Apple announces press conference to discuss fixes to the IPhone 4 hardware

[tomcrown1]

Apple will have a press conference on the Phone 4 this Friday at 10 AM pacific time.

Apple is expected to announce a fix to the hardware issuse with the Iphone 4 and may exchange the current Iphone 4 for the new hardware.

Here is more on this issuse.

Analyst Claims Design Fix for iPhone 4 Signal Issue Being Deployed - Mac Rumors

 

[diogen]

First, has been discussed since yesterday.
SatelliteGuys.US - View Single Post - Apple is foolish

Second, an analyst claims Apple developed a fix.
See the difference between it and your thread title?

Diogen.

 

[rockymtnhigh]

First, has been discussed since yesterday.
SatelliteGuys.US - View Single Post - Apple is foolish

Second, an analyst claims Apple developed a fix.
See the difference between it and your thread title?

Diogen.

Corrected the title.

 

[uncrules]

Apple isn't going to announce a recall tomorrow according to WSJ.

Apple Not Planning an iPhone 4 Recall - Mac Rumors

The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple is not planning on issuing an iPhone 4 recall at tomorrow's press conference.

Apple's iPhone 4 has been dogged by reports of antenna-reception problems since its launch last month. The company has called a news conference to discuss the issue Friday. Apple doesn't plan to recall the phone, a person familar with the matter said.
Apple engineers were apparently aware of the risks associated with the external antenna design but "Mr. Jobs liked the design so much that Apple went ahead with its development". Earlier today, a Bloomberg article similarly claimed an Apple engineer expressed concern about the design.

The iPhone 4 signal issue has exploded in the media in recent days even with New York senator Charles Schumer publishing an open letter to Steve Jobs expressing concerns about the issue. Schumer is known for his efforts in consumer protection.

 

[uncrules]

As I also posted in another thread, Apple did release iOS 4.0.1 today to fix the lying...er correct the signal strength reading. This is the affect of this update on the signal bars.

 

[diogen]

The way I see it, the "reception issue" has many layers.
It is reproducible when you "short" a certain "seem" (bottom left).

Why doesn't this happen with every iPhone? What is it dependent on?

Same about the proximity sensor.

I'd really like to hear an explanation and am sure won't get it.

This issue was raised from the moment Jobs couldn't make it work during his keynote. On WiFi.
Drivers (i.e. software) were initially blamed.
WWDC Keynote WiFi woes may have been due to iPhone 4 drivers

Why? Because others didn't have problems and nobody was "smart" enough suspect a flawed design...

My predictions for tomorrow:
-Jobs will be very apologetic. Hardly anybody else will open his mouth.
-Everything will be blamed on a bad batch, quality control, etc. "We knew about this, it should be perfect!" sort of thing
-Anybody that bought it before a certain date can return for 3 month or so or exchange.
-Everybody will get a refund of $50 or more. No bumper talk.

If not - shorting Apple stock will be the best opportunity to make some real money...

Diogen.

 

[dmendenjr]

And here's the WSJ story discussed on mac rumors... (Link)

Chief Executive Steve Jobs's insistence on strict control of Apple Inc.'s product-design process appears to have backfired with his new iPhone 4, leading the company to overrule internal concerns about antenna reception and to deny carriers adequate time to test the phone before selling it.

Apple's iPhone 4 has been dogged by reports of antenna-reception problems since its launch last month. The company has called a news conference to discuss the issue Friday. Apple doesn't plan to recall the phone, a person familar with the matter said.

 

[uncrules]

As long as this isn't another fake email from Jobs, Apple is going to take the it not as bad as it seems approach.

Steve Jobs Claims iPhone 4 'Facts are Different' Than Has Been Portrayed - Mac Rumors

Apple's surprise announcement of a last minute press conference this Friday has led to a flurry of speculation about what Apple might be planning on doing. Apple will certainly be addressing the widely reported signal loss issue with the iPhone 4 in some form during the event. The speculation has ranged anywhere from free bumper cases to a full iPhone 4 recall. If a recent Steve Jobs email is to be believed, we expect Apple will continue to defend their published position on the iPhone 4.

This week, after the Consumer Reports news and talk of a recall emerged this week, MacRumors reader Tim fired off an email to Steve Jobs stating: "I'm starting to feel like a bit of a jerk for talking so many of my friends and colleagues into buying iPhone 4. Please fix it." To this, Steve Jobs reportedly replied:

"Not to worry. Facts are different than what you're hearing."
If this email is to believed, it seems Jobs continues to believe the problem is being misportrayed in the media.

These Steve Jobs email reports have recently taken a credibility hit with claims by Apple that one exchange published by Boy Genius Report was completely fabricated. However, Boy Genius Report maintains that the exchange was real (except for a misattributed quote at the end) -- and we believe them. One of the claimed emails from Steve Jobs at the time stated:

"You may be working from bad data. Not your fault. Stay tuned. We are working on it."
This statement lined up with the official Apple press release that was released only days later. That was the press release announcing that badly calculated signal strength bars were exaggerating the problem.

 

[bkimbler]

Apples arrogance is amazing. They have success and then basically tell the customer to go pack dirt.

I don't think this is the end of Apple as some articles have said but I think people will be more wary going forward.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I downloaded the 4.0.1 software today and it didn't make a difference to my Proximity sensor issue...

I even did as suggested and wiped the phone and started from scratch..

Same issue.

Apple has yet to acknowledge this issue at all, if they do not say something tomorrow I plan on returning my iPhone 4 and going with a Sprint EVO.

 

[uncrules]

Apples arrogance is amazing. They have success and then basically tell the customer to go pack dirt.

I don't think this is the end of Apple as some articles have said but I think people will be more wary going forward.

