Apple to Offer Free Cases for iPhone 4 Customers

[cmChimera]

Bafflefish - thanks. I would have thought that inherent in the concept of "analogy" is that the two systems being described are not identical, but perhaps they no longer test that on the SATs.

Sorry that you don't understand the concept of a relevant analogy.

 

[cmaier]

Sorry that you don't understand the concept of a relevant analogy.

The relevance was explained in excruciating detail. If you cut off your leg because your knee is scraped, you are discarding something very useful to you because of a flaw that doesn't eliminate the usefulness of the thing.

If I return my i4 because calls often go to voicemail, I have no i4 for development, for enjoying movies on with the nice screen, etc.

The analogy is thus very relevant. In fact, my analogy is simply choosing a different body part over the cliche "cutting one's nose off to spite the face." Cutting off your leg because of a skinned knee is an extreme overreaction, just as cutting your nose off to spite your face is, and just as returning my iPhone 4 would be.

You are being intentionally obtuse.

 

[firewood]

I actually think that, done right, the tape looks really nice on it. Anandtech didn't cut out the holes for the dock connector and such, but I'd imagine that wouldn't take too much work

Someone with the tooling to make a die cutter could probably make a killing on eBay. 1 cent + (very profitable) postage, shipping materials and handling.

 

[el3ktro]

His numbers were garbage.

When I returned my phone, because it wouldn't make a call without failing, the reason indicated on the RMA was "changed mind".

Also you don't buy an Armani suit to walk around with a parka over it all day. Why couldn't they just admit to the conductivity issues and tell people they were going to fix it?

And how does this make the numbers 'garbage'? He said '1.7% of all customers returned their iPhones' and not '1.7% of all customers returned their iPhones due to reception problems' so it doesn't matter at all what is written on your RMA. 1.7% returned their iPhones for whatever reason, that's what he said.

 

[el3ktro]

since when has 100% been considered a "very small proportion"?

Every single person can duplicate this, it is a design flaw.

This is plain ********. I wasn't able to reproduce this signal loss on six different iPhones now. One of a friend, my father's iPhone, two at a local retail store, one at another retail store and another one of one of my colleagues. I was gripping the iPhones really tight, also covering the lower left corner with my finger and there was no signal loss at all. I have it on video, if you want to see it, I can upload it.

 

[cmaier]

This is plain ********. I wasn't able to reproduce this signal loss on six different iPhones now. One of a friend, my father's iPhone, two at a local retail store, one at another retail store and another one of one of my colleagues. I was gripping the iPhones really tight, also covering the lower left corner with my finger and there was no signal loss at all. I have it on video, if you want to see it, I can upload it.

I see. So you doubtless believe that every single blackberry exhibits the problem (after all, when steve was asked by an audience member how come the audience member's blackberry didn't exhibit the problem, steve said it might not show up when the signal is strong), but you don't believe that explanation applies to iphones as well?

(P.S.: it might have been a droid or some other phone that the question involved, instead of a blackberry. don't remember, and don't care to re-read the transcript).

 

[bnsmith]

This is plain ********. I wasn't able to reproduce this signal loss on six different iPhones now. One of a friend, my father's iPhone, two at a local retail store, one at another retail store and another one of one of my colleagues. I was gripping the iPhones really tight, also covering the lower left corner with my finger and there was no signal loss at all. I have it on video, if you want to see it, I can upload it.

Do you know what week some of those phones were made in? You look at the 4 and 5 digits in the serial number. Just curious. I've had 4 iPhone 4's and only one of them didn't lose data and signal. My current one, which still has this problem was from week 27
Thanks!

 

[badpinoy]

Since they will be giving away free bumpers, ALL I WANT TO KNOW IS ONE THING........

Who is going to give me back my .99 cents that I spent on ebay to purchase this really awesome case from hong kong that seems to be doing a great job and just looks great on my iPhone?????!!!!

I'm officially requesting a whole new press conference so that someone can ask this question in my behalf

thank you

why don't your email steve jobs yourself.

