One iPhone 4 user has come up with an ingenious–and dirt cheap–solution to the antenna glitch reported by many early adopters of Apple‘s latest smartphone: Scotch Tape.
As demonstrated in the short video below, YouTube member “chedacheese” claims that two strategically applied strips of common household tape can fix the signal glitch that results in dropped calls when you hold an iPhone 4 a certain way.
Specifically, when you cover the bottom-left edge of the phone with your palm — a method popular with lefties — you may significantly degrade the phone’s network signal, as PCWorld’s Mark Sullivan learned firsthand.
The problem centers on Apple’s new exposed antenna design, which is subject to human interference. According to published reports, Apple has fessed up to the design flaw, and has suggested that users simply avoid covering up the handset’s lower left corner.
Another option is the buy a rubber-and-plastic bumper for the iPhone that shields the device from human contact. And Apple will sell you one for only…$29. (Imagine the mark-up there.)
Too pricey? Bring on the Scotch Tape! The key, it seems, is to cover the black strip on each side of the iPhone.
“I have used some Scotch Tape to hold onto the sides here, and it actually keeps the signal bars steady,” says chedachese in his out-of-focus video. “We’ve got full signal strength here. We are holding the device in its normal spots, and it is keeping the signal bars pretty steady. It’s pretty well taped on the sides. And no other place but on the sides.”
.As of Sunday afternoon, PCWorld has yet to verify the Scotch Tape solution, and we haven’t been able to reach Apple for comment. But iPhone 4 users suffering from dropped calls and poor network coverage may want to give it a try.
Drawbacks? Well, it’s ain’t pretty. The iPhone 4 has a gorgeous industrial design, and the Scotch Tape fix is almost like taking a Sharpie to the Mona Lisa.