Apple Posts Video of iPhone 4 Press Conference, Antenna Information Pages

[iZac]

Welcome to my reality distortion field, said the spider to the fly.

but seriously, to be honest, they make a much more convincing argument in this press conference than they did in their (rather insulting) PR release. Their honesty about the phones attenuation is more comforting. And it proves that actually acknowledging the problem and talking it through (at least a little) can go a long way to make users (and potential users) feel well heard. Whether the free bumper solution is enough, is obviously up for debate.

Incidentally, I might guess that the applecare data could be distorted because ... instead of users with problems contacting applecare, they probably went straight to an apple store and ranted to the staff, or more likely set forums like this alight with their vitriol. But it should be noted that 0.55% of 3,000,000 is still 16500 people who bothered to contact Applecare about their i4hones.

Anyway, free bumpers for all and Apple are certainly paying a hell of a lot of attention now!

 

[ecualegacy]

No matter what presentation Steve is giving, I always want to know what his closet seriously looks like. Black turtlenecks and jeans from wall-to-wall.

If he is like the engineers I knew at college, he has 2, maybe 3 outfits: 1 he wears all the time and the others in reserve in case the first grows unserviceable.

 

[Zerozal]

All smart phones have that problem if you put your hand over the antenna, yes...but not all smart phones are stupid enough to have their antenna on the bottom lower corner where your hand is extremely likely to cover it!!! The SMART place to put an antenna is the TOP of the phone where it is least likely to be covered. I guess that's beyond Apple Engineering to figure out and now they WILL pay the price. This has basically handed the market to Android until iPhone 5 comes out, if not permanently. A bumper will not solve the underlying problem which is that it's downright stupid to put the antenna in that location.

Fail. Learn something about FCC regulations and SAR, then rethink what you just typed.

 

[nexsta]

In VLC -open network and paste this:

http://stream.qtv.apple.com/events/jul/100716iab73asc/100716wiuhvbaealjhvb_650_ref.mov

 

[Full of Win]

Recipe for Apple Tripe
- 3 cups of lies
- 2 Pound of lame excuses
- Half bake above
- Sprinkle liberaly with fresh buffalo chips
- Serve steaming with Kool-Aid drink

 

[BoleCailey]

I bet the other phones don't drop a call and become completely unusable when they're held

Neither does my iPhone 4!

 

[inhrntlyunstabl]

Exactly The Argument Steve Finds Himself Dealing With

I bet the other phones don't drop a call and become completely unusable when they're held

I bet if you ask a Doctor he'd roll his eyes at your analogy. Everyone has a different pain threshold. What hurts really bad for one, is nothing for someone else. What some people go to the emergency room for, others ignore and are fine. And Steve did give 2 options or cures - return the phone or get a case. Some doctors can't even offer a cure, much less 2, much less give you your money back in the process.

What Steve didn't go into in detail - the other sites like ANANDTECH do. Do some research before commenting like this. Not all BARS are the same. At what db does a Blackberry drop vs. Android vs. iPhone and how does that equate to what the BARS display, because they will ALL be different not just because of the db at which they drop calls, but with the # of BARS being displayed as well.

So when I stand with a phone in a near deadzone and go from 5 BARS to none, I think it's outrageous. But with another phone that does the exact same thing (drops the call) but the BARS only drop from 5 to say 3 BARS... who's fault is that? The industry's, because there is no standard on BARS algorithms.

I love the fact that Steve is calling out the AppleCare and return rate figures. People will either return them or live with it and if they live with it they can only blame themselves, not Apple.

 

[justgeig]

I think they've responded the best way they can by giving out a case.

The excuses before that though... not so awesome.

Just look at this image:

His thumb is actually red where he's been holding the phone so tight. You can also tell how tightly it's being held by the fact his hand is actually overlapping the screen. You do not need to hold the iPhone 4 that tightly to cause the issue.

When I hold my 3Gs in the same way, (loose grip though) it shows red just like the photo...I think you can chalk it up to natural color of the hand and not to how tight it is being held.

Good eye though, I wouldn't have noticed that lol

 

[Jookbox]

Good to see their $100 million antenna testing lab didn't go to waste.

 

[BlondeBuddhist]

where can I watch the Q&A?

CNN had just a 30 second clip when I went there

 

[ruinfx]

Fail. Learn something about FCC regulations and SAR, then rethink what you just typed.

yet the droid eris in the photo has the antenna on top. the htc evo antenna is on the top right side of the phone. hmm...

 

[RidleyGriff]

So they've copped to a problem, offered a workaround solution, and offering full refunds -- including AT&T -- if people still aren't happy.

At this point, the only people complaining are trolls who don't have anything better to do. Don't like the phone, don't buy it. Not working for you, return it.

And don't clutter up every message board thread known to man, either.

 

[Yr Blues]

Apple wouldn't potentially shortchange themselves $29.00 per Bumper if there wasn't a real problem.

That's an admission that equates to millions of dollars.

The great thing is that "revision A" is going to kick-ass.

I accept Jobs' apology.

