Apple has informed select media that the company will hold a press conference to discuss iPhone 4 on Friday, July 16 at 10am PDT in Cupertino.
MacDailyNews Take: Looks like Apple is finally going to grab the bull by the horns and take control of this issue.
As we wrote earlier today: “You either take control of an issue or you get run over by it. We wonder, who has the worst PR people, Tiger Woods or Apple?”
Hopefully, the answer this Friday will be a decisive “Tiger Woods.”
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It’s about time. The silence is hurting its reputation. Their PR team sucks. Even though they have said they are releasing a software update, the story has been picking up too much steam and it’s time to stop it before it truly becomes detrimental to sales. And while they’re at it, run more FaceTime commercials.
Not a good sign. In the world of PR, you bury bad news with a Friday announcement…
This had better be good. If it’s more arrogance from Steve Jobs, we will forever mark time in Apple’s history from July 16, 2010.
The recall is coming.
This should at least be announcing that the problems will be looked in depth by third parties, or a recall.
Even if the prior iPhones or other phones had the same problem, as MDN keeps hammering on, that view misses the point this time.
This time, right or wrong, affecting few or many, it’s gone “big time”. Apple must put this down NOW in a substantive way.
@ Deus Ex Technica
> Not a good sign. In the world of PR, you bury bad news with a Friday announcement…
If the intent was the “bury,” it would be after 1pm PDT so that the market is already closed, not a 10am right in the middle of the trading day.
It is probably timed for Friday, because they are planning to have the iOS 4 update ready to go at the same time.
There’s a difference between stepping and fetching for the techtard media and dealing with an issue in a strategic, organized manner.
Anyone who knows the company knows Apple doesn’t dance. Not for analysts, not for pundits, not for the media.
And LOL @ a recall. Get a grip *ahem*.
Recall???? Really? For 2.5 million iPhones? MOST of which are perfect.
If this were a real problem, there would be lines out the doors of all Apple stores. I don’t see any.
I’m sure we’ll get a $30 Apple Store credit, which I’ll use on a new iPhone 4 dock.
Ok, maybe a recall sounds far- fetched, but Apple from a PR stand point doesn’t have much wiggle room. Does anyone really believe Apple is going to call a press conference and only say that they only think all the of the complaining owners, bloggers and
tech mags are just full of crap?
We were in the process of field testing the new device, examining the reception of the new antenna configuration, when the prototype was stolen from one of our employees. This theft and the blog site scandal that followed seriously compromised our product. Therefore, we are going to recall all affected iPhone 4s at Gawker’s expense.
@TheMacAdvocate
I concur.
I hope it is an early earnings announcement.
Perfect timing three hours before close on expirations.
Personally, I think Apple shares their PR team w/ British Petroleum!
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The other strange thing is, Apple always has plenty of inventory when they launch a product… why is iPhone4 in such short supply & where is the white iPhone4?
Considering Apple’s job postings for experienced antenna engineers appeared before the Phone launch, did Apple know they had a problem and therefore did not build all of the inits they needed?
Just askin’….
I wish one journalist would ask when they are going to begin taking orders for White ones.
iPhone 4 is so far superior to our previous 2G and 3GS iPhones it’s not funny.
It’s time the “news” media moved on to some other idiotic “story” like the LeBron, Mel Gibson, etc.
It was said today on CNBC that the return rate was running at 4% for the iphone 4, which is lower than the return rate for the previous Iphone…If this was really a big problem like the media is making it out to be the return rate would be staggering…It’s a huge PR problem but little more…
Contrary to MDN, Apple has a very effective PR department. The issue is not Apple – it is how non-issues become stories conjured up, then exagerated, then repeated, by various entities intent on 1) extorting money from Apple via fabricated class action lawsuits and 2) hedge fund crooks trying to manipulate the stock price and 3) competitors trying to slow the runaway train that is Apple and 4) lazy and sleazy journalists who know Apple draws headlines and nobody will know later who repeated the lies. Even MDN participates. By the way as an iPhone 3GS user, I have a leather case to protect it. So does almost every iPhone owner I know
Wonder if any of the sites will give us a real time blog during the press conference?
