well from i notice, i think Apple do know it will affect the signal, that well they introduce BUMPER.
apple always left out this and that , so that the more apps developer will come in to fill the hole ..
developer are earning from it, so there will be more and more developer for apple =)

i got something to add to it.

y some ppl must say that 1st batch of iphone 4 got problem and will wait till 2nd batch iphone 4. what make u think that 2nd batch iphone 4 will be better than 1st batch? isn't all iphone is the same......do they change any part in it in 2nd batch, be more mature in making any comment. dun be silly....y dun just wait for 20th batch it will be no problem at all??????

i think your opinion is back to square one. if you do enough research, the yellowish screen is due to the glue not properly dried. this is not due to hardware problem. how they going to improved it? dun use glue? they will still use the glue on the screen maybe this time apple will let it dried properly before they send out to their customer.

calculation on signal bar is due to software problem, in future u might get an iphone which already updated to their new software to rectify this issue. but then this is also a software problem and nothing is done on hardware. still the first batch get the software update as the same as 2nd batch iphone. unless u say they totally changed their antenna hardware, then it can consider 2nd batch is better, that will net be likely going to happen.

so 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th batch basically is all the same. i stated 20th batch it a just a sarcasm.

you know... for all the bleating & complaining I keep hearing... my response has always been the same.

1. there is no better phone on the market. NONE!
2. I will personally share with anyone who wants to learn about iPhone3G or 3G[S] or iPhone4 ... everything I know about it.
3. Even if the reports are all true, there is still no better phone on the market right now, and I have no faith that Samsung / RIM / HTC can actually engineer a better phone. They simply don't understand that it *must* be made simple enough that an 8-year old can pick it up and start using it, before the mass-market consumer types will buy it.
4. If the reported issues are really scaring you away from the best phone in the market right now, then get out of the way, we want one!

If following your logic, then there's always possibility that they'll introduce new, unexpected flaws into the manufacturing process. New, fast reacting, drying glue, that may not meld the screen properly compared to the slower drying glue that gave out the yellow tint. Hydrophobic antennas that is not susceptible to signal reception degradation, that is susceptible to other tactile interferences. Apple streamlining the manufacturing process by introducing cheaper component/material on later batches to save cost and maximise profit. Yes, that has happens lots of time for electronics because these components are supplied by third party. The Retina Display screen itself is sourced by two companies, LG and Samsung to cover for the unexpected demand surge. Who is to say which screen yields better result?

There is and always will be manufacturing flaws, no matter if you purchase it on launch, or if you wait for the 20th batch. So if that is the case, then why wait? And also if that is the case, then why bother with warranties at all if you're prone to getting select bad units from good batches?

Bottom line is, it happens to everyone. Either you're lucky or you're not. The logic of waiting for next batch and you think you'll be safe from previous batch flaws is a placebo at best. I've had product bought at launch that outperform and outlasts the same product but built 3 years later! Case in point? My Xbox 360 purchased at launch from November 22nd, 2005. 5 years later, and yet, it has not overheated like the rest of the units purchased by folks last year and has kicked the bucket. Am I just lucky or has the manufacturer put extra emphasis on the device QC so that it does not get a bad rep later during the launch to entice further purchase from those sitting over the fence like you? Probably, and fence-sitters like you, after looking over at the design issues being trivial and nonexistant, decides to take the plunge after several batches. That still does make you invulnerable to defects, in fact your possibility of getting a lemon is greater since production numbers have been ramped up and QC goes down exponentially as numbers increases, unless they ramp up the number of QC personnels and tighten up the QC monitoring process, which in both incur additional cost, which most companies would like not to spend on, because it eats into the profit they're already generating on their current processes.

In short, getting it first or getting it last does not guarantee you a defect-free product. The whole line of "wait and see" angle of things is just you yourself wanting to assure yourself that you stand a better chance getting a defect-free product than getting it at launch. Does not apply every time, from the history of things. Take it from me who had been buying electronics and gadgets for more than 12 years. And most of my stuff are from first launches. Go figure.

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Added on July 7, 2010, 11:23 amAs for sticking to Engadget compared to xaw's take on things, you're drawing your line of bias there already.

You're taking it as a tech enthusiast's point of view. Remember, we're all geeks and nerds, we're acclimatised to all these tech specs nerderies and comfortable with tinkering and setting up our gadgets to our likings. However, there's a whole wide world out there, filled with people who aren't like us, who are more inclined to choose a phone based on how easy to use it, WITHOUT losing out on the features that was once enjoyed by tech geeks with their extensive tinkerings. Enter the iPhone.

I still say it's just a Placebo effect. People just want to reassure themselves that they are somewhat confident to get a defect-free product on later batches. Tell that to a couple of folks here who are on their third iPhone units who are both early adopters and latecomers.

Point is, there are no quantifiable statistics that confirms that buying a product later in its lifecycle assures itself of defects. On the contrary, those who waited,  would have the "buyer's remorse" syndrome creeping it, as their units are now somewhere later in the product cycle that a new product revision is looming in the horizon. The early adopters gets their full year usage to get that "bang for the buck" feel for using it for that long and won't feel much of a regretful tinge to upgrade for the next cycle, compared to those who had just bought their iPhones less than 6 months and found out that their "less than 6 months" iPhones are about to become obsolete (relatively).

With every product, early adopters took their chances. It is how you play your hands with Fate that determines if you're willing to continue being an early adopter, or learnt your lessons and "stay on the fence" longer.I am thankful that all my early adopter launch units are working fine as it is, so I could not say I've felt cheated or remorsed by defective first launch units. Others may have more harrowing stories to share here than me, I consider myself very lucky.

Disclaimer: That "less than 6 months" period is my own intepretations of how one would feel a tinge of regret when news of product refresh is coming their way, based on my own personal opinion. Others may feel not compelled at all to upgrade, or feel it is perfectly fine to upgrade even if they just own the currently-about-to-be-upgraded product for that short a period of time.

EDIT: To the post above this post, if you've nothing worthwhile to say, don't post anything, or worse, trollbaiting. Kopitiam-style posting stays in that filthy place only please. Post reported.

did i say that?

i just tired of this....... what will make u think 2nd batch is different from 1st batch? SoS? Proved? dun just use baseless text and misled other.

take an example of maxis 3GS......... maxis stock should be in later than 2nd batch, and yet y alot of problem still persist?sunken home button, can't turn on, and many more.
this is totally base on luck.

your assumption of batches is baseless........ show us proved that stated that the coming batches is improved and better than 1st batch.

i'm here not to argue, just i dun want to misled other ppl.

Haha.. Sorry to bring you up.
I'm kinda hope that we can discuss whatever thing related to iPhone, regardless the goods or the bads. So we all gain the benefits.
People might get scared to share their bad experience. 
That's what I think.

Anyway stringfellow, that "hot" was not meant directly to you. My apologies as well.

elainor, if you don't have the product, please don't comment on it. You are just making a fool of yourself.

doesnt matter. we're still free and open to give our opinion and suggestion..

for eg. we dont need to own a "proton" to know its inferior to the other european made cars right?

i have invisible shield full protection and still experiencing signal lost issue

Im kinda disappointed that white iphone is delayed till end of this year
Apple PR source