Image Source: http://filipspagnoli.wordpress.com So the iPhone 4 reception / antenna issue is not going away at all as yet.  In fact, it ‘s getting quite a lot worse for Apple this week.  Here are just a few signs of how things are going downhill on this one: — Consumer Reports has done extensive testing on […]
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iPhone 4’s Worst Enemy – Apple

Jul 13th 2010 by

shootyourselfinthefoot

Image Source: http://filipspagnoli.wordpress.com

So the iPhone 4 reception / antenna issue is not going away at all as yet.  In fact, it ‘s getting quite a lot worse for Apple this week.  Here are just a few signs of how things are going downhill on this one:

— Consumer Reports has done extensive testing on the problem, with three separately purchased iPhone 4 models.  They ‘ve concluded that the issue is real and is severe enough for them to be unable to recommend the iPhone 4 (despite finding it to be a great device all-around).

— Consumer Reports says the issue is the result of a flaw in the iPhone 4 ‘s antenna design.  A clear hardware issue.  Not a ‘how the signal bars are displayed ‘ software issue as Apple has claimed. 

Our findings call into question the recent claim by Apple that the iPhone 4 ‘s signal-strength issues were largely an optical illusion caused by faulty software that ‘mistakenly displays 2 more bars than it should for a given signal strength. ‘

— The Consumer Reports tests also shoot down another of Apple ‘s claims “ that the problem is one that afflicts all mobile phones.  Their tests included an iPhone 3GS and a Palm Pre. They ‘ve found that none of the other phones have the same signal-loss issue that the iPhone 4 does.

— The antenna issues are continuing to draw more and more attention “ the appearance of MG Siegler of TechCrunch on Countdown with Keith Olbermann is just one of many examples of this over the last week or so.   9to5Mac says the issue is ‘going mainstream ‘ and that

All the big news networks are picking up today’s ‘do not recommend’ rating on the iPhone 4 from Consumer Reports.

— TUAW and others are reporting on how threads about the Consumer Reports article are being deleted by Apple moderators on their support forums.

This is obviously a severe issue by now, regardless of whether it actually affects a huge percentage of iPhone 4 users or not.  It ‘s a big issue because it may be, and should be, doing some serious damage to Apple ‘s reputation by now.  And largely because of their typically Apple, typically arrogant non-response to it.

First they told people “ via Steve Jobs ‘ own dumb email and their own press release “ that they were just holding the phone wrong.  It would be hard to come up with a dumber initial response if you were trying. 

Then they issued their release last week trying to pass the problem off as a software issue, fixable via a free update coming within a few weeks.

This feels like a bit of a crossroads moment for Apple and the reputation of the iPhone.  They could do something good for users right now “ offer them free bumper cases, or even do a recall, or some other clever solution that they cook up.  Something, anything as a gesture to their loyal users (77% of those who bought the iPhone 4 in the first 3 days were existing iPhone owners) would be far, far better than their current level of non-response.

I ‘ve thought for a long while that the greatest threat to the success of the iPhone platform is Apple ‘s own arrogance “ previously best shown in areas like the way they oversee the App Store.  Now their handling of the iPhone 4 issue seems even stupider to me.  I think they would be far better off in this situation if they started by acknowledging the problem properly (no more ‘all the other phones do it too ‘ BS) and carried on by saying ‘our bad “ we got this part wrong ‘ and start offering some real solutions to their customers.

Who needs an ‘iPhone killer ‘ from HTC or Android if you can sit back and let Apple ruin its reputation?

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