Consumer reports very anti-iPhone write up

phr0ze · Dec 3, 2013

Consumer Reports down plays the iPhone in every way it can, getting many facts wrong.

First there is a full feature phone write up which doesn't include the iphone. The iPhone is in the Compact High Performers section. And the writeup basically says:

The iPhone 5S is smaller and fits in a pocket or purse. It has an excellent camera, 64 Bit, and Touch ID. The 5C comes in colors but is somewhat heavier and thicker than the iphone 5. iPhones are the only 4G phones which can't use voice and data simultaneously on Verizon and Sprint.

The smart phone features covered and compated are: Camera, Large Quality Display, Long Battery Life, Voice Recognition, Fingerprint unlock, Infrared Remote, Wireless Sharing, Multiple Windows, Wireless Charging, Guesture and Motion Detection.

Out of those the iphone gets mentions in Camera, Voice Recognition, Fingerprint Unlock, and Wireless Sharing.

Then when it comes down to it the iphone is downplayed or marginalized in all of them except fingerprint recognition.

For Camera they said iphone used to be best but now the S4 is just as good. The High Scoring Android and Windows phones have lots of controls for editing pictures.

For Voice Recognition they treat Google Now and Siri the same.

For Wireless Sharing they say Samsung can send videos and stills to other phones using technologies such as NFC and WiFi. For iPhone they say they can play music to specially designed airplay speakers and share content with AirDrop.

Finally in the ratings they give the iPhone lower marks in Messaging and Phoning. Whatever that all means. They don't explain what they are considering.

I think it was all written in a biased manner.

Shrink · Dec 3, 2013

phr0ze said:
Consumer Reports down plays the iPhone in every way it can, getting many facts wrong.

First there is a full feature phone write up which doesn't include the iphone. The iPhone is in the Compact High Performers section. And the writeup basically says:

The iPhone 5S is smaller and fits in a pocket or purse. It has an excellent camera, 64 Bit, and Touch ID. The 5C comes in colors but is somewhat heavier and thicker than the iphone 5. iPhones are the only 4G phones which can't use voice and data simultaneously on Verizon and Sprint.

The smart phone features covered and compated are: Camera, Large Quality Display, Long Battery Life, Voice Recognition, Fingerprint unlock, Infrared Remote, Wireless Sharing, Multiple Windows, Wireless Charging, Guesture and Motion Detection.

Out of those the iphone gets mentions in Camera, Voice Recognition, Fingerprint Unlock, and Wireless Sharing.

Then when it comes down to it the iphone is downplayed or marginalized in all of them except fingerprint recognition.

For Camera they said iphone used to be best but now the S4 is just as good. The High Scoring Android and Windows phones have lots of controls for editing pictures.

For Voice Recognition they treat Google Now and Siri the same.

For Wireless Sharing they say Samsung can send videos and stills to other phones using technologies such as NFC and WiFi. For iPhone they say they can play music to specially designed airplay speakers and share content with AirDrop.

Finally in the ratings they give the iPhone lower marks in Messaging and Phoning. Whatever that all means. They don't explain what they are considering.

I think it was all written in a biased manner.

Because CU suggested elements of the phone that were not perfect, and with which you apparently don't agree...you assert the write up was biased.

There is a history of dislike here for CU in relationship to the iPhone since the issue of dropped signals based on how the phone was held appeared a while ago.

CU has no need to be biased about any product it reviews. It receives no support from the makers of the products tested. CU has no axe to grind...unlike some of the overzealous Apple lovers here.

I have no vested interest in whether folks like CU or not. As an auto enthusiast I find the focus of their reviews on issues of limited interest to me...so I read car enthusiast magazines which test and review cars in ways that interest me...performance issues. But that does not mean the CU reviews are biased or unfair..only focused on issues different from those of the enthusiast.

Similarly, CU's reviews of electronics are not geared to the enthusiast...but to a less informed demographic. I see no reason why CU would have any motivation to intentionally present biased or inaccurate reviews. They have no vested interest...one way or the other.

Cynic that I am...it is my belief that CU does unbiased and reasonably objective reviewing.

phr0ze · Dec 3, 2013

Shrink said:
Because CU suggested elements of the phone that were not perfect, and with which you apparently don't agree...you assert the write up was biased.

Nope, its just the fact that the iphone was downplayed in every single area except the fingerprint sensor. I don't believe the iphone is the best at everything. I'm not asking that, but its also not believable that it would not get a few positive notes.

And while CU may not take advertisers it doesn't mean that they aren't biased.

