Comments on: iPhone 4 Antennagate Returns, Still a Non-Story

By: Michael

Michael — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 22:11:33 +0000

…make no mistake it is an ISSUE. The reason this is not spreading just yet is that it has yet to gain momentum, and Apple knows this. If you take the phone into the Apple Store and drop it on the desk and explain the problem, they mumble something about the dropped calls being a “network/carrier problem”, then very graciously replace the phone with a brand new one, all within 3 minutes. SOLUTION #1 GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE. Second is the fact that most people use the iPhone for its data services and apps, and default to txt and email for communication so tolerate the bad antenna because of the great UI and form factor. SOLUTION #2 PHONE USAGE ON SMARTPHONE IS ON DECLINE. Finally after the first “return” to the Genius Bar, Apple fanatics are too lazy to return again and look for work-arounds. The device is too damn sexy to replace with a BB that can actually hold a call, and people are too tied to their iPhone apps. SOLUTION #3 CONSUMER APATHY.

By: dave r

dave r — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 16:33:33 +0000

@Glenn:
Don’t be ridiculous, of course they don’t riot, they simply don’t buy the phone. Or they put a case on it. And to me a case is a decent soln, what I have a problem with is the fact that Apple stopped giving the cases away.

From the responses of people on this forum I’d say there definitely isn’t a TOTAL lack of response. So I guess what it boils down to is how many people does it need to affect before people care? If it only affects a minority, screw ‘em, ay?

By: Glenn

Glenn — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 13:28:02 +0000

OK, and if the “problem” is as bad as you obviously think it is, just where are the millions of unsatisfied iPhone4 users that like you, are so angry that the phone is unusable? Hmmm, where? Are they storming Apple Stores? Best Buy? AT&T? Wal Mart? Just where are they? From this TOTAL lack of response from the millions and millions of people who are happily using their iPhone4, I must infer that the iPhone4 IS usable and does NOT suffer from a fatal defect/design flaw.

By: daver

daver — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 03:19:55 +0000

Exactly.

By: Michael

Michael — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 01:17:18 +0000

Interesting viewpoint, but after owning every version of the iPhone since inception, I can tell you this customer’s iPhone 4 antenna is so bad that at least 80% of calls made or received are dropped at least once. This is regardless of whether the phone is held in my hand, placed in a pocket, or gingerly set on a window sill within full view of the sky.

My standard greeting has now become..”Hey this is Michael, if I lose you, call me back on Skype”

By: dave r

dave r — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 18:22:53 +0000

“IF the supposed problem does actually exist in some form” – Haha, yeah, translation: “You guys are all just idiots, but I’ll humor you anyway…”.

True about the bumper case, and I saw one yesterday it’s actually pretty nice, and I think Apple had a good solution, to just give them away, for a while. But then they stopped giving them away. To me that’s a pure marketing decision: give the cases away long enough to make the bad press go away, and then stop because 1) you make more money that way and 2) you’re trying to avoid the perception that the phone is flawed and cases are a necessity. In the end they handled it pretty well from a marketing point of view, obviously because there are so many people that think the problem is an illusion, but IMO they failed on the level of “just deliver the best product”.

By: danni

danni — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 16:30:21 +0000

Don’t dismiss it as a non issue just because it’s not a issue for you. clearly, it is an issue for some

That being said, if it’s an issue for you…. take back your phone or put a case on it.

By: Ian Kemmish

Ian Kemmish — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 14:54:12 +0000

“So — what’s more probable?…..” You really have never worked in industry, have you?

By: petraeus prime

petraeus prime — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 14:26:41 +0000

don’t get so worked up, it’s just a phone … get an android phone if you don’t want problems.

By: Glenn

Glenn — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 13:03:12 +0000

Good article. Didn’t mention the fact that IF the supposed problem does actually exist in some form, if you have a Bumper or any type of case on the phone, any problem is gone in the first place. Based on what I have seen, I would venture that 99% of people put a case on their iPhone, no matter what version it is. The thing is made of glass you know, and I don’t care what kind of “Gorilla Glass” or whatever, that is not good when you drop your phone on concrete. Same thing for any type of phone, Android, Blackberry or whatever. The billion dollar case industry alone makes “antennagate” moot.