@Deus Ex Technica,
Agreed. They need to do this tomorrow. ASAP, in other words.
@jaundiced
They’ll frame the issue by saying it’s the best phone Apple has ever made, which it is. They’ll make some comment about how many have been sold, perhaps how few of them have been returned. They may even extend the return period.
They’ll explain the “phony bars” algorithm and introduce iOS 4.1, available immediately.
/cue Dylan
What the Friday press conference really signals is that you trolls have just one more day to vomit your hate and FUD then it’s all over for you. I’ll be glad when you crawl back under your rock and join the other slugs.
I hope they don’t just say it’s no big deal and “f-you” basically. There is not a major issue here, but the bad press is killing Apple.
As I’ve said since the beginning – decreased signal/bars doesn’t matter; its dropped calls that matter, and the iPhone 4 is far better, with the same crappy carrier, than their previous phones.
@ Hugh Jass
Apple made as many iPhone 4s as they ever had for a product launch, but the hype behind it, the “hottness” of the new features, and the fact that AT&T;gave almost everyone upgrade eligibility (remember, they’ve never, or rarely, done that before) made for a HUGE amount of iPhone 4 buyers all at one time.
Previous iPhones had to be purchased as contracts ran out and became eligible for upgrade, so they couldn’t go out and buy it the first week it was released.
There’s nothing wrong with the hardware (at least not that a little coating or a case won’t fix), and there is not going to be a recall. All of these people sniffing for conspiracy theories need to remember last year, and the year before — iPhone launches are always surrounded with tons of hype, FUD, alleged “issues” and “crippling flaws”, even class action law suits. And what happens? 3 months later no one remembers. And the iPhone is the #1 selling phone on the planet. End of story.
Good for Apple on the PR meeting — I wish them luck. Friday morning won’t be fun, but it’s something they need to do, and I look forward to hearing their response to all of this insane bickering.
A site might give us a real time blog. But if their holding their iPhones the wrong way, it won’t post
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I’ve been waiting for someone to post that comment.
“we only had one iPhone 4 to field test outside our labs, and Gawker ‘stole’ it before it was done testing.”
– Steve
My insignificant .02, what a non issue.
OTOH Apple did bring this on themselves. Apple is an absolute virtuoso in creating free buzz via the media, common sense tells us that it will back fire every now and then.
Life giving sword, life taking sword and all that zen stuff.
But it wouldn’t have mattered because they kept it in a CASE for testing!
Finally! Maybe it’s taken this long for Steve to get the ‘Reality Distortion Field’ revved up. Seriously though, the only people having issues with the iP4 are either Apple haters or “Hemorhoid”/”Crack-berry” lovers.
I just hope to God it’s not a commercial with a voiceover by Tiger Woods’ dead father…
Has any Apple product, ever – had this much poor – dare I say it – reception? The negative publicity surrounding the iPhone4 is world-wide and ever-present. Morale has to be very low in Cupertino these days. Hopefully, something redeeming will be pulled out of the magician’s hat Friday, as this issue is getting to be too pathetic.
I’m really curious WHO will host the press conference. Jobs himself? Some no-name flunky? How serious is Apple treating this? They didn’t even do a press conference for the original iPhone $100 “refund” after the scandal of the price drop.
@ LeftCoastDude
> Recall???? Really? For 2.5 million iPhones? MOST of which are perfect.
They are all equally “perfect,” except for the ones that actually have a manufacturing defect (such as a bad proximity sensor or faulty camera). And if you want to deem laboratory antenna attenuation an issue, they are equally “imperfect.” The REAL problem is perception, not reception.
So Apple will do what is necessary to correct the perception. Maybe it will go something like this…
+ The iOS 4 update, available today, will more accurately represent signal strength on the screen for ALL iPhones.
+ iPhones rolling out of the factory now have a thin polymer coating around the edge.
