Ok, so apparently, HTC’s Windows Phone 7-powered HD7 may (as shown in various user-submitted videos on YouTube) suffer from signal loss if you choke it in a death grip. HTC just issued a statement that pretty much explains what we already know about the modern mobile phone: signal loss is inevitable if you hold your phone wrong. Not that they didn’t test out the probability that you happen to be one of those people who just can’t hold a phone properly, mind you. They specifically positioned the antennas in the area least likely to be affected by your hand or face getting in the way of a good signal, so don’t hate the phone if you suffer from signal loss. Hate the laws of wireless communications. HTC’s statement after the break.
Remember the huge “antennagate” mess that followed the early iPhone 4 launch? You know, the issue that caused signal drops when people held their phones a certain way, which may or may not be the reason why the next iPhone won’t be coming with the 4’s wrap-around external antenna design. Anyway, we all thought that was over with when Apple showed (kind of) that a lot of other phones can be death-gripped too. While it might not be such a big deal now (despite the antenna issues, Apple still managed to sell millions of iPhone 4s anyway), here’s something new: the death grip affects the Windows Phone 7 platform too. Specifically, HTC’s HD7, as shown in the video. That’s a pity, since the HD7 still looks pretty good, and is still probably the best WP7 phone you can pick up today. But seriously, just don’t hold it that way and you should be fine.
Motorola’s Droid 2 has only been out for a few days, but a considerable number of users have reported that the Droid 2 seems to be suffering from an antenna or signal-related issue. Antennagate for Android? Maybe. Actually, this is different from the iPhone 4’s antenna problem; that was triggered when you held the iPhone the ‘wrong way.’ The Droid 2’s problem—at least for some units—happens even when it’s just lying down on the table.
We all thought this was over after Apple took hits from just about every other big mobile brand then hit back with a demo page that shows that every one else has an antenna problem. Since Apple can’t change the way the iPhone 4 was designed, they then came out with the free bumper case program that hands out a free case to iPhone 4 owners as a solution. Apparently, “the solution” can still be tweaked to Motorola’s favor: they came out with a new ad (full image after the break) that shows the Droid X following a casual “no jacket required” dress code. Clever.
This is still going on? We all thought Apple kind of made their point when they demonstrated that other phones (specifically, the BlackBerry Bold 9700, Droid Eris, and Samsung Omnia II) also suffered from the death grip, but apparently, there’s room for more when they added the Nokia N97 mini and now, the Droid X to the list. The video demo on Apple’s smartphone antenna performance page shows that even the great Droid X’s signal can be choked out if you hold it in that really awkward, I’m-determined-to-prove-a-point way.
