If Apple refuses to fix the signal issue, they can't keep selling the iP4 by law

[jfyrfytr25]

It's not a solution, it's a Band-Aid. Apple will take the phone, wipe it clean (literally, to keep it all pretty and shiny), toss it in a white box, slap a big REFURBISHED sticker on the box, and then the next sheep will have to deal with the hassles.

It's not enough.

It is a solution to the consumer. The guy who is not happy with the product washes his hands of it, it a solution to him because he does not have to deal with it anymore. and with all the chatter about this, any one with a half a brain would know about this if they did a bit of homework before they buy, therefore the poor guy who gets it next is informed it is a possibility at purchase. and again, if they are not happy they can return.

the only ones this is not a solution for is Apple. and last I checked, I really dont care if they have a headache over this.

 

[br0adband]

the only ones this is not a solution for is Apple. and last I checked, I really dont care if they have a headache over this.

And yet you care enough to take time from your busy hectic lifestyle to come here and make a post telling everyone that you really don't care.

Funny how that works... and thanks for sharing.

 

[jfyrfytr25]

And yet you care enough to take time from your busy hectic lifestyle to come here and make a post telling everyone that you really don't care.

Funny how that works... and thanks for sharing.

WOW!! you really took that out of context. I feel like a politician.

I said, I dont care about what apple has to deal with over this issue. how do you make a connection from that to I dont care about it at all so i should not be here posting?

 

[br0adband]

WOW!! you really took that out of context. I feel like a politician.

I said, I dont care about what apple has to deal with over this issue. how do you make a connection from that to I dont care about it at all so i should not be here posting?

Sorry, been spending too much time lately trying to interpret stuff people say, like Steve Jobs when he tosses out those terse one-liners... I got what you meant, precisely.

Just to ask, is your ' key broken or something?

 

[keyofnight]

Not to be rude or anything...

...but you guys keep having the same strange discussion.

One person goes, "Apple has to fix the problem or else."

Another responds, "You guys are all being dramatic. I own the phone and it hasn't had a problem!"—because they feel their success with a product makes all of the problems go away. See how this could be infuriating for someone who gets 10 dropped calls a day? (Moi.)

Someone else, of course, tries to argue, "Well I do have a problem, and it's a product of poor design!"—because they're convinced their problems with the device are universally applicable to everyone. This, then, annoys everyone who isn't having the problem, because they know the design can work!

…and so the wheel spins and spins, people making the same silly arguments to no real end. Call me a troll if you want, but I had to speak my mind on the issue.

We must realize that there are some people who are having this issue, and there are some people who aren't: thus, we need to keep that in mind before we gauge how big of a deal this is. The inevitable conclusion is that we each have to decide for ourselves, and only for ourselves, how much this matters to us. I can't tell the next guy to take it more or less seriously, as if I'm the arbiter of moral importance. Who the hell made any of us King?

At this point, all I want is to be able to use my expensive friggin phone without a case and without holding it a certain way. If you have no problem changing the way you use your phone, or if you were going to slap a case on it anyway, then I am glad for you. I'd just like the experience I paid for.

 

[Compile 'em all]

It's not a solution, it's a Band-Aid. Apple will take the phone, wipe it clean (literally, to keep it all pretty and shiny), toss it in a white box, slap a big REFURBISHED sticker on the box, and then the next sheep will have to deal with the hassles.

It's not enough.

What do you mean it is not enough?

You got your money back. What else do you want?

Investigating bugs and faults can take weeks to confirm. And even more so to fix.

I personally believe we are going to hear something from Apple by next Tuesday.

 

[G4R2]

There's a consumer protection law here (in the UK, though I'm sure the US and many other countries have similar laws) which states that items sold have to be fit for purpose. A phone that can't get a signal without an accessory isn't fit for purpose.

Ergo, unless Apple fix the problem which they're currently pretending dosen't exist, they're going to find themselves in trouble - they may even be forced to recall the affected products.

Telling customers to hold it different or buy a case won't do.

Point is, even if Apple denies it's an issue, disagreeing regulations could still force them to sort things out.

The iPhone 4 can and does get a signal without an accessory.

The issue isn't that it doesn't get a signal. It actually gets a better signal then the iPhone 3GS. The issue is that it may drop reception when held a certain way, and evidently this may have something to do with the cell tower as well.

My iPhone 4 suffers from the "deathgrip" issue but the fact is I would never have held it that way had I not read about it in forums like this. It doesn't require a special posture to operate. On the contrary, it requires a special posture to stop operating.

