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Does the Death Grip Kill the Verizon iPhone Too?

- By - Source : Tom's Guide US

It seems so.

The big issue when the iPhone 4 first released was what's known as the "death grip" that killed reception when contact is made with the lower portion of the external antenna.

After nearly 8 months of the release of the GSM model, one would figure that the revised hardware inside the iPhone 4 for Verizon would make it much more hardy against attenuation.

Early reviews of the phone indicate that it does get a more reliable signal from Verizon; but now those who have the phone in hand, literally, they are seeing that the revised antenna still isn't immune to attenuation. Granted, no phone is immune to having its signal blocked, even if it's by a water-filled bag such as own flesh.

Granted, most people don't hold their phones with a "death grip" while using them, so it's not as bad in real world use. Using a case also seems to alleviate most of the problems, which points to a fundamental issue of Apple's external antenna design.

Check out the video from iLounge below.

Does the Death Grip Kill the Verizon iPhone Too?

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dwave 02/13/2011 8:40 PM
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Your STILL holding it wrong.

silver565 02/13/2011 8:43 PM
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dom9360 02/13/2011 8:46 PM
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The iphone 4 has almost exactly the same hardware on both carriers. The next iphone will most likely address this issue. I've played with both iphones, and there isn't much of a difference aside from the software upgrade. Well, there is that no data while talking "feature." I'm waiting for the next release, hopefully, coming soon. That's where the action will be. It will be interesting to see if Apple will make a "world" phone where all bands will be integrated so as not to make different models for each network.

silver565 02/13/2011 8:48 PM
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It'll be revolutionary

sseyler 02/13/2011 9:04 PM
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silver565 :
I don't see how changing network affects the hardware death grip.I love americans and their conclusions



The Verizon iPhone has been updated slightly from the iPhone 4 on AT&T's network. A natural question to ask would be: "Did Apple end up fixing the reception problem in their refreshed iPhone they're selling for Verizon's network?"

Your conclusion about Americans is pure irony.

JOSHSKORN 02/13/2011 9:28 PM
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Wow I've always poked fun at this iPhone 4 problem without really understanding exactly what the death grip looks like. I've always held my cell phone (not an iPhone, let alone version 4) like this supposed death grip only because it was comfortable to do so. I have big hands. Having that said, I'm glad I didn't waste my money on an iPhone 4 with AT&T or Verizon. I'm looking toward a cell phone with Android 3.0 on it, which isn't out yet, but I'm not in a big hurry, as my Omnia works fine still.

mianmian 02/13/2011 9:39 PM
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Anandtech.com reviewed the Verizon Iphone4, They found that the grip tightly will reduce signal about 10db, which is about the same as many other phones. AT&T Iphone4's signal drops 15db, which is know as the death grip.

songemu 02/13/2011 9:54 PM
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Anandtech's review is far more in-depth and useful... At least he actually measure the dB drop. It's reduced from the original iPhone 4, and reasonable compared to that or other smartphones.

gnookergi 02/13/2011 10:31 PM
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dom9360 :
^^^^ Sorry guys, posted multiple times by accident.


Shame on you!

jimmysmitty 02/13/2011 10:47 PM
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silver565 :
I don't see how changing network affects the hardware death grip.I love americans and their conclusions



It wasn't the change of carriers that made people think it would be solved. Its the fact that the iPhone 4 has been out over 6 months and has ahd the known issue which would mean you would think Apple would try to actualy solve the issue.

Nothing to do with Americans jumping to the wrong conclusion. Its the right conclusion to jump to. That they would try to fix it.

But I wouldn't expect Apple to. I expected them to just take the iPhone 4 and add CDMA to it. They are a pretty bad company. Not like Intel who is recalling all the bad chipsets even though the majority of users wont see the issue. Thats what a good company does.

Apple probably still sees the cover as a fix when its really just a temporary patch.

mediv42 02/13/2011 11:12 PM
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silver565 :
I don't see how changing network affects the hardware death grip.I love americans and their conclusions



You think we're so different? The difference is that I'm not going to assume everyone in your country is an ignorant, condescending a-hole just because of you.
Is that a poor conclusion too?

Getting tired of comments like that being socially acceptable, so long as they're against americans. By the way, they could easily have sent verizon a new hardware revision.

oncall 02/14/2011 12:04 PM
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So to summarize:
1) The laws of physics still apply (I am indeed relieved to hear this).
2) The problem is still fodder for useless articles pointing out the laws of physics still apply.

oncall 02/14/2011 12:12 PM
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Anonymous 02/14/2011 12:24 PM
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All the stories on this had me worried... Given the horrible A&TT service in my area, proximity sensor issues Apple couldn't seem to fix, the lack of option to use my iPhone 4 without the bumper... was just about to give up on iPhone for something android.

So glad I waited it out for Verizon.

I have zero attenuation problems.

Service has been excellent (one bar off full in both my home and office, while my AT&T iphone 4 is one bar off no signal). Off to eBay my AT&T iPhone now...

Now I can user interface, the plethora of apps, enjoy the phone's aesthetic ALL WHILE BEING A PHONE!!!

toastninja17 02/14/2011 12:43 PM
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AAAHAHAA.
Really, no surprise though. It's the SAME HARDWARE but with a slightly modified antenna to accommodate Verizon's CDMA network.

