Apple decides against comparing antenna to rivals
Apple today quietly pulled the comparisons of the iPhone 4's signal performance to rivals from its US antenna site. The company had just recently been adding comparisons of how grips hurt the connection, including the Droid X and N97 mini, but the new page now just leaves an overview of its wireless test labs. Some international pages, such as the Canadian site, still have the option to switch between this and the comparisons.
Reasons for the sudden change aren't clear; the possibility exists that the code was changed in error. Apple however has faced very public criticism from rivals that have insisted their devices are more resistant to the problem and may have chosen to pull the controversial material in the US rather than face legal action. None of the competitors have openly threatened a lawsuit.
The side-by-side looks were originally intended to show that a tight grip on any smartphone in the right area can lower or even kill the signal, but in some cases owners have argued that Apple's results are difficult to replicate. Droid X owners have said the large size of the phone, along with dual antennas, make it very difficult to drop the signal where the iPhone 4's externally placed antennas are relatively easy to block.
