July 12, 2010 1:29 PM

Consumer Reports: Why We Can't Recommend the iPhone 4

By
Charles Cooper
Topics
In The News ,
Tech Talk

Consumer Reports said on Monday that it could not recommend the iPhone 4 because of lingering reception problems.

The testing firm also challenged Apple's official explanation that explained issues with the Phone 4's signal-strength as due to software that "mistakenly displays 2 more bars than it should for a given signal strength."

When reports of problems with Apple's new device first surfaced, Consumer Reports at first informally gave the all-clear sign. But after its engineers put the iPhone 4 through a battery of tests, Consumer Reports said that was unwilling to recommend the unit:

"...We reached this conclusion after testing all three of our iPhone 4s (purchased at three separate retailers in the New York area) in the controlled environment of CU's radio frequency (RF) isolation chamber. In this room, which is impervious to outside radio signals, our test engineers connected the phones to our base-station emulator, a device that simulates carrier cell towers (see video: IPhone 4 Design Defect Confirmed). We also tested several other AT&T phones the same way, including the iPhone 3G S and the Palm Pre. None of those phones had the signal-loss problems of the iPhone 4.

Our findings call into question the recent claim by Apple that the iPhone 4's signal-strength issues were largely an optical illusion caused by faulty software that "mistakenly displays 2 more bars than it should for a given signal strength."

The tests also indicate that AT&T's network might not be the primary suspect in the iPhone 4's much-reported signal woes.

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In an interview with CBSNews.com, Mike Gikas, a senior editor at Consumer Reports, said that the iPhone 4 received high scores, generally. But he said the reception problem prevented Consumer Reports from recommending customers buy the unit, the first time it has refrained from recommending an iPhone.

"If Apple intimated this was a display problem because of software, that's not what our tests found," he said. "What Apple found may be true but that's not the problem. When you touch the phone there, there is significant signal loss."

In the meantime, Consumer Reports suggests a work-around: "Cover the antenna gap with a piece of duct tape or another thick, non-conductive material. It may not be pretty, but it works. We also expect that using a case would remedy the problem."

Apple did not return a request for comment.


  • Charles Cooper is an executive editor at CNET News. He has covered technology and business for more than 25 years, working at CBSNews.com, the Associated Press, Computer & Software News, Computer Shopper, PC Week, and ZDNet. E-mail Charlie.

Add a Comment See all 26 Comments
by searchlackey July 13, 2010 1:27 PM EDT
I have heard a lot of mixed reactions about the iPhone4
Reply to this comment
by mcapek July 13, 2010 1:03 PM EDT
CR does not financially invest in ANY company or business ventures, that is how they remain unbiased and objective, using only the results from independent testing to keep the consumer better informed.
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Maybe so, but I have found their reviews and testing methods weird and frequently not useful to me at all. E.g. they said Subzero refrigirators are so-so in quality; I think vast majority of Subzero owners will strongly disagree with that.
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by pcimaging July 13, 2010 11:27 AM EDT
I believe the iPhone 4 is a great piece of electronics. The fact that this phone has this signal strength issue is a disappointment but by no means a deal breaker. It has been demonstrated that using a case will resolve the problem. If you own this phone and you do not put it in a case you are asking for much bigger problems. If that is asking too much then I have to believe there are some who just like to wine. I do think due to the fact that this has ben shown to take care of the problem that Apple might offer a 30 or 40 dollar coupon good for the purchase price of a case.
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by Logical_person July 13, 2010 11:50 AM EDT
That I could live with.
by geekthemighty July 13, 2010 10:30 AM EDT
Dear Apple: If the stairs are broken, the solution is not to pad the floor. Don't be an *******. Thank you.
Reply to this comment
by Logical_person July 13, 2010 8:07 AM EDT
I find this whole thing silly. who has such a phone and it is not in a case. If duct tape can fix it don't you think putting it in a case will? Come on now CBS and Consumer Report apple makes a case "Bumper" and soooooooo many after market cases put the phone in a case. http://www.google.com/search?q=iphone+4+cases&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a
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by Jhihmoac July 13, 2010 7:34 AM EDT
I missed the boat with iPhone V1...So what's with all the Broo-Ha? Just another expensive toy I can't afford, nor really want...
Reply to this comment
by hbullis July 13, 2010 7:20 AM EDT
I've never been an Apple fan but if I had bought one and had the signal problems and listened as Apple said I should go buy a $30 cover to fix their problem, I would go bezerk. That takes arrogance and b___s.

How could Apple not know? They forget the primary use is as a cellphone? The signal bar software is wrong algorithm? Please...
Reply to this comment
by shameonbush July 13, 2010 3:43 AM EDT
Apple should have recalled them. It's ridiculous. I talked to someone that can "get reception" if he "holds it in his left hand, but can't get any reception when he holds it with his right hand." Lol, you couldn't give me one of those, it spells nothing but agravation.
Reply to this comment
by Fuxker July 12, 2010 10:20 PM EDT
Like most iPhone 4 owners, i have had many issues such as "Dropping calls and bad signal reception" that nearly drive me crazy. Then i tried total protection with a couple of cases from a site. http://www.sourcingmap.com/iphone4-cases-c-983_2036.html The protective cases work well and take care of the reception issue even when my palm touches the left edge of the phone. I think it would be a good compromise to buy a case which covers the full body of iPhone.
Reply to this comment
by roadracer9x July 12, 2010 11:14 PM EDT
I recently bought an iPhone 4 after owning an iPhone 3G for 2 years. In my office where I cannot get FM reception and AM is spotty at best, I get 2 bars BUT I still can send and receive calls and text messages with no problem. I tried every method suggested on the web for causing the signal to drop but even if my hands are wet with water and I cover the entire bottom with both hands the signal strength was unchanged. I tried the same things with my wife's iPhone 4 and still could not duplicate the problem. To me this suggests that the problem may exist on some phones of particular manufacturing date codes but not all iPhones. I plan to buy a case just to protect the phone from dropping it as I have done several times on airplanes with the old one without any ill effect, but I think jumping to conclusions that this problem is as widespread as reported may be premature.
by andacar July 12, 2010 11:41 PM EDT
But that's like saying, "I love my car, and its wheels occasionally fall off. But the dealer told me it's no big deal as long as I spend another $400.00 and buy aftermarket wheelcovers." If it was anybody else but an Apple fanatic, they'd be livid. The iPhone shouldn't NEED any additional items to function properly.
by spartyb July 12, 2010 5:54 PM EDT
LOL!! duct taping your phone to improve the signal- too funny.
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