Apple Antenna Expert Predicted iPhone 4's Dropped Call Problem

Apple (AAPL) CEO Steve Jobs received a heads-up warning about potential iPhone 4 reception problems early in the planning process from the company's senior antenna expert, according to a Bloomberg report.

Senior engineer Ruben Caballero raised concerns regarding the use of a bezel antenna to serve as a band around the mobile handset, the report noted. Specifically, the concerns centered on the seams or gaps in the band and consumers' fingers generating conductive interference with the signal.

In addition, the report noted an iPhone 4 carrier expressed antenna concerns, as well, prior to the handset hitting the markets on June 24. In the U.S., AT&T (T) is Apple's exclusive iPhone carrier, while European carriers include Vodafone Group, Deutsche Telekom and France Telecom. Apple's iPhones are sold through Softbank in Japan.

According to the report, one of Apple's carriers conducted tests prior to the iPhone 4's launch last month and found the antenna issue could potentially lower reception.

For Apple, this latest revelation may not bode well for its efforts to challenge several lawsuits that were filed shortly after the iPhone 4 was released. The two lawsuits that have been filed so far are each seeking class action status. Apple recently bragged that it sold 1.7 million iPhone 4 handsets during the first three days they were on sale.