Apple Press Conference: Seriously Apple? A Free Case But No Fix!
Today Apple held a much anticipated press release in which they announced how they were going to fix the Apple iPhone 4 “death grip” problem. Unfortunately Apple isn’t offering a fix, instead they have decided to give iPhone 4 buyers a free case for their phone.
Apple Inc. CEO Steve Jobs announced that the company will provide a free “Bumper” case to all users who request one, while users who already purchased the $29 case through September 30th will be eligible for a refund.
In response to the phones issue, Jobs simply replied “We’re not perfect.”
According to Jobs, the problem with the phones antenna isn’t widespread, affecting only five in every thousand users, a number which is probably incorrect considering those numbers only include users who have filed an official complaint, while many more users may have sidestepped reporting the issue since they knew Apple was about to announce some type of fix.
For some reason I don’t think Consumer Reports is about to change their mind and “recommend” the phone. It’s amazing to think that Apple actually believes providing a case is a good fix, they touted the sleek design of the device at the phones first press conference and now users are being forced to “bulk up” their phone with a case.
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1:30 pm
My Iphone 4 has worked perfectly since June 24th.
I can’t figure out what all the fuss is about !
4:40 pm
Yeah Green, you hold it ‘Properly’ then according to Apple
4:28 am
Or your just in a good service area… we have to remember that this issue is a signal problem but if your in a area like a large City like Atlanta or NY or LA. You most likely won’t have to many problems.
1:34 pm
“Bulk up their phone”. Have you actually seen the Bumper before?.. It’s certainly the most sleek case I’ve ever purchased, as well as most attractive. The worst part of the Bumper was the price, and fair to say that’s been resolved.
4:40 pm
It still bulks up the original device that the user paid for…forcing them to do so. While I agree it’s still less bulky than a Blackberry, that “it’s still better than” philosophy is exactly what Apple wants fanboys to start saying.
1:36 pm
Um any one who thinks these types of phone should not be in a case in the first place are not that bright and are using at there own risk. You drop them they will break simple as that. Only fix is a case. I had my phone for a week no problem with reception and no case yet. (could not find one I like, plus i have insurance to cover everything except theft.) But it did slip out of my pocket and chipped the glass.
Apple should of done more for there users. I mean a voluntary recall so the people who have problems can get a new one. a show of good faith. Now they are going to be hurting there customer base for a long time. People will think twice about buying apple next time.. But with that said since it is a phone issue and breaking it. Then wouldn’t this mess be fixable though apple care.. Wait till they start to ship the fixed phones and trade it in. most store will do it not question asked if the phone is in good shape.
4:39 pm
Chris, that’s all I was saying, they offered a pretty packaging solution, which isn’t what people paid for, but agreed they should be in a case in any sense.
1:51 am
Chris and James, how could they be “hurting their customer base for years” when they have offered a full refund to consumers who are unhappy with the product??
3:43 pm
Zig that refund is based off AT&T’s return policy, standard 30 days…as stated by other users in this thread…you might be in a really high signal area with less issues, then when traveling it goes down hill. Again I don’t want to attack the phone on the merit that the OS isn’t great and the features aren’t great, it’s the issue that the problem is not being handled by Apple in a consumer friendly way, a simple “you don’t like it, then return it” policy doesn’t suffice for a product promised to work in a certain way and then it does not. I do agree you can return, I know of 4 people who have do to the issue.
1:48 pm
first of all Consumer Reports DID say that the use of a case ameliorates the antenna problem. Secondly, Jobs demonstrated how other smartphones can – and do -experience the same phenomena. I have seen this FIRSTHAND with my sister’s BlackBerry.
Finally, neither the Bumper, nor a number of the cases designed for the iPhone 4 “bulk it up”. Even WITH a case the iPhone 4 is much sleeker and “pocket friendly” than its predecessors.
4:39 pm
I didn’t say Consumer reports didn’t say it wouldn’t work, they wouldn’t give their recommendation though because of engineering issues.
2:06 pm
I think it’s a fair deal.
The problem can only be “fixed” by applying a clear lacquer to the stainless steel bezel.
Which means right now, Apple is desperately trying to find a clear lacquer that will STICK to stainless steel and last four years.
Hmmm. Tricky.
Powder coating would be the most durable. But it might spoil the look.
Literally, clear nail polish would be the most esthetic solution but it might require acid etching of the steel to get it to stick well.
Bumpers work NOW. And offering them free, solves the problem.
The consumer is the one that matters here.
Since the consumer can take thirty days to evaluate the phone and decide if they like it, that puts the power in their hands.
The consumer will decide. And that’s the way it should be.
