Apple responds to iPhone 4 reception issues: you're holding the phone the wrong way

So, we just spoke with Apple and got the straight dirt on the reception issues that have been plaguing users today... and it's a little surprising. In essence, Apple cops to the fact there are reception issues with the new iPhone -- namely, that if you cover the bottom-left corner of the phone and bridge the gap between the notch there with your naked flesh, you could see some signal degradation. Yes, you read that right: it's not a software or production issue, simply a matter of the physical location of your hand in regards to the phone's antenna. The company's suggested fix? Move your hand position, or get a case which covers that part of the phone, thus breaking contact. As you can see in the email above which just arrived in our tip box, this is a sentiment which runs pretty high at the company. Here's the official statement:

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.

We know what you're thinking, and we're thinking it too: this sounds crazy. Essentially, Apple is saying that the problem is how you hold your phone, and that the solution is to change that habit, or buy one of their cases. Admittedly, this isn't a problem that exists only for the iPhone 4 -- we've seen reports of the same behavior on previous generations (the 3G and 3GS), and there is a running thread about this problem with the Nexus One. While it is definitely true that interference is an unavoidable problem, we can't help feeling like this is really a bit of bad design. If the only answer is to move your hand, why didn't Apple just move the antenna position? What we can say without question is that in our testing of the phone, we had improved reception and fewer dropped calls than we experienced with the last generation, and we never noticed this issue. Additionally, when using a bumper we can't recreate the signal loss. So, now we have an answer... all we're wondering is whether or not the company will start handing out bumpers pro-bono to those who are experiencing problems. It certainly seems like the right thing to do.

Update: To add a little perspective, check out a video from 2008 after the break showing the same issue with the now-ancient iPhone 3G (thanks Inge).

[Xman Posted Jun 25th 2010 3:12AM]

@koolerz1569
Seriously, I thought the technology was supposed to be work as humans turn into antennas themselves, but now...
Next steve jobs says you're defective

[rutter9 Posted Jun 25th 2010 10:34AM]

@koolerz1569

____________________
\ I'm a left handed whale \
\ with twice as much fail \
------------------------------ \ |
\/
▐█▄▄▄▄█▌▄███████████████▄
▀▀██▀▀ ████▌▄▌▄▐▐▌███████
█▌▄▄ ████▌▄▌▄▐▐▌▀████▄█
▀████████████████ ▄▄▄▄
▀████████████████▀

[rutter9 Posted Jun 25th 2010 10:36AM]

@rutter9

Looks like I was holding the mouse wrong.

[CJisohsocool Posted Jun 24th 2010 8:11PM]

I'll hold him the wrong way -.- ...

[d3sc3nd3ncy Posted Jun 24th 2010 8:11PM]

@CJisohsocool

I bet you'd enjoy it too.

[CJisohsocool Posted Jun 24th 2010 8:14PM]

@CJisohsocool

I'm sorry but is this serious? He fucks up in making the phones and then tells us to hold it a different way? What an asshole.

[Pesterenan Posted Jun 24th 2010 8:22PM]

@CJisohsocool

"...and then, you hold the new iPhone this way... and... it drops the call!
Automatically! It's magical!"

-Steve Jobs

[Phucpholuc Posted Jun 24th 2010 8:29PM]

@CJisohsocool

If you're gonna describe yourself being on your knees, mouth open, holding him the wrong way..

-- Way too much info

[Jordan Posted Jun 24th 2010 8:57PM]

@CJisohsocool:

If wonder if this is why the Wi-Fi wouldn't work at the conference. Steve was holding it the wrong way.

[benegessrit Posted Jun 24th 2010 10:29PM]

@CJisohsocool
Come on people...
Gays have enough problems without being associated with Steve Jobs. I would like to say that no gay man would enjoy holding Steve Jobs in any way.

[Bobbo Posted Jun 25th 2010 1:35AM]

@Pesterenan
Oh this will make for great jokes for at least the next year. I really want to get a Droid X now say nothing but hold it out in front of my friends with iPhones and man handle the phone as narry a bar drops.

[d3sc3nd3ncy Posted Jun 24th 2010 8:11PM]

That's fake... right???

[VSpike915 Posted Jun 24th 2010 8:27PM]

@d3sc3nd3ncy
For his sake, and Apple's for that matter, I sure as hell hope so

[NuklearPanda Posted Jun 24th 2010 8:11PM]

Design fail

[spikebrain Posted Jun 24th 2010 8:25PM]

@NuklearPanda
I dunno... I agree it's not great, but if I can increase reception greatly with this design, and only have to avoid bridging that gab, I'm kinda ok with it... Not happy, but ok. After seeing the drop test I'd sure as well want mine in a bumper anyway!

[LetsHaveWaffles Posted Jun 24th 2010 11:18PM]

@spikebrain

Let me get this straight you would rather get "better phone reception" (by better I mean what every other phone can do right now) in exchange for a extreme flawed design that can kill your cell phone signal? How is that improving reception again?

[nutbunnies Posted Jun 24th 2010 8:12PM]

How funny is it that when some people reported this happening to the N1, the Apple cult members flipped out, and now all I hear from them are excuses and denial.

Just own up to it guys. Christ.

[Dale P Posted Jun 24th 2010 8:18PM]

@nutbunnies I am not experiencing it at all, but you're right, no matter who makes the phone, this is crappy.

