Is glassgate REALLY the next antennagate?

[spiderman0616]

My initial impression is no, it's not. Despite the fact that a lot of tech blogs/sites are taking this story and making a really big deal about it, even going so far as to flat out lie about what the story actually says, it doesn't seem like it's been a huge deal on the internet so far.

Personally, I think the whole story is a joke and designed to generate hits for gdgt. I know there is already a main thread on this, but I want to know what you guys think on how big of a deal this really is, and whether or not it will affect sales of the 4. I'm thinking it will not.

 

[Applejuiced]

I think its bs.
I still havent seen one case of that glass issue thats been reported.

 

[Satori]

Storm in a tea cup this one. Lazy blogging creating a story out of nothing.

 

[itsmemuffins]

I vote, just another blog troll trying to get on the Apple bandwagon.

 

[wirelessmacuser]

I don't think it matters at this point. Steve has made it very clear. He is complete denial that this was / is a botched product. His position that the fanboys embrace is tough _____ . Don't like the fact it's fraught with problems ? Simple, just take it back. We (Apple) don't need or want your business.

Oh, you're a long time loyal Apple customer? Sorry tough _____ . We don't care about you either.

There's plenty of gullibles to buy our product. Can't you see were selling a bazillon already? There's proof Apples the greatest of all.

 

[spiderman0616]

I don't think it matters at this point. Steve has made it very clear. He is complete denial that this was / is a botched product. His position that the fanboys embrace is tough _____ . Don't like the fact it's fraught with problems ? Simple, just take it back. We (Apple) don't need or want your business.

Oh, you're a long time loyal Apple customer? Sorry tough _____ . We don't care about you either.

There's plenty of gullibles to buy our product. Can't you see were selling a bazillon already? There's proof Apples the greatest of all.

Wow, you and I interpreted that press conference completely differently. I think the gist of it is, if you are having trouble, here's a free fix. If you are angry, return the phone for a refund. I don't catch any "we don't care about you" in there.

 

[kdarling]

I just saw a survey where 23% of the people who were called replied they'd had a scratch, crack or total shatter of their iPhone 4 screen.

Whatever that means. Without each type broken down, it doesn't tell us much.

I'm surprised no one has done a scientific test comparing Corning Gorilla Glass used in say, a Droid, versus the (Chinese?) glass used in the iPhone. Are they the same or different?

Someone should start a Consumer Reports style lab, but totally dedicated to just mobile devices.

 

[Drag'nGT]

I don't think it matters at this point. Steve has made it very clear. He is complete denial that this was / is a botched product. His position that the fanboys embrace is tough _____ . Don't like the fact it's fraught with problems ? Simple, just take it back. We (Apple) don't need or want your business.

Oh, you're a long time loyal Apple customer? Sorry tough _____ . We don't care about you either.

There's plenty of gullibles to buy our product. Can't you see were selling a bazillon already? There's proof Apples the greatest of all.

Okay look, I agree that the i4 has more issues than any other iPhone to date. BUT you have the ability to exchange it if yours has a fault. If it's something you don't want then you don't buy it. I don't like that the phone has dual glass panels from a durability perspective but I also really like the dual glass too. You don't want a plastic phone or car until you do something that breaks it where the plastic wouldn't have.

 

[Roo Zilla]

I just saw a survey where 23% of the people who were called replied they'd had a scratch, crack or total shatter of their iPhone 4 screen.

Whatever that means. Without each type broken down, it doesn't tell us much.

I'm surprised no one has done a scientific test comparing Corning Gorilla Glass used in say, a Droid, versus the Chinese version glass used in the iPhone.

Someone should start a Consumer Reports style lab, but totally dedicated to just mobile devices.

The problem is with the back glass, which is standard tempered glass as opposed to the front glass, which is aluminosilicate.

 

[chrono1081]

Okay look, I agree that the i4 has more issues than any other iPhone to date.

Lol not even close. There are waaay more phones with way more problems but those never make the news cause they aren't apple.

I still have yet to see anyone with a legitimate iPhone 4 problem in real life too.

 

[Consultant]

I just saw a survey where 23% of the people who were called replied they'd had a scratch, crack or total shatter of their iPhone 4 screen.

Whatever that means. Without each type broken down, it doesn't tell us much.

I'm surprised no one has done a scientific test comparing Corning Gorilla Glass used in say, a Droid, versus the (Chinese?) glass used in the iPhone. Are they the same or different?

Someone should start a Consumer Reports style lab, but totally dedicated to just mobile devices.

Of course, FUD without supporting evidence.