+ Customers who have an iPhone 4 with a serial number earlier than [X] may apply online to receive a $50 gift card which can be used at an Apple Store (or online at Apple.com). The credit can be applied toward anything sold by the Apple Store, including a case or bumper.
+ Customers with an iPhone 4 sold on or before today may use our previously announced 30-day return policy to receive a refund, as long as the iPhone’s serial number has not been used to receive a $50 gift card. Starting tomorrow, all iPhone sales will employ the standard 14-day return policy.
Although a polymer coating and software update may not actually do anything to improve REAL antenna performance (especially for people who do not touch the bottom end of the iPhone), it will be perceived as Apple taking action and “fixing” something.
The $50 gift card will be perceived by actual iPhone 4 customers as a bonus, since the vast majority were not having any problems. Apple will gain it back as revenue, since it is only usable at the Apple Store; customer may even apply it toward an unrelated and more expensive purchase. And many customers won’t even apply for it, because they are oblivious to this “problem”; they are not having any iPhone 4 problems and don’t read tech news. It will be like the original iPhone’s refund; something that will make Apple most loyal early adopters into even bigger fanboys and fangirls. And it will show the “normal” customers (future iPhone 4 buyers who will outnumber the early adopters by at least 10-to-1) that Apple really cares about its customers, and further justify Apple’s extraordinary customer satisfaction rating.
@TheMac:
I hope you’re right, and then this issue goes away, but how is a software update going to cure the so-called “antenna squeeze” aspect of the problem?
If you think Apple is going to recall the iPhone 4, you are a ritard (a la The Hangover). The iPhone 4 is amazing, I have no reception issues whatsoever! They have tens of billions’ worth of “wiggle room” btdub.
That said, I foresee a software update Friday, possibly (but not probably) free bumpers to those having issues.
Shutup your crying!
I agree with all those who say that Apple PR needs to get better.
Over the years they’ve been lacking.
A lot of misunderstanding and inaccurate news accounts have not been addressed properly by Apple PR.
some that come to mind:
– missing iPhone. (it was only in All Things D conference that Steve Jobs mentioned the phone could have been stolen from engineers bag and that it was the room mate of the person who took it that phoned police and not Apple. Most press missed all that and kept repeating story of the ‘drunken engineer’ the Apple ‘mafia police’ etc)
– iPhones screens will fail due to ‘heat sensitivity’ issues in one year, iPhones ‘plagued’ with ‘dead pixels’ stories in 2007
– ‘Missing iPhones’ rumors , Apple misleading in how many they’ve sold reported by Barrons, the Street.com etc that caused stock to plunge
– Steve illnesses. Virtually no press release for months.
etc etc.
Apple PR need to get as good as the software, the retail etc teams pronto.
The bottom line is that VERY few people are returning their iPhone4″s, indicating that this is not a legitimate issue. Still, perception is reality to the general public. I think that all iPhone4 purchasers will receive a price-reduced bumper. No freebies because that would be admission of guilt for nothing and taint the product. How much do those bumpers cost Apple to manufacture anyway?
@iPhone5:
Only bad publicity that I can remember from Apple is back in 2001? about the so called ‘cracks’ on the casing of the G4 Cube.
@ken1w:
I think you hit every point right as how it will go down on Friday.
I hope Apple tells these FUD hit whoring bloggers and magazine rags to shove it up their you know what. Second tell them that all phones do the same damm thing!
Day 2 with my new 4, Im still trying to figure out what the “problem is” and I live an area that has 3g, edge, and a o, works alot better than my 3gs. Perhaps I am too tall as oppossed to SHORT.
The sky is falling. The sky is falling. You people make me sick. Apple will gain from all this hand wringing. Get some sleep.
A $30 store credit would be just the same as supplying a free bumper which everyone is clamoring for — and those who aren’t having problems can use it towards a good quality case or anything else they need.
