“It’s fair to say that any lasting impact of the July 16 press conference involves longer-term consumer perception. In that context, Apple certainly waited too long to bring out Jobs as spokesman, nearly three weeks after the media, the Internet and the consumer marketplace began to buzz about the antenna problem that appeared to be threatening the iPhone 4’s launch,” Levick writes. “Who more than Jobs should know that in the digital age you must control the narrative from the very start?”
Levick writes, “When he finally did seize the moment, he did so with a strategic mixture of conciliatory giveaway and spirited defense… Assuming the iPhone 4 case giveaway works and customers are kept satisfied, Apple will reinforce its brand more emphatically than if the crisis had never happened. Apple will have delighted the crowd, all the more so because the crowd held its breath to see if Houdini would escape the trap. If the fix works, Jobs’ demeanor at the press conference only reinforces the zeal of his loyalists, and it likely wins new adherents to the cult, too.”
Read more in the full article here.
What do they mean “if”? Even CR stated that the bumper works.
Idiot. The bumper WILL work because you cant touch the antenna. It will not stop the laws of physics that happen when the human body (mostly salt water) wraps around the antenna. The bigger and fatter the hand the more the electromagnetic wave is dampened. All antennas do this until the laws of physics are canceled. (Note: We don’t exist in that dimension of reality because it is not real. Well, maybe only in your head.)
Mac-nugget, the idiot is clueless and should write about something Levick can understand. Like, the quality of toilet paper, soda, beer (I Levick is old enough to drink), potato chips, milk, …
“A man needs to know his limits” and Levick was way out there in Cluelessvile!
Apple should let CR do the next antenna test in their secret labs. Then, CR will feel a little humble when they do their next test in that garage / lab of theirs. They might think before the type.
“Apple certainly waited too long to bring out Jobs as spokesman, nearly three weeks after the media, the Internet and the consumer marketplace began to buzz about the antenna problem…”
We saw in Washington this week the downside to a “rush to judgment”. Apple was simply doing due diligence – confirming the extent of the problem, examining its source and possible remedies, reviewing competitive products, etc. He noted at various points the data from AT&T (drop rates) and Apple (support calls, return rates) available only days before. Unlike those joining the media frenzy, Apple wanted the facts first.
Does anyone doubt that Apple does not love their customers? Article may be spot on – give away a 29 cent piece of rubber and be a hero and grow your fan base.
There is spin on both sides but as the article states, it looks like a win for Apple (and more free publicity?). It never ends.
BTW, I dont agree with the three week criticism maybe because I did not buy an iPhone.
I think the funniest thing is with the antenna on the outside there is more room for the battery and the unit gets a small profile. Oh yea, that case that you need to make it work better – it makes the iPhone that much bigger so it aint so small, but look how small it is, but it aint, but it is. Optical illusion, magic trick, or just dumb luck?
It’s kinda funny, because Steve Jobs isn’t Houndini, he’s just a guy who tells it like it is. But we are surrounded by so much bullshit, from politicians to CEO’s to Big Business putting “spin” on everything that I guess it makes someone like Steve Jobs look like Houdini to a someone who is used to so much crap.
Also gotta mention this generation of whine. They play their part in it too. Gen Yn I declare.
Contrast Jobs/Apple’s handling of the AntennaGate issue with how the Obama Admin handles-
-Anything-
The last time I thought, “that was well executed” was when the US Seamen (haha) were rescued from Somali Pirates by the Navy. I thought, nice job Mr. Pres, let the experts do what they do (hence the military is rated Highest [institution] in Confidence by Gallop).
Since then- not so much.
OMG!!! My signal is being attenuated even though I have a bumper/case on my iPhone 4!!! Alert the media! Call the FBI! SUMMON THE CRAGEN! THE WORLD IS COMING TO AN END!!!
Wait – you mean we are all subject to the laws of physics? Hotdiggitydamn! You mean Air Jordan’s won’t allow me to dunk like Mike?
‘Antennagate’ is such pig shit!
My iPhone 4 has worked perfectly for the month I’ve had it, and everyone I know who owns one loves it.
