As Anandtech's review of the iPhone 4 shows, there are downsides to believing your own hype.

The fact that Apple didn't have the foresight to coat the stainless steel antenna band with even a fraction of an ounce worth of non-conductive material either tells us that Apple doesn't care or that it simply doesn't test thoroughly enough. The latter is a message we've seen a few times before with OS X issues, the iPhone 4 simply reinforces it.


There's a certain nearsightedness that corresponds to such ivory tower engineering. As I read somewhere earlier today, it's as if Apple tested the iPhone's reception by hanging it magically in the air... makes sense if the FCC's requirements of putting the antenna out of your head's way is your design goal. Not so much if you want humans to use it.