 

[MagnusVonMagnum]

Fail. Learn something about FCC regulations and SAR, then rethink what you just typed.

You can first learn something about antenna design and the best place to put them (it's not under your hand). The top back surface is away from your head AND away from your hand. The FCC has never recognized radiation from cell phones as dangerous, so it's all pretty pointless anyway. They only require a specific SAR; this does not tell manufacturers where to put their antennas. That regulation dates back to 1996! MOST put them at the top and I could show you numerous past models where it's easy to see (they stick right out the top). Most even extend outward from the phone. But you don't believe that since you'd rather just type "Fail" like some 3rd grader. Putting the antenna under your hand not only absorbs the radiation straight into your hand (and not into the atmosphere and hence the the phone dropping the signal), but completely defeats the point of the antenna. In short, the top surface or better yet the top back surface is ideal. The bottom side is the worst possible place to put the antenna. The Android phone used to demonstrate the problem on other phones has it on the top left corner. But you say that's impossible! To quote you, "Fail!"

 

[leeschill]

So they've copped to a problem, offered a workaround solution, and offering full refunds -- including AT&T -- if people still aren't happy.

At this point, the only people complaining are trolls who don't have anything better to do. Don't like the phone, don't buy it. Not working for you, return it.

And don't clutter up every message board thread known to man, either.

well said. this is such an overblown issue its not even funny. people are looking to crap on the apple parade for any reason.

 

[rydewnd2]

All smart phones have that problem if you put your hand over the antenna, yes...but not all smart phones are stupid enough to have their antenna on the bottom lower corner where your hand is extremely likely to cover it!!! The SMART place to put an antenna is the TOP of the phone where it is least likely to be covered. I guess that's beyond Apple Engineering to figure out and now they WILL pay the price. This has basically handed the market to Android until iPhone 5 comes out, if not permanently. A bumper will not solve the underlying problem which is that it's downright stupid to put the antenna in that location.

err.... so tell me again which android device is outselling the iPhone 4??

 

[inhrntlyunstabl]

External Antenna?

Most even extend outward from the phone

Most???!!! Really???!!! I can't remember last time I saw one like this. Maybe a few, but most? I just did a Google image search on 'cell phone' and paged through 10 pages and only saw really old cell phone bricks with any kind of antenna sticking out.

 

[8CoreWhore]

Now will you hysterical ninnies change your napkin and get a life? Proof is in the pudding. Can't argue with it. People are not calling Apple and they are not returning the phone. People trust Apple not hack bloggers and lazy stupid dishonest "journalists" or silly low life haters.

 

[mtbgtr]

So the iPhone 4 is no better a phone than anything else on the market according to SJ?

I expect more than, as good as the rest, from Apple.

I'll be sticking with my 3GS until the kinks are worked out.

 

[mudbug99]

Some people's kids

Recipe for Apple Tripe
- 3 cups of lies
- 2 Pound of lame excuses
- Half bake above
- Sprinkle liberaly with fresh buffalo chips
- Serve steaming with Kool-Aid drink

This guy's hilarious, full of nonsensical entertainment value, just like Fox news. Look, he almost said liberal! Misspelled it, maybe that makes it OK so he gets to keep his psycho membership secret decoder ring.

 

[zombitronic]

The first thing that comes to mind when I see the pictures of those testing chambers:

"Hello, and again, welcome to the Aperture Science Computer-Aided Enrichment Center."

 

[inhrntlyunstabl]

You have the kink already.

So the iPhone 4 is no better a phone than anything else on the market according to SJ?

I expect more than, as good as the rest, from Apple.

I'll be sticking with my 3GS until the kinks are worked out.

Me too, but for different reason. I only upgrade ever other cycle (and never after a major overhaul - case in point).

BTW - the 3GS, least mine, experiences the same problem... just as Apple demonstrates in this presentation and new page on their site. Yet I've only had maybe 2-3 dropped calls in a year.

 

[BlondeBuddhist]

So the iPhone 4 is no better a phone than anything else on the market according to SJ?

I expect more than, as good as the rest, from Apple.

I'll be sticking with my 3GS until the kinks are worked out.

see you at Iphone 5 release. I'll probably know it's you when I hear someone complaining at a loud level.

Anyone know where the Q&A can be viewed? I have searched YouTube and find nothing. Thanks in advance

 

[inhrntlyunstabl]

Q&A? Check the live site coverage sources...

see you at Iphone 5 release. I'll probably know it's you when I hear someone complaining at a loud level.

Anyone know where the Q&A can be viewed? I have searched YouTube and find nothing. Thanks in advance

I doubt you'll find the Q&A video. But Engadget covered the Q&A live and has posted the Qs and As in their coverage.

 

[mtbgtr]

see you at Iphone 5 release. I'll probably know it's you when I hear someone complaining at a loud level.

Anyone know where the Q&A can be viewed? I have searched YouTube and find nothing. Thanks in advance

So YOU are one of those who buys anything new, as soon as it comes out, regardless of the fact that all new models of anything have kinks to be worked out. I want to genuinely thank you for being the beta guinea for me and the rest of the planet who can what till something works well before dropping in.