Jun 28 2010, 10:52 AM, updated 16y ago
the first problem that i'll be discussing is the antenna problem!
The damn antenna
That's precisely the other major problem of this design: The wireless reception. The iPhone 4's reception is flawed by design. Holding it in certain positions will degrade the signal dramatically, sometimes completely breaking it. It's not a matter of the AT&T network—which is bad as it is—but a problem of the steel band that serves as the antenna. According to Apple, the antenna was supposed to enhance communications. In the practice, it causes the signal to drop for many people while they are holding the phone exactly like Apple shows in their ads and web pages.
When asked, Apple offered a very simple solution: Hold it in a different way. Minimizing what could be the iPhone's biggest functionality flaw, industry pundits like David Pogueare saying that the problem is sweaty hands and the solution are insulating cases. That's what Apple is saying too.
No, that's not the solution. Those are lame excuses for bad industrial design and engineering decision. The fault is not in the user and the usage of the product. This goes completely against Rams' guidelines. Design should help the user, it should enhance the experience. Good design is unobtrusive. It can't limit the user expression, much less obligate him to act in a certain way.
guess steve is just too rude to say this! [Credits to Gizmodo reader Mark]
Apple's statement confirmed that there are issues, but that it's due to how we hold our phones:-refer to picture 1
QUOTE
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.
And Steve's prior email referenced this statement when he told a reader to "just avoid holding [his phone a particular] way".
Such confusing messages. I guess there's little left to do except listen to Steve and "stay tuned" for more news.
The second problem is-the material of Iphone 4~glass!
The material problem
Despite being glossy and shiny, the undeniable fact is that glass is not a good material to make products that are constantly being moved around, under stress, and in the hands of users. Glass breaks. That's why you never see products made of glass around you, except when it's completely necessary because the product itself needs to be transparent.
It doesn't matter that it is strengthened, like aluminosilicate glass, the one Apple uses in the iPhone 4's. In fact, strengthening glass to avoid scratching—which is what Apple did—makes it more prone to extreme shattering on shock. The reason: Aluminosilicate glass has a much higher internal tension than regular glass. What makes it harder also makes it more fragile.
Cases of broken iPhone 4's backs are already appearing. One of Gizmodo's interns broke his iPhone 4 after accidentally dropping it while testing it. This hasn't changed from previous generations. Hell, I broke my iPhone display twice. The fact is that, at the end of the day, dropping the phone while handling it is something that everyone will suffer sooner or later.
But the difference is that the iPhone 4 is all glass. If you drop any other phone, you have a 50% chance of breaking its screen. With the iPhone 4, the risk will always be there, no matter how it falls. It's just more exposed to damage because of the material choice.
Some people argue that the shattering doesn't matter. That the important thing is that this glass is hard to scratch. But, as GDGT editor Ryan Block showed, this doesn't mean it's scratch-proof. He scratched his iPhone 4 accidentally, without even noticing.
Why? An expert on the matter who wants to remain anonymous, may have a good explanation:
I saw your article about the glass scratches on the iPhone 4. I work for [a major watch company] that uses the same Chinese factory [as Apple's]. We had a huge problem with a similar "chemically treated" glass from the same manufacturer.
The glass passed all of our tests. Drop tests, steel ball impact tests, etc. but the glass started chipping and we couldnt figure out why.
Eventually we found that when the glass was hit against another piece of glass of similar strength they both broke very easily. I would be willing to bet money that if you took 2 iphone 4's and tap the glass edges together with light to moderate force you would get an instant chip on the edge. We found this same problem when the watches were hit onto a glass coffee table, or hit into a glass door when entering a shop.
Could be a major problem for apple. This caused us to stop production and redesign so that glass edges werent exposed.
There's been a lot of fuss about the iPhone 4's Gorilla Glass "custom glass" comparable in strength to sapphire crystal but 30 times harder than plastic. Sounds incredible, right? But make no mistake, that front glass panel will still break if dropped. Ok, it took four deliberate attempts to accomplish what you see above but it still happened. Bottom line: like any cellphone, you'll have to worry about more than just scratches.