@ AC in WA
Yours work fine because your not a hit whoring blogger pretending to be a journalist. Nor are you a magazine rag running out of subscribers to keep your so called relevancy in the market.
even if Apple puts out a successful software fix they still have to give out free bumpers. Most folks will buy a case of their own choice but Apple have to make nice to save face.
Apple and Steve Jobs caused this situation to explode to this level!!
I called AT&T;today to complain (again — 3 years so far) about the spotty coverage in my area (people calling me today got a message that my phone was out of service!) and the rep had the gall to tell me that maybe I was holding my phone wrong! Poor Apple…
Ken1w is dead on. These idiots reporting a recall live in la la land. There’s no reason when 99% of the buyers are NOT having issues.
Steve Jobs walks to the podium. He is silent for a few seconds as the sound and flash from the cameras go crazy. Then everyone settles down and things get real quiet. He then leans into the mic and says
“FU Gizmodo”
Then he says ” the antenna algorithm is all fixed and here is iOS 4.1, enjoy.
Walks off stage.
For the $.02 it cost to make the bumpers, Apple should make them an included accessory *even if* the reception issue isn’t brought on by hardware design. It’s a small price to pay to quell all the negative press.
That said, I’m betting they’re too arrogant to admit anything. No bumpers either, as that too would be viewed as an admission, instead offering their own *tests* showing improved reception across the board. Of course tech pundits will have a field day questioning Apple’s proprietary stats, but life goes on and Apple will still sell millions more iPhones.
Me, I just want whatever phone I buy to be more shatter-resistant than two panes of glass. (Their biggest gaff in my books)
I’m a huge apple fanboy, i can’t get a text message to go through if I’m holding the phone with my hand over the bottom left corner – case or no case.
That’s unacceptable.
This incident is a good example of media creating the story and not reporting on it. Pundits and bloggers are going crazy with this story and they don’t have all the facts. Apple is smart not to make a statement without further research into the problem. If they did….to just satisfy their critics and got something wrong they would have to back track. This antenna issue is not an across the board problem, it affect a small number of people in the scope of iPhone 4 solded. It would be crazy for Apple to panic and issue a recall when it’s not the entire product line that’s affected. People need to relax and wait for the press conference to see how Apple will resolve this issue.
Hardly think a recall is going to happen as Apple just shipped my iPhone 4………so………
Two iPhone 4’s got married. It was a lovely ceremony, but the reception was awful. Apparently they held it in the wrong place
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I’ll get me coat…
=:~)
What really pisses me off is that I can’t receive calls when my phone is turned off!
thank you Consumer Reports for pressuring these arrogant pu*ks at apple to address the defective iphone issue, especially steve jobs.
btw. i have 3 iMacs, 1 macbook & 2 ipods & will buy the iphone4 when the defect(s) are fixed!
This isn’t a problem that only affects a few.
I charge that anyone who says their signal doesn’t drop to nill when they hold their phone with their hand over the bottom left corner is a liar.
There will never be Any Recall. “Mark My Word”
No matter what, sincerity, honesty, trust can never or shall never be blown away by some crap reporters/so called users that undermine the revolation that Steve Job has crafted in the mind and heart of millions in the world… Shafiq From Singapore
@ Notahippie
It depends greatly on how strong the signal is at your current location. I tried as hard as I could, at an Apple Store, even covering the entire bottom HALF of the iPhone with BOTH hands (definitely touching that corner), and could not get the bars on the screen to drop. Many others here (who actually have their own iPhones to try a more than one location) say the same thing.
But if the signal is marginal to begin with, just covering the bottom end of the iPhone (4 or earlier) and intentionally NOT touching that corner on the edge, will probably produce a drop in displayed signal strength.
A case fixes the issue. Who in their right mind would use the iPhone without a case, it’s glass on two sides? Get real people. Nobody uses an iPhone without a case, even the 3G versions. Buy a damn case and lighten up, I get better reception with this iPhone 4 than any cell phone I have ever used. I hope that apple responds by giving everyone a 30 dollar credit, then maybe people will relax. The rumor mill is in full effect.
