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Consumer Reports 'Can't Recommend' iPhone 4 Due to Signal Issues
- Thread starter callmemike20
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Yeah, but I never said all the iPhones couldn't make calls so your comment is MOOT. What was your intended goal anyway?
Now that is a great idea...it seems that Apple could get that out relatively quickly if they wanted to.
Honestly, I can see how this problem could get overlooked in initial testing.
Or... is it possible that Apple knew about it from the beginning and just thought it would be no big deal and that it's consumers are all stupid enough to accept the $30 bumper fix and keep smiling?
Or... is it possible that Apple didn't realize the problem until well into production and scrambled with the bumper fix after the product was boxed, still hoping they'd get over on us?
This is what happens when you lie... And when a company like Apple lies it's a whopper.
Remember, everyone - it's a non-issue!
I really would like an objective analysis of Apple's stance on individuality and the evolution of the company from its early days through the present. I have always believed the "1984" and "Think Different" commercials to be captivating and brilliant. It would be a shame if they were merely marketing ploys as opposed to Steve Jobs' intention on expressing his passion over "power". Do people generally believe Mr. Jobs to have evolved from a visionary more interested in changing the world into a fascist, passionless capitalist? Maybe I'm naive, I would like to believe that through it all, Steve still believes in "thinking different".
This commercial still gets me every time I watch it, and Richard Dreyfus is perfect for the voiceover:
Think Different
Well please begin, because the review was quite fair. I don't know what you're trying to defend but hopefully it's not the flaw in the phone. There is a flaw and you denying it doesn't change anything.
I think both Apple and CR are both back peddling. CR does have a bias toward products they have positively reviewed in the past - and they rushed to recommend the iPhone4 before fully testing it - which they had to do in light of all the mounting complaints. Apple on the other hand had their test units in cases that looked like the 3GS...so the testers wouldn't have had skin contact with the metal band.
I think the entire situation is Apple's biggest "Oh Crap!!!" moment. They focused on the technology and the wow factor and forgot the simple human factor of how people use it and that skin when in contact with metal can conduct a current...so their magic phone was flawed.
I would love to see them fix this and update the phone before the traditional cylce next summer.
I have the iPhone 4 and with the $30 bumper that I bought from Apple, it's signal coverage is far superior to my iPhone 3GS. Whether you read the Consumer Reports or Forbes articles, the narrative is clear to me. Apple knew full well of the antenna design limitation long before the phone hit the streets and they decided to profit on it by selling a fix in the form of their $30 bumper. Me thinks that either Apple will voluntarily or by class action lawsuit settlement be issuing free bumpers and/or store credit.
Apple has no choice now, I bet they make some kind of statement today. The story is huge. I cancelled my order, but as soon as a decent case or remedy is available I'll be upgrading to the 4g. Too many good things about the new iphone to have me go to a droid or another phone.
I'm really glad to see this from Consumer Reports. Just tonight (before I read this) I had a friend tell me he was considering buying his first iPhone and I said much the same thing to him
The iPhone 4 is a brilliant device in almost all respects, BUT I can't recommend it, because it has a serious design flaw which affects its most important function the phone. This is the first time I have ever recommended people not buy the latest iPhone from Apple, and it's sad, but I hold Apple to a higher standard. Good to see Consumer Reports doing the same.
Apple, time to get serious about fixing this. If a piece of tape can 'alleviate' the problem somewhat, surely your engineers can come up with something better than a rubber bumper?! But all this PR BS about the display of bars being wrong is just sad, sad, sad.
Apple, time to get serious about fixing this. If a piece of tape can 'alleviate' the problem somewhat, surely your engineers can come up with something better than a rubber bumper?! But all this PR BS about the display of bars being wrong is just sad, sad, sad.
For something like that, you know, stock market dictating a reaction, does Apple consult with shareholders or act on its own?
speculation
I'm totally speculating here, but
I could see a production stoppage for a 1.01 revision.
voluntary recall for affected units,
swapping them out and then refurbing all the affected units (yeah, lots of cheap refurbs coming?)
TOTAL resumption of upside stock trajectory with 300$+ by end of year.
At THIS stage we're talking a net 10% hit to Q3 earnings, but a protection of years of goodwill creation amongst an ever growing loyal user/fanbase.
Just DO IT already!
