Instead, they are on backorder. Everywhere!
it just encourages them!
Apple iPhone 4 Ping!
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Posted on 07/14/2010 8:09:18 PM PDT by Swordmaker
The iPhone 4 is suffering from a minor technical problem that's been completely blown out of proportion by the media.
I’m beginning to think that Antennagate -- the so-called scandal over the Apple (AAPL) iPhone 4’s reception issues -- has become the most ridiculous tech story of the year.
Let’s recap the problem.
A small number of people reported iPhone 4 reception problems related to how they held the phone. I say a "small number" because there's still absolutely zero evidence of a high return rate or widespread customer dissatisfaction.
Then, a whole bunch of media types started trying to recreate the problem themselves by holding their phones every which way, trying to get the signal to drop.
So while these techno-hypochondriacs didn’t actually suffer from or notice this problem, they were determined to do so once they saw the opportunity to jump all over Apple.
Let’s look at the conclusions from some major publications’ pre-Antennagate iPhone 4 reviews (emphasis mine):
Engadget:
“We're not going to beat around the bush -- in our approximation, the iPhone 4 is the best smartphone on the market right now. The combination of gorgeous new hardware, that amazing display, upgraded cameras, and major improvements to the operating system make this an extremely formidable package.”
CNET:
“With the iPhone 4, Apple again shows that it is a powerful player in the smartphone wars. It won't be for everyone, the call quality and reception remain sticking points, and AT&T (T) remains a sticking point, but the handset's striking design, loaded feature set, and satisfying performance make it the best iPhone yet.”
Wall Street Journal:
“Just as with its predecessors, I can't recommend this new iPhone for voice calling for people who experience poor AT&T reception, unless they are willing to carry a second phone on a network that works better for them.
For everyone else, however, I'd say that Apple has built a beautiful smartphone that works well, adds impressive new features and is still, overall, the best device in its class.”
But since Antennagate hit, everybody and their mother has some type of issue with the iPhone 4. Again, nobody knew they had problems with the iPhone 4 until they went looking for them.
In fact, the highly respected Consumer Reports delivered a magnificent troll job this week when it said it “couldn’t recommend the iPhone 4.”
Here’s its explanation:
We reached this conclusion after testing all three of our iPhone 4s (purchased at three separate retailers in the New York area) in the controlled environment of CU's radio frequency (RF) isolation chamber. In this room, which is impervious to outside radio signals, our test engineers connected the phones to our base-station emulator, a device that simulates carrier cell towers. We also tested several other AT&T phones the same way, including the iPhone 3GS and the Palm (PALM) Pre. None of those phones had the signal-loss problems of the iPhone 4.
I’m just playing devil’s advocate here, but who cares about how well the iPhone 4 performs in an isolation chamber? I don’t make phone calls from my isolation chamber. No, I only use my isolation chamber to breathe in pure oxygen and protect myself from germs.
But wait, there’s more.
When Consumer Reports first looked at the iPhone 4, it said “some reviewers have reported problems with reduced reception when the iPhone 4 is being held in the left hand. So far, we’ve been unable to replicate the problems.”
Unable to replicate the problems. Unable to replicate the problems. Unable to replicate the problems. Get it?
I’d like to know: How in the blue hell does Consumer Reports place admittedly “anecdotal indications” from an isolation chamber above what it found in normal use?
Not to be a mere critic, I’ve performed my own real-world tests on the iPhone 4. I can’t find anyone who regrets getting the new iPhone. And all the Apple Store employees I’ve spoken with said they’re not seeing many returns or complaints.
What else?
Well, let’s look at exhibit A, a screenshot from Apple’s online store:
Three weeks to ship? Well, somebody is buying this phone.
Seven to 14 days? Not bad.
So Apple’s in bit of a pickle. It has a product that 1) was a media darling at release, and 2) is selling like crazy right now, but 3) is getting destroyed in the media over a technical problem that clearly doesn’t affect many people in real-world use.
If the iPhone 4 is so bad, why aren’t people lining up to return them? After all, every iPhone 4 in existence is still in the 30-day return window. And why is it back-ordered? Do people just want to be screwed?
Yes, Apple could behave better. It's censoring message boards discussing the reception issue, and Steve Jobs has appeared cold and callous, clearly underestimating how big the media storm could get.
But should Apple institute a recall, as some experts believe will happen?
Absolutely not, because the antenna problem isn’t common in regular use. All iPhones have had reception issues because of the strain on AT&T’s wireless network, so why go crazy now?
To make nice, Apple should offer free bumpers to anyone who wants them, extend its return policy to 60 or 90 days for those who want to give iPhone 4 an extended test run, and offer an “I’m sorry that you’re upset” apology.
That’s it.
This isn’t a Toyota-type issue, where people have actually died, nor is it nearly as serious as Microsoft’s Red-Ring-of-Death Xbox 360 fiasco.