 

[mcdj]

I am of the camp that this is not a random manufacturing glitch, but an inherent design flaw that potentially affects all owners of the phone. Those with no problems, it would seem, have strong signals to begin with in their area. Their signal may be compromised when the antenna is shorted, but as mentioned in the engadget article featuring anandtech's research, the hit goes unnoticed because their signal was off the chart to begin with.

As time goes on, I think we may see more reports of the issue from those who previously had no issue, as they travel/commute/move to different areas with poorer reception. Conversely, those who have issues now may find them remedied when moving into an area with better reception.

I for one can make my bars drop like a hot potato from inside my apartment where my signal is already weak, by shorting the antenna with my finger. But out on the street, where the coverage is good, touching the antenna does nothing to degrade my reception.

One thing's for sure, Apple's silence on this is deafening. Their stock is taking a hit. The news media are having a field day. In depth reports from independent labs are confirming what many are experiencing, elevating the issue from technogeek anecdote to fact.

It's funny. Apple always seems to have some drama cloud over it's head, yet rises above it, and the clamor surrounding the cloud only serves to strengthen their position. Any press is good press as they say. Apple has certainly taken that theory to the bank time and again.

 

[Chwisch87]

Oh lord. Look, I can death grip my phone however I have yet to experience a dropped call yet because of the device and not because of atnt's network.

If it is truly a hardware design flaw, Apple will offer to buy back all the phones affected from customers. If not there will be a class action lawsuit and you can get your money back that way..

This will all work itself out lol.

 

[br0adband]

*snip*

So, what's your point?

 

[Apple-NoEscape]

iPhone 4 has barely been out for a week and people need to be patient and allow them to fix it. And i know patience shouldn't be an issue for anyone since most people who didn't pre-order waited in a line for hours.

The problem is apple seems the be taking the stance of it not being an issue.
If they do that we will see no fix.

 

[dmelgar]

The problem is apple seems the be taking the stance of it not being an issue.
If they do that we will see no fix.

Part of the issue is that people need to decide if they should return their phones during the return policy. If Apple said they were working on a fix, people might be willing to wait. If there is no hope of a fix, then the phones should be returned and wait for Apple to produce a revised design.

Based on Apple's behavior in the past, and the severity of this problem (being a design not production issue), I don't think Apple will come up with a fix anytime soon. It could be months. It may never get fixed. Maybe the CDMA Verizon phone or iPhone 5.

 

[IBradMac]

No it isn't. The primary function of any phone is to make phone calls. You cannot do this if said phone refuses to get signal when you hold it. Therefore, it is not fit for purpose.



At least they've acknowledged there's a problem and said they're working on a software fix for that. And a slightly weak WiFi signal can't be compared to a mobile phone which won't get a cellular signal when you hold it naturally.

We also pay for the WiFi feature. It's included built into the phone. I expect it to work right too.

Sometimes wifi + Vonage mobile app is the only way I can make outgoing calls at my current residence.

 

[br0adband]

My iPhone 4 suffers from the "deathgrip" issue but the fact is I would never have held it that way had I not read about it in forums like this. It doesn't require a special posture to operate. On the contrary, it requires a special posture to stop operating.

You're saying that you don't now nor have you ever held your iPhone 4 or any cell phone for that matter like any of the images from Apple iPhone 4 marketing materials shows (or even close to it) attached below? None of the people represented below are doing anything other than lightly grasping the phone in their hands which is precisely how many of us do and in the process our phones stop working as phones. I don't have to "Death Grip" mine - I can kill it with a fingertip...

If you don't then... well I have no idea what's going on. You are human, right?

Steve Jobs holds it that way, must be something to it... downright "magical" one could say. It's so magical it even has the power to disable the phone's actual usage as a phone!!!

 

[keyofnight]

So, what's your point?

Just an observation—the same conversation happens over and over again, and nothing ever comes of it.

 

[br0adband]

Just an observation—the same conversation happens over and over again, and nothing ever comes of it.

But new people come to the forum constantly, 24/7, never been here before, and they aren't going to bother with reading days, weeks, even months of past postings - they're going to either lurk and read only what appears on each sub-forum's loading page (what's that, 20 threads by default? I set mine to 40) and stick with those, unless their intention is to lurk and just read, never bothering to join said discussions.

These types of forums are actually all about repetition as most communication is, unfortunately. It's a necessary evil because of the short attention spans the world is continually breeding into people nowadays, a fact of living in today's world, if you will.

 

[UCLAKoolman]

Wait, your phone refuses to make calls when you hold it?

I must be a magician because it somehow makes a phone call EVERYTIME I hold it. Sometimes it even receives calls.... when people call me. CRAZY.

 

[Stiss]

/sigh.

