Consumer Reports, notorious for reviewing products and putting electronics devices through the grinder, said today that they cannot recommend the iPhone 4 due to an antenna defect. After reviewing the iPhone 4, they claim that the antenna, when blocked, can cause the iPhone 4 to drop the signal and the call.
According to a blog post over at the site, Consumer Reports were able to replicate the problems that many people have been reporting since day one of the iPhone 4 launch.
Using some high tech equipment in an RF (radio frequency) isolated room, they were able to bombard the iPhone 4 with a fake AT&T signal. When they covered the side of the device, the signal dropped. And if you think they got hold of a bad iPhone, think again. They tried this with three devices all purchased from different stores in New York.
The bottom line: they couldn't recommend the device because of its antenna defect. They did offer a quick fix that was originally reported by Chris Pirillo, which is to cover the affected side of the device with non-conductive tape. This, however, makes your brand-new iPhone a little less aesthetically pleasing.
You can watch the Consumer Reports video (embedded below) and read the full details on the Consumer Reports blog.