The GetDPI Photography Forum

Great to see you here. Join our insightful photographic forum today and start tapping into a huge wealth of photographic knowledge. Completing our simple registration process will allow you to gain access to exclusive content, add your own topics and posts, share your work and connect with other members through your own private inbox! And don’t forget to say hi!

iPhone 4 discussions

jonoslack

Active member
C'mon chaps:
Do you have the yellow splodges at the base of your screen?
Does your signal disappear if you put your finger between the two plates on the bottom left of the screen?

. . . . .

Will the yellow spots go away if you wait for a couple of days?

Was the signal strength problem a deliberate ploy by Apple to sell lots of bumpers?

. . . . .

Is it only really feasible to make phone calls wearing rubber gloves?

Is the camera better than a ricoh GRDIII?

. . . . .

What do you think of the wireless based videophoning (now I can look at Silas's new washing machine!

Let the discussions begin :ROTFL:
 

LJL

New member
Seems that the spots are related to an adhesive drying issue, and should disappear. The signal disruption strikes me a just foolish. Did Apple have all the test iPhone 4s inside cases or covers when testing so that they did not "discover" this problem? Great....build a truly sleek new phone and have to put it in a case or place a cheap rubber band around it just to work. (The rubber gloves may not work, as they do not allow the many touchscreen operations needed to be done.)

I do think that folks will not really care after a while. I know I have learned to hold my 3Gs phone so as not to have signal strength issues, or I use a headset. I refuse to go with a case, as I like the sleek design and look of the naked iPhone....as that was a big part of the entire attraction of the device from the start. (Some folks that do toss their phones into less friendly nooks and crannies might want a case, but the naked iPhone is too sleek to cover up for me.)

LJ
 

Diane B

New member
I read that the lower left corner of the band/antenna is the culprit snd saw a video of similar issue in 2008 so its evidently not entirely new. Plus, as you say, people will soon forget both.
 

LJL

New member
Right, Diane, and the lower left corner is exactly the part that is most likely to come into contact while holding the iPhone, both in operation and as a phone. (Statistics say that 83% of the population is right-handed, so holding the iPhone in the left hand while doing touchscreen stuff with the right hand is most common way to use it, or for those of us with larger hands, we can reach stuff with the left thumb while holding the phone in the left hand. Almost all of these holding methods will create contact on that lower left corner quite a bit. Two-hand landscape use will not be an issue, but not how one is going to talk on the device. Get out your headsets folks....)

LJ
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Got one . No yellow spots going on and signal is like it always is . Not the greatest but that comes from AT&T cell towers. I put a bumper on and supposedly that helps with signal. Not going to test that one either. The camera is pretty cool though and you won't leave it home.
 

wjlapier

Member
If I had a iphone I would immediately get a Vajacase case for it. I have two for my touch and they are the nicest cases I've ever seen. The touch doesn't lose it's sleek look in the case.

That said, I'm a Verizon user and am holding out hope for an iphone for us someday--AT&T coverage sucks in my area.
 

Diane B

New member
That said, I'm a Verizon user and am holding out hope for an iphone for us someday--AT&T coverage sucks in my area.
Me too. AT&T is not good in my area at all. I reslly like my Touch but know our house is in non-3G and service is spotty in general area. We can hope:grin::grin:
 

jonoslack

Active member
Hi Terry - thanks for that - interesting, although I'm not sure how many people will be convinced. . . . . I'm afraid that Apple are going to have to give away free bumpers - personally I can live with it, I don't hold the phone like that for calls, and I can change for text messages.

We live in an area of poor reception, and one thing which is noticeable is that the reception on this phone is improved (as long as you keep your fingers to yourself!).


As for the yellow spots - quite right - Silas had them on his phone, and they've basically gone in 24 hours.
 

jonoslack

Active member
Seems that the spots are related to an adhesive drying issue, and should disappear. The signal disruption strikes me a just foolish. Did Apple have all the test iPhone 4s inside cases or covers when testing so that they did not "discover" this problem? Great....build a truly sleek new phone and have to put it in a case or place a cheap rubber band around it just to work. (The rubber gloves may not work, as they do not allow the many touchscreen operations needed to be done.)