 

[marksman]

Glad they're offering a refund to those who already purchased a bumper.

The stats about .55% of customers calling AppleCare to complain about antenna issues is very misleading. I definitely have issues with my antenna but I never called AppleCare because I knew what they would say from the information I receive on sites like MacRumors. Everyone I know has this issue and non of them took it in to get fixed or replaced because we all knew they wouldn't be able to do anything for us. With the growing amount of press regarding this issue, I'm sure most of the iPhone 4 users with the issue decided to wait until today to see what Apple had to say.

It is not misleading it is relative. Apple is comparing that number to other issues they have had across a wide spectrum of products throughout history. There is nothing special about this that keeps more or less people from reporting it.

Although you are not doing yourself any favors buying a product claiming it does not work at all and never contacting the manufacturer. No matter what the item is that seems like a bad way to go through life.

 

[firewood]

This is plain ********. I wasn't able to reproduce this signal loss on six different iPhones now. One of a friend, my father's iPhone, two at a local retail store, one at another retail store and another one of one of my colleagues. I was gripping the iPhones really tight, also covering the lower left corner with my finger and there was no signal loss at all. I have it on video, if you want to see it, I can upload it.

Apple showed a video reproducing the issue inside their $100M of calibrated test chambers.

Who am I going to believe?

Plus I can do it with my i4, but only in certain weak signal areas.
(But it's really bad with the 3GS in some areas as well.)

Who am I going to believe?

Plus, I've built antennas, and know that the SWR (antenna tuning from the transmitter's point of view) can be changed by getting too near them.

Who am I going to believe?

 

[zengod]

My iphone4 has this problem or at least I can replicate it. Now whilst I normally use a case and its not a problem, the niggling fact at the back of my mind is that I have an expensive, faulty product that looks like being resolved by 30 Sept on new builds of that same product.

So if after 30 Sept, all the new phones have a hardware fix, will we be able to return for a replacement anyway under standard consumer law for our respective countries given that any hardware fix is really an acknowledgement of fault ?

As for the low number of people reporting the issue, I think its more a case of so many people seeing the media coverage and deciding to wait and see what Apple do. They may now find that the numbers of people returning iPhones, even for a just a replacement one, will increase dramatically.

 

[jasonpaige79]

i think that people need to take a step back and realize that the iphone is one of the biggest—if not the biggest—innovations of the 21st century, and we can't all expect it to work 100% perfectly. and yes, they say "good is the enemy of great" which i agree with. they're one of the few companies that can consistently come out with great products. i think that we need to start cutting apple some slack.

 

[Frosties]

My take on the date 30 September that after that time we will get free bumpers from the carriers who bill apple not from apple directly. The phone needs the rubber to function properly and it's too late and costly to redesign the hardware here before next Iphone 4s.

I remember the launch and the sales pitch that the glass part was the hardest material and we did not need cases because the design was perfect.

I have one iphone 4 reserved on a list as it has not been released in my country yet but will seriously think about skipping this release. For me a phone is made for calls, games and such can be had with the ipod touch or the ipad. But the phone part is for iphone alone as Apple made it so.

 

[SlowCarBoost]

My iphone4 has this problem or at least I can replicate it. Now whilst I normally use a case and its not a problem, the niggling fact at the back of my mind is that I have an expensive, faulty product that looks like being resolved by 30 Sept on new builds of that same product.

So if after 30 Sept, all the new phones have a hardware fix, will we be able to return for a replacement anyway under standard consumer law for our respective countries given that any hardware fix is really an acknowledgement of fault ?

As for the low number of people reporting the issue, I think its more a case of so many people seeing the media coverage and deciding to wait and see what Apple do. They may now find that the numbers of people returning iPhones, even for a just a replacement one, will increase dramatically.

If they hardware fix this before the iPhone 5, people with the current phones will demand a replacement which is why I don't think they'll fix it. I know I'd be at the Apple store the day I found out they fixed it demanding a replacement and I don't even have that much of a problem with it. Nevertheless, I do see it as a defect and I eventually would like to sell the phone.

