There's been unprecedented attention paid to the iPhone 4 and its antenna issue. When held a certain way, it's possible to interrupt the antenna signal and significantly impact the phone's signal. Apple remained mostly silent on the issue during the phone's launch, suggesting users should try holding the phone a different way, but a Consumer Reports review told readers to not purchase an iPhone 4 due to the issue, prompting Apple to hold an unexpected press conference.
Apple held the press conference this morning at their offices in Cuptertino, California.
"You know, we're not perfect," said Apple CEO Steve Jobs as the conference opened. "We know that, you know that. And phones aren't perfect either. But we want to make all of our users happy. If you don't know that about Apple, you don't know Apple. We love making our users happy."
Jobs embarked on a 15-minute presentation explaining the issue and what Apple has discovered in the 22 days since the issue was raised. Apple's conclusion: the problem is not unique to iPhone 4 -- it's been an issue in previous iPhone models and occurs in most modern smartphones.
There is no great solution to the technical hurdle yet, admitted Jobs. They're working on it.
In the meantime, Jobs reiterated his desire to keep his users happy. There doesn't appear to be a design modification coming to the iPhone, but if you aren't happy with iPhone 4, you have 30 days to return the phone (undamaged, of course) without having to pay a restocking fee. Additionally, Apple is offering a free case -- due to supply constraints, not the colored bumpers -- to all users.
A promised white iPhone will ship by the end of the month, too.
Are you happy with Apple's response?
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kawaiikittybree
All I have to say about Apple is
Currently
Being
Investigated
For
Being
A
Monopoly.
That and EVERY Apple product I've ever owned has been a glorified piece of garbage, which is exactly where I threw it.
My Droid X does EVERYTHING
plus MORE than the iPhone. I dont have to pay for more than half the apps on the market, and the free apps are actually, you know, DECENT. Oh, and to those saying Apple "stepped up to the plate" and "how many other companies are this nice?"
I've met MUCH more pleasant companies than these jerk-offs.
When my ipod randomly glitched out the yahoo a week after buying it, they said "Send it in and well see what we can do" Within a week they sent it back with a notice saying "There is nothing we can do" No explanation, no NOTHING. Oh, and before those of you blame ME, I did nothing to harm that ipod in any way.
Apple just makes pieces of crap just to line their pockets, which, yes, most companies do, but at least Google/HTC/Motorola are actually helpful, then again, their products actually last long enough so that you dont NEED TO CALL TECH SUPPORT OR SEND IT IN.
saitin
the droid drops calls when you hold the top and side together with one finger.
get a life most all smart phones have a glitch.
ajac09
and leave it to g4 to support steve jobs. I bet if he crapped a brick and called it a phone g4 would give it a 4 out of 5 lol
macross2012
This is why apple is crap and I cant understand why people pay big bucks for this garbage. People that wait in line for days for the new toys which are all crap. Crapple will have its day in court soon when its loyal fans sue them for pure crap
chantler
What is with this weird die hard loyalty? Apple is a company that produces a product. If the product is good you buy it, if the product is bad you don't buy it. I don't get why everyone is so gun-ho on defending Apple and the iphone 4. Now I'm NOT saying the iphone 4 is bad product. However, there is a defect in the antenna. Signal loss should not happen from holding the phone. You can't just ignore an obvious flaw, even if that flaw is not so bad, just cause you like the company. Are people blowing this defect out of proportion? Maybe, a little. But it is still a defect in the design, plain and simple.
Ikarus
I would be INCREDIBLY surprised to see a recall. Think of it from their point of view. A recall would cost around $1.5 billion (that's a lot). From a business point of view, they'll lose money, shares will go down, badness ensues. They're going to fix the problem anyway, so they might well go ahead and make a new iPhone and offer that. If any of you were in his positions (which implies you had some sort of business sense) you would have made the same call. Besides, millions of people have bought the iPhone, and the problem was first published within the first week. It was a known issue from the go, and millions of people said "Meh. I can deal."
Or they can go down a cost effective route, and give away free bumpers/cases (which were a $30 value now FREE!). Still unhappy? You can return your iPhone and cancel your plan. Still unhappy? They'll make a NEW iPhone just for you that will probably be released fairly quickly and will probably have some sort of voucher. STILL UNHAPPY? Well get used to it, because Apple has ruined your life and you'll never be happy again. Sell your apple products online for booze money ASAP.
