Kshitij Sobti

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Posted on 03-07-2010

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In an open letter to all iPhone 4 users, Apple has revealed the findings from its intense research into the issues surrounding the reception issues with the latest iPhone 4.

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Apple first explains that nearly any phone when held snugly enough is sure to lose reception by “1 or more bars” – ah the “bar”, a clearly established, open standard measure of network reception. They iPhone 4 they claim is no exception, except that unfortunately the iPhone 4 drops “4 or 5 bars” when held in the infamous position that Steve Jobs demonstrated during the WWDC.

Unfortunately, while Apple has been receiving complaints about antenna issues, they have also been receiving praises for the iPhone 4’s reception, which matches their “own experience an testing”. This has left Apple obviously confused, disestablishing the consensus that it is an antenna issue.

After Flash, now Mathematics is to blame. The formula used in the Apple devices to calculate the number of bars is wrong, and misleads people into thinking that their phone has good reception. The bar display lies continually while the phone is in use, and only when subjected to pressure in the right places does it disclose the truth – that there is no reception. Maybe after Apple is done hiring Antenna engineers, they will hire mathematicians next?

No need for ugly covers or a change of phone holding habits! Apple has a better solution. An upcoming software update will improve the “formula” used to calculate the number of bars to display, and the bars will be made larger so that they are easier to see on your ‘retina’ display.

In future versions of iPhone Apple is considering etching the network reception bars directly on the phone screen, so people will never have to worry about network reception on the iPhone ever again. Till then, if you want to know if you’re holding your iPhone 4 wrong? There’s an app for that, it’s called the antenna display.