Nokia releases official statement about antenna design

By on Jul 16, 2010 at 5:45 PM
General July 16, 2010

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Fresh out of the OEM peanut gallery, Nokia has released an official statement about how rigorous and careful they are with antenna design. The statement lets you know that Nokia “was the pioneer in internal antennas” and “has invested thousands of man hours in studying human behavior.” The press release also goes on to say that Nokia will always “prioritize antenna performance over physical design if they are ever in conflict.” The statement comes on the heels of today’s Apple media event, where CEO Steve Jobs waxed poetic about “Nokia phones” with stickers that say “don’t touch here” on them. We’ve got the full press release for you after the bounce.

As we’ve all seen, Apple had mentioned Nokia in their press conference today regarding the iPhone4. I wanted to take a moment and send you a statement regarding Nokia’s own antenna design and function.

Antenna design is a complex subject and has been a core competence at Nokia for decades, across hundreds of phone models. Nokia was the pioneer in internal antennas; the Nokia 8810, launched in 1998, was the first commercial phone with this feature.

Nokia has invested thousands of man hours in studying human behavior, including how people hold their phones for calls, music playing, web browsing and so on. As you would expect from a company focused on connecting people, we prioritize antenna performance over physical design if they are ever in conflict.

In general, antenna performance of a mobile device/phone may be affected with a tight grip, depending on how the device is held. That’s why Nokia designs our phones to ensure acceptable performance in all real life cases, for example when the phone is held in either hand. Nokia has invested thousands of man hours in studying how people hold their phones and allows for this in designs, for example by having antennas both at the top and bottom of the phone and by careful selection of materials and their use in the mechanical design.

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  • gcheval

    Apple is bitching the other compagnies: Here’s the response

    • NuShrike

      I’ve had conversations where the wisdom is your problems are all your own. You can’t use others as excuses for your issues, nor to say you’re just par.

      This is certainly low of Job who has continually stated Apple is ahead of the herd, about face claim they’re the same …

    • Ignitros

      All I have to say is that as a someone who has been selling cellular phones since 1990 and as a consumer I cannot EVER recall a company with a VERY popular phone that has a hardware issue like the one the iPhone 4 is having with its antenna and rather than accepting the problem… apologizing for their mistake then taking prompt measures to fix it. Their going out of their way in the case of CEO Steve Jobs to make sure that everyone knows that their phone isn’t the “only” phone with antenna problems, that “you need to hold your phone correctly”, that this new phone with “greatly improved recpeption over previous models” is only slightly worse in dropped calls than the previous models? Then they offer to “fix” the issue by providing a free case to anyone affected? What if I don’t like to use my phone with a protective sleeve? Am I just screwed? This just seems crazy that in this day and age that people aren’t up in arms and the Consumer Protection Agency hasn’t stepped in to help move this process along.

      Apple just needs to stop passing the buck…. man up and take one swift kick the the groin… err GIANT ego they have and fix the problem, be done with it, save face, move on, use this as a learning experience and never make the same mistake again.

  • MikeD

    Fair enough for Nokia to respond.

    Plus Nokia has had antenna issues before. What Apple could learn is look at how quickly Nokia has responded.

    • Kent

      Youtube this search term Nokia death grip. That is all.

      • Daniel

        And then search iPhone4 death grip. You only need to place a finger on iphone and he loses *all* reception. Goes from full reception bar to nill. And on the Nokia you basically need to hold the entire phone so it loses 1~2 bars out of 5. That’s not exactly losing reception to the point of missing a call or getting a call dropped, is it?

      • Greg

        I guess these Nokia fanboys can’t take it that their products are just as bad as the iphone. Too bad iphone blows them out of the water.

  • ikkieman

    So? They say they spend money on it. Big deal? I’m guessing Apple does this aswell. They don’t say anything about not having a so-called ‘death grip’ and not have any attenuation of the signal.

    • Berry

      have you heard about people complaining about nokia phones dropping the calls?

      • agd

        has any nokias phone been as succesful as the iphone?

      • sfh

        Most sold cell phone in the world is Nokia 1100, which has sold over 200 million pcs.

      • Greg

        Wow because it is a throw away phone that probably cost $5 to make. Give me a break we are talking about smart phones not phones terrorists buy to use and throw away.

      • JonHolstein

        Nokia 3310/233 sold over 120 million units.

        Guess what, motorola sold 75 million star tac phones. and about as many razr as iphones sold.

        So Apple does not have the best selling mobiles, ever, that is a myth.

      • Mark

        If I remember correctly, the comments on #1 sales is current, and refer to as market share. I don’t know how many times I have seen posts, including my own that indicated the numbers are bullshit. Now all of a sudden you agree. Make up your mind.
        I cant believe there is not way to gauge the total number of sales that are still in use to show true market share.
        At very least the mobile carriers have this info, they should show us the numbers, and remove all doubt. Every SIM card has a phone ID. I know some people switch them here and there, but those numbers would shed some light. Then we could see how many millions sold are sitting in a land fill or on parts shelves.