[cr3amy Posted Jun 24th 2010 8:42PM]

@nutbunnies
There were design issues with both. Google tried to look into the matter. Steve Jobs told everybody to go fuck themselves.

[garfieldfriends Posted Jun 25th 2010 8:32AM]

@cr3amy couldnt have said it better myself -

[lubimka Posted Jun 24th 2010 8:12PM]

guess the ole antenna on the outside wasn't so "genius" like everyone said, after all....

[Esteban Ballmero Posted Jun 24th 2010 8:40PM]

@lubimka What a great feature!! This is a much easier way to hang up on someone than hitting "end call". It gives you a great excuse for hanging up on people you don't want to talk to as well. "Hey dude, why did you hang up on me the other day". "Oh, sorry man - iPhone 4, you know... hit the left corner." Then just look smug (look at a photo of Steve Jobs if you are unsure of what 'smug' looks like) and walk away.

[clue Posted Jun 24th 2010 11:03PM]

@Esteban Ballmero

LMAO

[tkc122 Posted Jun 24th 2010 8:12PM]

what else do you expect from apple?! change the design for you?

[djsiek Posted Jun 24th 2010 8:12PM]

@tkc122 no, but maybe test the design properly

[tkc122 Posted Jun 24th 2010 8:15PM]

@djsiek
maybe they just want you to use it as a mini-ipad (with an awesome display) and the phone option can be used in emergencies.

[Dellibedaboss Posted Jun 24th 2010 10:41PM]

@tkc122

Hmm... and that kickstand on my EVO is looking pretty f'n ingenious after all.

[Bobbo Posted Jun 25th 2010 12:48AM]

@djsiek
They must have know all about this. It's insane to think that they knew this was a problem and didn't bother to A) redesign the phone B) Give the bumpers with the phone for free C) refrain from boasting about the new antenna design that they knew was horribly flawed.

Even Apple employees must be sucked into their own sick world where they can do no wrong and are loved by the masses.

Wrong! This time you can't blame AT$T or the consumer, or Adobe or whatever other scape goat that's convenient.

[FluShot Posted Jun 25th 2010 1:05AM]

@Dellibedaboss

LOL I remember all those kick stand comments re: EVO grounding issue.

Sent from my EVO

[rkevwill Posted Jun 25th 2010 10:04AM]

@Dellibedaboss

Oh, and how's that screen separation working out for you?

[Luffy Posted Jun 24th 2010 8:12PM]

Our Heavenly Father, Steve Jobs, has said that we were holding the phone wrong. We were wrong for complaining, we should feel ashamed. Now, get a damn bumper or hold your phone awkwardly and leave the poor Apple tech support people alone!

[NuklearPanda Posted Jun 24th 2010 8:13PM]

@Luffy lmao

[Grubasaurus Rex Posted Jun 24th 2010 9:26PM]

@Luffy Oh lordy lordy!

[d3sc3nd3ncy Posted Jun 24th 2010 10:51PM]

@Luffy Dear God,

I need suction cups because Steve Jobs said I was holding his phone wrong.

Thank you

[Calijoefornia Posted Jun 24th 2010 8:12PM]

Jobs is a dick.

[richd5481 Posted Jun 24th 2010 8:23PM]

@Calijoefornia you're a dick

[Ruben Posted Jun 24th 2010 9:44PM]

@richd5481 Are you Jobs?

They why the he'll are you defending a CEO? He wants your money, not your friendship.

[d3sc3nd3ncy Posted Jun 24th 2010 11:12PM]

@Ruben This is a terrible way to look at a CEO. They force their company (typically) to create quality products. It's not a CEO's fault Jobs is a dick. I have a feeling Apple will regret this.

[TheRPN Posted Jun 24th 2010 8:12PM]

Well, that was obvious...

[Mystictrust Posted Jun 24th 2010 8:12PM]

If they're not holding it the right way, they're doing it wrong

[mobilehavoc Posted Jun 24th 2010 8:15PM]

@Mystictrust If they have an antenna that can't be shorted by your flesh, they're doing it wrong.

[H264 Posted Jun 24th 2010 8:19PM]

@mobilehavoc fail

[HipHopIsLyfe37 Posted Jun 24th 2010 10:02PM]

@Mystictrust iPhone 5's upgrade: Huge antenna jutting out of the top, the right way

[cvu12 Posted Jun 24th 2010 8:12PM]

This is a joke right?

[Suspiro Posted Jun 24th 2010 9:42PM]

@cvu12 a joke on i4 owners

[Wrinse Posted Jun 25th 2010 12:11AM]

@cvu12

If it is, its dam hilarious as I sure as hell laughing. LoL

[Scouse Pricey Posted Jun 24th 2010 8:12PM]

Must of been using his iPad to send the Email because jobs is left handed.

[Leindurstit Posted Jun 24th 2010 8:12PM]

I'm TRYING to make mine drop bars or drop calls, and no deal. Even cupping two hands over both sides of the band hasn't ceased a call.

[spikebrain Posted Jun 24th 2010 8:27PM]

@Leindurstit
Try licking your palms first...
Seriously, maybe moisture (sweaty hands) causes the problems?

[Leindurstit Posted Jun 24th 2010 8:35PM]

Also, good god is this thing fast: http://imgur.com/obE4S.jpg

Suburb of Chicago, that was in.