Apple Antenna Engineer and Carrier Partner Expressed Early Concern Over iPhone 4 Design

[PinkyMacGodess]

The problem with reports like this is that now a whole bunch of crackpot 'unnamed sources' are going to be crawling out from under rocks with 'told ya so' stories that are going to be just crap... Kick a dog when it's down.

Let's wait to see what Apple has to say tomorrow... Maybe we'll all get free cases?

Oh, plus it's easy to play armchair quarterback now, after the plays are done... Let's see what happens...

 

[Homerpalooza]

Did I miss something? Does typing in big bold letters make what you're saying true and credible? If so, I'm doing it all wrong. Doesn't that mean yelling in text? Stop yelling.

To someone who really thinks their opinion is more important than others, yes, yes it does make them believe they are right and better.

The internet is a huge delusion of people thinking that other people give a **** about their opinions. We don't.

 

[RawBert]

So what if it drops calls? As long as the antenna looks nice.

 

[nopple]

Toyota's idea

BREAKING NEWS from Toyota to the Govt, DOT and all consumers

To whomsoever it may concern,

After we were notified of the 'stunning discovery' by apple on it's signal problem, we were thrilled to learn the novel idea adopted by Steve Bjob to fix the issue. Recalibrate the signal meter.

After much discussion we have decided to take the same novel idead adopted by iPhone Genius SteveBjob. We will recalibrate our car's Speedometer to show 60% less speed. This way your car never goes beyond 80mph. Hope this helps.

PS: Never goes beyond 80mph means, only on speedometer. Actual speed may vary.

 

[Homerpalooza]

LeBron James was the best thing that happened to Tiger Woods.

Antennae issues are the best thing to happen to AT&T.

 

[jav6454]

I think the news specifically points out what everyone knows: that Jobs often overrules his engineers and other staff.

Or are you claiming that Jobs didn't know about it?



I like Apple a lot (or at least, the old Apple), which is why I think Jobs needs to retire and get out of the way... or start manning up and taking responsibility for his and his company's goofs.

Agreed. If they don't acknowledge tomorrow I will seriously think about alternatives to the Apple product before buying x thing.

 

[spazzcat]

Apple needs to issue a recall and please no bumpers bc they POS. I want to use my iPhone 4 the way it is and how you, Steve Jobs, promised it will !!

Giving a free bumper would be a recall. They are not going to give you another phone.

If what I am seeing with iOS4.1 holds true for others, I think this whole thing will be non-issue in a few days.

 

[Poll Smoker]

I really don't think this antenna thing is as bad as everyone is saying. Immleft-handed, hold the phone exactly how you "shouldn't" and don't have any issues with call quality. I also live in an area with spotty ATT service and since I got my new iPhone 4 I get and make calls with better luck than with my old 3GS.

Shut up.

No one is claiming that it affects every phone equally, so you and the other idiots posting about how "I'm not having a problem, so the situation's being exaggerated" are just cluttering up these threads.

 

[Battlefield Fan]

Wow Steve. I hope you take heat for this. Apples form over function finally bit them it looks like.

 

[macduke]

Now the bashing is getting out of control. NO one made you buy the product, if you are not happy with the product take it back. I have always held on to my old cell phone for a few months after I bought a new one. You never know what can happen. So if you sold it thats your fault not Apple's. Quit whining. The ones that are constantly whining are the ones that can never be happy. And this quote

" To those who claim that the problem doesn't exist because it does not affect you, please try to shed your ignorant and blind view of life and realize that there is a much larger world out there".

I have never had had an issue, I am a college educated man, who works in the education filed teaching our youth, and yes there is a larger world that you need to experience. It Is A DAMN phone , its not a car that all a sudden accelerates and kills people. It is not catching fire, or exploding in your hand, it loses signal in weak areas..... So ok ,go get a go phone and return your other phone.... case solved...... But wait you have to have the latest and greatest........ get over your self and go bitch about something more important like the BP spill , financial reform or medical reform..... something that can make a differences in a persons life not a DAMN cell phone!!!

Says the man yelling at people on a forum about how they are complaining about a cell phone? That seems even more petty to me.

