The resulting data was clear under both situations: There is a performance penalty when you hold your iPhone with your bare hand, independently of the bars displayed. When the signal is very strong, the impact is less noticeable. When the signal is weaker (chart above), the problem could stop communications altogether, like have been demonstrated already for both internet access and voice calls.
Some iPhone 4 owners are suing Apple, claiming the company knew about the reception troubles before they released the phone.
In his case, Christopher Dydyk of Massachusetts alleges that should it come to light that Apple was aware of the iPhone 4 problem prior to its going on sale, that would constitute misrepresentation and fraud. According to the report, Dydyk alleges: "In omitting to disclose the defect in the iPhone 4, Apple perpetrated a massive fraud upon hundreds of thousands of unsuspecting customers."Despite the reports of reception problems, customers have continued to snap up the iPhone 4: Apple sold a record 1.7 million devices in the first three days they were on sale last week.
And Steve Jobs isn't showing his usual graceful Edison-esque showmanship as he responds to angry e-mails from iPhone 4 users:
But Steve Jobs has some advice, “Retire, relax, enjoy your family. It is just a phone. Not worth it.”That’s what he supposedly emailed to one very irate iPhone 4 owner who, along with a few friends, are finding the iPhone 4 has major problems. Steve first tells the owner to calm down, then blames his problems on signal strength, and then finally states “[Apple] is working on it.”
Translation: "Relax. It's just your $200." This is the most tone-deaf Apple has been since Jobs put out the iMac in 1998.
