HTC Addresses HD7 Death Grip Issue

[Nurhisham Hussein]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.computerweekly.com/Articles/2010/12/02/244306/HTC-defends-HD7-handsets-after-antenna-problems-reported.htm' target='_blank'>http://www.computerweekly.com/Artic...ms-reported.htm</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"...it is inevitable that a phone's signal strength will weaken a little when covered in its entirety by a user's palm or fingers. We test all of our phones extensively and are confident that under normal circumstances reception strength and performance will be more than sufficient for the operation of the phone when network coverage is also adequate."</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/wpt/auto/1291437210.usr14226.jpg" style="border: 0px solid #d2d2bb;" /></p><p>It's been about a week since videos began circulating regarding a potential issue with the HD7's antenna. HTC's response, via Computer Weekly, appears to be - hey, it works, even if the bars aren't full. For the record, I've yet to run into any dropped calls or network issues no matter how I hold the phone, so it looks like HTC's largely right. Has anybody found reception getting worse if they hold the phone the "wrong" way?</p>

[Fritzly]

Yes it does; and if the phone has a case does not......... Sounds familiar?............

HTC reply surely does.........

[fgarcia10]

The weird part is that my old TV or radio would work better when I was holding the antenna, but for phones is a mortar sin.... :D

[Sven Johannsen]

Yes it does; and if the phone has a case does not......... Sounds familiar?............

HTC reply surely does.........Really? Works better with a case? That was a feature of the iPhone as the indication was that the metal band on the outside was integral to the antenna system. Made sense. Does it really mitigate the HD7 'issue'. Hadn't heard that confirmed. I suppose of it is body capacitance that is causing problems, just moving the body away a bit might help. I don't think this is an actual contact problem. Fact is the body, your head, your hand, attenuates/absorbes RF waves. More at certain frequencies than others. Really well at 2.4GHz the general area WiFi and BT and microwave ovens operate at. In any case, any phone will be subject to RF attenuation by the body. I have found that I can cause pretty much any phone I have to loose signal by gripping it a certain way. This is more noticeable in areas where the signal strength is questionable in the first place. That is of I've saturated the meter, like i'm in a 10 area and everything over 5, is 5 bars, dropping it to 9 or 8 doesn't even register. If though I'm in a 5 area, dropping to 4 or 3 shows up on the meter.

Part of the issue too is the bandwidth we are demanding. There is a relationship between power and bandwidth. Think of it as power per bit. If you are limited to the power you can produce, higher bandwidth results in less power per bit, and is more sensitive to poor reception.

Not apologizing for HTC by any means, but I really don't think this is a big issue, but it was one highlighted by the iPhone 4, and is exacerbated by the technology advances and consumer demands, both in increased capability and safety (reduced emmissions).

[Fritzly]

Yes, the case makes the difference.
Without the case signal loss; with the case no signal loss.
I tried several times and I can always reproduce it.

[Sven Johannsen]

Yes, the case makes the difference.
Without the case signal loss; with the case no signal loss.
I tried several times and I can always reproduce it.
Interesting. I certainly believe you, but it seems to imply that there is some physical contact with antenna elements without the case. Playing with mine with various materials between my hand an the HD7, I can get it to drop some bars most all the time. Slipped into a zip lock made almost no difference in the amount of reaction. The thicker I got, up to a Sena case made for an HP PPC, the fewer bars I was able to loose. Does seem to have something to do with the material and thickness, between the hand and device. You do exhibit capacitance which could conceivable de-tune an antenna system. It's the same quality that makes a theramin work. I'll still maintain that most every phone is subject to the same phenomena. Certainly some more than others.