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.
Im beginning to think that Antennagate -- the so-called scandal over the Apple (AAPL) iPhone 4s reception issues -- has become the most ridiculous tech story of the year.
Lets 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 didnt actually suffer from or notice this problem, they were determined to do so once they saw the opportunity to jump all over Apple.
Lets 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 couldnt recommend the iPhone 4.
Heres 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.
Im just playing devils advocate here, but who cares about how well the iPhone 4 performs in an isolation chamber? I dont 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, theres 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, weve been unable to replicate the problems.
Unable to replicate the problems. Unable to replicate the problems. Unable to replicate the problems. Get it?
Id 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, Ive performed my own real-world tests on the iPhone 4. I cant find anyone who regrets getting the new iPhone. And all the Apple Store employees Ive spoken with said theyre not seeing many returns or complaints.
What else?
Well, lets look at exhibit A, a screenshot from Apples online store:
Three weeks to ship? Well, somebody is buying this phone.
Seven to 14 days? Not bad.
So Apples 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 doesnt affect many people in real-world use.
If the iPhone 4 is so bad, why arent 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 isnt common in regular use. All iPhones have had reception issues because of the strain on AT&Ts 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 Im sorry that youre upset apology.
Thats it.
This isnt a Toyota-type issue, where people have actually died, nor is it nearly as serious as Microsofts Red-Ring-of-Death Xbox 360 fiasco.
The iPhone 4 isnt 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.
Lets get real.
The iPhone 4 is suffering from a minor technical problem thats been completely blown out of proportion by the media, who knows that negative Apple stories go over big.
“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?”
Such as what? A replaceable battery and SD card like every other smartphone has had for the past how many years? How about a larger screen than 3.5”, voice input or widgets? How about a phone that doesn’t require you to be on AT&T?
I’ve been using the 3G for a couple of years. It’s worked great for me. They offered me an upgrade, even though I’ve still got a couple of months left on my contract, but currently the 3G meets all my needs.
It’s designed to work in the Apple ecosystem. I’m not a huge user of games and stuff, but using Mobile Me and a Mac, it keeps all my contacts (about 600) synched on the web, my phone and my computer. If I add a contact anywhere, it synchs everything.
I’ve quit using Outlook from work to maintain contacts, as the groups function doesn’t work as well. For some reason, when I create a group in Outlook, if one of the members changes emails, I have to change it in both places. With the Mobile me, everything just synchs. It’s also replaced my iPod, and that, along with the phone and address book is mostly what I use. One thing I would like to see Apple do is make it possible to add an appointment with a contact in iCal. Other than that, it’s about the perfect organization system.
The antenna may be a minor issue, but clearly it’s been grabbed onto because the iPhone has been successful. A glitch of this type would rate a minor mention on any other phone. That’s the hazard of being successful, though. You’re in everyone’s crosshairs.
>> Please don’t feed the anti-Apple Trolls, it just encourages them!
Oh, come on... you know you *want* it...
Apple went with AT&T because AT&T would agree to terms and conditions that Verizon wouldn't. Verizon refused to allow Apple to be the customer service rep for the iPhone, insisting that Verizon would do it. There were other phone design decisions where Verizon wanted to make decisions over Apple. Apple had been burned playing the traditional cell phone game with the Motorola ROKR, when they allowed Motorola and Cingular to have substantial input into the design and software. They did not want to repeat this mistake and so, although Verizon was their first choice, they went with AT&T because they were the only major carrier willing to let Apple make all the decisions.
When the five year contract is up, the iPhone will most likely be on Verizon. Apple proving their formula would sell allowed other tech companies to have more freedom in design and interface when negotiating with carriers.
Again? With this same FUD?
This almost gets old.... OK, here we go.
The Apple battery does not need replaced as it lasts up to 5 times longer than any comparable battery. Documented. Look at the specs on any other product and see even their best case ads of their own products are 1/2 the duration. And in the real world with flash and all the JIT compiling, 1/2 of that!
An SD card? Because the basic models they sell have NO memory and you NEED to buy the 3rd party after market SD card. Also an SD card may be far slower than built in memory.
Larger screens. JEEZ BEEZ! How many times do we have to deal with this one?
Larger in PHYSICAL SIZE, but smaller in screen space, usable space and resolution. Larger in DOT PITCH too. Fuzzier, less clear, not as sharp, unfocused and CHEAP 480 size as before. So they took the same screen and stretched it out making the whole phone an inch bigger than the iPhone. And that is GOOD? It's the same trick the cheap PC makers did with those crappy 19" CRTs in the 90s. You remember those.... .32 dot pitch unreadable text and hurt your eyes. NO THANKS!