The iPhone 4 isn’t perfect, but as I explained in 50,000,000 iPhone Fans Can't All Be Wrong, Apple has a long history of making imperfect (in the eyes of critics) products that sell like crazy and redefine how we work and play.
Let’s get real.
The iPhone 4 is suffering from a minor technical problem that’s been completely blown out of proportion by the media, who knows that negative Apple stories go over big.
A computer tech guy here at the U of C just upgraded his iPhone to the new one. He said the so-called “death grip” isn’t an issue. He’s already put it in a plastic case and said that he could duplicate the “problem” with his older iPhone. He’s very happy with it.
Instead, they are on backorder. Everywhere!
If you want on or off the Mac Ping List, Freepmail me.
Agreed.
I’ve come to the conclusion that this antenna issue is somewhat overblown. Is there a de-tuning effect? Sure. Is there some reduction of RF strength when you grab an antenna? Duh, of course. Unlike most of the people shooting off their mouths about this, I’ve taken (and suffered through) “Fields and Waves” in electrical engineering. Wrap your hand around any 1.8Ghz antenna (whether you contact the metal or not) and you’ll reduce the efficacy of the antenna. Put the antenna between the user’s hand and his skull full of wet mush and the problem becomes worse, not better. Yet we all seem to be making calls and shoving a whole lot of data to and fro on these stupid phones.
But that’s not the reason why it is likely that I won’t go with an iPhone. It is the network issue (and the data plans on the networks) that will likely push me to the Droid platform on Verizon.
First, there’s the coverage issue: AT&T’s network basically sucks in the rural west. There, I said it. Someone had to do it, so I did.
What I’d like is an iPhone on Verizon, but that appears to not be in the cards soon enough to lock down an unlimited data contract with Verizon before they milk the difference in networks as much as they can with the Droid X release.
Unless some huge change happens by the first week of August, I might well go with the VZ/Droid combo to lock in the unlimited data plan for two years. I’ve looked at the Droid programming environment and it is pretty good - maybe not as much to my liking as the iPhone, but I can live with it.
After looking seriously at the Droid in the last week, I really have to say that Apple better get their story straight and get this issue dealt with and off the table. From what I see, the smartphone market is going to come down to two platforms - the iPhone and the Droid, and it will be a steel cage deathmatch.
I now believe this enough that when RIMM next pops up, I’m probably going to initiate a long-term short position on the stock. I see nothing out of Blackberry that looks like they have a plan to respond to the iPhone & Droid. They’ve got only a few months to salvage their future, and the window is going to close by the end of the year at the rate things are progressing.
The guy sounds like a tobacco company lawyer.
They can’t have it back!
- Posted on my iPhone 4
My nephew dumped his iphone for a Sprint 4g after Apple gave him a hard time over an iphone he bought for his daughter. Seems to me Apple is getting too arrogant. My husband got an iphone last year, and after about 2 mths, it wouldn’t hold a charge, so, he took in to Apple and they told him he must have gotten it wet, which he hadn’t, they wouldn’t stand by their phone and he ended up buying a new one. Second one had problems, so back to Apple he went. They replaced it, but he still had problems with the third one, so he went online and figured why it would not charge properly.
I have the more expensive model and have not had problems with it until now when it doesn’t always want to charge properly when I use the car charger, but his has been the cheaper model which has been problematic.
Sorry but no Bravo TV fashion accessories for me. Apple represents the triumph of style over substance and I am against that pop culture trend.
Cancelled my upgrade for 2 of them till everything washes out. Actually cancelled only 1 of the two, mine a couple weeks ago, Clint Jr tried to cancel his Monday after the CR article came out and they wouldn’t let him online. He has to return it to the Apple store when he gets it. I don’t understand how they fix a hardware problem with a software upgrade in the future. Waiting to see.
Curious though, reading FR on my 3G was awful resolution, how is it with the iP4 display?
tell it to Consumer Reports...
Style over substance? If that's so, why did Consumers Reports, even though they gave it a "Do not buy" recommendation over the antenna issue, also rate it as the best smart phone on the market? They were joined in that judgement by CNET, Anandtech, Endgadget, the Wall Street Journal, and a host of other reviewers who had hands on time with the iPhone 4. None of those reviews were made by their "style" editors.
Could it be they were overwhelmed and seduced by all that style? Or do you think, perhaps, it was the fact that the iPhone 4 offered more substance than the competition?
That was a quip about Michael Jackson and his isolation chamber he used to sleep in for those reasons stated. It was a joke. LOL
From a fanboys frantic typing to Gods ear...
Is the car charger an Apple branded or certified iPod/iPhone accessory?
Sometimes cheap knock-off accessories don’t always work quite the way you expect, and they can even mess with the battery, charging, and other functions.
My 3rd gen iPhone works great and I have a case for it (actually, I have a few) and when I upgrade to a 4th gen iPhone, that too will get a case.
Who said “Style over substance?”
The iPhone is a great device and has numerous functions and a phone is one of the least of them.
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