Apple To Hold iPhone 4 Press Conference 324
teh31337one noted an Engadget report that Apple has announced an
iPhone 4 Press Conference for Friday at 10am PT where presumably they will address all this wacky antenna stuff that has been happening.
They better get this right. (Score:5, Insightful)
Be honest about what went wrong, and do right by the customers. Goodwill is the single most valuable asset a business can possess.
lolwut (Score:5, Insightful)
Apple's response so far seems to indicate (in my opinion, of course) that they have gotten too comfortable in their market position. "People will buy our shit no matter what, why should we fork out the cash to fix this?" is the vibe I got off them.
It will be interesting to see what they have to say tomorrow.
Look at the monkey! (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Hopefully (Score:2, Insightful)
Last verse, same as the first... (Score:5, Insightful)
If Apple were the kind of company to admit mistakes and fix problems, we'd have some word on resolving the iPhone 4 issues already. Instead, 'holding it wrong' and bumpers for everyone.
This has, at best chance, to be a press conference releasing the white iPhone 4.
And if I'm wrong, I'll gladly accept some egg on my face, and those in disagreement all get to say "I told you so."
Re:Private Conference (Score:5, Insightful)
Will be a hard pill to swallow... (Score:5, Insightful)
Will be a hard pill for Apple to swallow after the hyped up outlandish claims about the new antenna design
"People have asked, 'What's this?' Some have even said, 'This doesn't seem like Apple.' What are these lines in this beautiful stainless steel band?
Well, it turns out there's not just one of them, there's three of them. And they are part of the entire structure of this phone. That stainless steel band that runs around is the primary structural element of the phone, and there are these three slits in it.
It turns out this is part of some brilliant engineering, which actually uses the stainless steel band as part of the antenna system. And so, one piece is Bluetooth, wifi, and GPS, and the other is UMTS and GSM. So it's got these integrated antennas right in the structure of the phone.
It's never been done before and it's really cool engineering."
Will be really hard to acknowledge a defect after all that hype.
Re:Worst Case Scenario: (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:They better get this right. (Score:3, Insightful)
Oh, yes, I imagine goodwill will get them far here on /. Before you pretend like there is anything that they can do to appease the "gotcha" masses, a lot of people here need to take a deep breath and consider their own goodwill. If they do the right thing (I'm not even sure what that could be at this point), will you admit it, or will you gloat, or will you just find something else to complain about?
Re:Will be a hard pill to swallow... (Score:3, Insightful)
Don't worry, many governments are seeking to diminish its abilities...
I'm curious to what they'll announce (Score:3, Insightful)
The antenna issue is the most visible problem, but the proximity sensor problem is also troubling. I'm hopeful that it'll be solved by software update.
The antenna is a hardware problem and it's not going to be fixed by software, however many bars the screen displays. The one call I've made on it was choppy as hell until I repositioned my hand, then it was clear as a bell. I'm holding off on buying a case for my phone until I see what Apple announces.
I'm sure there's an iPhone 4.1 in development. These problems won't exist on iPhones sold in a few months.
Here's a guess: Could these problems have been overlooked because of their field testing? The field units were placed in dummy cases which would have prevented physical contact with the antenna.
Re:Will be a hard pill to swallow... (Score:4, Insightful)
Which is why it won't happen. Here's how I predict things going down:
Re:Last verse, same as the first... (Score:3, Insightful)
>> "holding it wrong"
I keep seeing this quoted around like gospel. As far as I know, Jobs' e-mail response to a specific complaint about the so-called "death grip" was "don't hold it that way", which is different in tone and meaning.
-dZ.
Re:err (Score:2, Insightful)
Well, most people in general aren't interested in Apple - most people use Windows on desktops, laptops and netbooks, or other companies like Nokia for mobiles. As niche computing goes though, yes this does seem to have gone from Linux, open source, and using computers for geeking, to Apple, consumer news and using closed platforms for consuming content.
Just return it already. (Score:4, Insightful)
What I don't get is for all those people complaining, why they don't return the damn thing. Honestly, given the iPhone 4 is out less than 30 days (well within most return periods) and the antenna problem surfaced the next day and was fleshed out the next week, it seems stupid that people would willingly hold onto it.
So what if there's a 3-week waiting period for it? You expect some fix? With a lawsuit silencing Apple, there's not much you can do and not much you can expect them to do without jeopardizing their case. And it certainly won't come in the 8 days left you have to return it (most offer 30 day return policies).
