It seems the way the iPhone 4 is held can create a notable increase or decrease in the strength of the phone’s signal. The iPhone 4 is equipped with an internal antenna, that can apparently be easily blocked by a users hand.
Electronics experts from PC World and Gizmodo have both singled out the problem with the new iPhone 4. Smartphone critics and the public at large waited patiently for the release of the new phone after a month-long session of media hype.
One iPhone 4 owner wrote in to Gizmodo about the issue agreeing with recent test results.
“Yeah, this is undoubtedly true, and even though I don't generally hold the phone in a way that would cause this, it is a design flaw nonetheless,” said the reader.
However, cell phone expert Michael Gartenberg from The Altimeter Group thinks the design flaw is minimal.
“We have to assume what we're seeing is anecdotal. You would be seeing far more reports if you were seeing a major design flaw out there,” Gartenberg told PC Magazine.
Reports from Apple executives found by PC World have indicated that the antenna on the phone is inside its outer most shell and outside of the phone’s main casing unit. The location of the antenna is causing it to be hyper sensitive to touch. Specifically, users touching the left side of the phone and the bottom of the phone while speaking have reported changes in signal strength. iPhone 4 test users have reported losses of 3 to 4 bars in signal strength when held incorrectly.
Tests from both PC World and Gizmodo have shown that using a case with the phone can help reduce the sensitivity of the iPhone 4’s antenna.