See the destruction after the break.-refer to pic 2
The handling
The material choice also affects handling. The all-glass surface feels more slippery in your hand than other smartphones including the iPhone 3G. Talking with fellow Gizmodo editors Matt Buchanan and Mark Wilson, they agree (both have their own iPhone 4s). Matt says that it is more slippery than his 3G, and Mark that the sharp edges make it uncomfortable to handle. I don't agree on the latter, but I can appreciate his opinion and I know that others will feel the same way. In a way, in its beautiful Germanic minimalism, the phone has lost the humanity of the cheap looking, even naff, but more organic, iPhone 3GS.
Third Problem~yellow spot on the RETINA DISPLAY!
iPhone 4 retina display seeing yellow spots?
Out, damned spot! out, I say! One; two: why, then, 'tis time to do 't. Hell is murky! Fie, my lord, fie! Reports are coming in from some of those lucky early iPhone 4 users that there may exist a not-so-lucky yellow coloration in the bottom right corner of the IPS LCD. We haven't seen this ourselves on any new iPhones, but maybe you've had different experiences. Tell us, is your iPhone 4 seeing yellow?-refer to picture 3, 4
But i guess this is not the big issue! Apple say the bond of yellow spot will go off in the matter of time.
QUOTE
Apple is using a bonding agent called Organofunctional Silane Z-6011 to bond the layers of glass. Apparently, Apple (or more likely Foxconn) is shipping these products so quickly that the evaporation process is not complete. However, after one or two days of use, especially with the screen on, will complete the evaporation process and the yellow "blotches" will disappear. How do I know? I was involved in pitching Z-6011 to Apple.
If this can be trusted, it's very good news for those afflicted -- though hopefully Apple will keep to its usually painless replacement policy for defective phones either way. We are still seeing some mentions of the spots sticking around, fading in and out based on the heat of the phone, but we'll give it another day or two to really see how much of a problem is going to be. Let us know how yours fares.
Sim problem!
We've been getting trouble reports from users about their iPhone 4, especially around the antenna reception/dropped calls issue. There are smaller factory defects as well, and thankfully they're not as widespread, which means you can exchange your phone.
From what we've seen, these issues are fairly minor (not talking about antenna or screens), and are present in only a small number of phones. That means if you exchange them, you will have a high likelihood of getting a phone that doesn't have these problems. That's good! Here are the ones you should be on the lookout for.
• No SIM Card Installed: This is when you get a phone that has a SIM card inside, but get periodic "No SIM Card Installed" errors. Reader John says that he ejected his and saw a "pretty good scratch on the card."-refer picture 5
and the rest are some little issue about the Iphone 4
• Proximity Sensor doesn't detect your face: We've actually confirmed this ourselves on one or two of our own phones, accidentally dialing or hitting the mute button when in a call. We're not sure what the cause is, if the fact that they had to move the sensor from the original location to somewhere else to make room for the front camera, but it is acting up. [Everything iCafe]
• Faulty microphones/voice cancellation: Some people can't be heard unless they switch to speakerphone or an external microphone
• Camera not starting: Opening the Camera app shows a frozen lens, as if it doesn't open after it launches.
• Volume buttons mixed up: Some users have the + where the - should be.
The Latest iPhone 4 Problem: Some Have Swapped Volume Buttons
Clearly, this is not the best Apple launch in history: After the pre-order debacle, the yellow tinted screens, the pixel constellations, and the antenna problems, now it's the turn for the swapped volume buttons. Oh, you Foxconn rascals, you!-refer to picture 6
• Yellow screen and white dots: If your screen shows bands or spots of yellow, or various white dots.
Besides the antenna issue, which seems to be a design decision by Apple whose problem manifests itself when you're in less-than-optimal reception areas, we are seeing some manufacturing defects that aren't present in every phone. That means you can get one without them, and chances are you can exchange your faulty phone for a new one.
So when buy, make sure they take it out and verify these issues before you leave the store. Make sure the volume buttons are in the right place, the screen doesn't display the yellow/white spots and you don't have any SIM errors (shake the phone a little in case it's loose or something). You should also make a call and put it up to your face to check the proximity sensor and microphone as well.
What you want to do is be polite—don't DEMAND that you get an exchange—but note that you're having these problems, and you've seen other people report the same problems, and you'd like to exchange your phone with one that does not have these issues. Good luck.
Updating whenever its needed! Stay tune!
This post has been edited by AlexGTX: Jun 28 2010, 10:55 AM
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