4:56 pm
Well said William.
2:42 pm
You make me sick. You and your ilk are exactly what is wrong with America…..bunch of sissys. If you don’t like your iPhone 4, then take it back to Apple for a FULL refund and quit whining about it, what more could you expect a company to do? You don’t DESERVE and iPhone!
4:38 pm
I’ll use the Evo thanks
2:54 pm
I think that the problem is not quite as bad as reported. My personal opinion is that most of the problems come from people who live in low signal areas. I’m happy to hear that I’m getting a free case.
3:22 pm
You forgot to mention that ALL phones have the same reception problems! Bashing Apple for an industry “challenge” such as antenna reception is like blaming Ford because some of their cars get flat tires. Opinions are what drive the world, but biased, uninformed or purposefully selective opinions are destructive, and this is my position on the impact of your article. If you want to make the world a better place, try being honest first. Report your stories IN FULL. Pushing an agenda that that promotes bias doesn’t help anyone but it sure does a lot of damage to those who value the integrity of what you have to say!
4:37 pm
Bill, No they don’t the Evo works great…no reception issues, various Nokia phones, such as the N95 (even as an older phone) has great reception with no issues. I’ve worked in cellular for 14 years and I can named hundreds of phones with great reception. Yes dropped calls from networks occur, but not because of hand placement on a device.
1:56 am
Well said Bill.
3:48 pm
The author of this article obviously did not listen to the entire announcement. Other smartphones have a similar issue – this is not simply an Apple issue that can be “fixed”. You can hold other smartphone in a certain manner and compromise reception. Aple is a great company but they can not change the laws of physics
4:36 pm
Yes I WATCHED the entire Press Release….so what you are saying is “Toyota” didn’t need to fix their cars, because other car companies have had issues in the past? I have worked in cellular for 14 years and have NEVER seen a reception issue based off hand placement such as this one. Apple certainly owes it to their customers to actually fix the issue rather than covering up the issue (quite literally).
5:50 pm
The Toyota issue is not comparable to Apple. Toyota’s mass recall was conducted because it affected their product in a major way.
The iPhone 4 experiences LESS THAN ONE more dropped call than the iPhone 3GS per 100 calls. And as for the dropped bars, it occurs mostly in areas of relatively weak signal strength. The number of dropped bars was also exaggerated by an incorrect algorithm which has since been corrected.
Doesn’t seem like much of a major problem.
5:58 pm
Michael I would consider losing calls constantly a major defect in the product. BTW, I was more alluding to the fact that people calling out call reception issues on other phones doesn’t affect Apple either. Apple’s issue is based off the hardware not hardware and tower issues combined.
5:58 pm
BTW, Bloomington/Normal has great signal strength (where I am) and the dropped bars happens to 4 of 6 people I know with the iPhone 4.
4:43 pm
“According to Jobs, the problem with the phones antenna isn’t widespread, affecting only five in every thousand users, a number which is probably incorrect considering those numbers only include users who have filed an official complaint…”
Not true. Jobs never claimed the antenna issue affected only that percentage of people. That is merely the percentage of people who called AppleCare about antenna or reception issues.
“…while many more users may have sidestepped reporting the issue since they knew Apple was about to announce some type of fix.”
Let’s wait and see how many more users report their dissatisfaction.
—–
Antenna issues affect the entire smartphone industry. A free case that solves the problem OR a full refund seems like a pretty good fix to me. Apple will be working hard to solve the antenna issue for all smartphones. I’m sure (as their track record shows with leading innovation), they’ll be the first to solve the issue.
6:01 pm
I stated that Michael, I said only those people called, which is what Jobs stated, notice he didn’t state the actual number of dropped call estimates.
BTW, I have worked in the cellular industry, specifically on the carrier/hardware side for 14 years, dropped calls in almost 95% of cases were based of network issues combined with area issues…the iPhone 4 issues is based solely off bad hardware design.
I don’t hate the iPhone line of devices, far from it, in fact I love Apple products (I’m typing this on my MacBook Pro), but the wording Apple is using and their refusal to properly fix a problem based on a hardware fault is wrong from a customer service point of view.
7:41 pm
Oh just quit whining! I got my new iphone, couldn’t make a single call without it dropping. Got a case (which you should have anyway to protect your investment). Works perfect now, I love my phone. No fix? The case IS the fix and they are offering to pay for it. From the start, that’s all I had hoped, is to get reimbursed. I love my phone!! My guess is the only reason that the dropped calls issue only happens to some people is dependent on the static electricity that you have in your body. I short a lot of things out! As for sueing?!? Just return the dang phone if you are not happy with. Just QUIT WHINING!!