I also hope that you're not an English teacher.

 

[bkspero]

Tomorrow's press conference

What are the odds that Ruben Caballero will be ushered into the press conference tomorrow looking like a hostage victim telling the world how kindly his kidnappers are treating him...but in Mr. Caballero's case it would be telling the world how wonderful the iP4's antennas are? Maybe with a bag over his head to cover the bruises of "encouragement" from the powers that be within Apple.

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

Tangent Alert...

On a related note: My Prius still has some braking issues when I am driving fast and try to stop over bumpy roads like railroad tracks... That is post recall 'fix' too... It's better than it was, but not 100%.

 

[reubs]

Wow, this adds another level to everything...really curious what will happen at the press conference.

What do you think is going to happen? He's going to have Caballero's head on a platter and tell folks to not question Apple.

 

[spazzcat]

BREAKING NEWS from Toyota to the Govt, DOT and all consumers

To whomsoever it may concern,

After we were notified of the 'stunning discovery' by apple on it's signal problem, we were thrilled to learn the novel idea adopted by Steve Bjob to fix the issue. Recalibrate the signal meter.

After much discussion we have decided to take the same novel idead adopted by iPhone Genius SteveBjob. We will recalibrate our car's Speedometer to show 60% less speed. This way your car never goes beyond 80mph. Hope this helps.

PS: Never goes beyond 80mph means, only on speedometer. Actual speed may vary.

Last time I checked the iPhone wasn't killing people. And didn't turn people were driving wrong, aka, pushing the gas and not the brake?

 

[wol]

All I know is...

I've had an iPhone 4 since June 23rd.

I can play finger twister and make some bars go away.

I've had one or two dropped calls.

The iPhone 4 is the best phone I've owned to date. Better reception, better battery, better performance.

I share your experience. Have the iPhone4 since launch day, better reception than my previous phone (Sony-Ericsson P910i), and still "waiting" for the 1st dropped call...

 

[ditzel]

you know, sometimes i wonder what would have happened if gizmodo never published the story about the lost iPhone.

would there be this much scrutiny and subsequent outrage on the phone? or would it have been the same?

the other thing to remember is that the phone was found in a bar with a case on--whether the case was used to camouflage the phone or not, makes you wonder whether or not it was appropriately tested (sans case).

i'm guessing it wasn't

this sucks, and i'm pretty sad to see this happen to a company that, apart from its corporate motive to generate profits, actually has some sort of solid moral intentions when it comes to technology development and product releases. you can question their customer service morals with this whole antenna fiasco, but you can't say that this company doesn't try its best to provide the public with attractive 'lowest common denominator' software that "just works."

What's wrong with making profits? How many people are gainfully employed by Apple?

 

[LagunaSol]

All I know is...

I've had an iPhone 4 since June 23rd.

I can play finger twister and make some bars go away.

I've had one or two dropped calls.

The iPhone 4 is the best phone I've owned to date. Better reception, better battery, better performance.

Shhhh, no one wants to hear that your device is working well.

The Engadget staff says (each comment from a different staffer):

"I found the reception to be as good if not better than the previous version, and I had far fewer dropped calls."

"I've still yet to drop a call on the thing. Not one."

"I've not been able to miss a call while death-gripping the phone and reducing its bar signage to just the last one -- they all come through."

"So no, it's not affecting me day-to-day"

"it's not causing dropped calls or degrading data performance to the point where it affects my use of the device."

"I've had no issues with dropped calls or loss of data beyond what I normally get with any other phone. If anything, I get better reception in places that used to be problematic."

"Overall, I'd say the iPhone 4's reception has outperformed its predecessor."

"my new handset works fine -- it's way better that my 3GS, at least, in terms of reception"

Yet somehow the naysaying engineer is suddenly a hero?

Hey folks, let's not let reality get in the way of a good scandal!

 

[JAT]

The joke is finished

Well, this is the final piece of the puzzle. Obviously, all of SJ's life has been leading up to this point. Back in 1975 he was trying to come up with a complicated way to annoy people that weren't even born yet. And he's done it!! Start a company, build up hopes of highly-functional products, then dash it all to the ground with simple engineering foibles. Classic! ROTFLMAO!!