 

[chrono1081]

I don't think it matters at this point. Steve has made it very clear. He is complete denial that this was / is a botched product. His position that the fanboys embrace is tough _____ . Don't like the fact it's fraught with problems ? Simple, just take it back. We (Apple) don't need or want your business.

Oh, you're a long time loyal Apple customer? Sorry tough _____ . We don't care about you either.

There's plenty of gullibles to buy our product. Can't you see were selling a bazillon already? There's proof Apples the greatest of all.

First, the iPhone 4 is not a botched product, its a great phone. There are as of now 23 iPhone 4s I have registered under my developer profile and not one of them has any sort of problem. If its so "fraught with problems" I'm pretty sure at least one of these phones would have had an issue. (Also did you ever notice people overseas never seem to have the "dropped calls" and such? Ever think its ATT's network?

As for your "Apple doesn't care about the customer" please go read how they offered a FREE bumper or a refund then come back and attempt to troll. Other phones do the EXACT same thing if you touch the antenna (although funny because I can't reproduce it on the iPhone 4). I used to cell cell phones for years and people would always bring them in saying "if I touch the antenna the signal drops" Um..ya thats why your phones user manual tells you not to do that.


As for the fanboy argument, get real. Apple makes great products thats why people by them. People aren't going to buy something they don't like I don't care who you are. Anyone screaming fanboy simply has no valid argument.

 

[kernkraft]

Okay look, I agree that the i4 has more issues than any other iPhone to date. BUT you have the ability to exchange it if yours has a fault. If it's something you don't want then you don't buy it. I don't like that the phone has dual glass panels from a durability perspective but I also really like the dual glass too. You don't want a plastic phone or car until you do something that breaks it where the plastic wouldn't have.

When you drop your phone, you don't expect it to shatter especially after the stupid 'gorilla-glass' marketing crap that you find on Apple's website. Then you take it to an Apple Store and they say that accidental damage is not their responsibility. One might want to shout at them that then they should either stop stating that it is much stronger than other glasses or they should just stop using glass altogether. Older versions didn't have so many reports of the glass breaking. I don't think Apple is clean here. But I don't expect anything to the same level of anxiety that the antenna issue produced. Sadly, there is a blurred line, where the manufacturer's duty of care to design and manufacture products to a reasonable standard stops and where the consumer's duty of care to look after their own possessions start. If there will be a recall, it's likely to happen years ahead and only to cover certain costs and incidents.

That is the worrying thing today in manufacturing. Even the companies with the best reputation are better off denying any problem occurring and risk that there will be a claim in a few years' time when components will be a fraction of the price. The millions they saved by not using decent parts or tested designs will prove to be a very good investment over the years, on the expense of the consumers.

On the side note, I wonder how much they saved by not providing decent cables with these iPhones. My USB cable is breaking to pieces and it's not even the first one that I have. £15 for this piece of unfit crap is ridiculous. I can pay the £15 but I reasonably expect good quality for that price.

 

[ctt1wbw]

No. It's up to you to protect the things you buy, not the manufacturer.

 

[sjinsjca]

It's some guy trolling for page-hits, IMHO.

Besides, slide-in cases make precious little sense. Have you ever used one? You're constantly fishing the thing in and out. Easy to drop... and therein probably lies the real problem.

Besides: why, if this is a true problem, is the so-called controversy centered only on the iPhone 4's back? The front is glass, too. FAIL.

Meanwhile, the photos that seem to always accompany the original piece's gajillion of metastases around the web clearly show impact damage, usually at a corner. ANY touch-screen cell-phone, dropped on a corner, is probably going to crack in the same way. Lesson: don't do that, or use an Otterbox case or something.

 

[jmmtn4aj]

The antenna issue is a big deal because you can't actually get rid of it, only off-set by putting on a case which changes the aesthetics and size/shape of the phone.

On the other hand, the back panel can be replaced by Apple for 30 USD, and third-party plates can be installed without voiding the warranty. In effect it's pretty much like a removable backplate of any other mobile phone.

 

[rajjkamal]

Lol not even close. There are waaay more phones with way more problems but those never make the news cause they aren't apple.

I still have yet to see anyone with a legitimate iPhone 4 problem in real life too.

True!A lot of phones have far more problems than the iPhone, but they are not blown out of proportion.

My girlfriend has a Nokia E71, with a lot of minor faults(here, in Mauritius, its not easy to get an exchange, unless its a MAJOR hardware issue- so we couldnt get it swapped): Signal loss, the phone has problem switching between 2G and 3G. Call quality very poor. Phone resets itself if you try 2-3 apps at time(RAM issue) and a death grip issue as well.