The iPhone BLOWS AWAY any other screen ever made is the first and only beyond human vision 320 dots per inch realistic screen made. Unless you have one of those multi-thousand dollar CAD screens. But they did this on a standard sized PHONE!
And oh yes... ATT. As if this is some PLOT. Look, Apple would LUV to dump ATT in a hole, but see NONE of the other phone companies believed in the iphone, so to get this all going, for apple and everyone else, Apple was forced to sign a 5 year deal. NO ONE, except Apple, saw where this would go. And they are punished for being first and doing it better, by being stuck with ATT. So, do not use that as some proof for BAD Apple.
You can have my iPhone 4 after you pry it from my cold dead fingers.
You got any other antique talking points? I've never needed a replaceable battery. I had an EnCase Battery case that is no larger than a regular case that gave me 100% full battery until 6PM every day before starting to draw down the iPhone's battery. Nor have I needed an SD card? It's hard enough to fill a 16GB memory capacity iPhone, let alone the 32GB. And why a larger screen? That means a larger phone. The 4's Retina Screen is far better than the larger screens on a few Droids. Who told you the iPhone doesn't have voice input? Mine has native voice control. Widgets? What do you think apps are? AT&T? Nothing I can say about that?
I stood in line to get one for me and one for a friend. I love mine, she loves hers. The young kid in the office whose iPhone 4 was his first Apple product loves his. There are 4 more I know like this.
Best phone ever!
Got it. The way to address CR's test results is to make jokes about their methodology. That'll work.
I don’t even have to zoom-in while holding it upright. Couldn’t have even contemplated that with my 3G.
Apple has always been arrogant, at least since Jobs' return. Sometimes that's a good thing, sometimes it's bad.
Battery: Design decision. Apple gets to make the case smaller, lighter, stronger and less complex with a built-in battery, which now takes up about half the interior volume of the phone.
SD card: I'd like one too, but they do introduce user complexity (Where did I store this? That? Were my apps on the card or on the phone?), and hardware complexity, and Apple likes to eliminate complexity. Plus there's already precious little space in an iPhone even for the SIM. This is the circuit board for an iPhone 4, micro-SIM connector in the middle:
Screen size: Around 3.5" is just right for palm size. The EVO is way too big for a phone unless you're Andre the Giant.
Voice input: iPhone has it.
Widgets: Desirable, yes. But I do notice the implementation of widgets isn't all that great on my Droid. Perhaps Apple is trying to find a better way before allowing implementation. They also mess with a standardized UI, and Apple is pretty anal about UIs.
AT&T: Blame it on Verizon. They are the ones who rejected Apple's initial advance over the upcoming iPhone. Cingular (later bought by AT&T) in great capitalist fashion took the risk and thus deserves the reward. But rumor has AT&T's exclusivity running out next year.
I have an HTC Android phone, and I have had a few problems, so I've been on the HTC support boards. There I see the EVO 4G is literally falling apart at the seams, is having the touch input for the screen lock-up (likely shorting contact issue), the camera cover tends to break or get scratched with regular use (duh, it protrudes from the back, where you set it down), and the screen refresh is artifically capped at a horrid 30fps.
I haven't seen anything in the major news outlets about that.
Just for funnies, it really should be reported that the GPS feature apparently shows people around Plattsburgh, NY as having their current location somewhere in Kazakhstan. I'm sure that must make the navigation app interesting. Maybe they have Borat on their development staff.
It is better, but for those of us that are vision challenged try Atomic Web browser, it lets you change the font to something readable, works great for me.
Wow some one already makes that phone, you could just buy that one and be happy, unless all you really want to do is make everyone around you miserable.
Rush just said the same thing in the context that nothing the media is reporting on is real... Dittos Rush!
Is “ Atomic Web browser” an app?
Their methodology was to take their iPhone 4 samples into a faraday cage with a radio transmitter that could send micro wattage signals in the right frequencies and watch what the bars on the phone's display did as they increased and decreased the power being sent. They did not test whether the iPhone was actually able to connect with their transmitter or not, as it was merely a "dumb" signal generator, incapable of connecting to a phone. They merely tested for and found what Apple said was wrong: that the algorithm used to calculate the number of bars and their relative heights was in error. They DID NOT, and COULD NOT, test for dropped calls with that set up, nor could they test for the iPhone's ability to receive signals.
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