Stryter 02/14/2011 12:54 PM
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silver565 :
I don't see how changing network affects the hardware death grip.I love americans and their conclusions



And because of this article, you jump to a conclusion about all Americans. Yea, that totally wasn't an ironic, douchebag comment.

house70 02/14/2011 1:55 AM
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otacon72 :
It's a different design moron. No it is NOT the same hardware if you had actually done any research before sounding like an idiot you'd know the baseband chip is different which will be compatible with Verizon's LTE network. What the hell does a modified antenna have to do with Verizon's network compatibly? My fiance has Verizon's iPhone and it works great. I'll be getting the LTE version when it comes out this fall. She just had to have it now..lol


Listen, smart pants, the design is the same. The fact that the baseband chip is different does not mean $hit. The design flaw is still there and has nothing to do with the chip itself, it's related to your smart skin shorting the metallic case and changing he impedance (look that term up, it's there somewhere) of the antenna. That's because the case is the antenna, and therefore if you touch it and short out the 2 ends with your skin, it changes it's electrical properties. If you don't believe me, get an internal TV antenna and start touching the metallic parts together and see what happens. It's all there in the physics, if you had enough sense to look it up instead of calling someone a moron.

captaincharisma 02/14/2011 3:51 AM
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longshotthe1st 02/14/2011 3:57 AM
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silver565 :
I don't see how changing network affects the hardware death grip.I love americans and their conclusions


You have a problem with Americans? What country are you from?

JD13 02/14/2011 4:02 AM
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The best resolution is to not to buy one in the first place.....

mayankleoboy1 02/14/2011 4:09 AM
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tool late.
i phone 5 is coming out soon.

eraser_rx 02/14/2011 4:37 AM
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i can feel the iphone saying "let go of me, you are choking me...keu keu"

silver565 02/14/2011 5:59 AM
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captaincharisma :
careful silver55, one of the posters might try to sue you for verbal abuse. after all suing the pants off people is the American way these days LOL



It looks that way haha

Americans will still complain. It's what they do. Why do you think they have to out source a lot of things? Because they think they're worth so much. Did you know they don't even make light bulbs in their own country anymore?

Apple will call the product revolutionary AGAIN --facepalm--

Btw. I'm from New Zealand. We do things right

jimmysmitty 02/14/2011 6:32 AM
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silver565 :
It looks that way hahaAmericans will still complain. It's what they do. Why do you think they have to out source a lot of things? Because they think they're worth so much. Did you know they don't even make light bulbs in their own country anymore?Apple will call the product revolutionary AGAIN --facepalm--Btw. I'm from New Zealand. We do things right



Seriously? You have a problme because Americans can speak out against a product that has defects? Its better to be able to speak our minds than give in like most other countries do.

Why the hell do you even bring up Americans? It has nothing to do with the people and more to do with the question of if Apple fixed the problem or not

Besides it was a major flaw. The phone would lose almost all of its signal just by holding it a certain way.

But I guess you are the kind that will be happy when a company tries to screew you. You must love paying for bandwidth caps while there are those out there who pay less for a higher speed with unlimited bandwidth.

Guess you would never complain to your ISP that you are getting screwed.

silver565 02/14/2011 7:00 AM
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zoridon 02/14/2011 7:47 AM
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Death grip peoples of the world Unite!! I demand the ability to use the dreaded "Death Grip" I was born to use the "Death Grip" Every time someone mentions apple and freedom in the same sentence my eye twitches and my hand goes involuntarily into the "Death Grip". I long to put the neck of dictators, communists, and facists in the "Death Grip" I think I and a great deal of Americans are being descriminated against, we want our Death Grip and we want it now! Preferably on the necks of anti freedom loving pinko's and the I phone 4. (P.S) or anyone that try's to correct my grammar since they are Nazi's. mahahahahaaaaa

alyoshka 02/14/2011 8:37 AM
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More like Death Gripe......

Razor512 02/14/2011 10:34 AM
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Thats what apple gets for not knowing that multiple antennas and skin do not go together.

Why not just add a thin layer of plastic over the antennas, it will give then a glossy finish and also fix the problem.

or get plastic that looks like the antennas and move the antennas further in, there is enough space around the device to make it smaller, they can recess the antenna further then make a plastic antenna lookalike to go over it so it looks mostly the same but with out the problem.

lashton 02/14/2011 12:21 PM
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i wish there was a death grip on iphone and apple news of which this site is getting a bad name from

lamorpa 02/14/2011 2:45 PM
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@Marcus: Granted, you use 'granted' a lot...

TEAMSWITCHER 02/14/2011 2:59 PM
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I've had my Verizon iPhone for four days now, and I cannot make the death grip happen. I think that it must only be applicable in areas with poor reception to begin with. I've been very impressed with the iPhone, it truly is a great device. Over the weekend I went to Best Buy and noticed that the iPhone was the only phone that was real and running. All others were display models with home screen stickers to show the user interface - how very, very lame!

My advice to the world is to ignore anti-apple BS and get an iPhone, it still is the best, and Apple isn't afraid to let you play with one. The competition want's you to just think they are....