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The Media Really Did a Number on Apple/iPhone4
- Thread starter Sean4123
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Where's the white iPhone?
Proximity sensor "fix?"
You can argue the antenna issue didn't deserve the attention, but there is in fact a problem and either way Apple's response was awful.
Blame the "media" all you want, but this is all on Apple, both in the problems and the response to it.
FWIW, I think the iPhone 4 is overall a good product, but Apple is hardly a victim.
Anyway, thanks for churning these hot coals again. LOL.
Proximity sensor "fix?"
You can argue the antenna issue didn't deserve the attention, but there is in fact a problem and either way Apple's response was awful.
Blame the "media" all you want, but this is all on Apple, both in the problems and the response to it.
FWIW, I think the iPhone 4 is overall a good product, but Apple is hardly a victim.
Anyway, thanks for churning these hot coals again. LOL.
I almost did not buy the iPhone 4 due to the media and post on here claiming dropped calls. I can say I am glad I did go ahead and buy one. I get better reception in my area and can make calls in places I could not with my 3Gs. I can drop bars and end a call without a case but overall it gets better reception and I put my phone in a case any way.
I was tempted by the media coverage to wait on buying my IP4. However, I have loved all of my Apple products including my first iphone (the 2G), and the 3G. I always use some sort of case on my phones just to lessen the chance of it slipping out of my hand or pocket. So I knew that I would have a case for the IP4. I only had a nude IP4 for about 48 hours - I had no dropped calls or reception issues no matter how I was holding it. Now it is in a case (Griffin Reveal). It feels secure in my hand and the reception strength is as good or better than it was on my 3G. I skipped the upgrade to 3GS.
I'm quite happy with my IP4.
Besides at the rate technology and Apple products change...I'm certain that I'll be upgrading to some other Apple smartphone in a year or two. And if things are such that I am not fortunate enough to be able to do so - I'm happy with the IP4 and glad I didn't listen to the media hype and wait any longer.
Apple has been hugely successful on platforms beyond its computers. It has a big bulls-eye on it's back now because of all of the success and the media/competitors are looking to bringing it down. Just my two-cents
I'm quite happy with my IP4.
Besides at the rate technology and Apple products change...I'm certain that I'll be upgrading to some other Apple smartphone in a year or two. And if things are such that I am not fortunate enough to be able to do so - I'm happy with the IP4 and glad I didn't listen to the media hype and wait any longer.Apple has been hugely successful on platforms beyond its computers. It has a big bulls-eye on it's back now because of all of the success and the media/competitors are looking to bringing it down. Just my two-cents
Watch BBC or some foreign news. The US news is more entertainment than anything else. All about sensationalization.
Maybe so but at least they have real reporters rather than news readers. The US media in general is crapola. The right tries to scare everyone to death while the left refuses to really hold anyone accountable. The best thing that could have happened was being posted outside of the US to get a look on the inside to see how truly screwed up the media really is. This can be atttributed to the Apple antenna issue as well. Yes the iPhone has reception problems, but not any worse than any other phone. I have Nokia's and SonyEricssons that behave the same way. However, the networks are sooooo darn good here, there is virtually no such thing as a dropped call.
No surprise, it's what happens when the media gets involved.
In this case Apple deserved the heat.
iPhone 4 sales = huge success
iPhone 4 / Apple PR = huge failure
The "aftermath" of Apple's PR around the iPhone 4 will be most felt with the next iPhone launch and keynote. I say that with 100 percent conviction. If Apple makes a comment on stage at the keynote about any redesign re: Antenna or not, people will scratch their heads by either asking if that's the right move. It's almost a lose-lose. But how big of an impact remains to be seen.
And no doubt that the media will (at least with the next launch) draw comparisons to this years model regardless of how wonderful the new model is.
For now- the issue has quieted. At least media wise. But it will fire up again around keynote and launch time...
iPhone 4 / Apple PR = huge failure
The "aftermath" of Apple's PR around the iPhone 4 will be most felt with the next iPhone launch and keynote. I say that with 100 percent conviction. If Apple makes a comment on stage at the keynote about any redesign re: Antenna or not, people will scratch their heads by either asking if that's the right move. It's almost a lose-lose. But how big of an impact remains to be seen.
And no doubt that the media will (at least with the next launch) draw comparisons to this years model regardless of how wonderful the new model is.
For now- the issue has quieted. At least media wise. But it will fire up again around keynote and launch time...
Agreed, and the days of apple being the darling of the media are now over.
Their actions with the iPhone prototype, denying the antenna issue, then calling it a software issue and then that insincere smarmy news conference have hurt their public image further.
While the iPhone 4 is a great hit, the issues and how apple mis-handled them will have a longer lasting impact on future products.
For those that still think the iPhone 4 has problems, nothing is going to change that.