 

[cmaier]

i think that people need to take a step back and realize that the iphone is one of the biggest—if not the biggest—innovations of the 21st century, and we can't all expect it to work 100% perfectly. and yes, they say "good is the enemy of great" which i agree with. they're one of the few companies that can consistently come out with great products. i think that we need to start cutting apple some slack.

That honor goes to the slapchop.

 

[neutrino23]

My iphone4 has this problem or at least I can replicate it. Now whilst I normally use a case and its not a problem, the niggling fact at the back of my mind is that I have an expensive, faulty product that looks like being resolved by 30 Sept on new builds of that same product.

So if after 30 Sept, all the new phones have a hardware fix, will we be able to return for a replacement anyway under standard consumer law for our respective countries given that any hardware fix is really an acknowledgement of fault ?

As for the low number of people reporting the issue, I think its more a case of so many people seeing the media coverage and deciding to wait and see what Apple do. They may now find that the numbers of people returning iPhones, even for a just a replacement one, will increase dramatically.

I take issue with the claim that this is a faulty product. This the way things are with high frequency radio waves and antennas and bodies. When you drive around town and the FM radio in your car gets more or less static due to interference from reflected waves do you complain to the manufacturers about that? When an airplane flies overhead and causes interference with your over-the-air television signal by reflecting signal to the antenna and causing destructive interference do you complain to the manufacturer about that? When you listen to a portable AM radio and find that the signal drops off depending how you hold it or the direction in which you turn it do you complain to the manufacturer about that?

It is fine to raise this issue with Apple (or Motorola or HTC or whomever) and pressure them to do better. But it seems illegitimate to call the i4 a faulty product when it performs as well or better than its predecessor.

You can return the phone now. You don't have to wait for September 30. We don't know what will happen then. Steve only said they would reevaluate the situation then.

As to the numbers of returns, the number is what it is. We'll see if it changes.

 

[Frosties]

It is fine to raise this issue with Apple (or Motorola or HTC or whomever) and pressure them to do better. But it seems illegitimate to call the i4 a faulty product when it performs as well or better than its predecessor.

We already have reports that the iphone 4 is the worst of the bunch when it comes to reception.

"We reached this conclusion after testing all three of our iPhone 4s (purchased at three separate retailers in the New York area) in the controlled environment of CU's radio frequency (RF) isolation chamber. In this room, which is impervious to outside radio signals, our test engineers connected the phones to our base-station emulator, a device that simulates carrier cell towers (see video: IPhone 4 Design Defect Confirmed). We also tested several other AT&T phones the same way, including the iPhone 3G S and the Palm Pre. None of those phones had the signal-loss problems of the iPhone 4."

http://blogs.consumerreports.org/el...m-issues-signal-strength-att-network-gsm.html

 

[neutrino23]

After watching the video I think it was a good presentation. Steve kept it simple, presented actual data to support his claims and repeated things several times for emphasis. Nicely done.

We'll see how it plays out. This is not an issue based on a serious problem. This is a feeding frenzy on the blogs.

The anechoic chambers were awesome.

 

[littledigger]

i don't need a case. My phone is working perfectly.

 

[mypins]

Tampa store staff needs retraining

I went in to check on the refund situation. I asked a staff member a very simple question, "so can you give me some more info on the bumper refund?" The first thing out of this guy's mouth was, "Oh, for the iPhone that doesn't have a reception problem but we are going to provide you with a free bumper case anyway."

Apple: here's a suggestion...tell you staff not to be smart asses but to treat ALL customers with respect. I told your employee to stop right there because it was an insult on my intelligence. I have spent thousands of dollars on non-iPhone-related hardware and software at Apple, and what I experienced is something I would expect from a child. You have a hardware problem with your product. I have replicated the reception issue NO matter where I am located. Grow up and fix the problem professionally. And retrain your staff in Tampa.

