Take a Look Inside Apple's Antenna Lab [Video]

Apple invited a few select media members on a tour of its antenna labs after the iPhone 4 press conference yesterday.

Apple referred to the lab as a "black" lab because it was a secret facility that even some employees weren't aware of.

“This is the most advanced lab for doing RF studies that anyone in the world has,” said Phil Schiller, vice president of marketing at Apple. “The designs we do wouldn’t be possible without it.”


According to Wired, Each test chamber is lined with blue pyramid-shaped styrofoam designed to absorb radio-frequency radiation. A robotic arm holding gadgets such as iPads and iPhones spins 360 degrees while a piece of analytics software (ironically running on Windows XP) visualizes the wireless activity of each device. Caballero said each gadget is run through a chamber for at least 24 hours.

There are about 40 engineers working in these labs who hold PhDs in physics and telemetry, constantly testing Apple's devices. In addition to these tests Apple performs mobile ones as well.

Engadget reports, Finally we made our way outside and got a look inside a heavily instrumented van in which Apple testers hit the streets. The vehicle was outfitted with a number of stations for those "heads" and "hands" we saw, as well as spots for human testers to take devices out into the real world and get results. The point here, as with the entire tour, was to demonstrate that Apple takes testing antennas and wireless communications very seriously -- if, in fact, there was any question.

Have a look at Apple's video below...


Read More