Consumer Reports denies Apple iPhone 4 Recommended rating

The influential nonprofit organization, Consumer Reports, which publishes guides on everything from cars to TVs, said in a report released on Monday that it will not recommend Apple iPhone 4.

Consumer Reports said it cannot recommend Apple's iPhone 4 to buyers after tests confirmed the device's well-publicized reception glitches. The organization also tested other phones -- including the iPhone 3GS and Palm Pre -- and found none had the signal-loss problems of Apple's latest iPhone.

In its report Consumer Reports added that AT&T Inc, the exclusive mobile phone carrier for the iPhone 4, was not necessarily the main culprit. The problem has something to do with the wraparound antenna whose signal strength is said to be affected if touched in a certain way. The recommending organization also questioned Apple’s claim that the iPhone 4's signal-strength issues were largely an optical illusion caused by faulty software that 'mistakenly displays 2 more bars than it should for a given signal strength.

When Reuters tried to reach, Apple did not respond to a request for comment.
The stance taken by Consumer Reports on the new iPhone, which sold 1.7 million units in its first three days, is important as the group's recommendations are used as a guide by many consumers.

Apple shares were down 1 percent at $257.06 on Monday afternoon on the Nasdaq.

Recommendation for existing Apple iPhone 4 users from Consumer Reports:

When your finger or hand touches a spot on the phone's lower left side – an easy thing, especially for lefties -- the signal can significantly degrade enough to cause you to lose your connection altogether if you're in an area with a weak signal. The report recommended covering the gap in the wraparound antenna with duct tape or some other non-conductive material.

Barring the reception issue, Consumer Reports said the iPhone scored high on other testing grounds such as battery life, sharp display and high-quality video camera. --------

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