No iPhone 4 recall today, but 'voluntary' recall, full refunds possible
Sat, 07/17/2010 - 09:20
Though reports have indicated Apple will not initiate a full recall of the iPhone 4 at its press conference today, some prominent Wall Street analysts believe Apple could institute a "voluntary" recall, or refund dissatisfied owners the full purchase price.
Sat, 07/17/2010 - 09:25
#2
iPhone 4 antenna issues due to 'weakness' in software
"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 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.
Mr. Jobs did not learn about the software problem until after the iPhone 4 shipped last month, the person said."
Sat, 07/17/2010 - 10:06
#3
Apple has added a new section
Apple has added a new section to its website, informing consumers about the external antenna featured on the iPhone 4 and how users may experience signal loss. It also revealed its internal antenna testing chambers, and posted video of Friday's press conference in its entirety.
The new site apple.com/antenna aims to inform users about attenuation and signal loss. It notes that all antennas on all devices, including TV, radio, GPS and cell phones, can experience attenuation when obstructed.
Apple says just 0.55% of iPhone owners have reported antenna problems
Just 0.55 percent of all iPhone owners have called AppleCare with an antenna issue, and the return rate for the iPhone 4 has been 1.7 percent -- much less than the 6 percent seen with last year's iPhone 3GS, Apple said Friday.
Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs hosted Friday's event, and said that Apple has known about the antenna issue for the last 22 days. He said that the company has been working hard to address the issue since it first learned of it. "We've been working our butts off," he said.
"You know, we're not perfect," Jobs said, according to Macworld. "And phones aren't perfect either. But we want to make all of our users happy. And if you don't know that about Apple, you don't know Apple."
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