While he is right that Apple will ultimately benefit from “antennagate” because it made the iPhone 4 launch even bigger news, there was never any real threat.
Apple is selling every iPhone it can produce and there is a waiting list to get one (three weeks to ship if you order online), despite any “damage” caused by “antennagate.”
So these continuing stories that make it seem like Apple barely escaped some catastrophe just make me laugh. If I was a conspiracy nut, I’d suspect Steve Jobs intentionally orchestrated “antennagate” just to get more publicity for iPhone 4’s launch. After all, most of tech media had an iPhone 4 antenna fetish for three weeks, negating attention from anything else that was going on in the tech world, while Apple still sold every iPhone 4 it could produce with waiting lists. You can’t sell something faster than you can make it. Then, after three weeks, he swoops in to clearly demonstrate that every other smart phone has the same issue with signal attenuation, and prove that actual customers were not complaining about reception out in the real world.
So, after all this extra iPhone 4 attention from the media, “antennagate” is being perceived more and more as an overblown exercise in melodrama from the media. And once you get passed the antenna, the NEW perception is that the iPhone 4 is the ultimate handheld computer, and more potential customers are interested than ever before because of the extra attention it received.
Anyone knows how many millions the Droid X sold? Have not heard a peep from the tech blogs or anyone.
iPhone 4 rules even with trumped up bad news all around.
@ Mac-nugget AND Jersey_Trader:
The way I read that is him saying IF the fix works TO THEIR PUBLIC IMAGE.
Not a factual interpretation, though. Just a perspective.
Although….
G Spank got it exactly right. Jobs & company studied the facts, developed a well thought out presentation of them and only then did he open his mouth and utter eloquent truth to the bullshit power of the thoughtless knee-jerk media. Not only was he clear and concise, he capped it off with a completely magnanimous GIFT to us all he really didn’t need to offer. He was incredibly geneous and humble I thought.
Cult of taste and common sense who don’t buy junk.
way to demagogue the timeline, hack boy.
that it took this long to find out the facts (deliberately) escapes this tool.
truth = houdini act.
bitter, bitter, bitter, that Jobs didn’t lie down and let these liars overrun Apple.
scum in my pond is more honorable
I’ve honestly experienced barely any loss of signal with my phone.
‘If’ the bumper makes any difference, wouldn’t this have been a consideration in the design? Surely the apparent loss of signal was seen as acceptable vs overall design.
My bet is that this is a mildly effective insulator for the antenna but a far more effective placebo.
Steve Jobs for president!!!
Jobs and Johnny Ive both need to be Knighted.
People are taking CRs word on everything it seems. Yes take their word, but remember they are not the father or electronics or anything. Just because they so something, doesn’t mean that’s it.
Levick tries to compare Steve Jobs with an illusionist.
The only illusion was created by the bloggers and idiot journalists who either knew that they were deceiving their readers, or were so ignorant that they repeated a false story without question.
Apple emerged stronger by showing those idiots up and by turning the spotlight onto their rivals. As is often the case, the rebuttal gets far less publicity than the original sensationalised headline, but all the time that Apple can sell every phone they can make, there isn’t much to get worried about.
What this story lacks is the fact that ALL SMART PHONES have this issue. So I think with the truth coming out Jobs made everything clear and the free cases are just a little gravy for the real moaners.
@G Spank
Congratulations! You just earned a private fully-stocked suite aboard my Arc of Armagheddon. It’s one of seven being constructed on the backs of whiners and it will float on the salty sweat of bullshitters.
(POP!) Heres to telling it like it is!!!
And heres to a company and a man who’s products–even when they’re not 100%–are 102% better than the alternative.
Jul 23, 10 – 05:59 pmComment from: G Spank
It’s kinda funny, because Steve Jobs isn’t Houndini, he’s just a guy who tells it like it is. But we are surrounded by so much bullshit, from politicians to CEO’s to Big Business putting “spin” on everything that I guess it makes someone like Steve Jobs look like Houdini to a someone who is used to so much crap.
What a dillweed. Amazing what people write who never have had the deal with themselves.