AND- in the manual its clearly stated that touching the antenna area during a call,may cause dropped calls and make the battery drain fast.

My point being- all phones have some kind of issue, but rarely they get hyped like the antenna gate and now the glassgate

Kamal.

 

[Simm0nS777]

Lol not even close. There are waaay more phones with way more problems but those never make the news cause they aren't apple.

I still have yet to see anyone with a legitimate iPhone 4 problem in real life too.

your reply would be great if you actually read what the guy posted

"Okay look, I agree that the i4 has more issues than any other iPhone to date."

and those of you who still believe that the i4 has zero problems that doesn't mean everyones doesn't.

 

[-aggie-]

and those of you who still believe that the i4 has zero problems that doesn't mean everyones doesn't.

I have zero problems.

 

[spiderman0616]

and those of you who still believe that the i4 has zero problems that doesn't mean everyones doesn't.

I don't think anyone is arguing that the iPhone 4 has zero problems. I think the point is that the problems it does have get blown WAY out of proportion. The glassgate thing is something that hasn't even been REPORTED as a problem yet, but because one blogger says so, it's now a big scandal. That's really irresponsible reporting and I can't believe the press gets away with stuff like that.

All phones have problems. Both people I know that have Droid Incredibles have battery issues. The guy I know at work has problems with the GPS on his Galaxy S, which actually IS a widely reported issue. The list goes on and on. Some issues are deal breakers, some are not. Having to have a charger everywhere you go in case your phone goes dead because it can't get through a whole day--THAT is an issue. I don't know why the media overlooks that, but then takes a story like glassgate that is a fabricated issue and runs with it in order to get hits.

I'm totally disgusted by it.

 

[jav6454]

I think its bs.
I still havent seen one case of that glass issue thats been reported.

Exactly, I still haven't seen any cases of cracked iPhones.

 

[Simm0nS777]

I have zero problems.

So that correlates to mean that every iPhone 4 made has zero problems as well? Obviously many iPhone 4s have no problems. But its the people that come on here insisting (not saying you personally) that its all made up that that have a one track mind.

 

[Roo Zilla]

I think Glassgate is kinda funny actually. If the biggest fault you can now find with the i4 is the glass breaking.... well I think that says it all. Death grip has more or less blown over making it a non-issue, yellow spots are rarely heard of now, proximity sensor still a problem for some, but mostly fixed.

Every phone model has it's own set of problems. Pick the ones you can live with. For me, the antenna thing was never an issue, and I carry my phone naked. My first i4 had some yellow spots and Apple replaced it. My 2nd i4 had the proximity sensor problem, Apple replaced that one two days later. My 3rd seems more or less problem free. If you think i4 has issues, you should see the issues list with the new BB Torch, everything from loose parts to BIS not working to sleep button pressing itself and more. Most of these problems have yet to be addressed. I know three guys who bought Torches and returned them in less than a week, all three because of different defects/problems.

 

[Simm0nS777]

I don't think anyone is arguing that the iPhone 4 has zero problems. I think the point is that the problems it does have get blown WAY out of proportion. The glassgate thing is something that hasn't even been REPORTED as a problem yet, but because one blogger says so, it's now a big scandal. That's really irresponsible reporting and I can't believe the press gets away with stuff like that.

All phones have problems. Both people I know that have Droid Incredibles have battery issues. The guy I know at work has problems with the GPS on his Galaxy S, which actually IS a widely reported issue. The list goes on and on. Some issues are deal breakers, some are not. Having to have a charger everywhere you go in case your phone goes dead because it can't get through a whole day--THAT is an issue. I don't know why the media overlooks that, but then takes a story like glassgate that is a fabricated issue and runs with it in order to get hits.

I'm totally disgusted by it.

I'm kind of behind on this but assume this deals with the glass scratching and cracking easily? If so there are countless threads on here people complaining that they have scratches on the their iPhone glass. Obviously these arent huge major problems but they do happen and for people to just deny any problems is ignorant. Its like people saying the Incredibles dont actually have battery issues because their phone doesnt.

 

[Roo Zilla]

So that correlates to mean that every iPhone 4 made has zero problems as well? Obviously many iPhone 4s have no problems. But its the people that come on here insisting (not saying you personally) that its all made up that that have a one track mind.

Every phone model has problems. The most common ones on i4 are pretty minor compared to others. For example, Oreo affect on Palm Pre, sleep button on BB Torch, GPS in Captivate, non-responsive touch screen if not grounded on Nexus One and many others, the list goes on and on. Comparatively, Glassgate is nonsense. It's glass, it's fragile. If it breaks, take it to Apple and get it fixed.