I have plenty of iPods, Macs, iPhones and an iPad. Even I don't see the point in waiting for a fix that may never come - just return it already and get on with life. Your old phone still works, so use it until Apple either fixes it or when the iPhone 5 comes out next year.
I know complaining is fun, but is being stuck in a 2-year contract with a phone that doesn't meet your basic needs fun? I think that's stupid. Also stupid are those who buy an iPhone 4 knowing this problem (I'll be generous and say since this week, when CR's non-recommendation hit the news everywhere (and if you didn't hear it, you probably don't know about the iPhone 4 either) and then complain about it.
Gizmodo has a nice writeup of return policies for the iPhone - http://gizmodo.com/5574502/remember-you-can-always-return-your-new-iphone [gizmodo.com] - maybe the ones who can complain would be those who bought at Best Buy and RadioShack for they get screwed with the restocking fee. But AT&T and Apple don't.
Fake (or real) Steve Jobs said it right - "It's just a phone. Not worth it." If it's dropping calls as bad as the complaints are, return it. If you're happy, great. If you're complaining because it's cool and trendy, I've got better things to do in life. Given that, I'm guessing it can't be that big a problem at all with the 3-week wait for it, which would imply that there won't be a recall. Unless people are really that stupid and will fork out nearly $2000 over 2 years for something they could've just avoided. It's not a life or death situation nor a necessity (a phone might, but what were you using before?).
Vote with your wallet and return it. Apple probably won't fix it in time so you can return it. I suggest returning it while you still can rather than waiting for a recall that may or may not happen at all.
I guess I'm tired of complainers who don't see the most obvious solution to their problem. Sure it's nice if Apple fixes it, but why rely on that?
It will go something like this... (Score:5, Insightful)
Someone who is not Steve Jobs takes the stage...
1. The iPhone for is our most successful iPhone ever. First day sales figures.
2. iPhone 4 has better reception than any phone we've shipped.
3. The reports of problems have been massively overblown.
4. Still, even though there is not a problem, you can have a $30 giftcard and buy a bumper with it if you want.
5. Some unrelated but big announcement to redirect attention (iPhone on Verizon, it will now come in green, etc.)
Re:Will be a hard pill to swallow... (Score:4, Insightful)
Also, this is a geek website. We tend to like things to be correct.
And finally - most importantly - being corrected is not something anyone should take offence to. It is part of the way we learn and become better skilled at anything we do. Being indignant because someone offered advice or information is entirely wrong - there was no malice that I can see in the GP's post - it was blunt, maybe, but it was informative.
Re:Will be a hard pill to swallow... (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:lolwut (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:lolwut (Score:3, Insightful)
Stop the presses! Slashdot user joeyblades (785896) has an anecdote. Seriously, when did anecdotal evidence warrant a +5 on slashdot? This place is going downhill.
There are studies by Consumer Reports, Ars Technica, and who knows how many other reputable organizations using sound methodology to prove the existence of this reception issue. Why so many people feel compelled to vocally pretend the issue doesn't exist is astounding.
Re:lolwut (Score:4, Insightful)
Dude. Chill.
I never said that there was no problem. I said that all phones seem to have a problem. I have not seen any evidence that the iPhone 4 problems are any worse... and yes, I did read the Consumer Reports article that said that they tested several other phones... what they failed to mention is how thorough they were at testing all the various configurations of user interaction and carrier strength...
Being an electrical engineer with considerable experience in the field, I know how impossible such tests are, so yes - I tend to discount it when Consumer Reports tries to make it sound like this is some exclusively iPhone 4 problem.
BTW, please look up the definition of anecdotal. You seem to be confused. What I described is more than an anecdote. What I described was a number of engineers (all electrical engineers, BTW) who conducted various user mode experiments to try and replicate the problem. That is hardly anecdotal.
Re:err (Score:3, Insightful)
And the moderation proves it - poking fun at Linux is funny, but heaven forbid we point out that Windows and Nokia are the market leaders, not Apple.
It's a fact. Your mod points don't change that.
Re:lolwut (Score:3, Insightful)
Anecdotal evidence is when you tell us a story that regardless of whether or not it is verifiably true, insufficiently supports the conclusion you're drawing. In your OP you appeared to be generalizing and casting doubt on the legitimacy of the reception issue based solely on the experiences of your acquaintances. Maybe you didn't mean to doubt the legitimacy of the issue, but that's how it read. And it doesn't matter how qualified your acquaintances are at testing smartphones. Until they produce a scientific study with the rigor of the consumer organizations who do this professionally, their experiences are just anecdotes.