Even though I feel a lot of respect for Apple as a company, and I do trust Steve Jobs’ judgment (and his team of 18 PhDs), I admit there are times when I can’t just ignore the smell of something gone bad. Never mind what Apple and Steve say about press mistreatment at the iPhone 4 press conference, something is truly wrong with this new iPhone. Going around the issue with statistics, or blaming other manufacturers of having the same problem doesn’t seem right to me.
When favorable media coverage generates millions of dollars on free publicity for the company, it is okay with everyone at Apple. When the press’s obsession with Apple products results on “bad press,” they’re just wrong, and their opinions are somehow mislead.
We know Apple isn’t perfect; we don’t expect it to be. We don’t expect perfect products; but you don’t have to be perfect to admit you’ve made a mistake (and this mistake is bigger than just showing the wrong number of bars).
It’s a pretty convenient position when Apple advertises a product as “magic,” “revolutionary,” “unique,” and “years ahead of everyone in the industry”, and when things go south, it turns out it’s just a phone. If you take expectations to the roof and drive public opinion into the idea of Apple making space-tech-based devices, then you have to take judgment and criticisms like the multi-billion dollar company you are, and not like the man who justifies his faults by signaling the neighbor’s mistakes.
I don’t even want to continue paying attention to the antenna problem on this phone, and no matter how many slides of numbers and videos Apple shows to prove their point, I’ll continue believing the iPhone 4 has an important design flaw (they deny it as an issue, but then they give free bumpers to solve the non-existing problem). If I am actually wrong and Apple is 100% right, I’m hoping to see the next generation iPhone with the same antenna.
I’ll close this case for myself, and I’ll believe Apple (or not) when I see iPhone 5.
You know, in Venezuela we have always had to wait ages before a legal iPhone comes to the country (we go basically after Yemen and Pandora in the priority list). When it arrives, it is pretty expensive (you could buy at least three of them in the US), and after waiting for so long for an iPhone, I was ready to get into this new version of the device.
Finally it has proper multi-tasking, better camera, display, etc, etc. Now they come and screw everything up with the antenna (not a small problem by the way). Instead of assuming the problem and provide everyone with a fair and effective solution, they give us this "if you have a problem with it return it". Not nice Apple, not nice.
Excellent post! "I’ll believe Apple (or not) when I see iPhone 5"
My sentiments exactly! Enjoyed reading this, nice article.
When a company gets to be on top, it's ripe for attack. That's what happened to Apple. It's not even on top as yet. But I think the other companies are feeling the pressure. This phone will still outsell all the other smartphones. I'd buy one if I didn't still have another year on the 3Gs….
Guilty – because they're giving free bumpers? What would you have said if they didn't? It seems to me that they are damned if they do and damned if they don't.
I don't think they're guilty because they give away free bumpers, I think they're guilty because the phone has a real (and many times documented in video, reviews, etc) problem with the antenna, and instead of saying:
"It's true, we drop the ball, we're sorry and this is what we're going to do to fix the problem",
they say:
"that's not entirely true, also RIM has the same problem look (I thought you were ages ahead of those people, what are you comparing to them now?) here is a video, a some statistics, etc".
My problem with this situation is based on Apple's ever present arrogant attitude when it comes to a mistake the company makes. They deny it until the last consequences, and they rather spend time and money denying an obvious mistake than admitting it.
If Apple makes a mistake, I'm ok with it. They're a great company that give us great products most of times. I'd like to see a little bit more humbleness when they go wrong. I still remember those "Mhz myth" slides from the PPC days. At the end they switched to Intel, and at the end you won't see this antenna on the next iPhone, guaranteed.
Juan, do you actually own an iPhone 4? I do, and it's the best of the four models I've owned. I agree with Apple's method of dealing with the data, and Steve Jobs's attitude. Apparently most of my fellow three million iPhone 4 owners agree.
Hello normanj, no I don't have one. My article, which expresses my opinion of course, doesn't say my phone is not working, it says I don't agree with the way Apple is dealing with this issue.
I'm glad your iPhone is working as expected, and I'm sure most of them are, that's exactly why I don't see the need for the company to hide behind the walls, or deny what's obvious for some other users. At the end, they "love us" all right? We're all important aren't we?
I don't think those unlucky guys who got the antenna problem feel awesome about getting (if it's the case) a free bumper (specially if they don't want one), and maybe like me, since they believe this is the most amazing phone out there, they don't want to get the money back. I put myself in that position (since I'm planning to get the phone by christmas) and I don't feel the "love".
I know you agree with Apple's move and that's perfectly fine. That's the beauty of it all.
Thanks for taking the time of reading and commenting, you guys give life to the post. Keep it coming if you feel like so.
Cheers.
Ok, everyone that says there is something wrong with the iPhone, go to Youtube and Google and you can find examples of ALL the other smartphones with antenna problems.
Very well put, I love it ! couldn't of been summed up better !
I will never get the next iPhone the day of release again and I have gotten every iPhone since the first one one release day except the first one.
Every one is not perfect. the iphone 4 is a great invention of apple and actually the antenna problem release the ios 4.0.1. at least steve jobs accept that problem.
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