I think it’s readily apparent to everyone that the two primary issues with Apple’s iPhone 4 are not simply going to go away. These issues are, according to Marco Arment:
The antenna’s reception severely decreases when the phone is held in an extremely common way. If you hold the phone with your left hand, you probably cause this problem to happen regularly. Every review mentions this issue, and Consumer Reports refuses to recommend the iPhone 4 until (and unless) it’s fixed.
The proximity sensor often fails, causing the user to inadvertently push buttons with their ears and faces during calls. Every iPhone has had a proximity sensor, and none have ever worked poorly or intermittently on a large scale.
Go read the post. It’s extremely accurate but harsh (even by Marco’s standards, imo). Apple’s arrogance and indifference, bullshit non-solution, embarrassing flaws, and Apple’s giant-middle-finger response.
(Giant Middle Finger would be an awesome band name.)
I have to agree with everything Marco writes here. Apple’s “don’t hold the phone like that” and “the iPhone has been over-reporting your reception level” responses paint the picture of a company sticking its head in the sand and praying the storm passes soon. However, this is not not simply going to go away.
(Apple has yet to address the proximity sensor issue.)
To make matters worse, AppleInsider reports that Apple has started deleting discussion threads about the Consumer Reports fiasco. So in addition to the “giant-middle-finger” response, Apple is now censoring its customers. (Yes, it’s Apple’s discussion board and Apple can do what they want, but this is a poor customer relation stance.)
As Marco points out, the reception issue is most likely not something that can be fixed with a software update. Apple will probably have to issue a recall and replace the phones with a new design. This is not a cheap solution, but when you consider the black eye Apple’s reputation is currently taking (and will continue to take), the bad (and increasingly loud) bad press the iPhone 4 is receiving, and the inevitable decrease in consumer loyalty, it might be less expensive in the long run.
Goodwill goes a long ways these days. Probably further than at any other time in history. Apple needs to man-up and deal with this situation before it congeals into the perfect shit pie flying directly toward Apple’s face.
