Consumer Reports passes on iPhone 4

Earlier today Consumer Reports announced that while it loves the iPhone 4, it cannot recommend it.

We previously speculated that Apple was covering up the real antenna problem, and now it appears that Consumer Reports has verified the issue. Not only that, but the company went so far as to show how to rectify the issue, with something as simple as duct tape.

I have to say that the news that Consumer Reports can't recommend the iPhone 4 has me thinking that Apple will definitely be forced to come forward with a response. This time the response will have to address the antenna issue, and Apple won't be able to blame misreporting of bars or AT&T.

I've been on the fence about an iPhone for a while now, and have to say that even though one arrived and I'm currently charging it, I'm still debating if it will be my primary phone. Like the findings from Consumer Reports, I love the idea of the better camera, video camera, display, FaceTime, and more, but if it's going to hang up on callers the majority of the time, especially when held in the left hand--I'm a lefty--I'm just not sure if it can be my primary phone.

My colleagues have been weighing in on this whole issue, and in particular mentioning how now the mainstream media is picking it up, and as a result, the average consumer will now have to think twice about picking up the iPhone 4. The crazy thing is that the average consumer was already debating, according to my unscientific surveying. In a post on Facebook that a non-techie friend of mine put up, she wrote that she was thinking of upgrading to the iPhone 4. A number of non-techs then responded saying that they had heard there were antenna issues and that the phone will hang up on people sometimes. In fact, out of about 20 replies, only one said that the iPhone 4 was worth getting; the other 19 recommended that she wait a bit or try some other phone.

Of course, millions of people are now walking around with the iPhone 4, so it's now up to Apple to decide what its next move will be. Will the company issue free cases, come up with some other "band" that wraps around the phone, or just ignore the whole situation? It will definitely be interesting to watch and see how Apple decides to react now that Consumer Reports has issued a "don't buy" recommendation.