In a press release from Apple, the company suggests the iPhone 4′s reception issues are the result of imaginary bars.
According to the press release, via Steve Jobs, the reason why the iPhone 4′s reception bars disappear when holding it a certain way are the result of a software bug. The bug causes the reception bars to constantly be at four or five (full service); however, it really is at a much lower level. This can also be seen in the iPhone 3G and 3GS.
“I’ve had the iPhone 3G for two years, and it’s pretty obvious that the bars remain full when you are out of service areas. This does not explain why a phone would go from full service to no service by simply holding it though. Clearly there is more than just a software problem occurring here,” said Elliot Volkman, editor of Play This.
There have also been some notable leaks from Apple customer service, which tells Apple reps to repress the issue and not issue any free bumpers. As seen below, Apple has started to listen to their customers, although there allegedly is a lack of caring from Steve Jobs.
Apple’s Internal Customer Service Scripts
Keep all of the positioning statements in the BN handy – your tone when delivering this information is important.
a. The iPhone 4′s wireless performance is the best we have ever shipped. Our testing shows that iPhone 4′s overall antenna performance is better than iPhone 3GS.
b. Gripping almost any mobile phone in certain places will reduce its reception. This is true of the iPhone 4, the iPhone 3GS, and many other phones we have tested. It is a fact of life in the wireless world.
c. If you are experiencing this on your iPhone 3GS, avoid covering the bottom-right side with your hand.
d. If you are experiencing this on your iPhone 4, avoid covering the black strip in the lower-left corner of the metal band.
e. The use of a case or Bumper that is made out of rubber or plastic may improve wireless performance by keeping your hand from directly covering these areas.
Do not perform warranty service. Use the positioning above for any customer questions or concerns.
Don’t forget YOU STILL NEED to probe and troubleshoot. If a customer calls about their reception while the phone is sitting on a table (not being held) it is not the metal band.
ONLY escalate if the issue exists when the phone is not held AND you cannot resolve it.
We ARE NOT appeasing customers with free bumpers – DON’T promise a free bumper to customers.
Clearly Apple has recognized there is an issue with the iPhone 4′s reception, but earlier had little assistance to customers. The company has now release an official notice about the situation, which remains relatively unclear. The press release also suggests users that don’t want to deal with the issue any longer, can return it within 30 days of purchase.
What social networking sites are saying
iPhone 4 poll
A random polling of words connected to the term “iPhone 4″ when searching through social networking sites has yielded only negative trends. The most common words connected to the iPhone 4 are reception, software and signal. Signal and reception denote the obvious issue at hand and software is the result of Apples press release stating there would be an update coming in the next few weeks.
From the users posting these comments, blogs and articles, over 75 percent of them are considered new content (not retweeted articles or messages). Messages about the iPhone 4 have also fallen drastically after the official Apple Press release. From the time Steve Jobs alleged e-mail came out suggesting users “relax” and that it’s “just a phone” until today, there has been nearly a 76 percent drop in discussion about the iPhone 4.
[Play This Intern nº 3]
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