I do think that folks will not really care after a while. I know I have learned to hold my 3Gs phone so as not to have signal strength issues, or I use a headset. I refuse to go with a case, as I like the sleek design and look of the naked iPhone....as that was a big part of the entire attraction of the device from the start. (Some folks that do toss their phones into less friendly nooks and crannies might want a case, but the naked iPhone is too sleek to cover up for me.)

LJ
HI LJ
I'm with you on all of this - the spots are already disappearing on Si's phone, and I'm not about to put cases or even rubber bands around it. fortunately it works really well plugged into the car in the glove compartment (much better signal than the old phone). The screen is divine :)
 

Terry

New member
Hi Terry - thanks for that - interesting, although I'm not sure how many people will be convinced. . . . . I'm afraid that Apple are going to have to give away free bumpers - personally I can live with it, I don't hold the phone like that for calls, and I can change for text messages.
I actually already make a point of trying to use my phone mostly on speaker and keep it away from my head as much as possible.

After years of having to move my blackberry and other assorted phones away from my landline phone or speakerphone in the office (because of the noticeable interference that you can hear) I decided that I didn't need my head absorbing whatever radio waves/radiation the phones were putting out.
 

jonoslack

Active member
I actually already make a point of trying to use my phone mostly on speaker and keep it away from my head as much as possible.

After years of having to move my blackberry and other assorted phones away from my landline phone or speakerphone in the office (because of the noticeable interference that you can hear) I decided that I didn't need my head absorbing whatever radio waves/radiation the phones were putting out.
Well - I don't use mine so very much for voice calls anyway (nobody rings me). but to be honest, I don't think that it's going to be terribly relevant. The interesting point is whether . . had it not been pointed out . . I would ever have noticed the reception issue. I rather doubt it.
 

jonoslack

Active member
Right, Diane, and the lower left corner is exactly the part that is most likely to come into contact while holding the iPhone, both in operation and as a phone. (Statistics say that 83% of the population is right-handed, so holding the iPhone in the left hand while doing touchscreen stuff with the right hand is most common way to use it, or for those of us with larger hands, we can reach stuff with the left thumb while holding the phone in the left hand. Almost all of these holding methods will create contact on that lower left corner quite a bit. Two-hand landscape use will not be an issue, but not how one is going to talk on the device. Get out your headsets folks....)

LJ
Hi LJ
actually . . . 3 days in, the bumper was a pain, so it goes 'nude'. The one thing that is obviously different is that the reception is better than it was on the old phone (we're in an area of really poor reception). I haven't had any dropped calls - and I do hold it in my left hand.

Not excusing the issue - let's hope there is a firmware fix (some suggestions of it). What I'm saying is that in MY 'real world' . . . . . it doesn't seem to be an issue!

Actually, the screen is also obviously different . . . as is the speed . . . as is how nice an object it is.
 

LJL

New member
Jono,
My only thoughts about this entire thing were expressed before, and I still think they are very real: placing the two antennae (Wi-Fi and 3G) where Apple did, seems to be a bit of design compromise, but it is now what we have; given that situation, I do think that a fair number of folks will opt for some case or bumper band as much for protection and handling as anything, though I, like you prefer the naked iPhone for its sleekness and design; and finally, I think Jobs' comments are going to be the case....folks will adapt to holding the iPhone 4 differently over time if they have signal problems. Being aware that there are some real technical issues over the signal strength problem is nice to know, and help folks sort out what they may need. But that goes back to the initial design and testing that should have caught, and hopefully reduced, if not eliminated these problems from the start.

Knowing the reception problem will probably not stop me from trading up to the iPhone 4 soon enough, for many of the other good things it offers, as you mention. Still just seems like this is one of those little, but important details that Apple seems to have overlooked, and that they may not have realized how much a problem it might be for folks in actual use. Not the testing lab with nobody even holding the phone, nor the two-handed landscape mode for other things, and maybe even more general use with a headset or speakerphone from a desk or stand where folks are also not actually cradling the phone too closely in their hands.