They better not tell people to hold the phone differently.
@ Brau
The phone is made out of two panes of glass because Apple is paving the way for multi touch input on the back of the phone. You’ll learn to accept it when that actually happens.
Also, a case is not a fix.
since there are only two being compared you should have said who has the worse p.r. people, not worst.
@Pleasestopthedrama
If a case is a fix, then Apple should never advertise or display the phone without a case again. It’s ridiculous that people think apple will say, “the phone has to be used in a case so you can have one free.” No way. It’s too beautiful. Do you have plastic on your couch too?
The damn trolls piss me off!
Trolls, you give away your motives when you start your rant with a fictional list of Apple products you say you own. Only trolls with an anti-Apple agenda do that. Come on, be more creative with your bullshit.
@jaundice
“Does anyone really believe Apple is going to call a press conference and only say that they only think all the of the complaining owners, bloggers and tech mags are just full of crap?”
I don’t believe they will do that, even if it’s true (which I think it is, except for those few owners who are actually having a problem).
But if they did, I would laugh my ass off.
@ Smile
> They better not tell people to hold the phone differently.
It is perfectly sound advice, if given properly.
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”smile” style=”border:0;” /> How about…
“The iPhone is designed with the antenna located at the bottom end of the case. If you happen to be in a location with a weak signal, try adjusting your grip to ensure that the bottom half-inch of the iPhone is not being touched or covered by your hand or fingers. This allows maximum performance from your iPhone’s antenna, and your reception will be as good as it’s going to get at that location.
“Also, holding the iPhone this way will minimize the electromagnetic radiation that is absorbed by your hand and fingers. The antenna is located at the bottom of the iPhone’s case for a good reason – to maximize the distance of a concentrated radio transmitter from your head. Note: Intentionally covering the antenna with your human flesh to partially block radio waves from the antenna has NOT been proven to be harmful, so please feel free to hold the iPhone any way you want for hours and hours each month.”
(That’s not actually a quote from anywhere.)
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Or alternately, you could show motivated self-interest and common sense; hold your iPhone (or any modern mobile phone) in a way that maximizes antenna performance and minimizes electromagnetic radiation being absorbed (blocked) by your flesh that you probably carefully protect with sunscreen and anti-oxidents. We should all be thanking Apple for bringing antenna location in a mobile phone into the public’s consciousness.
Sales and reputation must be slipping. I have had all 4 iPhones and I love the iPhone 4 just as much as I hate it.
A round up of speculation over what will happen on Friday is dominated by cynicism – most don’t believe Apple will actually put the matter to rest by acknowledging the accuracy of tests done by highly regarded (except for MDN) tech firms such as CU, Endgadget, CNET, and others that show the phone is poorly designed and cannot be fixed by anything other than major modifications. Such would certainly result in a recall and replacement program.
Most doubt Apple is anywhere close to doing that and, as such, will only compound their problems when they try to sell something less as the fix to this historic blunder.
People will reject anything such as being instructed about how to hold the phone (name one mobile phone manufacturer that ever did that), or told to get a case or promised a reconfiguring of the bar display that has absolutely nothing to do with the problems of receiving, sending and supporting phone calls. And, we’re past the point of satisfying very many by giving away bumpers or store credits.
What we want is an un-compromised, fully functional, top of the line, most expensive phone on the market.
Hopefully everyone will shut up after this.
Or go buy a droid x.
Or a blackberry.
Or a my touch.
Or an evo.
Choices people. You got the best and for some ungodly reason you hate it. So go buy a wannabe and realize that every piece of technology is going to have some defect. Or don’t and apple will fix the problem for you. Unless their PR has made every family member of yours commit suicide by shoving their nonresponsive and useless iphone 4s so far up their behinds that it ruptured vital organs. Then there will be nothing that apple can help you with.
That was an extreme statement intended to shine light on how extreme people are taking this “PR issue”. Stfu holy moly.
One Word on Friday: RECALL
Too bad Apple didn’t test the iPhone4 on a few lefties first.
