Say you're Steve. What do you do?

[spblat]

You're at the helm of a two hundred twenty billion dollar company. You have two million new iPhones out there, representing around a billion dollars in revenue. You have RAVE reviews about the product, including but not limited to major improvements in its RF performance. You have a small but vocal group of people who are apoplectic over what happens when you hold it in a particular way (I stipulate that a natural way to hold the phone can indeed produce difficulties).

Your primary obligation is to your shareholders, who want revenue but who are also sympathetic to the fact that brand damage costs money.

What. Do. You. Do?

 

[JediZenMaster]

Well they are doing all they can by making a SW Update to resolve the issue. But it's ignorant to think that there will never ever be another dropped call because everyone has though once in a while.

People need to be patient and let them resolve it or they can sue and fit the stereotype that the rest of the world has of us here in america.

 

[iPadThai]

I have my hand around your nutsack. I'm just going to squeeze harder.

-Steve

Sent from my iPhone.

 

[Bodhi395]

What you simply do is slightly redesign the phone. The main problem is the one black seem on the left side. So all you do is rework the metal band around the phone so the seems fall either on the top or bottom, both places no one touches while naturally holding the phone. Simple!

 

[iPadThai]

What you simply do is slightly redesign the phone. The main problem is the one black seem on the left side. So all you do is rework the metal band around the phone so the seems fall either on the top or bottom, both places no one touches while naturally holding the phone. Simple!

Actually, it's not as simple as you make it.

For many technical reasons I don't know since I don't work in this industry. All I know is that apple is where they are today because of their design/technical R&D. If it were that simple, you'd see tons of iPhone designs by other makers but you only have one iPhone on the planet.

 

[Fernandez21]

I would first acknowledge the issue, say we're working on it and extent the return period. Once a fix is in place, whether that be an exchange or software fix I would let everyone know and give people a week or two from this date to return the phone if the fix still hadn't made them happy. An maybe free bumpers.

 

[slate1]

You forgot "Roll around naked in stacks of $100 bills" as one of your options.

 

[kernkraft]

I missed the 'How about shooting myself and die of shame' option.

 

[goobot]

I would give free bumpers to all day one buyers

 

[antster94]

Actually, it's not as simple as you make it.

For many technical reasons I don't know since I don't work in this industry. All I know is that apple is where they are today because of their design/technical R&D. If it were that simple, you'd see tons of iPhone designs by other makers but you only have one iPhone on the planet.

You can't put an antenna at the top or even near the top of a phone for heath reasons. The radiation from it could potentially damage you aha.

If I were Steve, I would just give out free bumpers to everyone or if the company could afford it, recall the phones. Sure recalling would generate a lot of press mocking Apple for making a poor phone, but at least all the customers would be happy.

 

[Julien]

Apple buys Gawker and problem solved.

 

[Rooskibar03]

I have my hand around your nutsack. I'm just going to squeeze harder.

-Steve

Sent from my iPhone.

Ummmm Steve, could you please hold it differently

Thanks

 

[Venator]

Stop assembly lines, publically aknowledge the problem.

Try to find a simple fix, prefferably one which with minimum equipment could be applied even in a an apple store. Eg, some kind of transperant, non-conductive coating for the affected area.

If not, then re-engineer the specific area with minimum changes in the rest of the layout. (so the already in existance iphones would be mostly re-used)

Components are not -that- tightly packed together ( http://s1.guide-images.ifixit.net/igi/PtIlxiTtZvShThIL.huge ). It seems like there is almost an antenna's strip worth of space there, and even then, I am sure that the antenna doesn't have to be so thick in the first place, the reason for the current thickness of the strip, is because it is also used for structural reason.

So, I'd make a very thin antenna strip following the current lines. Which in turn on top of it would have a small coating of something, which in turn would have the current (but this time inert) and slighty thinner metallic element in order to preserve the looks. [|[

Free replacement for everyone, business as usual. Even if it took an extra month or so for the new stock to arrive in the shops.

Use the whole incident as awesome PR.

 

[vizkiz]

Separate the bottom section of the frame from the GSM/UMTS antenna on all new phones, so there is no bridging issue. This way the left antenna is bluetooth/WIFI/GPS and the right antenna is the cellular antenna. The bottom one becomes nothing but a piece of frame. If they need an antenna on the bottom, make an internal antenna for the bottom section.

Offer bumpers for half price for any phone shipped before the fixed ones are available.
If they do not want a bumper, offer a free exchange for a the new fixed model. They can fix the antennae on the exchanged units and use them as refurbs.

 

[McGiord]

Well.
First determine what the problem actually is.
The define a nice way to contain it, so all current owners feel appreciated and experience something better.
In addition to the technical issue, the main issues are:
- white iPhone release
- roll out to all other countries
- the press coverage of what is going on
- the blogsphere magnification of reality
- current owners
- future new owners
So, once the technical issue is identified and implemented at the manufacturing plant/suppliers, release official solution to the public.
Before disclosing what will be done provide a clear update of how the issue is been handled.
Add a redundant antenna so if one fails the other catches up, and have power managing retire to use when really needed.
Unfortunately, as many public matters private and even public companies manage their way out of te spotlight by different methods (BP disaster for example).
Apple traditionally has been slow to solve other technical issues, as I remember and experience the airport extreme base stations and airdisk feature was a very long time frame between issue discovery and working solution for us.
The reality is that many companies already invested in the success of the iPhone 4 and things like iAds, so they are not also interested in massive negative campaigns against the iPhone 4 flagship.
Sh|t happens and there is always a way to fix things.
Free bumper while a exchange program is released could be a feasible alternative but doing it right now is not the right moment to jeopardize the momentum gained.
This problem will make very clear that AT&T finalizes it's improvement project while apple gains time to fill te pipeline with coated antennas that don't experience te issue.
For next hardware revision triplicate the testing budget, and increase the