Apple Worker Said to Tell Jobs IPhone Might Cut Calls

[RedEarth]

Source: Bloomberg

July 15 (Bloomberg) -- Apple Inc.’s senior antenna expert voiced concern to Chief Executive Officer Steve Jobs in the early design phase of the iPhone 4 that the antenna design could lead to dropped calls, a person familiar with the matter said.

Last year, Ruben Caballero, a senior engineer and antenna expert, informed Apple’s management the device’s design may cause reception problems, said the person, who is not authorized to speak on Apple’s behalf and asked not to be identified. A carrier partner also raised concerns about the antenna before the device’s June 24 release, according to another person familiar with the situation.

The latest model of the iPhone carries a metal antenna that surrounds the outside of the device -- a design chosen by Apple executives because it yielded a lighter, thinner handset. It has also resulted in reception problems that led Consumer Reports to refrain from endorsing the iPhone 4, weighed on the company’s shares and stepped up pressure on Apple to issue a fix.

Steve Dowling, a spokesman for Apple, declined to comment and said he wouldn’t make Caballero available for an interview. Caballero didn’t respond to a call and an e-mail seeking comment. Apple plans to hold a press conference tomorrow about the device. Dowling declined to elaborate on what will be discussed.



Read more: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-07-15/apple-worker-said-to-tell-jobs-iphone-might-cut-calls.html

[marmar]

1. Rotten Apples?

Still love my iPod, tho.

[onehandle]

2. And yet it's not leading to dropped calls.

The vast majority of iPhone 4 users are getting better connections than ever. The 'issue' only appears under controlled circumstances.

Posted from my iPhone 4, btw.

[zipplewrath]

3. There are "fixes"

My understanding, and I only care so much, is that if it is in any kind of aftermarket protective housing or "skin" the problem goes away. Using it in your right hand also seems to be a major improvement. In the end, I suspect Apple can buy their way out of this problem.

[onehandle]

4. I'm holding it in my left hand as I surf right now. I'm also deep in an office building.

At my doctor's office. No problems.

But I do have a 'Bumper' case. I've cased all my iPhones like most people do.

[zipplewrath]

5. Yeah, I think it's a capacitance thing

Either that or some sort of antenna "short". But basically just putting it in a case, or not touching it in certain places (Lower right rear?) is the "Fix". I think there is even talk of Apple offering some sort of nonmetallic "patch" for folks that aren't encasing their phones.

[Statistical]

10. That is exactly it.

Antennas work because their length corresponds to the wavelength they are optimized for.

Since the antennas is actually attached to the metal surface of the phone someone's hand (especially is a little sweating to improve conductivity) changes the properties of the antenna effectively changing the wavelength it is optimized for and reduces effective gain at the desired wavelength while boosting gain for non-desirable wavelengths.

If based on SNR (signal to noise ratio) of the environment is more than the phone can handle it will drop and/or distort the call.

[Statistical]

11. "But I do have a 'Bumper' case. I've cased all my iPhones like most people do. "

That is the key point. The bumper is non-conductive and isolates the antenna from your hand. If you get bored trying doing the same thing with phone out of the case.

[onehandle]

14. I've done that.

The signal drops a bar or two but does not lose connectivity or drop a call. Not for me. It's not affecting my call and Internet experience. Which has been fantastic. I just drove back from the doctor's office streaming a 192k French music radio station.

I have no idea what Apple is going to say at the press conference tomorrow, but most users are saying that they are getting better connections than ever on this model. There are not mass numbers being returned.

If you cover the antenna in most cell phones, the signal degrades. This happens in other iPhones, Blackberrys, the Nexus One and other Android phones.

Before I got my first iPhone I had a Sony Ericsson that I had to hold with two fingers to keep a decent connection.

[Statistical]

15. "the signal drops a bar or two but does not lose connectivity or drop a call"

So if it drops 2 bars what do you think will happen if you are in an area with 2 or less bars? :)

BTW: I own some Apple stock so I wish the best for the company and hope they get out in front of it. Still most companies over the last couple years have been making progress in improving antenna isolation. To have the 4G come out with an issue that drops 2 bars when held wrong when the 3G doesn't is a step backwards.

The company has been so good for so long that any stumble is going to be big for the stock.

[KansasVoter]

6. Jobs knows that their customers will upgrade automatically. So not real....

worry about small issues. It does not hurt the sales.

[still_one]

7. I am not having any issues. I don't doubt some have issues, but since there

are not mass returns from the actually customers, it is hard for me to believe that this is occurring in the huge numbers that the media seems to be portraying

Nevertheless, Apple has handled the PR of this terrible

I suspect there is also a lot of manipulation with our friends at wall street and the media going on, just like they are constantly trashing Obama for everything

[avaistheone1]

9. Steve Jobs did a terrible PR job with his own comments on the issue.

[AngryAmish]

8. What did Jobs know and When did he know it?

This stinks.

[bobalew]

12. The Antenna Issue is REAL

The antenna issue stems from a galvanic response to the your hand's body mass which DOES swamp the Output signal. Those of you who say there is no issue, may necessarily NOT understand the propagation properties of a high frequency, Slot hopping RF protocol, and are simply in a very good RF reception area. Take to a 2 Bar location & try it, which by the way, is probably accurate at that point. It's the DB calculation formula in the signal bar indicator that has an Upward scale distortion. I have replicated the metallic sounding far end audio, and Tx dropouts, in Lab conditions, and can't get the same issue on a 3Gs. The Firmware in 4.0, however IS buggy, and needs some refinement. If you perform these tests in a Low signal area, you will drop a call, especially in a situation where the hand-off cell is also marginal in signal strength. The other bad secret being kept from us, is that there's a major manufacturing Quality issue, with bad solder joints, etc. causing a lot of these problems. That's why when it works; it work fairly well, but when it doesn't, it's crap.

[AngryAmish]

13. owww, owww electrical engineering, my head, my head...

[TheDebbieDee]

16. Isn't Caballero the Spanish word for Gentleman? Just wondering.........