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

[TuffLuffJimmy]

I haven't seen anyone post that only 0.55% of people who bought an iPhone 4 called AppleCare complaining about reception issues. Three million people bought iPhone 4s. That's 16,500 people called AppleCare complaining. That doesn't include people who called AT&T or went straight to their Apple Store. I've never called AppleCare for a device I just purchased, simply because if it's DOA I take it back to the store, or file an issue report.


The statistic Steve should have given was the percent of people who called AppleCare about the reception issue out of how many people call about an issue with the iPhone 4.

 

[Treefu]

Strange that Apple can't manufacture enough bumpers when it's so relatively small number.

After all, only ~16,500 would require to get one for free, right? I mean it's not like they have to make 3,000,000 since most people don't have an issue they don't need the free bumper...

 

[bear1973]

What a defensive, petty, immature jerk...

....seriously - this is no way for a grownup CEO to act. The new iPhone has a problem: it drops 2x as many calls as the iPhone 3GS. Why couldn't he just come out and say: "We're sorry, we didn't handle this properly, and this is how we're going to make up for it." But now, he had to get all defensive and childish (playing that YouTube video). This is what hubris looks like.

This reminds me of when the Powerbook G4 Al first came out in 2003 and thousands of customers had white spots on the screen. Apple just refused to recognize that their was a problem, and told their customer service reps to play dumb. They eventually gave me a new Powerbook G4, but for weeks insulted my intelligence by saying there wasn't a problem, but that mine must be an isolated case.

So, Apple, you make great stuff, I've bought thousands of dollars worth of it and will continue to, but this kind of behavior is not very becoming.

 

[TuffLuffJimmy]

it drops 2x as many calls as the iPhone 3GS.

Where are you getting that statistic?

 

[iRockMan1]

Strange that Apple can't manufacture enough bumpers when it's so relatively small number.

After all, only ~16,500 would require to get one for free, right? I mean it's not like they have to make 3,000,000 since most people don't have an issue they don't need the free bumper...

Everyone is able to get one, whether they need it or not. It's just like how everyone ordered 4 Wii remote condoms when Nintendo started giving them out.

....seriously - this is no way for a grownup CEO to act. The new iPhone has a problem: it drops 2x as many calls as the iPhone 3GS.

No, it drops less than one more out of every 100. That's all we know. And that's nothing. It's such a non-issue, Apple shouldn't have had to do anything about it. The only reason they did is because all the bloggers and media went up in arms over a small issue.

 

[NT1440]

The new iPhone has a problem: it drops 2x as many calls as the iPhone 3GS.

You understand that in our reality, you aren't entitled to your own facts right? Where the hell did you pull this one out of?

 

[bear1973]

2x as many dropped calls

....according to ATT, the iPhone 3GS dropped 1% of calls, or 1/100. 1 _more_ for every 100 is 2/100, or twice as many. Yeah, that's another way of saying what Steve said.

Jobs had a chance to improve Apple's image. He did more damage with this condescending performance.

 

[TuffLuffJimmy]

....according to ATT, the iPhone 3GS dropped 1% of calls, or 1/100. 1 _more_ for every 100 is 2/100, or twice as many. Yeah, that's another way of saying what Steve said.

Jobs had a chance to improve Apple's image. He did more damage with this condescending performance.

Again, cite this stat or else you're pulling it out of your backside.

 

[bear1973]

From an article in Slate.. and 1% seems reasonable

Look, in your reality, Jobs and Apple can do no wrong. That's what folks here do - carry Apple's water and worship the cult of Steve and Apple. It's really hilarious.

Clearly, there's a problem, and Apple's response was slow, defensive, and childish.

This will be seen as the moment when Apple became just another big company that condescends to its customers - a kind of tipping point. You'd really think that they could have managed this better from a PR standpoint.

 

[TuffLuffJimmy]

Look, in your reality, Jobs and Apple can do no wrong.

Clearly, there's a problem, and Apple's response was slow, defensive, and childish.

This will be seen as the moment when Apple became just another big company that condescends to its customers - a kind of tipping point. You'd really think that they could have managed this better from a PR standpoint.

I have said nothing to suggest that. Why don't you keep on topic instead of getting defensive. Please, let's keep this discussion mature.

Now cite the statistic you've thrown into the mix.


And I'm not going to weigh in one way or another about the antenna issue, but 22 days since launch is not slow at all. That's very fast for a company when they need to collect data, put together a presentation, gather media, etc.

 

[Treefu]

Everyone is able to get one, whether they need it or not. It's just like how everyone ordered 4 Wii remote condoms when Nintendo started giving them out.

Sorry for not being clear enough in my irony of the statistics...

 

[TuffLuffJimmy]

Sorry for not being clear enough in my irony of the statistics...

Sarcasm and irony are far from the same thing.

 

[Gomff]

Jobs had a chance to improve Apple's image. He did more damage with this condescending performance.

You can have a free bumper if you want it. Or you can have your money back, no questions asked. What is your problem? What else do you want from Apple? Compensation? For Steve to buy you a house and pay for all the toys you could possibly want for the rest of your life? The facts are very straight forward:

If you're in a weak signal spot and you hold the phone in the bottom left corner, you will notice a significantly bigger decrease in signal strength than if you're in a good spot. This is why most folks aren't experiencing significant problems.....Because their signal strength is ample enough to cope with any attenuation. It's been explained time and time again but people just love to really keep digging because they think it's cool or that in some misguided way they can come over as more clever than Apple.