 

[musiciscool]

Here is the problem with the “return it” strategy

WE CANNOT RESELL OUR APPS

Many of us have invested large amounts of money over the last two years in apps. However, Apple has delivered a phone that cannot be used in the left hand by many users. So we either lose the ability to make calls using our left hand or give up our apps.

Since apps are protected by FairPlay, we cannot transfer or sell our licenses to others, as we could other software if we were to leave OS X or Windows.

That is a hell of a choice that Apple has given us. Use a defective phone or lose your entire investment in apps. Give us a refund on apps or the ability to re-sell, and then it will be fair.

You bought how many apps in 22 days? Maybe you can keep using your iphone3 or get the 3gs for $99 bucks; This antenna issue is bullcrap and you know it!

 

[Bafflefish]

Bafflefish - thanks. I would have thought that inherent in the concept of "analogy" is that the two systems being described are not identical, but perhaps they no longer test that on the SATs.

I remember a lot of people having issues with the analogy component of the SATs. A friend of mine that is in college currently works as one of the GRE preparatory instructors for Kaplan, and has mentioned at times how the analogy component of the GRE (along with the algebra and geometry sections) causes so many people problems, even though most of the material being covered is only slightly more difficult than what people likely took with the SAT in high school.

 

[SlowCarBoost]

I take issue with the claim that this is a faulty product. This the way things are with high frequency radio waves and antennas and bodies. When you drive around town and the FM radio in your car gets more or less static due to interference from reflected waves do you complain to the manufacturers about that? When an airplane flies overhead and causes interference with your over-the-air television signal by reflecting signal to the antenna and causing destructive interference do you complain to the manufacturer about that? When you listen to a portable AM radio and find that the signal drops off depending how you hold it or the direction in which you turn it do you complain to the manufacturer about that?

It is fine to raise this issue with Apple (or Motorola or HTC or whomever) and pressure them to do better. But it seems illegitimate to call the i4 a faulty product when it performs as well or better than its predecessor.

You can return the phone now. You don't have to wait for September 30. We don't know what will happen then. Steve only said they would reevaluate the situation then.

As to the numbers of returns, the number is what it is. We'll see if it changes.

I agree to an extent. I wouldn't call it defective. It's not and I'm happy with the phone with the exception of the proximity sensor issue which should be resolved soon. That being said, I think we can all agree that the decision to put the antenna around the exterior of the phone was a stupid move. How they could not realize this in their 100 million dollar futuristic test chambers is beyond me. As far as I'm concerned, the release of the first ever Apple iPhone case(bumper) is pretty much proof that they knew about this problem well before launch. The thing doesn't even really protect the phone. I'm sick of thinking about this issue. I'm admittedly obsessed with it now. I'm gonna try and forget about it but if they turn around and correct this with a hardware update, I'm gonna lose my mind!

 

[Bafflefish]

Someone with the tooling to make a die cutter could probably make a killing on eBay. 1 cent + (very profitable) postage, shipping materials and handling.

Hmm... and you know that people would buy it up, especially the crowd that's into as much "bling" as possible for their phones/devices.

 

[musiciscool]

We all get have heard this before...and today with Jobs. However:

1)What about that lovely 2-year contract you may have signed with ATT?

2)What about if you RENEWED your ATT contract?

Jobs didn't address those 2 questions.



I think Jobs basically just sidelined the issue...stating 100 times that every phone on the planet has reception problems. I've had 2 Nokias, 1 Motorola, and 1 iPhone 3GS over the past 12 years...0...I will say it again...0 of them have ANY problems in regards to holding the phone and losing reception. This iPhone 4 reception issue is the first time I, and likely a large percentage of other people on the planet, have ever heard of a cell phone that sucks when you hold it. You mean to tell me that cellular technology that has saturated our lives over the past 10+ years now suddenly is admitting some kind of caveat with antennas? I don't think so. My wife's 2 Blackberries and 2 Nokias over the past 8+ years never had such an antenna problem either.

Basically Apple won't fix the problem...the WORKAROUND is to put a stupid case over it. The fix is a relocation/redesign of the antenna.

-Eric

Have you had this problem, or only heard about others having this problem?