For those that think the iPhone 4 problems were blown out of proportion, nothing is going to change that, either.
iPhone 4 owner here with no problems whatsoever. I haven't met anyone that does have problems. An actual survey (not some ridiculous online poll) reported more realistic numbers for what percent of iPhone 4 owners experience problems, and it was fairly close to the Apple reports.
For those that think the iPhone 4 problems were blown out of proportion, nothing is going to change that, either.
iPhone 4 owner here with no problems whatsoever. I haven't met anyone that does have problems. An actual survey (not some ridiculous online poll) reported more realistic numbers for what percent of iPhone 4 owners experience problems, and it was fairly close to the Apple reports.
My wife has an IP4 and she doesn't suffer from the antenna issue, but she does have the proximity sensor problem and I can she's really tired of this problem. While she's locked into a 2 year contract I can tell you that she'll think twice about getting another iPhone, especially if they continue to drag their feet on fixing the problem.
With the media you have to take the bitter with the sweet. The majority of the population doesn't read tech sites & blogs so the media does provide a useful function in informing peoples' decisions. Was this particular issue blown out of proportion? It's debatable, but I don't recall any major news outlets saying the phone is terrible because of the flaw, don't buy it, etc. (except CR, which was probably the harshest). Honestly, if I had to make a choice in regards to knowing about a problem before I purchase a device or not knowing, I would opt to know. As much as it is a requirement for the media to report facts, it's also a requirement for people to seek out the truth. IMO if the media didn't respond to reports of the iphone 4's problems, it's pretty much akin to them sweeping it under the rug.
I consider the iPhone 4 a fail. Heres why:
-Just because there is record sales, does NOT mean that the phone itself is great. There are products out there that have such a brand loyalty following that people will buy it. There is no myth or rumor or overhyped ******** on the antenna issue. It is real. I've seen 3 people that have iphone 4's that tried calling me crazy, saying everything is blown out of proportion, until they come to my house and say "oh wow this **** sucks". Hell I thought that it didn't exist b/c when I received the phone everything was fine. But when I got home I could reproduce the signal loss. Just buy placing my finger over the antenna I can stop a download. My iPhone 3G did NOT do anything like that when holding it in the way Apple posted. I tested both at my house at the same time.
-I love the iPhone 4, but to me it is still a fail. You can't base how good a product is based on sales numbers. If that was the case then everybody would consider Goldman Sachs a success because it had record profits the past few years, even though what it was selling was not as good as what the market numbers were showing. While the iPhone is a great multi tasking device, it is NOT a good phone. I can't tell you how many times I've heard the other person say "What? Your breaking up.", to which I then look down at my hand and notice that my skin is touching the antenna. The iPhone will continue to sell like hotcakes but I really wish it didn't have the antenna issue.
Put it this way...the iPhone sold/is selling record numbers because of the past 3 iPhones. NOT because of how great the iPhone4 is. Almost every product that sells record numbers is based off of the previous success of its earlier models. If this was the first iPhone that came out, I would think people would pass it off as a promising device with flaws. It would still be a hot product, but for people saying "It's obviously the greatest phone ever, look at the numbers", you're not looking at it the right way. I know people who want the iPhone just b/c it's an iPhone. They don't even know any of the new features. IMO this is not the best phone out today, much less ever. It does however have the best software, marketing, app store.
-Just because there is record sales, does NOT mean that the phone itself is great. There are products out there that have such a brand loyalty following that people will buy it. There is no myth or rumor or overhyped ******** on the antenna issue. It is real. I've seen 3 people that have iphone 4's that tried calling me crazy, saying everything is blown out of proportion, until they come to my house and say "oh wow this **** sucks". Hell I thought that it didn't exist b/c when I received the phone everything was fine. But when I got home I could reproduce the signal loss. Just buy placing my finger over the antenna I can stop a download. My iPhone 3G did NOT do anything like that when holding it in the way Apple posted. I tested both at my house at the same time.
-I love the iPhone 4, but to me it is still a fail. You can't base how good a product is based on sales numbers. If that was the case then everybody would consider Goldman Sachs a success because it had record profits the past few years, even though what it was selling was not as good as what the market numbers were showing. While the iPhone is a great multi tasking device, it is NOT a good phone. I can't tell you how many times I've heard the other person say "What? Your breaking up.", to which I then look down at my hand and notice that my skin is touching the antenna. The iPhone will continue to sell like hotcakes but I really wish it didn't have the antenna issue.
Put it this way...the iPhone sold/is selling record numbers because of the past 3 iPhones. NOT because of how great the iPhone4 is. Almost every product that sells record numbers is based off of the previous success of its earlier models. If this was the first iPhone that came out, I would think people would pass it off as a promising device with flaws. It would still be a hot product, but for people saying "It's obviously the greatest phone ever, look at the numbers", you're not looking at it the right way. I know people who want the iPhone just b/c it's an iPhone. They don't even know any of the new features. IMO this is not the best phone out today, much less ever. It does however have the best software, marketing, app store.