I know how to fix the iPhone 4

Really. I figured it out.

I took the bumper off and, as before, in my poor reception house the signal drops to no signal if I hold the phone comfortably in my hand.

But, if I hold the phone gripping its upper two-thirds instead of normal bottom two-thirds, the signal does not drop. That’s because my hand is not conducting the signal from one antenna to another.

There are three antennas on the iPhone. One begins on the top near the headphone jack and goes most of the way down the left side. Another begins at the same place on the top — there is a slim black separator between them — and goes most of the way down the right side. The third antenna curves from the lower left around the bottom to the lower right, again with a separator between it and the others on each side. See illustration below.

Normally you would hold the phone with your hand around the bottom two-thirds. Then if the phone slips, there is a margin to catch it. And it seems balanced that way. But that is where the separators are. And if you hold the phone in a way that conducts the signal across the separator, the signal drops.

It seems to me this could be resolved if Apple put the antenna that’s currently across the bottom, across the top instead. Then the separators on each side would be well above your fingers and palm in a normal grip.

Could it possibly be this simple? (I realize it might require re-arranging the insides.)

What should I charge Apple for my consultation?

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Note the three separators: one near the bottom on each side, and one just to the right of the headphone jack on the top. It’s the bottom left separator that — when covered by your hand so that the signal is conducted — seems to diminish the reception.

5 thoughts on “I know how to fix the iPhone 4”

  1. Actually I believe there are only own two antennas. The cellular antenna is on the right and goes all the way from the top and along the bottom. The separator on the right bottom is there for aesthetic purposes. Thus, the death grip only happens on the left side when your bridge the cellular antenna to the everything-else antenna.

  2. The FCC dictates that the cellular radio be in the bottom portion of the phone due to radio emissions…. The FCC wants this radio the furthest from your brain as possible for obvious reasons.

  3. Obvious Reasons? Nevermind….

    I just wanted to say one thing. I am sure it will not be posted but here it is anyway.

    I find it very distasteful, that you folks would continue to attack me after I have been banned. You win be happy, why attack the defenseless? Childish and Chicken if you ask me. Now I could if I cared enough continue to log in with a different ip every hour if I so chose, not my style.

    I am certain if this is posted it will be more fodder for the ignorant and unarmed.

    But, as I have said before I am not easily offended, I would have to care far more than I do.

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