I have had an iPhone 4 for the last 2 weeks and I love it....It's the best phone I've ever had. I know I could take it back tomorrow and get my money back or get an Android phone or whatever but there's no way I'm going to do that because I'm a happy customer. The phone works perfectly and I haven't had a dropped call yet. The screen is gorgeous, it's fast and responsive, I love the apps available and the battery life is great. Whilst out with the dog the other day I had a 90 minute conversation with a friend while walking along the river and through isolated areas. Not only did the call never drop, but it didn't so much as even break up slightly. And, by the way, using a GPS tracking app I recorded my route which then created and emailed a small file to my mac, which I opened with Google Earth at home. I got all the stats for the whole walk, including distance covered, average speed and so on.

So just go stew in your own bitter juices, you probably hate the new iPhone 4 because you can't have one for some reason. It's an awesome phone, end of story.

 

[MagnusVonMagnum]

You can have a free bumper if you want it. Or you can have your money back, no questions asked. What is your problem? What else do you want from Apple? Compensation? For Steve to buy you a house and pay for all the toys you could possibly want for the rest of your life?

Wow, what a mature response.

I think what most consumers want is for Apple to actually FIX the cause of the problem (i.e. recall and fix defect like any car manufacturer would have to do if something is defective), not tell people to hold their phone upside down or stick a bumper on it. As for the bumpers, as long as this problem exists, they should be included with all iPhones by September automatically, IMO. The longer this problem goes unaddressed at its source (i.e. the hardware continues to ship with the defect intact), the more trouble it will spell for Apple whether fans of the iPhone like it or not. Short-term free bumpers will not make this go away as much as Steve seems to think it will. Apple is not poor. They can afford to fix this and do right by their customers. Excuses are unprofessional.

 

[317342]

No, the best thing Apple did was let you decide whether or not you want to keep the iPhone 4, and gave you 30 full days to do it in.

I think some people just like to b-ch because they have nothing (and no-one) else to do.

 

[thebez]

... They have got to be defending both their design and the fact that all phones do suffer signal loss when gripped. ...

But most phones do not suffer signal loss in any appreciable way, so that argument is effectively a lie.

 

[thebez]

No, the best thing Apple did was let you decide whether or not you want to keep the iPhone 4, and gave you 30 full days to do it in.

I think some people just like to b-ch because they have nothing (and no-one) else to do.

No, its that some of us can't believe how blind to the Apple BS that other members of this forum are. Steve Jobs says something that any logical person can see right through, and others take it as the word of God.

I find it quite amusing that people on this forum complain about people complaining. It is even funnier when they try to throw a blanket insult on the end - it just screams "classy"!

 

[twoodcc]

yeah i watched the video. steve seemed pretty upset to me

 

[317342]

No, its that some of us can't believe how blind to the Apple BS that other members of this forum are. Steve Jobs says something that any logical person can see right through, and others take it as the word of God.

Wow, I didn't know that you were the authority on all things, least of all Apple. Maybe you can you tell me what lotto numbers I should choose too? While you're at it, can you also tell me where you did your graduate work that puts the 17 PhDs at Apple in their place as well.

I find it quite amusing that people on this forum complain about people complaining. It is even funnier when they try to throw a blanket insult on the end - it just screams "classy"!

So I was right.

 

[Gomff]

Wow, what a mature response.

I think what most consumers want is for Apple to actually FIX the cause of the problem (i.e. recall and fix defect like any car manufacturer would have to do if something is defective), not tell people to hold their phone upside down or stick a bumper on it. As for the bumpers, as long as this problem exists, they should be included with all iPhones by September automatically, IMO.

So Apple shouldn't tell people to use a bumper, but they should give them away with every phone....That makes sense.

Or, assuming they did what you suggested and recalled them all.....What would I do for a phone in the meantime? Especially given that I'm perfectly happy with my phone as it is?

One more time: My phone is fine, I am happy with it. If I wasn't, I would return it and get my money back

I can only conclude that you're not getting this point because you simply don't want to get it, or it is somehow beyond your intelligence.

 

[liquidx]

 

[Gomff]

And the point of this image is.....?

 

[inhrntlyunstabl]

Who's Lying???!!!

But most phones do not suffer signal loss in any appreciable way, so that argument is effectively a lie.

They do. Get your facts straight. Ever single phone suffers some signal loss when held, put near electronics, etc. For you to claim this is untrue is a flat out lie or you are living in a different world. Check your facts, do some of your own testing and REALIZE signal loss doesn't mean dropped calls. Boy, if you can't understand that argument, god help you.

 

[liavman]

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.

I watched the video and the extra information Apple has posted at the web sites. I fully agree with MagnusVonMagnum's succinct conclusions.

Now I wonder if there is a software way by which they can swap the antenna on the other side for cell purposes where users are less likely to grip. Or provide it as an option in the Settings... I am just wildly speculating, I do not know much RF engineering.

 

[inhrntlyunstabl]

Time for you to go...

No, its that some of us can't believe how blind to the Apple BS that other members of this forum are. Steve Jobs says something that any logical person can see right through, and others take it as the word of God.

I find it quite amusing that people on this forum complain about people complaining. It is even funnier when they try to throw a blanket insult on the end - it just screams "classy"!

...back to the store and return all the Apple gear that is upsetting you so much.

Apple BS... look, I know Apple had their CFO tell his guys to tell their guys to run the numbers, e.g. figure out the financial impacts of dozens of possible decisions (ever heard of a decision tree or financial quantitative analysis???). They determined it would be better financially (even figuring the loss of 10Ks-100Ks of customers) to do what they did. They are basically telling you to FO. If you don't like your iPhone, Steve, Apple, take your business elsewhere. It's amazing the haters are (1) still holding onto their Apple products and (2) still on this site spending their time trying to convince us all they will change Apple's mind on this matter. This is not just my attitude, it is Steve's too apparently. So continue to complain here, don't call AppleCare, don't ask for a bumper, don't ask for refund - and you'll see how things magically fix themselves.