“Antennagate” was all the rage when the iPhone 4 launched, it caused the device to stop, or severely lower, the amount of mobile reception it received. Well we have the same type of thing happening with the HTC Sensation, which I currently have my hands on (oh, pun). If you lay the Sensation facing upwards on the palm of your hand, the Wi-Fi signal pretty much dies in the arse, there’s no two ways about it. However, to actually have the Sensation (or any device for that matter) in that kind of position while using it is pretty far-fetched; it’s really uncomfortable, so everyday use is not going to effect your signal too much. Hit the break for a video and brief description of what causes the issue.
Why does the signal loss occur?
Great question inquisitive reader, and here’s the answer:
The rear cover of the HTC Sensation is made up of three areas: a middle strip of aluminium and two areas of plastic (one above and below the aluminium). Now, the Wi-Fi signal is transmitted to these plastic areas and pushed out the rear of the device to your router or what-have-you, but when you cover both these sensitive areas the Wi-Fi signal fails to pass through your skin and bone, which in turn causes your Wi-Fi signal to drastically drop or just cut out completely. See the video below of my brief demo — I recommend turning off audio, unless you like traffic and the sound of a camera focusing.
