Verizon iPhone 4 Antenna "Death Hug" Grip Issue

Are you getting tired as I am of these iPhone 4 antenna issue stories? Let’s make one thing perfectly clear: the iPhone 4‘s antenna, whether it’s the GSM or CDMA iPhone model, is also its frame. When you touch that frame, you’ll have some attenuation issues whether you’re gripping it as you would when making a call, or when you’re grasping it like a damn nutjob just to prove a point.

We no longer have the infamous “Death Grip” that plagued the AT&T version of the iPhone, now it’s all about the “Death Hug.” Somehow the latter just sounds a little cuter – adorable but deadly.

As you’ll note in the video below, if you make every conceivable effort to grip the Verizon iPhone in the most awkward way, you’ll eventually be able to reduce its radio’s ability to transmit or receive information whether it’s over 3G or WiFi. You’d think it would be obvious by now that the reason the Verizon iPhone didn’t exhibit the typical death grip issues during its unveiling – as mentioned in the video below – is because of Verizon’s network.

A small handful of journalists, myself included, can’t make a definitive assessment over the course of a few minutes in a very limited area. Verizon’s signal strength is typically strong in many regions where AT&T is weak, but I’ve also been in areas where Verizon was piss poor. Conditions during the unveiling might have been optimal for Verizon and the CDMA iPhone demo units.

If you’ve done any traveling with the first iPhone 4, you might have noticed that grasping the phone tightly does little to attenuate signal strength where AT&T coverage is strong. But in areas where AT&T’s coverage was mediocre or weak, touching the antenna anywhere seemed to cause problems.

I don’t know how many times I have to say this, but the fact that you’re touching the antenna itself is going to cause some issues — more so in some cases than in others. And guess what? If you grasp the entire thing – because it’s just so natural to do that – you’re going to kill the signal. However, almost all reviews of the Verizon iPhone have been overwhelmingly positive when it comes to its ability to make phone calls and surf the web. Whether that will still hold true once millions of units flood the network remains to be seen.

Before you let videos and stories like these scare you away from making a purchase, exercise a little skepticism. Unless you’re afraid you’ll get robbed on the train while watching a video on your phone, there is almost no reason you should ever be holding it as demonstrated below. It is definitely not an issue and it most certainly is not a problem.

[Via: iLounge]

About The Author

Marc Flores

Marc has been a mobile fanatic for the better part of a decade and has had more devices pass through his hands than he would care to count. Originally from Los Angeles and briefly in San Francisco, Marc now lives in Brooklyn where, unlike Will Park, he longs for simpler times and simpler technology. All the while, he writes about gadgets and wireless technology as he tinkers, hacks and ultimately breaks most of his gadgets in the process. Marc has written about the mobile industry for Boy Genius Report, MobileCrunch, Laptop Magazine and has had his work appear in the Wall Street Journal, Gizmodo, CrunchGear and more.

ganapadee

hey retarded journalist, please be quiet if you know nothing about RF.
Blah

But you don’t have to grasp the entire phone to cause attenuation. Just 2 fingers linking the gaps is enough.
Michael

My Verizon iPhone arrived yesterday. Every time I simply HOLD the phone (with ONE hand like you do when you are speaking during a NORMAL conversation) the signal goes down to one bar. I was actually shocked when I noticed this yesterday. I tried it over and over again, and it happens, like clockwork. I was really excited about the Verizon iPhone. Unfortunately, it looks like I will have to return it. Even when I am not holding it, it gets a worse signal than my AT&T iPhone. Unbelievable.
http://twitter.com/w_elegancko Chester Copperfield

I didn’t know that many iPhone users were retards
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1324502085 Jordan McMahon

Just a thought, but, if you’re tired of these antenna stories, don’t post about them.
Anonymous

why dont you just get off his site troll
Anonymous

Oh, but I know plenty about RF, so I think I’ll stick around. Thanks for your approval!
Anonymous

We have to report the news. I also felt compelled to call out BS when I saw it. Also, prospective buyers deserve the counterpoint: a girl on Facebook told me this article reaffirmed her decision to buy a Verizon iPhone.
Max

Glad to hear you convinced “a girl on Facebook” to purchase a defective product. The only thing that is BS is this ridiculous article.
Anonymous

Oh, it’s BS because you actually *believe* that the antenna problem is, indeed, an actual problem. I’m sorry for you.
Anonymous

lol don’t worry Marc, the silent majority knows you’re the man. don’t feed the trolls
Anonymous
Max

*Believe?* Have you actually used the Verizon iPhone?

“[A] normal grip on the bare phone can reduce Verizon’s four-bar signal down to one bar, along with the Speedtest results—a 1.1Mbps download speed gets cut down to 0.1Mbps, and uploads are cut from 0.5Mbps down to 0, or no uploading capability.”

Before convincing another “girl on Facebook” to purchase a defective Verizon iPhone, I suggest you have her read this article: http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/news/comments/verizon-iphone-4-antenna-problems-persist-video/
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_CX3FWJJDHP2CATYXBI25RZOBNE T M

Protect Steve product. Remembering its not the phone it’s you.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_CX3FWJJDHP2CATYXBI25RZOBNE T M

There not, just sheep’s.
WirelessCon

This story is BS, except that it’s the main story on the main page. I guess that means it’s no longer considered BS.

My friend’s Verizon iPhone has less bars than his Blackberry Storm did, but what do the bars really mean? People obsess over the bars. It all comes down to the signal reaching your device; its all about dBs not bars.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1324502085 Jordan McMahon

It’s not a problem in the grand scheme, but it’s something Apple should have completely prevented before releasing this product. When you make the frame of your phone the antenna, you’d better make damn sure there are no issues with it.
Jeysang

yes its true that people go hard on iphone. but issue is antenna being place on left bottom part and that is design failure.
Anonymous

Apprently trolls are not only short in stature but also have shorter memories.

95% of all the phones made for the past 5 years have their RF placed near the mic towards to the bottom of the device.

Before that it was either the pull out antennae a la clamshell and the nubby antenna.