@ JL:
Actually “we’re” perfectly happy to complain about everything, thank you very much. We may keep our iphone4 and still complain all the time. Apple may even fix our iPhone4’s and we’ll still complain about it. Being quiet and satisfied is no fun at all. Sorry. We are a country of complainers. We hate everything and everyone. Obama, Congress, Apple, Microsoft, Google, HP, Dell, Canada, Europe, etc, etc.
*If* the iPhone 4 reception truly is superior to previous generations and other comparable phones by other manufacturers, then I’m sure Apple would be more than happy to demonstrate this at the press conference. It could be easily demonstrated with a local basestation which steadily decreased its power, showing which phones dropped calls first.
However, I doubt this will happen. Far more likely that Apple will release a software fix that simply displays bars showing signal when there is none – then tell everyone that the problem is solved. And, Apple fans being what they are, they’ll all be delighted and start ranting about Android again.
Next up from Apple, the new Emperor’s Clothes, in which Apple fans proclaim the magnificence of Steve Job’s latest revolutionary invisible turtle neck…
@ Speculation
The “speculation dominated by cynicism” generally is not from actual iPhone 4 customers. Because Apple extended the return-for-full-refund to 30 days AND waived the restocking fee, ALL existing REAL iPhone 4 customer can do their own “recall and replacement” right now. Even the earliest iPhone 4 customer has until end-of-day July 23rd to do it; return the iPhone, get a refund, wait for their “perception” of this problem changes, get another iPhone 4…
But in the real world where customers act in their own self-interest, there have been no huge lines of angry iPhone 4 customers waiting to return their iPhone 4 and get a refund. Even 1% of one million is 10,000 – a noticeable large number. By now, Apple has sold multiple millions of iPhone 4’s. Where are all the irate customers? Answer – the vast majority of them are silently and happily using their iPhones and not paying too much attention to the media “noise.”
Apple is in business to exceed customer expectations. You can bet that if they are actually holding a press conference, they will do something remarkable to turn this situation on a dime, into a major WIN. You don’t need a press conference to release a software update.
Anyone who actually knows Apple knows that Apple is all about perception versus reality, and manipulating the media to its own ends. Steve Jobs knows how to orchestra an event to change perception better than any CEO. My bet is that Apple will emerge in BETTER shape, and that the conspiracy folks will start saying Steve Jobs orchestrated the whole controversy to bring more attention the iPhone 4 launch. The iPhone 4 is still sold out with a waiting lists, so actual sales have not been hurt; and actual customers are not complaining and returning iPhones en masse.
Seriously, all Apple needs to do is:
(1) Issue some type of software and hardware change that resolves the perception that a real world problem exists. But carefully state that there was a problem, thanks for pointing it out, here’s how we fixed it…
(2) Make the early adopters fan boys and girls (folks who already have the iPhone 4) feel special and appreciated.
(3) Emphasize that ALL existing iPhone 4 customers who are not completely satisfied are still eligible for a full refund.
I “speculated” in an earlier post how Apple might go about doing those things. But Apple and Steve Jobs are much better than I am at such things, so I have no doubt that Apple will exceed my expectations on Friday. And if they do it, Apple comes out looking better than ever, with more “non-fan” people interested in iPhone than ever before. And once the perception of an antenna issue is resolved, NEW perception is that iPhone 4 is absolutely perfect, right? Who wouldn’t want one?
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Jeez, what passion here denying the reception problems. Look, I’m a big Apple fan. I still am, sort of. But I simply DO have reception problems with my iPhone 4. And I’m in Japan, where returning the phone is not an option. To be honest, I don’t know if I would even if I could. I like the phone, but it is a bittersweet romance. I often lose my internet connection, I’ve had a few calls drop, and the proximity sensor had been a bit of a pain. Now, before you begin denying everything I said, getting yourselves all worked up, maybe go out in the hall and breath into a paper sack for a while.