All those years of making hardware and software were just a prelude to this practical joke on the college-age geniuses* of 2010. Even if you hate him, you've gotta admire the dedication to the joke, that whole "kicked out of Apple" in 1985 was a huge setback, but he got back in there and made it all happen. And it seems likely that Gates was in on it, why else would there have been all those crap years of Win OSes, pushing Apple to higher levels in people's minds.

I wonder what he will do now....probably just retire and take it easy. Gates already has, his part was done. He even had his company throw out a real OS for the first time since MS-DOS, just to show he wasn't that moronic. (come on...Vista couldn't have been anything but part of a joke) Again, just classic!

I feel sorry for you guys. Mean jokers like Jobs should never have been allowed to impact your life so horribly. Maybe you can start a class action about it, and win coupons for some counseling to deal with the heartbreak.


* Genius: someone who knows that protection for a cell phone is unnecessary.

 

[mutant]

Everyone will be disappointed

I'm guessing whatever ever Apple has to say tomorrow- it will not satisfy everyone. Mark my words. The first poster will say "THAT'S IT?! THAT"S ALL THEY HAD TO SAY? ********!".

 

[Gryzor]

Utter garbage.

With hindsight people will claim they said anything just to stir the pot.

 

[Anuba]

Apple is lucky that this is all happening during the summer when people aren't glued to their TVs and computer screens, and most of the shows that would make endless fun of this issue are on summer hiatus. Seth Meyers would definitely do a Weekend Update "Really...?" special about it on SNL, too bad we'll never get to see that one (unless this story keeps snowballing for two more months, which is rather unlikely).

 

[littledigger]

I downloaded the speedtest app today, and sure enough, if i lay the phone flat in the plam of my hand then i get 5 to 6mb download but if i cup the phone like i would if in the street, then i get 600k download. So, do i cup and wait an age for internet or do i lay it flat in the palm of my hands for high speed internet but get mugged at the same time? This is actually my phones only fault, however, its a HUGE fault and should be exchanged for a revised phone that works properly without a bumper.

 

[mtwilford]

Wow a press conference.... its like a movie.

BTW... There will be NO RECALL... so don't start posting about how there will be one!!!!!!!!!!

Its a freakening signal issue that is 100% avoidable and fixable by the user. Recall is just stupid for such a non-critical issue.

Do you work for , this could be the only rational explanation for this post

 

[Trinity]

Apple Puts iPhone 4 on Ice

CUPERTINO, California—July 16, 2010—Apple® today announced that it will suspend production of the iPhone 4 indefinitely. The company said there is a small chance it will reintroduce an upgraded model of the unique smartphone in the future, but that there are no plans to do so at this time...

 

[Shackrat]

Now the bashing is getting out of control. NO one made you buy the product, if you are not happy with the product take it back. I have always held on to my old cell phone for a few months after I bought a new one. You never know what can happen. So if you sold it thats your fault not Apple's. Quit whining. The ones that are constantly whining are the ones that can never be happy. And this quote

" To those who claim that the problem doesn't exist because it does not affect you, please try to shed your ignorant and blind view of life and realize that there is a much larger world out there".

I have never had had an issue, I am a college educated man, who works in the education filed teaching our youth, and yes there is a larger world that you need to experience. It Is A DAMN phone , its not a car that all a sudden accelerates and kills people. It is not catching fire, or exploding in your hand, it loses signal in weak areas..... So ok ,go get a go phone and return your other phone.... case solved...... But wait you have to have the latest and greatest........ get over your self and go bitch about something more important like the BP spill , financial reform or medical reform..... something that can make a differences in a persons life not a DAMN cell phone!!!

I'm sorry that you feel the need to go on barely coherent tirade to defend Apple in order to reassure yourself and feel good about your own IP4 purchase.

Also, I didn't realize we were discussing BP or financial reform in this thread; I though it was about the IP4 reception problems. Lastly, a suggestion for future posts; check your ego at the door... I certainly do not give a rats @ss about what your educational background is, or what you do for a living; it doesn't elevate your opinion more than anyone else around here. Just a suggestion...