn't be so sexy and thin! And really, that's what we're paying for right? Bet next year they'll cut the already weak antenna in half just to make the phone smaller.

    "What? I can't even GET service anymore. But iphone is cool"

  • By the way....Apple engineers as well as AT&T engineers knew about this problem iPhone4 did not pass AT&T phantom spec requirements for WCDMA 1900 TRP spec...everybody knows this in the telecom industry....

    All phones may experience this problem one way or another. But a well design phone will incorporate proper electronics and mechanics elements to mitigate this issue. So tipically, a good phone may have about 14 dB attenuation due to hand-grip effects. iPhone4 has about 40 dB!! this is bad

  • @RadioGuru100 Well..."All phones". Never a single phone i've had on verizon. My crappy droid eris doesn't do this. Nor my mom's old flip phone. So making such a generlizing statement as jobs and saying "All phones do this" is pretty misleading

  • @soulweaponry

    It is about Physics. ALL PHONES EXPERIENCED THIS!!!! PHYSICS do not care about Apple, Nokia, HTC, Motorola, etc.

    The difference is that a good phone (like the DROIDX) will experience only 5 to 10 dB attenuation, where as iPHONE4 will have about 40 dB attenuation due to the poor antenna design.

    ALL PHONES DO EXPERIENCE THIS, but good quality phones with good antenna design will incorporate electronics and mechanics into the design to mitigate "finger loading" effects.

  • @soulweaponry

    AGAIN....ALL PHONES WILL EXPERIENCE signal strenght attenuation if you cover the antenna with your hands. It is called "shadowing".

    The problem with iPHONE4 is more than that. It is an antenna de-tuning due to 'finger loading" effect. This is basics antenna design concepts that Apple failed to learn. Do you want to know why nobody is doing this antenna design...the big players like NOKIA, MOTOROLA, LG, HTC, etc....because of "hand effect" and "finger loading" effects on RF

  • @soulweaponry

    If you have an Android mobile, try going to Settings/AboutPhone/Status and check the Signal Strength. Cover the phone with your hand, the reading will change due to Shadowing, but it will not KILL the signal as it occurs with the iPhone4.

    if you do this with your Eris most likely you will see a degradation of 5 to 10 dB. with iPhone you will see 30 to 40 dB attenuation.

  • The problem known very well among RF enginners as an "Antenna de-tuning" problem due to "finger loading" or dielectric effects of human tissue. The problem is that the antenna impedance change therefore affecting its performance.

    This will affect both Transmit and Received since most likely the antenna is duplex for both the transmitter and receiver. What you show there was a degradation in TRP (Total Radiating Power) and also TIS (Total Isotropic Sensitiviy) due to "finger loading"

  • yeah apples gotta do something. they prolly dont care tho cuz people will still buy their shit even if it is shit. if apple says it works then their fanboys will continue to waste money even when its obvious the phone is shit and cant even perform the same task as my 2004 nokia flip phone. and that task is to be apple to USE IT! lol

  • Informative video.

  • hey bud i don't seem to have any problems with my phone. i know that this is a well knowen problem but i am not having any problems...i do have a case which was said to prevent this...but pior to the case i still did have any problems.....get you're phone looked at bud...spending that kind of money sucks if it has issues

  • Wow. That's actually a big problem.

  • You should go back to the Apple store and demand your 3Gs back.

  • Am I the only one that sees the irony of a product called the iPhone having trouble making calls?

  • Apple, fix your sh*t!

  • i am gonna sue apple ! them modderfokkers released a fokking foon that has no reception! fok them modderfokkers, i am gonna get me a nice google foon!

  • you said ello instead of hello at the beginning :)

  • If you hold any phone tightly covering the antenna, then u will get same problem.I just tested this out with my dumbfone,my trusty LG flip.Right where the phone flips open,if i wrap my hand around that area, i can watch it lose all signal bars,and lose service.Thats why,the girl that sold it to me,told me not to grip and hold the phone that way.as it covers the antenna.So why would u want to wrap your hand tightly around the iphone antenna anyways? Use you head people, just dont hold it that way

  • @milli446 Yeah if you say so. This is the only phone i have had this issue with. My 3GS did not have this issue at all.

  • Just get a case. Maybe the guy who did this video needs to do one with a strip of scotch tape along the side or a case showing how the problem can be easily solved. Hey HTC Evo guy - we get it, you're happy. Now make like a tree...

  • @Mik902 At the price Apple sells this stuff they should include a case or some tape for free, if it is so easily solved how the hell did it get past QA? An understanding of the basics of RF would be a help when building a phone. People would still buy the iPhone even if Apple forgot to put an antenna in it.

  • well...i dont have that problem........i have an HTC EVO 4G HAHAHAHAHA

  • Are Apple going to have to replace any faulty iPhones that are currently experiencing these issues with reception? Thanks.

  • get a case! there's glass on the back now so the twice the break ability the more reason to get a case!

  • Nice work.

  • Ha ha im so glad i didnt get the new iphone 4 and went with the htc evo. I have been a iphone user since 2007-2010. And i Just got the evo and forgot all about apple glad i did now . My evo has never dropped a call yet and i have had it for almost a month.

  • steve jobs said your holding it wrong, need to extend the pinky

  • Idiot... You can look at the phone (Bars) whil you speake... You dont have to hold it to your ear Moron.....

  • Just use a case people. End of problem. Your precious iPhone needs one in any case. Ever look at the iPhone of someone who doesn't use a case? It's never pretty. Yes it's a hardware issue. BFD!

  • i just called apple and they told me to wait and buy the iphone 4 and the case wont help!!!!