      • Kent

        Youtube Nokia death grip and then come back to comment.

      • Greg

        Probably because only 10 people have a crappy nokia phone today so not many to complain about it.

  • E__P

    Free bumpers for everyone. Stay tuned!

    • Drew

      Seriously, I hate Apple MORE than the next guy but can we kill it with the “Stay tuned” comments and one-liners from the supposed email, they’re getting reeaally old.

  • X Glansburg

    The next person to say “stay tuned” gets pistol whipped..

  • Asad

    I don’t know why steve is blaming others, he could apologize

    • Jakol

      I don’t think he was blaming he was just making a comparison.

  • Sprinter

    Apple Logic: “Our phones aren’t flawed because Nokia’s phones are flawed.”

    • NuShrike

      Newflash, Jobs just said they really can’t bend reality, nor a better device/company than anybody else, afterall.

      • Sprinter

        “They really can’t bend reality, nor a better device/company than anybody else”

        What??? That makes no sense. Quit liking your own comment.

  • RattyUK

    Meanwhile… shareholders are calling for Nokia’s bosses head. Good for them that how rigorous they are. Must be a real shame that Apple are doing so well in the smartphone space.

  • Todd

    i remember this one popped up just as i ordered my nokia e71!
    http://www.bgr.com/2008/08/04/nokia-e71-2-reception-issues-mmm/

  • 2

    this statement will do nothing to help there fading presence in the US..

  • Jason

    I feel like it is worth mentioning that Verizon also shipped out 25.00 visa pre-paid cards to people having problems receiving their Droid Incredible. Talk about a quick response.

    Unfortunately the Galaxy S uses an OLED screen, and Samsung is the company providing them for the Incredible, so that one may never play out.

    • shellll

      I agree that the Incredible is going to be hard to get for quite a while but what does visa cards have to do with apple bashing nokia and rim?

  • tomm

    “But Mooooooom….. Eric has cigarettes in his room!” – Little Steven just before he gets punished by his mother.

  • Mace

    Apple does good software and good design, that’s it. They don’t understand anything about radio performance. There has never been any single Apple contribution in 3GPP working groups where radio performance is handled, while Nokia has had thousands. And Apple does not even pay Nokia for their essential patents, but just steals them.

    • Kent

      Yeah, right. Apple has a 100 million dollar testing center. Meanwhile, Nokia continues to shrink in market share and Apple mobile has more profit than all other smartphone makers combined. Suck it. There are a lot of angry people that don’t like this situation and that is the bottom line. An American company has overtaken the market and there are a lot of American haters in the world that would like to reverse this.

      • MicroNix

        Yeah, 100 million dollar testing center… Apple is the laughing stock of antenna engineering right now. And it wouldn’t be such a big deal if Steve was forthcoming from the start. I mean, did you read what he said today? He *really* looked bad. They knew about the issue but didn’t think anything of it because *every* phone does that. Say what? Or how about the fact that the new iPhone only averages about one more call drop per 100 than the 3GS? Shouldn’t things get better as tech advances? Looks like Apple still doesn’t know how to make a *phone*.

        http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-07-16/steve-jobs-says-apple-knew-about-antenna-grip-issue.html

    • Chris

      That is why Apple has the highest failure rates of any computer, and currently the highest drop rates of any phone. That is real good software and design there.

  • Alba

    OMG!! is this all BGR can talk about!!! change the subject man! your really boring me with all the Apple crap.

  • Neo

    Nokia is so desperate.

  • davesmall

    Nokia is yesterday’s news along with Microsoft and RIM’s Blackberrry. They’re all on the way out.

    It’s ‘game on’ between Apple and Google now.

    • bizmark03

      theres a 90% chance that you’re using a MS operating system to write what you just did.(unless you’re the 10%, in that case you’re right i’m wrong and I’m man enough to admit if i’m wrong…unlike apple)

  • Frankie

    I never had any issues with my Nokia 5800xm… a bargain compared to most iphones.

    Now, if the antennagate issue isnt that bad, why is apple giving free bumpers to EVERY iphone 4 user? they made that very obvious LOL!

    • Kent

      Because they are nice like that. They will never satisfy those that don’t own iPhones like you. I would suggest that Jobs just stick his middle finger out and tell you dumbfucks to kiss his ass.

      • Daniel

        No, if they were nice and were thinking about customer satisfaction they wouldn’t have released a phone with a defect that they knew it had from the get go. They are just greedy bastards that think that most people are just retard and wouldn’t notice (and they probably are right about that one, people are retard).

        The only way for them to “be nice” and to “think about customer satisfaction first” was if they didn’t knew about the defect (which they did) and as soon as it was discovered offered the bumpers freely without ever getting out of proportion (which they didn’t). Oh well, greedy bastards they are.