CaptainKillall
The iphone 4 and every iphone for that matter are all about hype. The phones have always been behind the curve and Apple always makes you buy a new phone to get the slightest upgrade. They didn't even have picture messaging until about a year ago. It's such a joke. The iphone 4 is a great example of why people should stop supporting an inferior product and just pouring money into Apple's pockets. People are just blind to how horrible most Apple products are because of how much marketing and press the damn company gets! People need to actually try out the product and try others that are similar and judge for themselves. STOP BLINDLY FOLLOWING THE MASSES! Most people don't even know what the damn thing does or even how to use it! But they want it because it's made by Apple and it costs a lot of money SO IT MUST BE GOOD! Stop being such blind idiots and do some research for once! There are way better phones out there!
kampfer_sama
Jobs was full of BS up on stage. The design of the antenna, which Jobs has nothing to do with, was flawed in a way totally unique to the iPhone. No other smartphone loses most of its signal strength because you hold it "the wrong way". I know the AT&T phones generally problems with dropped calls, so maybe that is what he was referring to because he certainly wasn't referring to Verizon phones.
Jobs just tries to sell the idea that because there is "nothing wrong" with their product, customers should perceive Apple's supportive response as proof that Apple supports their customers even when they can't be trusted to hold the phone in the way Apple's engineers intended. Of course dozens of independent investigations have shown that something is wrong with the phone, so Jobs is really just putting on a show for the investors, since everyone else is already convinced that the phone fails from a design/functional point of view.
rayken15
You think they would have caught this problem in some kind of QA testing.
stickymonki
im fairly happy but they need to fix the hardware problems soon. i mean if we all have to have a case on our phone to make calls whats the point in that beautiful design? until all problems have been resolved i will not buy a iphone.
dragonsky1
I hope Apple is more timely in fixing the proximity sensor issue than Motorola has been. Devour owners have been having the problem for months with no update from them. I'm about ready to take my phone back to Verizon and tell them to shove it...
Pyro_XX
only time i was bitter at Microsoft was when i had one of my RROD's and at the time i had to pay to fix it couldn't afford to so i went many months without a 360 until they said they would fix for free and provide extended warranty. And my iPhone? only thing wrong was one call this one call didn't drop but had the proxy sensor make me mute the call....one time oh gawd no apple must recall.
2wheeladdict
If you want to be on the leading edge with your gadget purchases, than you should be prepared to deal with the new product growing pains.
dj10fld
Thats why no never buy a new product as soon as it comes out. Especially one as hyped up as a new iphone. I recently got a 3GS in March and I couldn't have been happier. Now I had to wait till my contract was up earlier this year to get a new phone, but Im sure I would have stuck with the 3GS still as there are no problems with it. Never buy a new product and assume it is going to work flawlessly from day 1
pumathehero
its amazing how dumb people are. we live in a culture where people love to complain about simple things. Apple is making it up to people by giving them a choice of a free bumper or 3rd party case, and if that doesn't satisfy the customer, then a full refund. how many other companies are this nice?
did microsoft let people get a refund for Vista or the 360 after all those red ring issues!? nope. took microsoft almost 2 years to actually say they messed up and offer an extended warranty to resolve these problems. Their consoles we're failing but it didn't get media coverage so no pitch forks came out.
I love my iPhone and all my other Apple products. they work and last with minimal maintenance. I'ved owned 3 360's. prior 2 red ringed and microsoft wouldn't fix them. Apple has replaced a few of my gadgets that have had problems, almost no question asked.
chill the efff out people. Apple stepped up to the plate.
zimmy91
Iphone 4 has everything including a totally rad antanna
Virodeath
You would think if all other smart phones experienced that consumer reports and the people that buy the phones would have been complaining about them.. Strange..
I know my Moto Droid doesn't seem to have that problem, or well I haven't read about mass chaos of Droid owners complaining their phones drop calls when not being held by tongs...
Viro
ThataUFO
There was no way they were going to have a recall, period. If the bumper cases alleviate the issue and people will get them for free whats the problem? Sounds like they fixed the issue.
I'm wondering how big this whole "face-dialing" thing will get when/if the media picks up on it. A problem that can be solved by a software update but will most likely lead to more asinine demands for a recall.
Slacker_RB
Internet says: APPLE, UR FONE IS THE SUXORZ!! FIX PROBLEM!!
Apple says: A case will fix the problem, have one... for free.
Internet says: STUPID CASE! UR FONE STILL SUXORZ!!1!
Some people will only complain. I hate you internet.
PeterM11
Funny how many people love to bash Apple. Fact is they make quality products. You don't have to like them but stop bitching about them. Just ignore them if you don't like it. There's no reason to complain about it all the time. Really damn annoying.
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