iPhone 4 problems

Does your iPhone 4 suffer from the "grip of death" antenna issue? Just google iPhone 4 antenna and see the plethora of hits.

Basically there are loads of people saying their iPhone is afflicted by a problem where if you hold the phone in such a way as to touch both parts of the antenna (the steel band that folds around the edge of the phone) on the lower left side of the phone across the black band break, the signal will slowly (or quickly in some cases) degrade to the point where any signal is lost and if on a call, the call dropped.

I can't lose the signal completely, but certainly the bars do drop. Apple have been accused of not testing the phone properly - in the wild, pre release, testing was done with cases disguising the phone and ace would negate this effect. Apple's respons eis that it's a software issue - and has been universally derided.

Whatever the reality, Apple's kudo has been dented, and they need to do something about it and quickly. Some blogs and websites are implying a mass recall is imminent, whilst others say Apple supplying free "Bumper" cases (normally retailing at £25 in the UK) would assuage unhappy owners. Others again say there isn't an issue - or if there is, it's only with AT&T's network in the US.

So no definitive problem, or solution - yet. Watch this space.

To make matters worse, a lot of people are also reporting problems with the devices proximity sensor. This is a sensor that detects when you are holding the phone to your face on a call and blanks (or is supposed to) the screen. The reported problems are that the sensor isn't working properly, and touching the phone screen with your face can mute, or worse, end a call. I haven't experienced this problem, but I know people that have. Another one for Apple to dwell on.

Software fixes for both problems are mooted, but most people seem to think it's a hardware issue.

Apple need to sort this out - their shares are already falling based on the bad publicity they're getting, and I can't see Steve Jobs wanting to brazen this one out.