Tricks to reduce the variability of the signal in the reception of the iPhone 4
As many users already know, iPhone 4 is plagued with reception and network issues. The Apple team was so worried about the public discovering the design of their new device that they forgot to remove the cases from the prototypes to test reception. The following article will help iPhone 4 users reduce signal variability with their new iPhone device.
The main problem that has been reported is that when a user holds the iPhone 4 in their left hand, the reception drastically decreases. The problem stems from the placement of the antenna on the new device. The antenna is built into the silver band that surrounds the phone. When the phone is held in the left hand, the user covers most of the band and causes reception to decrease.
Interestingly, it is the actual skin-to-metal contact that is causing the signal loss. While repairing the screen on this phone, we decided to try to cover the wristband with a “livestrong” wristband worn by one of our employees. The results were almost immediate. No matter how we held the phone, there was no loss of reception.
Surprisingly, applying a case to the phone had the same result. It then became clear that the electromagnetic waves coming from the metal band could not come into direct contact with the wearers’ skin; however, with a barrier, they were unaffected by reaching the device.
Both Apple and AT&T started by targeting each other; however, after enough complaints surfaced, Apple accepted responsibility for the flaw and stated that a fix would be coming soon. We don’t understand why they didn’t put the antenna under the glass screen (since both sides are glass now).
The last we know is that we need to “keep an eye out” for an update that is supposed to be a cure for the problem. We remain skeptical that this is a true solution. The best and most immediate solution is definitely a case. Also, having a case prevents you from breaking one of the two glass sides of the phone!