  • Nokia Guy

    I work at a T-Mobile store and all I use are Nokia phones. They are the best in signal and sound quality and clarity. I’d recommend them over an phone we have in the store

    • agd

      ok thx, but who would want to go to t-mobile?

      • Nokia Guy

        In the Chicago market, T-Mobile has the greatest coverage and 3g speeds. AT&T and Sprint sucks over here.

    • Kent

      Good luck with that.

  • vinny

    Nokia is a great phone, too bad they don’t use the Android OS. They would be top dog on the block if they did. I will stay with the best Android device made, Nexus One along with T-Mobile and their super fast Network. I am in cell heaven. What an ass I am. I am a geek and I love it.

    • Kent

      You aren’t a geek, just a dumbass if you think that OS is worth a shit.

      • MicroNix

        You are obviously clueless

      • Chris

        And you are just a dumb ass if you think Apple products are worth a shit. highest failure rates in the industry.

  • http://halo3.com p.mcgee

    tHIs iS a FUnNy tHinG tHAt MOTorOlA saId LolOLolOlOLol tHeY maKE KEwL f0nEs wHIcH aRe aS KeWl as IpHoNeS

    • Mark

      IMHO, I have used a lot of phones. I own a service business with 15 field techs that are very hard on phones. Im not referring to suit and tie guys either. I have used Verizon, Sprint, Nextel, AT&T, and others. O/S aside, Motorola has made some of the most solid cells the company has ever used. Quality build and performance is excellent.
      You can’t deny that Apple makes a nice phone.
      I recently bought my wife an HTC running Android because she likes the Verizon network.
      Side by side against my 3GS. The O/S’s are comparable. Both very nice, with each having their own perks, phone to phone, no competition, 3GS smokes it in build quality and cosmetics.
      While picking her phone out I had a chance to look at many phones. And many phone that are mentioned by people posting here are built just as cheap, almost like toys.
      In reality, everyone has their own opinion, likes and dislikes. If you knock Apple’s phone, it is due to jealousy and/or stupidity. You are that little boy that always bragged about “mine is better than yours” and in most cases got your ass beat as well.
      Get a fucking life and learn to appreciate everything instead of just your own personal play toys.

      • Jakol

        I agree, this thing has turned to be like politics, where people has already chosen which side they are on, no explanation will convince the other side, and vice versa. I just hope they don’t become diplomats or were toast.

      • Chris

        Well written post until you got to the ad hominem attack at the end. I dislike my iphone, not because of jealousy, and ore stupidity, just because it is the worst phone I have ever owned. Why not state why I am stupid, and or jealous. I have a iphone, so it can not be the jealous part, so how am I stupid, with a phone whose apps will start to load then back out to the main screen, apps, including native apps. In addition the dialer will hand, locking up the phone until reset, as well as the antenna and other issues.

  • Alex

    Why is nokia so defensive and had to rebut? Like it’s not true that their phones have weak spots as well. It’s not like Apple said something offensive towards them. I think nokia is trying to give an impression to the public that they are Apple’s main competitor when they are not, because RIM and Android are Apple’s main competetors, not nokia. Nokia wants to ride on to Apple’s popularity, lol. Hey nokia, why don’t you guys focus on producing worthy devices instead of engaging to word wars with Apple.

    • sfh

      Free publicity for everyone!

    • JonHolstein

      True, Apple are no where near of competing with Nokias shares on the market!

      Fo course they will defend themselves when apple tells lies about how nokia phones are as bad as iPhone4 when it comes to reception.

      • Alex

        But Apple never said anything bad about nokia. Apple only stated a fact that all other phones have weak spots as well. Now is that true or false? Nokia can react if all of their phones don’t have weak spots, but they do as well. And nokia’s reply didn’t really deny Apple’s claim either but went around saying how they carefully test their antennas and how they study the way users held their phones. So how did Apple offend them in a way that they felt obliged to give a press release? Microsoft made a more offensive remark about Apple the other day. Did you hear Apple react about it defensively like a little bitch?

      • Chris

        All phones=All phones including nokias, use some common sense. Also they did deny the claims, you are just hard at reading.

      • Alex

        No. Site to me anywhere that nokia denied that their phones do not have a weak spot and does not ever suffer from signal drops when held a certain way. Read any nokia phone manual. It’s stated on there that holding a device a certain way may affect signal and would affect battery consumption.

    • Jakol

      Because that’s what INSECURE people do.

  • Mr.Bill

    Nokia simply works as a phone, Apple, not so much.

  • Mclovin
  • Henri

    Nokia phones rock. I’ve been using them for quite a while now and never noticed any antenna issues. When I got the Nexus One I started noticing gripping issues. In either case if Nokia had a better operating system and app market they’d be #1

  • Stromson

    My old Nokia E71 had some of the best signal strength I’ve ever experienced on a mobile device. Their OS is hideously out of date, but they generally make some pretty solid hardware.

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