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Emailed Jobs about Proximity Sensor

S

slpymnky

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 23, 2010
12
0
I sent Steve Jobs an email on Friday saying the following:

Steve,

I have been a loyal Apple customer for 8 years (since age 14) and have been very satisfied with all products up until the iPhone 4. The main function of the product is to make and receive phone calls, and this is very difficult to accomplish. The proximity sensor has given me nothing but continuous problems. I was going to return the phone, but the employees at the Apple Store assured me that a software update would fix this problem. I updated to 4.1 yesterday and still have these issues. In fact, I think that the proximity sensor has gotten worse. I think this is a hardware issue and now I am outside of my return period so I am stuck with this phone, and I use the word phone loosely, for two years. When are you going to come out with a real fix for this problem?

Thanks,

Then an Apple representative called me today. She asked me detailed questions about the issues I was having including frequency etc. She said that she is trying to gather additional information from customers experiencing this problem for the engineers. She also said she would call me back on Friday and hopefully have more information/a solution. Has anyone else had a similar experience?
 
This is what I predict a reply from Uncle Steve would have been:

"There is no proximity issue"
"Its not worth it. Go spend some time with your family"
 
Why would you return it when you can get a free warranty replacement for defective hardware?
 
Before iOS 4.1, I could EASILY reproduce the Proximity Sensor issue by placing a call, holding the iPhone 4 up to my ear, and then moving the iPhone around next to my ear until I found the magic spot that caused the front display to come on. And, of course, I had the issue a few times when I wasn't actually trying to reproduce it. I'd send a key tone or put someone on hold, etc. (I only hung up on someone once).

Since updating to iOS 4.1, not only have I not had a single issue, I can't reproduce the Proximity Sensor issue by intentionally trying. No matter how much I move the iPhone around against my ear, even trying to angle it wrong or create a small gap between the iPhone and my ear, I can't get the front display to come on.

Maybe the issue will pop up for me again at some point. But, right now, as far as I'm concerned, Apple has fixed it.

Mark
 
It happens almost as frequently with 4.1 as it did with 4.0.2. No excuses, this is a hardware issue and iPhone is simply an unreliable piece of equipment.

So we wait until 5 comes out, confirm it has more than one PS, and try again. Although honestly, I'm pretty inclined to try something else this time. I had an EVO for a couple of weeks, it was a pretty good experience. I never dropped a single call and the screen stayed off.
 
slpymnky said:
The main function of the product is to make and receive phone calls
Click to expand...
Just for clarification, even though this device has the word "phone" in its name, it clearly has greater functionality for other uses than being just a phone. In fact, being a phone is only a small part of what it does, but it's more a computer than anything else.

But I do understand the point in your post. What is Steve Jobs email address anyway?
 
dmorris01 said:
It happens almost as frequently with 4.1 as it did with 4.0.2. No excuses, this is a hardware issue and iPhone is simply an unreliable piece of equipment.

So we wait until 5 comes out, confirm it has more than one PS, and try again. Although honestly, I'm pretty inclined to try something else this time. I had an EVO for a couple of weeks, it was a pretty good experience. I never dropped a single call and the screen stayed off.
Click to expand...

YOUR iPhone may be unreliable and I'm willing to bet that the majority of users are not having these problems. My ps was a little buggy before but I can definitely tell they cranked up up the sensitivity with 4.1. I wish somebody would post a video of themselves experiencing the problem because I would bet the user is partially at fault or your particular phone is defective. My dad had problems muting and dialing and now he doesn't. He also didnt use an iPhone daily until now and wasnt used to the super sensitive screen the iPhone has. I dont understand why people choose to not return the iPhone if they have so much trouble with it. Get something else if you dont like it or hold the phone closer to your head.
 
Yeah, just exchange it. It's either operator error, in which case the genius won't be able to replicate it. Or they will see it happen and give you a new one. Either way, solved.
 
I wonder how many of the people who still have the proximity issue haven't done a full restore (not update) and set up as a new phone (not setup from backup).

Restore + Set up as new phone = clean phone from possible lingering configuration issues.
 
Menge said:
I wonder how many of the people who still have the proximity issue haven't done a full restore (not update) and set up as a new phone (not setup from backup).

Restore + Set up as new phone = clean phone from possible lingering configuration issues.
Click to expand...

Hi,

So you are assuming it's a software flaw? What you called configuration issues?

What if it's a hardware issue, that would explain why some have it and some don't and why apple supercharged the proximity sensor to max. I just don't see how apples quality went down like that.

I remember when they were down, they did their best to make the best product out there but now its like they don't care as much anyore.

Steve jobs can say whatever he wants during the press conference but fact is they don't care as much anymore, they just want more market share and stock price to go up.

Thanks
AE
 
MisterDisney said:
Yeah, just exchange it. It's either operator error, in which case the genius won't be able to replicate it. Or they will see it happen and give you a new one. Either way, solved.
Click to expand...

... or as the case is more likely to be, not solved.

People have had replacement phones (with 4.1) that still have the problem.

Some people have even replicated it at the Genius bar repeatedly.

Others have reported that Genius Bar staff wont replace phones with the problem because they're told that new hardware wont fix it.
 
aelalfy said:
So you are assuming it's a software flaw? What you called configuration issues?
Click to expand...
If Apple said they fixed it with a software update, I can only assume it's a software flaw. That's why I believe people with issues haven't fully restored their iPhone clean of potential bad configuration files.

aelalfy said:
What if it's a hardware issue, that would explain why some have it and some don't and why apple supercharged the proximity sensor to max. I just don't see how apples quality went down like that.
Click to expand...
If it's a hardware issue, then they will know with so many people still having issues even if they had a clean reset of their iPhones. I believe it won't go unnoticed.

But up until everyone still with issues has restored + set up as a new phone, I don't really believe it's a hardware issue.
 
Resist said:
Just for clarification, even though this device has the word "phone" in its name, it clearly has greater functionality for other uses than being just a phone. In fact, being a phone is only a small part of what it does, but it's more a computer than anything else.

But I do understand the point in your post. What is Steve Jobs email address anyway?
Click to expand...

Its main function is still a phone. Hey, why not just have the iPod recieve data other than just wifi, then those who dont want it as a phone for their primary function can have it for a computer :cool:
 
Exact same thing happened to me except I NEVER had the issue before 4.1 and now have it.


She called and left me a voicemail but I have yet to call her back. I'm not looking for a free phone, because my phone worked normally prior to the software update.
 
Menge said:
If Apple said they fixed it with a software update, I can only assume it's a software flaw. That's why I believe people with issues haven't fully restored their iPhone clean of potential bad configuration files.


If it's a hardware issue, then they will know with so many people still having issues even if they had a clean reset of their iPhones. I believe it won't go unnoticed.

But up until everyone still with issues has restored + set up as a new phone, I don't really believe it's a hardware issue.
Click to expand...

Most people have done this. It is what everyone tells you to do when you mention the problem. I have done it two times.
 
Vegastouch said:
Its main function is still a phone.
Click to expand...
But is it really? Apple may call it a phone and sell it as one, but I would bet the majority of people spend more time on it doing non phone related activities. When you look at what the majority of use the device is getting, that kind of changes its primary purpose.
 
Why the drama?? Just get it replaced. Most ip4's are working great. It's under warranty. Get another one. :cool:
 
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