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The rumor mill continues to churn around the iPhone 4, particularly regarding the now-infamous "death grip." As can be observed in many videos posted to YouTube and other websites, consumers are able to easily replicate a problem in which touching the metal band around the edge of the unit in a particular spot on the left-hand side causes reception bars to disappear and calls to be dropped.
Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL), for its part, has responded in a variety of ways, but none of them seem wholly satisfactory to all stakeholders. The most official is a July 2 letter addressed to iPhone 4 users that details how a software glitch causes the operating system to miscalculate the number of reception bars displayed on the phone's screen.
Now, though, reports are popping up that Apple is deleting threads particularly critical of Apple from its website 
discussion boards. A post to the "The Unofficial Apple Weblog" from Monday evening details six such threads. At least one thread was cached on Bing and thus still is
available to read. It's titled "Consumer Reports puts the smackdown on iPhone 4."
Software Claim Disputed
The latest chapter in the death-grip saga begins here: Consumer Reports posted an entry on Monday to its Electronics Blog that stated, referring to the antenna and reception concerns, "Due to this problem, we can't recommend the iPhone 4."
Interestingly, however, Consumer Reports also -- on the same day -- placed the device at the top of its "Ratings of Smart Phones" list based on scores it received in a variety of areas.
What is receiving far less attention than the "not recommended" rating is the fact that Consumer Reports actually disputes Apple on the software-glitch point. After testing a variety of AT&T (NYSE: T) phones in a controlled environment, engineers found that the iPhone did in fact suffer reception problems -- not just drops in bars displayed.
"Our findings call into question the recent claim by Apple that the iPhone 4's signal-strength issues were largely an optical illusion," says Consumer Reports' Mike Gikas.
Gikas goes on to recommend that users can fix the problem with that most ubiquitous of repair tools: duct tape. Many posters to blogs and discussion boards have suggested that a silicon bumper or case for the device does a good job, too.
Still, Apple faces a public relations problem on this front, Alex Spektor, analyst with Strategy Analytics, told MacNewsWorld.
"The early-July public letter about the software glitch was a good first step, but if it turns out that Apple misrepresented some information, it could be potentially damaging to the vendor's reputation," he said. "Given all of the smartphone alternatives on the market today, consumers now have the option to think twice before buying the iPhone."
Problem Overblown?
Whether software- or hardware-based, the death grip problem is "getting blown way out of proportion," according to Carl Howe, director with the Yankee Group.
"Even with this so-called serious defect and its inability to recommend it," Howe told MacNewsWorld, "Consumer Reports rates the iPhone 4 as the best phone you can buy."
A variety of weak signal and user problems have plagued the mobile phone industry for years, Howe pointed out, but none of them have slowed adoption, and this one doesn't seem to be slowing sales of the iPhone 4 at all.
"We'll have better data next week when Apple reports earnings, but my estimate at this point is that iPhone 4 is probably the best and fastest-selling mobile phone of all time, despite the media storm about this antenna problem," he stressed.
The Song Remains the Same
Whether or not Apple has indeed removed some threads, discussion of the antenna saga continues to swirl on the Support area for iPhone at Apple's website as of this writing. One thread -- "Should I return my iPhone 4 because of reception problems???" -- was begun on June 26 and has more than 30 replies.
Another thread -- "During call, face is hitting Mute, End, Contacts, etc. buttons" -- details
problems that users are having when dialing calls and then placing the phone to their ears to have conversations. Sensors for the touchscreen generally black out the screen in this case, but customers who have both new iPhone 4G units and also earlier devices that have been upgraded to iOS4 are reporting lost calls.