I'm not repeating myself like last time but all I will say is that SoGA is very irrelevant at this point, cause I proved some people wrong in another thread who thought they knew the law.

Your all within Apple's return policy. Go return the phone if you don't like it. Some people who genuinely want to own the phone can go and buy it and enjoy it. Do us all a favour, instead of coming on here, whining and moaning just take it back.

In 6 months of the products life if there is a genuine manufacturing flaw the consumer can ask for a exchange or full refund or any remedy to the issue. You still kinda have to prove the fault but the retailer has to assist you in doing so.

Plus, say 6 months after ownership it is up to YOU the consumer to prove there is any fault with the phone. Retailer does not have to help you until you have proved a genuine manufacturing flaw with the phone. Good luck with that as it's a little difficult sometimes. This is known as the Burden of Proof. Only then do they have to help you.

Did I mention that at this stage the retailer decides what they do to help you, not you? All they have to do is put you in the situation you were before a fault developed. So they could repair it, exchange it, offer full or partial refund deducting usage or they can offer ANY remedy to the issue, i.e a bumper or case as goodwill. Offering it as goodwill does not admit liability.

If you decline any of the above the retailer can then withdraw there original offer of a repair and just offer a refund or partial refund, you then do not have a leg to stand on because they are terminating the contract with you.

It makes me laugh how consumers think they have all the power, trust me, customer is not always king.


Have a nice day everyone.

 

[br0adband]

Wait, your phone refuses to make calls when you hold it?

I must be a magician because it somehow makes a phone call EVERYTIME I hold it. Sometimes it even receives calls.... when people call me. CRAZY.

No, not CRAZY. More like LUCKY, FORTUNATE, HOW FORTUITOUS FOR J00!

Congrats.

 

[marksman]

This just goes to show you how much Android phones suck. You can't even beg people, successfully, to return an iPhone that they say can not even make a single phone call.

I want to tell people to just return it, but they seemingly won't for the most part. Which proves how bad all the other phones in the world must be.

 

[Stiss]

Yeah people are just silly .

1. Return iPhone & move on with life.
2. ??????
3. Profit.

 

[br0adband]

This just goes to show you how much Android phones suck. You can't even beg people, successfully, to return an iPhone that they say can not even make a single phone call.

I want to tell people to just return it, but they seemingly won't for the most part. Which proves how bad all the other phones in the world must be.

I consider myself a fairly intelligent person but, that post simply blew right over my head...

 

[Stiss]

I consider myself a fairly intelligent person but, that post simply blew right over my head...

What he is saying, I think is that people who are complaining actually don't want to return the iPhone 4 even though they say it is inherently flawed etc.

They don't want to return it because deep down they know it is much better than pretty much any phone out there and they know it!

 

[br0adband]

What he is saying, I think is that people who are complaining actually don't want to return the iPhone 4 even though they say it is inherently flawed etc.

They don't want to return it because deep down they know it is much better than pretty much any phone out there and they know it!

If you'd said it's much better than any other PDA I might tend to agree, because my iPhone 4 works absolutely brilliantly at everything except making phone calls, hence I don't even consider it a phone anymore...

Oh it does a lot of neat stuff, certainly, it's just 100% useless as a phone as far as I'm concerned. From a technical standpoint my $39 Motorola slider phone blows this iPhone 4 right outta the water for making phone calls.

IT'S MAGIC!!!

 

[G4R2]

You're saying that you don't now nor have you ever held your iPhone 4 or any cell phone for that matter like any of the images from Apple iPhone 4 marketing materials shows (or even close to it) attached below? None of the people represented below are doing anything other than lightly grasping the phone in their hands which is precisely how many of us do and in the process our phones stop working as phones. I don't have to "Death Grip" mine - I can kill it with a fingertip...

If you don't then... well I have no idea what's going on. You are human, right?

Steve Jobs holds it that way, must be something to it... downright "magical" one could say. It's so magical it even has the power to disable the phone's actual usage as a phone!!!

None of those pictures in Apple's marketing materials represents the "death grip." The "death grip" isn't just a matter of holding the phone in your left hand. It's holding the phone in such a way that completely covers a tiny spot on the left hand corner in a sustained fashion.

Is the "death grip" and the loss of reception a technical issue? Absolutely.

But those who stupidly claim that because reception on the phone may decrease if it is held in a very particular way, as demonstrated on numerous websites, makes the phone completely unusable are merely either hysterical or trolling.

And in any case, if a customer really finds that the phone is unusable because of the particular way they hold it there is nothing preventing them from returning it.

But what is clear from your post is, as you said, you have no idea what is going on.