Shrink · Dec 3, 2013

phr0ze said:
Nope, its just the fact that the iphone was downplayed in every single area except the fingerprint sensor. I don't believe the iphone is the best at everything. I'm not asking that, but its also not believable that it would not get a few positive notes.

And while CU may not take advertisers it doesn't mean that they aren't biased.

What might be the basis of, or motivation for, the bias?

T5BRICK · Dec 3, 2013

phr0ze said:
Consumer Reports down plays the iPhone in every way it can, getting many facts wrong.

First there is a full feature phone write up which doesn't include the iphone. The iPhone is in the Compact High Performers section. And the writeup basically says:

The iPhone 5S is smaller and fits in a pocket or purse. It has an excellent camera, 64 Bit, and Touch ID. The 5C comes in colors but is somewhat heavier and thicker than the iphone 5. iPhones are the only 4G phones which can't use voice and data simultaneously on Verizon and Sprint.

It is one of the FEW "4G"(LTE) phones on Verizon that can't do voice and data at the same time. I was just giving my wife crap about this because she couldn't look something up on the internet while talking with me yesterday.

For Camera they said iphone used to be best but now the S4 is just as good. The High Scoring Android and Windows phones have lots of controls for editing pictures.

The S4 has a fantastic camera.

For Voice Recognition they treat Google Now and Siri the same.

For most users they ARE the same.

For Wireless Sharing they say Samsung can send videos and stills to other phones using technologies such as NFC and WiFi. For iPhone they say they can play music to specially designed airplay speakers and share content with AirDrop.

This is all true. iPhones don't have NFC, I never found a use for it but a couple of my friends LOVE it. I use Airplay to share pictures on my HDTV via my AppleTV.

Finally in the ratings they give the iPhone lower marks in Messaging and Phoning. Whatever that all means. They don't explain what they are considering.

I think it was all written in a biased manner.

It'd be nice to know what they were considering, but it doesn't look like a biased review to me.

w00t951 · Dec 3, 2013

Verizon runs on CDMA - this technology turns off the data radio to activate the voice radio. The iPhone isn't the only Verizon phone to not support data and voice at the same time; it's what happens with all Verizon CDMA phones.

The Galaxy S4 has a great camera but one that is consistently reviewed as worse than that of the iPhone 5S. Keep in mind, the S4 was released to compete with the iPhone 5, not the 5S.

S Voice has never worked reliably for my friends. However, Google Now is a completely different story. But what CR isn't taking into account is that the Google Now is oriented differently than Siri - while Siri is spun as a personal assistant, Google Now is more of an autonomous data retrieval app that also has voice controls.

NFC and WiFi Direct are useful technologies, it's just that you've got to set them up - whether it be with OEM software or third party apps. Overall, Apple does fall far behind in this category.

I don't understand the lower marks in the phone and messaging parts - it's always worked fine for me and the speakerphone has been tested to be one of the loudest on the market, practically tied with that of the HTC One.

Now that display... Apple needs to get with the trend and offer a larger phone with a higher PPI.

Small White Car · Dec 3, 2013

Shrink said:
CU has no axe to grind

I dunno. When they say that a phone is too flawed for people to even buy, but then that exact phone goes on to be sold for 3 years without massive ongoing complaints or returns, then I think that's either an axe to grind or just incompetence as a reviewer.

I'm not saying they shouldn't have reported on the issue. They should have!

My problem was the fact that they didn't take the issue and put it on the "Cons" list, but rather told people the entire product was worthless because of it.

That does feel like an "axe to grind" to me.

Or is there a long list of products that CR says "don't buy" rather than just warning you about the issue? Is that business as usual for them?

Shrink said:
What might be the basis of, or motivation for, the bias?

Attention and, therefore, money. You get attention by being very pro Apple or very Anti. Nobody links to articles that talk about how Apple is just dandy and average.

So anything good can't be good. It has to be AMAZING. Anything bad can't be bad. It's SO BAD YOU CAN'T BELIEVE IT.

That's what gets you viewers and that's where the bias comes from.

nebo1ss · Dec 3, 2013

w00t951 said:
Verizon runs on CDMA - this technology turns off the data radio to activate the voice radio. The iPhone isn't the only Verizon phone to not support data and voice at the same time; it's what happens with all Verizon CDMA phones.

You did not understand the issue being raised. They specifically said 4G not 3G CDMA. This has everything to do with the Iphone not having a Third Antenna and is specific to the iphone.

phr0ze · Dec 3, 2013

So maybe the way they present it doesn't show through to you as biased. However this is how I read it.

They try to imply its a phone for women by suggesting it fits in your purse. All the phones reviewed fit in a purse, but they chose to say that for just the iphone.