I'm totally speculating here, but
I could see a production stoppage for a 1.01 revision.
voluntary recall for affected units,
swapping them out and then refurbing all the affected units (yeah, lots of cheap refurbs coming?)
TOTAL resumption of upside stock trajectory with 300$+ by end of year.
At THIS stage we're talking a net 10% hit to Q3 earnings, but a protection of years of goodwill creation amongst an ever growing loyal user/fanbase.
Just DO IT already!
Maybe AT&T ins't as bad as we thought. Maybe the culprit has somewhat been the iphone from the beginning?
We all know since the first iPhone that the phone part has never been it's best asset. We just always blamed ATT. Why did Apple all of a sudden go into the bumper case business? Hmmmmmm somethings to think about?
This CR things is all over the mainstream news now and is sure making Apple look bad.
We all know since the first iPhone that the phone part has never been it's best asset. We just always blamed ATT. Why did Apple all of a sudden go into the bumper case business? Hmmmmmm somethings to think about?
This CR things is all over the mainstream news now and is sure making Apple look bad.
On Fox Business, one of the panel had a roll of duct tape with a sign saying "get in line for the iTape priced at $49.99". This is a total PR debacle for Apple. I had a blackberry on AT&T for 18 months and NEVER had a dropped call anywhere.
Okay, replace AT&T with the current carrier you use.....an instantaneous dropped call by placing his finger there???? c'mon...... If it's not a signal strength issue, then what is it? And why don't I have that same problem with my phone? If I have to take these people at their word that there call drops instantaneously, then you/they also have to take my word that I have no problem whatsoever. Touching that gap has no effect on my signal strength or call stability. And let's face it.....most people out there who are happy with their iphone 4's do not come to these boards to say so.....only the people with gripes......readership here on macrumors is not representative of the iphone 4 buying public at large......
Well, I guess we can all agree that it will be interesting, to say the least, when iOS4 update comes out.......
haha. i bet fanboys would actually buy and like iTape... especially if you get it in multiple colors.
Good, what I've learnt from this episode is that Apple only listens to the market and ignores its customers, unless both of them cross paths.
No offence to shareholders but if plunging stocks is what it takes for Apple to fess up then I sincerely hope it takes a beating.
No offence to shareholders but if plunging stocks is what it takes for Apple to fess up then I sincerely hope it takes a beating.
indeed
Indeed, market cap is down SIX BILLION TODAY alone, could have give bumpers to everyone for about 10 million already and been done with it.
Indeed, market cap is down SIX BILLION TODAY alone, could have give bumpers to everyone for about 10 million already and been done with it.
Yep
Stock market up, AAPL tanking. Maybe Steve ought to tell the world again that this is a non-issue and just give Apple another $30 for an ugly case and it will work great!!!!
Trouble is for Apple is that they are no longer selling products to way out there fanboys (who would tell you how great the phone is even if it refused to power on). Regular people aren't swayed by fanboy claims of "elegant", "gorgeous" "delicious looking". We aren't real impressed that "Steve Says" "the back of ours looks better than the front of the other guys". We don't believe that carrying an iPhone around is "skating to where the puck is going to be" when the damned thing continually drops calls. We don't believe all other phones are "junky, clunky, and crappy" and "made for porn"...
Point is, most fanboys will defend this lemon and Steve Jobs like 13 year year old girls at a Justin Bieber concert.
I love Apple products, and the iPhone 4 is a great device. But it has a serious design flaw. And the fact that Apple won't even address it speaks volumes.
Stock market up, AAPL tanking. Maybe Steve ought to tell the world again that this is a non-issue and just give Apple another $30 for an ugly case and it will work great!!!!
Trouble is for Apple is that they are no longer selling products to way out there fanboys (who would tell you how great the phone is even if it refused to power on). Regular people aren't swayed by fanboy claims of "elegant", "gorgeous" "delicious looking". We aren't real impressed that "Steve Says" "the back of ours looks better than the front of the other guys". We don't believe that carrying an iPhone around is "skating to where the puck is going to be" when the damned thing continually drops calls. We don't believe all other phones are "junky, clunky, and crappy" and "made for porn"...
Point is, most fanboys will defend this lemon and Steve Jobs like 13 year year old girls at a Justin Bieber concert.
I love Apple products, and the iPhone 4 is a great device. But it has a serious design flaw. And the fact that Apple won't even address it speaks volumes.