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Steve Jobs Again Speaks Out on iPhone 4 Antenna Issue via Email

"retire, relax, enjoy your family. It is just a phone. Not worth it."

I see cooler heads prevail.

From what I see this is a case of that is similar to feature removal. Such as when everyone went up in arms when firewire was removed a while back from the MacBook. Of the hundreds that complained, only a few really used it and would even use it. It was just a case of complaining because they can.

The iPhone 4 seems to read out signal strength differently and seems to be more sensitive in areas that have weak signal. All its doing is reflecting signal strength differently. Its not an actual physical "meter". Unless people are dropping calls like crazy, its a non-issue. I only hear a few cases of dropped calls, which frankly would probably happen with any phone. If its a real issue Apple will address it. All I see now is a probable software update that reflects signal strength differently.
 
I actually agree with Steve on this one:

It's just a phone, why so angry? If it works for you, great! If not, return it within the return window and get another phone. It's not rocket science it's a simple iPhone. I really don't understand why so many people are bent out of shape over the design flaw of the device. There are 100s of other phones on the market, and nobody is forcing you to buy an iPhone 4.

I also don't agree with the lawsuits for the above reasons. That's the whole point of the return policy as it allows people to return a device that isn't working to their expectations.
 
Wow, why on earth would you repost that drivel. Part of it is an attempt to make their last bogus story look legitimate and the rest is so poorly made up that you would have to be either high or clinically stupid to believe it.

Is there anything they will not do at BGR (or Apparently here and I am sure everywhere else that will repost this garbage) to get a page hit.
 
I have to say again. Scientifically speaking if this were an actual "design flaw" in the phone itself everybody would experience it. Since this isn't the case lets hope a software/baseband fix will solve it.
 
MacRumors said:
Jobs also sent one final message, encouraging the customer to "retire, relax, enjoy your family. It is just a phone. Not worth it."
Click to expand...

This is true in a way, in the scheme of things it IS nothing more than just a phone. OTOH, I'm not sure the CEO of the company producing the product with the issue ought to be telling people this.

The whole thing is getting a little ridiculous quite honestly. I'm quite glad I don't have the attachment to gadgets to where I have to be the one standing in like for hours or days to get the first version, and then spend the next several weeks worrying about what the issues with the revision.1 device might be.
 
wow...

"just a phone" huh? I guess so. Doesn't exactly inspire someone to want to buy the next one. Going to continue to "stay tuned" though...at this point it better be something good because those responses are rubbing people the wrong way.
 
w0by said:
Anyone that holds their phone in their left hand will have this problem.
Click to expand...

W0by, not true. The problem happens when the signal strength is relatively low in that area and you cup the bottom left tightly. Even then, even when the display shows no bars, the phone still works. You get dropped calls only on a combination of very low signal strength plus cupping the bottom left. Problem alright, but not the end of the world since it happens only under limited circumstances. Just move the fingers a couple of inches uncovering the bottom left. Not a big deal. Otherwise, the phone antenna works so well under a vast majority of environments.

People are confusing the issue of visual display ( the bars dropping ) and the dropped calls. The first is more frequent and the second one is relatively rare.
 
MacRumors said:
"retire, relax, enjoy your family. It is just a phone. Not worth it."
Click to expand...

But it's the internet. It's important.

The iPhone 4 is nice. But "It is just a phone. Not worth it." also serves as a pretty accurate review. If you need a phone, it's good. If you need EVERYTHING, it's not for you.
 
Peace said:
I have to say again. Scientifically speaking if this were an actual "design flaw" in the phone itself everybody would experience it. Since this isn't the case lets hope a software/baseband fix will solve it.
Click to expand...

I think you have it backwards. If it was a software flaw everyone would have it since the software is 100% exactly the same. Hardware may look and feel the same, but the innards and the build process can be different.
 
I'm amazed that Jobs is still replying and staying relatively calm. He must be getting a lot of emails from both people with genuine problems and people who are just having a whine for the sake of it. He must employ a PA to just read email and decide which are worth him reading.
 
w0by said:
Anyone that holds their phone in their left hand will have this problem.
Click to expand...

Wrong. I'm left handed. I do not "cup" the phone when talking on it. I use my finger tips to hold it on the sides and top and they don't touch the bands. This is just the normal way I've always held my phones. No dropped calls. It is a non issue.
 
So they still think the software is reporting a wrong amount of bars, when there is more bars than it claims. Well lets hope it is fixable with a software update then.
 
I have lost all respect for this man and his company as of today. I love my Macbook, I love my iPad, I've loved many past iPods, and I love my iP4... this is ******** though.

He is not only insulting customers he is taking us all for granted. My iP4 will be returned on the last day of my return window.

Take his email account away!

EDIT: I can't believe some of you still think this is a software issue. I can stand directly under an ATT tower or beside a Microcell and lightly touch the side of my phone (with a bumper on) and lose 4 bars. Sometimes I can even make it drop calls if it's resting in my palm. This is not software - a hand shorts out the damn antenna and it's time you defenders of Jobs know this.
 
Much better, but not satisfied...

This is a much, much better response and come on guys...You got to give the Pres credit for even answering E-mails.

The bottom line is this....I love Apple, but at the same time, they can be better. If you know to do better and you don't...then shame on you Apple!

My phone works great, but that's because I get awesome reception in Orlando. I'm almost always at full bars and I do have a bumper.

This is my motto: Apple and Seve Jobs WILL NEVER DO THE OBVIOUS THING. APPLE CAN ONLY DO THE MOST INNOVATIVE THING, AVOIDING THE MOST OBVIOUS THING:
1. Dropping Firewire 400
2. Omitting HDMI from products (Except recentlly)
3. Sticking so long with AT&T
4. Blu-Ray...

GET THIS IN YOUR HEADS....APPLE WILL NEVER DO THE OBVIOUS THING! THEY CAN ONLY DO THE MOST INNOVATIVE THING!
 
The more things change

Remember dropped calls in 2.1? Remember dropped calls in 3.0? They still sold a bunch of phones and still will
 
This'll be an interesting read throughout the work day today.

I suspect apple fanboys on both sides of the fence (with regards to the issue) to get at each other's throats, with the occassional anit-iPhone fanatic throwing in unwarranted jabs and giggles.
 
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