11:51 pm
Carri, as stated, I’m not whining, I’m not even using the iPhone 4. But hardware failures at every other major tech company leads to a voluntary recall……adding something some users don’t want (yes some people don’t want a case) is not a fix, it’s a patch.
1:44 am
Really James? You’re not whining? You admit you don’t own a product and yet you are bashing the product, and worse the company. Apple has offered to give the consumer FOR FREE what fixes the defect. And you know what, if the consumer is not happy with that, they can get a FULL REFUND. What more could you ask of a company? And yet you feel the need to blogbash an American company that is a huge success story. It’s almost like you have another agenda in mind….are you one of those anti-capitalist, anti-American socialists doing your best to astroturf some bad press for Apple? If not , then shut your yap bashing a product you don’t even own. Why don’t you limit your comments to products you actually know about and use, for pete’s sake. Perhaps a blog about how awesome the evo is, since you have one and like one. Me, I’ll keep enjoying the heck out of my iPhone because, flaws and all, it blows any other cellphone I’ve ever used or tested out of the water. Funny how you read that people who actually HAVE the iPhone don’t want to give it up even with full knowledge of this antennae “flaw”.
3:41 pm
Zig…it’s not whining to state that the company is not offering a fix to the hardware…they aren’t! A case is not a fix, it’s a band-aid.
As far as an American company…Apple’s labor is all based out of China (See: FoxConn), there is a decent programmer/software/PR sector in the United States, but that’s it. I wasn’t bashing the company either, just one product (As stated in my comments, I use a Macbook Pro and love it). With rumors circulating, from credible sources that the engineers behind the iPhone 4 allegedly knew the issue could arise, bringing to question why it was released and how they are not offering a proper correction is necessary. If consumers don’t speak about the issues (everything I said was based on fact from various users, whether or not I’m using the phone) then companies get away with releasing devices with issues.
11:36 pm
James, I hate to keep beating you over the head with the truth, but you just don’t seem to get it. From a customer service perspective, Apple has fixed the problem: CONSUMER UNHAPPY? CONSUMER GET FULL REFUND! end of story. Go ahead and tell me again that 2+2=5. Go ahead, I dare ya! Nevermind, its not worth discussing further with a nitwit.
8:35 am
Zig….yes consumers are unhappy, I know various people who are unhappy they did not receive an actual hardware correction. Apple did not fix the problem, they covered it up. Fixing the issue would be redesigning the antennae or at least provisioning part of the other side of the antennae when “holding” issues occurred. I’m sorry your Fanboy status fails to let you realize that fact.
9:14 pm
I had no problems with my 3GS, so needless to say, I was very frustrated. I went to AT&T store and they insisted I buy their case and return it when the one I ordered arrived. Solved my problem. They were very helpful as is Apple by offering to pay for case. I don’t want to give up my phone. The thing I said from the start is if it needs a case to work, Apple should supply a case!…..they are, which is awesome because I always have had to spend my own money on a case. What a great bonus. What the heck is an Evo anyway?!? I agree with a writer above, that America has become a bunch of sue hungry whiners that want instant gratification and take no responsibility for anything……..can you say socialism? Please, somebody take care if my every problem, waa, waa, waa!!
1:44 pm
James, I applaud your years of experience in the industry, but smart phones are relatively new, so problems that are associated with their reception are also new. If you have the same resources as Apple to support your “experiences” I’d like to see your data. In the meantime, let RIM and Apple and Nokia, et. al. work on a fix instead of a promoting a knee jerk recall that wouldn’t work anyway. And if recalls are necessary, let ALL the “offenders” do it – what’s good for the goose is good for the gander, don’t you think. I have had many phones from HTC, Nokia, etc. and I got rid of them because of all the dropped calls I had in my area – thinking that would solve the problem. It didn’t. Maybe some of the dropped calls reported to Apple (like the two I made) aren’t phone related at all but network issues. Let’s not be like those G20 protesters who burn and smash things because they can.
6:43 pm
I upgraded to the iphone 4 from a 3gs the 3gs has an otterbox defender case on it and i bought a incipio for the iphone4 till the otterbox is released for it. This is just what happened in my situation. I live in a poor signal area and dropped calls from home all the time with the 3gs. since july 14 I have not dropped a call at home yet and have only dropped 1 call. I have owned smartphones clear back to the Motorola mpx 220 about 10 years and so far the iphone 4 has been the best reception in my situation
9:32 pm
Yeah Sean, the issue with the iPhone 4 isn’t weather the antennae works, it’s the fact that it doesn’t work in many areas without a case.