iPhone 4 - Our AntennaGate Update
Apple finally confirmed there's an issue with reception on the new iPhone 4 in a press conference in July 2010. Here's a transcript of our feature
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Listen to FrequencyCast Show 54 - iPhone AntennaGate
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iPhone 4 Reception Probs confirmed:
Apple's confirmed that their iPhone 4 does indeed have problems. No sign of a recall, but you can have a free case...
Carl:
... Follows on from review of UK FM Radio Switchoff
That's one of the good things about the internet - I like that bit. Actually, that's surprising - is there any campaign on the internet about this iPhone 4 thing? - because haven't they come down now? Haven't they agreed that they've mucked up, there's a little bit of bish in their product?
Pete:
Well, pretty much. As we covered when we reviewed the iPhone 4, there's a problem when you hold the phone in a certain way and it was dropping the reception of the phone. Apple originally were, well it happens to every mobile phone, and it's not a problem, blah, blah, blah, but they finally admitted that it actually is a problem, after a leading consumer group in the US said, we can't recommend the iPhone because of the problems.
Carl:
It sounds to me like you guys at the Apple Mac centre need to think before you plough on ahead. You do great products, but if you keep going like this, this could be the fall of a large empire.
Pete:
I'm not convinced it will completely come to that, but yeah. Anyway, they've now finally come out and said, yep, you know what? - actually there is a problem. It does affect other mobiles, they've said, but it is certainly a problem for the iPhone. So they've done two things: one is they've released a new version of the operating system, iOS 4.01, and you probably won't be able to see it, but if you look at the top, the signal strength bar's there - they've made them bigger.
Carl:
Oh, that's good, yep.
Pete:
So you can at least see the signal strength a little bit clearly, and they reckon they've changed the algorithm, so it's a bit more accurate, but the problem with the reception does still persist. So what they're going to do is supply a free case to every single iPhone 4 user, because having a rubber case around the edge seems to alleviate this problem.
Carl:
How much are these cases?
Pete:
Well, this one here's called a bumper, so this is, it's a little rubber band that effectively goes round the outside of the case - they're £25.
Carl:
Twenty-five pounds? - that's a lot of money. How many of these things are being sold?
Pete:
Well, bear in mind this is now free, so they're paying for everyone to get a £25 one of these. They've sold three million, so that's going to cost them a fair bit, something like £120 million, just to supply cases to everyone that's got one of these phones.
Carl:
Good grief! I wouldn't like to be paying that bill.
Pete:
There you go. Anyone that's already bought a case can get a refund.
Carl:
What - for the case?
Pete:
For the case.
Carl:
OK.
Pete:
And anyone that really, really, really is not happy with the iPhone 4 and the reception, Steve Jobs has said, after 30 days, if you're not happy, we'll give you a full refund on the phone.
Carl:
I don't think many people will be taking that option.
Pete:
True enough, but fair enough, Steve Jobs on the 16th July, came up, stood up, held his hands up, and said, "There's a problem, and we're doing something." It wasn't the full product recall that people were expecting, but nonetheless something has happened, and the problem of the death grip, or antennagate, as it's known, has finally been partially addressed.
Carl:
Thanks.
Pete:
Would you like a joke?
Carl:
I'd love a joke, but before you do, I must say, there aren't very many companies big enough to stand up there and say, "You know what? - we did make a mistake", but they took their time doing it, and for the Mac people, I would have thought they could have done better.
Pete:
And you'd also have thought they'd have done some testing, and this problem wouldn't have happened in the first place? But anyway, would you like a joke?
Carl:
I still would like a joke.
Pete:
I've got to thank Les Cornwall for this one. He tweeted us with this one, he says, "I found this on Twitter". He didn't come up with this joke, but he's forwarded it on.
"Two iPhones get married."
Carl:
Right.
Pete:
"It was a lovely ceremony ..."
Carl:
OK.
Pete:
"... but the reception was awful."
Carl:
(he laughs) That was almost funny!
Pete:
"Apparently, it was held in the wrong place."
Carl:
That was funny, the last bit was brilliant. I like that, let's move on.
Listen to FrequencyCast Show 54 - iPhone AntennaGate |
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