This wouldn’t even be an issue if the iPhone wasn’t AT&T;only. Can’t wait for the day another carrier is announced and the immense data traffic isn’t concentrated on one network anymore.
@ D
If you really have an iPhone 4, it is always possible that you have an actual manufacturing defect, especially with something like the proximity sensor not working properly. So why don’t you “breath into a paper sack” and take it to an Apple Store to get it checked out and possibly replaced, under the one-year warranty?
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”smile” style=”border:0;” /> But do it after Friday to see if there is a software update; any software update at this point is going to have more than just “reception issue” fixes.
hmm, I think the obvious solution here is if Apple gives iPhone 4 customers a complimentary rubber bumper. If this truly helps with signal reception, it will surely save the cost of having to recall an entire product line. IMHO.
While I love their products, I do hope Apple steps up on this one.
The iPhone 4 tempting features, HD Video Recording and reviews:
http://ifunia.com/iphone-column/index.html
@ queengreen
> hmm, I think the obvious solution here is if Apple gives iPhone 4 customers a complimentary rubber bumper. If this truly helps with signal reception, it will surely save the cost of having to recall an entire product line.
Apple is NOT going to recall iPhone 4, so there is nothing to avoid If Apple had to give out bumper to make the iPhone work properly, THEN there really would be a need to do recall.
@D
Did you replace a previous iPhone with your iP4?
Did the previous iPhone have any reception problems where you are based in Japan?
Amazing, Apple hasn’t even had the press conference yet and the media ,the chicken littles, and all of the techtards have already decided what Steve is going to say. I guess Apple had better cancel the conference since its content has been dictated by the single digit IQs out there in dum ass land who let Consumer Report do their thinking for them.
Magic word: sun, as in pull your head out see the sun.
Royalty Check
Bitter much?
@queengreen
This will never happen. Apple would never offer a user-applied piece of rubber as a fix. It’d be an “admission of guilt” combined with a cheap-ass un-Apple proposal to fix it. Despite whatever acid-dropping episode led MDN to recommend it as a course of action, neither of these things jibe with the company’s philosophy.
a comment from another forum:
“so apple is going to HOLD a press conference. What if they HOLD it wrong?”
I think they have employed Tony Hayward to head up the press conference. Well I suppose he could take the press’s minds off it.
By ‘finally’ taking it by the horns I’m sure they’re leaving aside the bullshit which most other companies would dish.
The reaction needed to take this long in order to collect hard data, fully understand the issue, and have a clear solution worked out. More than can be said about the Apple-bashing bloggeratti.
What really must be excruciatingly frustrating is the fact that the reception problem is really not all that pervasive during normal use. I got my iPhone the 23rd, one day ahead of schedule. I have had the thing for almost a month. It is a remarkable gadget and this issue is really more noise than anything else.
The most amusing thing is all the idiots that put down a product that they have never used.
I thought for a while I didn’t have the reception problem with either of my v4 phones. Holding them “incorrectly” often does not affect the bars…at least not immediately. However, running a data throughput benchmark while doing it will tell you in seconds that the throughput drops drastically (to nil in my tests). This happens on every v4 I have asked owners to test. I’m not going to assume this would be the result on a all or a majority of the v4’s that have been sold, but it is entirely plausible. The problem with bumpers is that not everyone wants a case. Personally I like the case and am currently using a bumper. Problem solved for me, but that doesn’t work for everyone….and from a product integrity perspective, it does not FIX the phone.
@Jejagua
Yes, but are you actually having problems?
Tests are fine, but it’s the real world that counts. If you aren’t having a problem, does it matter?
Steve Jobs will stand in front of a Keynote presentation with a bar chart behind him.
One bar will be in the millions, a second bar will indicate a count of 3 and be ridiculously smaller than the first bar.
He will say, …”there are 3 phones potentially with this issue. Any questions?”
@leodavinci
Read my post again. It appears you ignored about half of it.
BTW, I agree with your point. I’m fine using bumpers / cases and would never consider using my phone without one. There’s plenty of owners though that don’t want a piece of tape or a bumper.