“Apple is a premier design innovator, but more extensive device tests are often necessary to observe these behaviors and identify a remedy before launching a product,” Riggle said. “Frequently, it works better if the OEM can focus on the coolness of the design and the rich feature content and leave wireless performance to those whose sole focus is RF.”
Apple’s integrated antenna design utilizes the metal housing of the outer enclosure as a physical antenna, which allows for a compact design with a larger screen and battery.
However, the chief causes of reception problems – i.e. gaps between the multiple antenna elements that allow for multi-frequency operation, and the antenna being exposed to the user’s touch – could have been fixed with a non-conductive coating applied to the metal ring to protect the antennas from signal loss when the user touches the gap, Riggle said.
As for the “death grip” problem, other smartphone makers have been warning their users of similar issues for some time – at least in the user manuals, according to Macworld associate editor Dave Chartier.
In a blog launched Monday called Don’t Hold It Wrong, Chartier has been posting screenshots from smartphone manuals advising users on the location of the antenna, and that holding the smartphone a certain way can impact the RF signal.
Handset models named in the blog include Nokia (N97, E52 and E63), HTC (Droid Eris, Touch, Hero), Sony Ericsson (W600i, W350i) and Pantech (Matrix, Impact).