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Verizon iPhone Also Haunted By the Death Grip

Posted by samzenpus on from the here-we-go-again dept.

adeelarshad82 writes "Turns out that the Verizon iPhone 4 is also plagued with the same problem as the AT&T version, the 'Death Grip.' This isn't completely surprising since Apple has made no significant changes in the antenna design to warrant a permanent fix. As a result, the 'Death grip' causes a drop in 3G data performance as well as the Wi-Fi performance. What's strange is that the Death Grip gives inconsistent results which is why analysts don't view this as a big problem for Apple, chalking up the news as 'bloggers looking for something to write about.' Analysts also argue that Apple sold millions of AT&T iPhone 4's last year and despite the media-furor, consumers did not line up at Apple Stores demanding refunds."

9 of 191 comments (clear)

  1. This is certainly not news by AndyAndyAndyAndy · · Score: 5, Insightful

    "This isn't completely surprising since Apple has made no significant changes in the antenna design to warrant a permanent fix."
    You know, there's a saying about doing the same thing over and expecting a different result...

    --
    It's always confirmation bias!
  2. Bloggers by bonch · · Score: 1, Insightful

    bloggers looking for something to write about.

    Like Slashdot?

    The so-called "death grip" also affected non-iPhones, as demonstrated by countless YouTube videos at the time. It was a non-story.

  3. er... by Wrexs0ul · · Score: 3, Insightful

    "despite the media-furor, consumers did not line up at Apple Stores demanding refunds"

    Of course not. The tech savvy waited for their free case, and the knuckle-dragging hipsters bought a fashionable iGlove.

    How exactly are Analysts still getting paid to analyze this?

    -Matt

    --
    --- Need web hosting?
  4. Apple users... by syousef · · Score: 4, Insightful

    ...are some of the most loyal on the planet. My experience is that a lot of them buy the device to be trendy and not for it's functionality. In the same way that fashion brands for shoes, perfumes or clothing may not be functionally the best but are still sold because people have bought into the brand. So like other fashion victims Apple users when confronted will often insist the device just works flawlessly and that they've never had a problem even if it doesn't. A lot of them don't use any advanced functionality, so they're oblivious to restrictions.

    Apple's genius is in the marketing, like many of the big brands. It's easy to argue that McDonalds don't make the best burgers (and aren't as cheap as they once were!), Nike don't make the best shoes etc. yet they are still worth a mint and their product still sells in large numbers. It's not about phone engineering. It's about social engineering.

    Watch this get modded as troll/flamebait. It's not.

    --
    These posts express my own personal views, not those of my employer
    1. Re:Apple users... by hercubus · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Apple users are some of the most loyal on the planet...
      ... Apple users ... insist the device just works flawlessly and that they've never had a problem.

      As a loyal Apple customer enjoying my flawless devices, this is what I got out of your post.
      Why would anyone mod you troll?

      --
      -- How I want a drink, alcoholic of course, after the heavy lectures involving quantum mechanics.
    2. Re:Apple users... by RogerWilco · · Score: 5, Insightful

      It's not just branding, Apple in general makes stuff of very high quality and with a lot of effort in usability design. I've used many computers, laptops, mp3 players and mobile phones over the years. I bought and iPod in 2005, a Macbook Pro in 2007 and an iPhone in 2009. Before that my exposure to Apple had been limited to a couple of times at an aunt who owned one for DTP work. I have used nearly all flavours of Windows and Linux, over 50 different mobile phones (job related), over a dozen PDAs (Palm, WinCE PocketPC, WinMob). Only some stuff from IBM (now Lenovo) comes close in build quality.

      I'm not saying it never breaks or doesn't have design flaws sometimes, but in general it's a joy to use Apple products. The interfaces are very intuitive, consistent and a real effort has been made to minimize the effort you have to do to get to your goal. Sometimes at the expense of choice and features. The best example is still that when the iMac came out, it had just USB and Firewire, no Serial or Parallel ports, PS/2 or floppy drive. At the time they were laughed at, peripherals would never use USB and the floppy was essential. I think time proved that they were right.

      Since I started buying Apple, my "gadget hunger" has greatly diminished. The only thing I am considering is an iPad and I since bought a NAS for backup purposes. None of the other things I used to look at hold any interest to me any more, it just doesn't compete. The Apple stuff might be a bit on the expensive side, but because it has high end specs when new, they last very long, especially because Apple keeps providing software updates. My 4 year old Macbook is still fine, it's only got updated to OSX 10.6 from 10.4 for 29 euros. All the updates to my iPhone 3GS have been free. Between those two devices there isn't a single thing that I can't do, but want to do.

      I know that I'm sounding a bit like a fanboy, and maybe I am, but that's especially because I have used so many other devices from other manufacturers and none have given me as few reasons to want to throw it out the window as the Apple products I have.

      --
      RogerWilco the Adventurous Janitor
    3. Re:Apple users... by JoeytheSquid · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Let me guess, disgruntled Android user?

      More seriously though, Fanboyism is a fickle thing. I currently use iOS, Android and webOS. While I consider each platform to have its inherent strengths and weaknesses, I'm very aware that liking Apple in tech circles carries a certain amount of baggage. Apparently the platform can't be good and anyone who owns an Apple product is merely a sheep buying into marketing propaganda in their quest to be cool (which brings up a question, if I place an Apple sticker on my Kia Rio, do they cancel one another out? Or do they double up into a giant ball of lameness?).

      The funny thing is it goes beyond liking Apple. Criticizing Android can make you an iFan too. I offered up some fairly constructive criticism of my Archos tablet in a public forum and was essentially told to go home and spoon my iPad. However I don't own an iPad and spooning my Archos just proved to be uncomfortable for the both of us.

      Thankfully I've come to realize it's just an Android thing. When webOS users recently found out that we might be getting screwed out of the 2.0 updates for our legacy gear, just about everyone in the community was universally ticked. However when the same thing happens to a Android phone not getting an update to froyo, the hive mind heckles the dissenters. Apparently phones not getting updates is a good thing on Android because you're free to root it, void your warranty and install dodgy firmware made by some kid in his spare time.

      Anyway, I don't pretend to understand the hows or whys, and I've already written a book here, but there's just something about Apple and Android that doesn't mix. And it's a sad that there's not more mutual respect between the two camps because the mere existence of each platform ultimately benefits the other.

  5. Re:God here we go again.....all phones have the is by MobileTatsu-NJG · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The iphone 4 has a VERY real problem when you hold it not in some magical "death grip"....

    ... according to everybody but the owners of the phone.

    I get a little sick of the disingenuous fanboi defense...

    Look up the word 'sensationalism'

    --

    "I like to lick butts!" by MobileTatsu-NJG (#32700246) (Score:5, Informative)

  6. This just in... by joeyblades · · Score: 3, Insightful

    My Samsung Mythic is also 'haunted' by a death grip...

    My Blackberry Pearl (before that) - 'haunted' by a death grip...

    Ironically... daughter's iPhone 4 - no death grip...

    Somewhere, though already long since dead, a horse is continuously beaten... but the rest of the world moves on...