I even started wondering is something like small, thin stick-on patches to cover the antenna outlets may be the simplest solution. They would not interfere with reception, and would also be non-conductive. So long as you did not completely cover the antennae within your closed hand, signal attenuation should be minimal. Just my thoughts. Might even be something like using the "screen protector" sticky plastic film as strips covering the antennae to prevent conductance from the hand. Seems like it should be an easy physical fix to make cheaply, and will work until they redesign things again.

LJ
 

jonoslack

Active member
I even started wondering is something like small, thin stick-on patches to cover the antenna outlets may be the simplest solution. They would not interfere with reception, and would also be non-conductive. So long as you did not completely cover the antennae within your closed hand, signal attenuation should be minimal. Just my thoughts. Might even be something like using the "screen protector" sticky plastic film as strips covering the antennae to prevent conductance from the hand. Seems like it should be an easy physical fix to make cheaply, and will work until they redesign things again.

LJ
High LJ
All these things work. However, they're a faff, and in my couple of day's experience they are quite unnecessary: it takes about 20 seconds to lose the signal by 'bridging the gap'. It's easy to do on purpose but doesn't seem to happen by mistake.
 

tom in mpls

Active member
Great new word for me, Jono, thanks.

faff Brit. to spend your time doing a lot of unimportant things instead of the thing you should be doing
 

LJL

New member
Well, if one uses the phone part of the iPhone a fair bit, and does not do so from speakerphone (sharing your conversations with all around), or some mounting, or with a dorky BT earpiece hanging from you head, then maybe a solution to the problem is not so much faff ;-) Even Steve Jobs had problems, and still recognizes that there are issues. His view is that the iPhone 4 does not have reception issues, only user handling issues that may impact the reception. That being said, he is still looking into this "faff", and has suggested that a solution may be coming:
http://www.macrumors.com/2010/06/27/steve-jobs-on-iphone-4-signal-issue-stay-tuned/

I do not think anybody is or has been expecting a perfect device, yet something as fundamental as being able to reliably use the phone part of the iPhone may not be so trivial, and should not really require add-ons or special contortions in handling. I do not think it would be a problem for me using it, as I have learned and adapted easily to some reception issues with the iPhone 3Gs. I just choose not to use a case, nor do I care much for the dorky headsets, nor speakerphone conversations just to take or make phone calls. So maybe for a number of folks having issues, real or perceived, having the device work properly may be important to the things they should be doing ;-)

LJ
 

jonoslack

Active member
Well, if one uses the phone part of the iPhone a fair bit, and does not do so from speakerphone (sharing your conversations with all around), or some mounting, or with a dorky BT earpiece hanging from you head, then maybe a solution to the problem is not so much faff ;-) Even Steve Jobs had problems, and still recognizes that there are issues. His view is that the iPhone 4 does not have reception issues, only user handling issues that may impact the reception. That being said, he is still looking into this "faff", and has suggested that a solution may be coming:
http://www.macrumors.com/2010/06/27/steve-jobs-on-iphone-4-signal-issue-stay-tuned/

I do not think anybody is or has been expecting a perfect device, yet something as fundamental as being able to reliably use the phone part of the iPhone may not be so trivial, and should not really require add-ons or special contortions in handling. I do not think it would be a problem for me using it, as I have learned and adapted easily to some reception issues with the iPhone 3Gs. I just choose not to use a case, nor do I care much for the dorky headsets, nor speakerphone conversations just to take or make phone calls. So maybe for a number of folks having issues, real or perceived, having the device work properly may be important to the things they should be doing ;-)

LJ
Hi LJ - I wasn't excusing the problem in any way - shouldn't have happened - let's hope there is a solution blah blah. I'm certainly not saying it isn't a real issue. The faffing about I referred to was sticking bits of stuff over the join so it doesn't happen - just that in my experience it's easy to avoid, and doesn't seem to be too much of a problem. I rather wonder if I'd have noticed it if I hadn't known about it.
 
Top