Apple adds Droid X to antenna testing page

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Apple adds Droid X to antenna testing page

Apple has added a new section focused on the Motorola Droid X to its smartphone antenna performance page. Apple’s testing shows the Droid X dropping from three bars down to no bars of service when phone is held in such a way that the user’s hand is blocking the majority of the bottom back portion of the device. Following Apple’s iPhone 4 press conference, Sanjay Jha, co-CEO of Motorola, said, “Consumers don’t like being told how to hold the phone ... It is disingenuous to suggest that all phones perform equally.” In addition, the prior-generation Motorola Droid was at the heart of the “iDon’t” advertising campaign aimed at the iPhone in late 2009.

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Comments

1

OK we get it the “death Grip” will drop bars on any phone. The problem APPLE is that just holding the iPhone 4 will drop calls because you put the seem that’s between both antenna right where it’s natural to hold the phone. Get away from there “Death Grip” BS and do testing with just holding the phone.

It’s not about dropping bars it’s about dropping CALLS!!! I drop way more calls than I did with the 3G or any other phone I have ever had. you say 1% more calls are dropped well they must all be my calls because I get dropped calls on st about every call I make now. Sometimes 2-3X I have to call a person back.

try testing in the real world rather than an isolated environment without interference.

Posted by Johnny L on July 26, 2010 at 9:42 AM (PDT)

2

Ok, but my experience is the opposite. With my iPhone 4 I get a signal in places I never got one with the 3GS, and the reliability of that signal is also way better. For example at the train station I wait at every day. With my iPhone 4 I get a completely reliable signal whereas with my 3GS the signal would go up, it would go down, and it would be 5 bars, it would be 0 bars, it would be all over the place, and the performance was terrible even when it worked. With the 4 I get a signal no matter where I am in the station and I’ve even been streaming music in the background while browsing the web in the foreground. For me, the iPhone 4 has performed better, not worse.

I wonder if your dropped calls where due to the proximity sensor issue and not really the signal? I imagine the proximity sensor is fixable via firmware update, and in any case my iPhone doesn’t seem to have that issue, so maybe they tweaked it in phones after the initial release. It might be worth trying an exchange to see if the replacement is free of the problem.

The other possibility is that you are getting a signal where you didn’t before, but that signal is very weak, as is likely the case. In those areas, yes, you have to be aware of how you hold the phone or should use a case. However, with the 3GS you might not of had a signal in the first place - you can’t drop a call you can’t make in the first place! Of course if that’s not the case for you then maybe you just have a faulty iPhone 4, and again should try a replacement. It’s worth a shot. My iPhone 4 has been fantastic.

Posted by SteveJ (not obs ;) on July 26, 2010 at 11:39 AM (PDT)

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