They suggest its not a full feature phone. On who's count? Not every phone has IR Blaster, Not every phone has a finger print reader, not every phone is 64bit, etc.

They very directly say the iphone is the ONLY 4G phone that can't use voice and data on verizon. Yes its true that the iPhone can't, but is it the only?

For the camera, yes the S4 is good. But the iphone has the dual flash and image stabilizer which make it better. But lets just say they are equal. Then CR goes on to state that android and windows phones have lots of controls for editing pictures. Umm the iphone does too, but they immediately take away from the iphone with that statement.

For Wireless sharing they play it as if the iphone can't share pictures or videos. They play it as if the only speakers you can use are AirPlay speakers.
Yep the iphone doesn't have NFC. But the statement would still be true if they said 'Samsung and iPhone can send videos and stills to other phones using technologies such as NFC and Wifi.' It would also be true to say the 'The iphone can share videos, music, stills, and its screen with a TV using an AppleTV.' Its also true to say the iPhone can send music to bluetooth speakers, but they chose to imply you need to buy airplay speakers.

And they explain everything they are comparing except for the mysterious qualifications for messaging and phoning. I like my easy group texting, my encrypted iMessage. My ability to recieve and answer messages on my phone, tablet, and computer. My knowledge that there is at least encryption on my messages. As far as phoning I like my native Visual Voice Mail, my ability to blacklist numbers without adding them to my contacts, and my ability to let certain callers through even when I'm in a do not disturb mode.

I don't know the S4 but what is it's native features like for these messaging and phoning features?

Shrink · Dec 3, 2013

Small White Car said:
I dunno. When they say that a phone is too flawed for people to even buy, but then that exact phone goes on to be sold for 3 years without massive ongoing complaints or returns, then I think that's either an axe to grind or just incompetence as a reviewer.

I'm not saying they shouldn't have reported on the issue. They should have!

My problem was the fact that they didn't take the issue and put it on the "Cons" list, but rather told people the entire product was worthless because of it.

That does feel like an "axe to grind" to me.

Or is there a long list of products that CR says "don't buy" rather than just warning you about the issue? Is that business as usual for them?

Attention and, therefore, money. You get attention by being very pro Apple or very Anti. Nobody links to articles that talk about how Apple is just dandy and average.

So anything good can't be good. It has to be AMAZING. Anything bad can't be bad. It's SO BAD YOU CAN'T BELIEVE IT.

That's what gets you viewers and that's where the bias comes from.

Well reasoned argument.

I don't agree, however, that CU would specifically target a particular product or manufacturer for biased reporting simply to generate publicity. That publicity follows is undeniable...but I still question whether that was the intent, or that the correlation proves CU's intentional bias.

As I cannot back up my argument with anything resembling hard data...it is nothing more than a personal opinion with all the limitations that ind of position entails. My years of reading CU are the totally personal basis for my opinion...certainly not a hard data basis for the position.

takeshi74 · Dec 3, 2013

phr0ze said:
I think it was all written in a biased manner.

Doesn't sound biased but I'm relying on your take on the article. Unbiased things can seem biased to biased people when their bias is not shown preference.

Where are the incorrect facts? What experience do you have with the other options reviewed and what's your take on them?

In any case, why does it matter? Always consider the source. CR's reviews have never been useful to me so I don't bother with them. If you think their review is biased then don't use it as reference.

phr0ze said:
They very directly say the iphone is the ONLY 4G phone that can't use voice and data on verizon. Yes its true that the iPhone can't, but is it the only?

You're the one countering their claim. It's your job to back your counterargument.

phr0ze said:
For the camera, yes the S4 is good. But the iphone has the dual flash and image stabilizer which make it better.

How is it better? How did you determine it to be better? Where are your real world comparisons of the two?

phr0ze said:
Yep the iphone doesn't have NFC. But the statement would still be true if they said 'Samsung and iPhone can send videos and stills to other phones using technologies such as NFC and Wifi.'

It's one or the other. If the iPhone doesn't have NFC then that statement isn't true. You're nitpicking CR's statements yet allowing your misleading implications to slide. "X & Y can do A & B" means that both can do both, not one can do both and the other can do one.

Post the text verbatim. Discussion based on your interpretation is fairly pointless.

AFDoc · Dec 4, 2013

CR lost me when they manufactured data that basically killed a very functional, tough vehicle called the Suzuki Samurai.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6_1o_FxsNs&list=PLE9635438ED1D655A&index=1
Nice video about the BS lies that picks up with the second video.

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Consumer reports very anti-iPhone write up

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