Apple is beyond arrogant. I've never been a fan of Apple but I do like the iPod/iTouch/iPhone. But these are the only Apple products I've ever owned. For my laptop/desktop needs I've always been a PC guy, since my Dad got one in the late 80s. Before that he had a bunch of Commodore 64s and Vic 20s and before that he had a Radio Shack TRS-80 model I that he got in the late 70s.

ETA: The main reason I got my first iPhone was to consolidate the number of devices I carried in my pocket to work. I was carrying an iTouch and Motorola Q9H. Both were about the same size.

 

[uncrules]

I downloaded the 4.0.1 software today and it didn't make a difference to my Proximity sensor issue...

I even did as suggested and wiped the phone and started from scratch..

Same issue.

Apple has yet to acknowledge this issue at all, if they do not say something tomorrow I plan on returning my iPhone 4 and going with a Sprint EVO.

I say fat chance that they say squat about the proximity issue. If the press actually gets to ask questions I don't know how many know of the non tech media know about it.

Did you try the 4.1 beta? I don't know if the initial beta has a fix for it. Maybe one of the various versions of the 4.1 beta will fix it. Hopefully by the time the retail version comes along. This will be one of things that Apple fixes without ever acknowledging it.

 

[uncrules]

Can the reception issue be fixed with a software fix? I'm not sure I believe it but here's the story anyway.

iPhone 4 Signal Issue Can Be Fixed With a Software Update? - Mac Rumors

Despite the fact that today's release of iOS 4.0.1 addressed only the display of signal strength on the iPhone and not actual signal attenuation issues caused by touching the antenna in the side of the iPhone 4, a software fix may yet still be possible.

According to The New York Times, the signal attenuation issue is the result of an interaction between communication software within the device's operating system and the antenna, an issue that could presumably be addressed with a software update.

One person with direct knowledge of the phone's design said Thursday that the iPhone 4 exposed a longstanding weakness in the basic communications software inside Apple's phones and that the reception problems were not caused by an isolated hardware flaw.

Instead, the problems emerged in the complex interaction between specialized communications software and the antenna, said the person, who agreed to speak on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter.
The source also indicates that Apple CEO Steve Jobs did not learn of the signal issue until after the iPhone 4 began shipping, seemingly refuting a report from Bloomberg earlier today claiming that Jobs had been tipped off early in the design process that the antenna design could cause a problem.

The person said the problems were longstanding but had been exposed by the design of the iPhone 4. All cellphones can be affected by the way a hand grips the phone, but well-designed communications software compensates for a variety of external factors and prevents calls from dropping, the person said.
The issue is reportedly unrelated to the signal display issue already addressed by Apple in iOS 4.0.1.

If the source's claims are true, the information could shed some light on recent comments made by Jobs in an email to a customer claiming that the "facts are different" than has been portrayed by blogs and the media, which have positioned the issue as a hardware problem possibly necessitating a recall.

Apple has scheduled a press conference for tomorrow at 10:00 AM Pacific Time to address the iPhone 4, and the company is widely expected to discuss the signal issues. Sources indicated earlier today, however, that Apple is not planning a recall of the device.

 

[uncrules]

After demonstrating other smart phones having the same issue (and probably pissing those companies off) Apple did announce that they will start giving away free cases and those, like me who bought a case, can get a refund. But they also pointed out that they aren't getting a lot of customer complaints to AppleCare about the issue.

For Scott, they did acknowledge the proximity sensor issue and say that the next software update will fix it but no mention of when the retail version will be available.

 

[stimpson]

Oh joy!!!!!!!!!!! A free bumper.

Link

 

[meStevo]

And then someone with a bold said in the Q&A 'i have a bold and can't make it do that, can you show me how?' and they say 'it might not happen everywhere...'

 

[rockymtnhigh]

After demonstrating other smart phones having the same issue (and probably pissing those companies off) Apple did announce that they will start giving away free cases and those, like me who bought a case, can get a refund. But they also pointed out that they aren't getting a lot of customer complaints to AppleCare about the issue.

For Scott, they did acknowledge the proximity sensor issue and say that the next software update will fix it but no mention of when the retail version will be available.

It is a classic Apple problem. Deny there is a problem, or just say, its ubiquitous, and happens to other phones too. But we'll give you a bumper.


Reminds me of the early ipod days when it first became available for Windows Machines. THose ipods were so damn buggy, it wasn't even funny. Yet, Apple would just pretend there wasn't a problem, until one day an update would come out.

 

[tomcrown1]

Well, at least I will get some money back. I have always bought cases for any cell phone that I have owned. I thought the proximity issue was due to some Iphone 4 having a defective sensor I guess this is a software problem according to Steve. I have the antenna issue, wihtout the case on the IPhone, I have never had the proximity issue.

 

[dmendenjr]

After demonstrating other smart phones having the same issue (and probably pissing those companies off)....

Let's look at the "competition" they selected:
A) The Droid Eris has been discontinued phone by verizon
B) the Blackberry Bold 9700 is over a year old
C) Samsung Omni II is also well over 6 months old.

Where's HTC's EVO 4g, Motorola's Droid (any flavor original or X), or (heck) even a palm pre?

Sorry - guess this isn't the place to pick on the phones that apple picked on...

 

[tomcrown1]

Let's look at the "competition" they selected:
A) The Droid Eris has been discontinued phone by verizon
B) the Blackberry Bold 9700 is over a year old
C) Samsung Omni II is also well over 6 months old.

Where's HTC's EVO 4g, Motorola's Droid (any flavor original or X), or (heck) even a palm pre?

Sorry - guess this isn't the place to pick on the phones that apple picked on...

I agree this is nonsense
Apple is being sued over the antenna issue and I believe that Steve was laying(lying not telling the truth , etc.) the groundwork for Apple's defense in the upcoming court cases.