Apple’s iPhone 4 launch sours over ‘flaw’ reports
Apple’s iPhone 4 has received a poor reception from some early adopters with complaints emerging of reduced signal strength when the phone is held in a particular fashion.
The problem appears to arise when users grip the lower left corner of the device such that the palm straddles both sides of the black strip that runs around the metallic band casing. It is this which serves as the phones antennae.
Responding to the criticism Jobs offered a non technical solution advocating users: “Just avoid holding it in that way.”
Left handed users are particularly prone to encountering the problem as they are naturally inclinated to handle the device from the lower left – where the antennae is located.
A last resort for those still stymied is a rubber “bumper” sold by Apple which shields areas of the phone critical to signal strength.