HTC HD7 Death Grip Response Blames "Inevitable" Antenna Shortcomings

The so-called death grip issue some HTC HD7 owners have complained about has prompted an official comment from the company, who basically reckon that any device can suffer from the way it's being held. "It is inevitable that a phone's signal strength will weaken a little when covered in its entirety by a user's palm or fingers," an HTC spokesperson told Computer Weekly.

"Quality in industrial design is of key importance to HTC. To ensure the best possible signal strength, antennas are placed in the area least likely to be covered by a person's face or hands while the phone is in use. However, it is inevitable that a phone's signal strength will weaken a little when covered in its entirety by a user's palm or fingers. We test all of our phones extensively and are confident that under normal circumstances reception strength and performance will be more than sufficient for the operation of the phone when network coverage is also adequate" HTC statement

The death grip reports have refuelled debate from earlier this year, when Apple was criticized for its iPhone 4 reception. In response, the company pointed out – like HTC has done – that any mobile device makes compromises between the antenna positioning, usability and design. Signal issues aren't something we experienced either with our European or T-Mobile USA HD7 review units, but we'd be interested to hear from you in the comments if you've been encountering problems.