Apple has a message for you if you notice problems with the reception on your shiny new iPhone 4. The problem isn’t the phone–it’s you. If you hold your phone so that your gubby little hands bridge the metal antenna bars that wrap around the phone, the signal will suck more than usual. Apple’s high-tech solution: don’t hold it that way.

Want to see a demo? A reader sent in this video showing the phenomenon while, ironically, an AT&T commercial plays on the television in the background.

Even Steve Jobs has joined in the fun, answering customer emails about the problem. See, it’s not a design flaw if you don’t hold the phone that way.

Hi Steve,

So, um, just got my iPhone 4. Its lovely and all, but this ‘bridge the two antennae to kill your reception’ thing seems to be a bit serious. If I bridge them with my hand or with a piece of metal the bars slowly drop to ‘Searching…’ and then ‘No Service’.

Its kind of a worry. Is it possible this is a design flaw?

His reply:

Nope. Just don’t hold it that way.

Double Stevemails on iPhone 4 reception: “Just don’t hold it that way” [TUAW]
Apple responds to iPhone 4 reception issues: you’re holding the phone the wrong way [Engadget]
Conversation with Steve Jobs [Rory’s Posterous]

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