The German organization doesn’t specify which two rival handsets were tested but recalls that, while a decrease in signal was observed when their antenna was held, the most it could record was a 25-percent loss. As with Consumer Reports, the company suggests a length of tape placed over the iPhone 4?s antenna bridge as a temporary solution until a free iPhone 4 case arrives.

Stiftung Warentest’s results highlight another issue with smartphone signal strength, one that in fact Apple itself has identified: with no standardized way of displaying strength in bars, it’s hard for users to know whether what’s indicated on their screen means they’ll be able to place a call successfully or not. Apple recently pushed out iOS 4.0.1 for the iPhone 4 which reworked their signal strength banding; however this latest round of testing suggests that the iPhone 4 antennagate arguments aren’t going to go away any time soon.

via SlashGear