Steve Jobs was throwing around the term “hard data” to cover-up their mess with the iPhone 4′s reception. However, the data is skewed.
The data being provided at Apple’s press conference last Friday (June 16) was in favor of the iPhone 4. According to Jobs, return rates have been drastically lower than the iPhone 3GS, the amount of related phone call drops are lower and AppleCare calls are below one percent.
Job’s stated that .55 percent of all iPhone 4 related calls to AppleCare were about reception issues, more calls are being dropped per one hundred and 1/3 of the amount of iPhone 3GS returned are being returned.
The issue with these types of numbers are the oversimplifications. The day before the official retail store launch of the iPhone 4, users found that there were some major issues with its reception. As a result, Apple has been telling people and the press that they are working on a software update to resolve the matter. Additional leaked information from AppleCare showed that Apple would not be of any help if a user complained about the problem.
Between Apple’s poor attempt to fix the problem with a software update and their leaked information, they accidentally benefited themselves and prevented people from needlessly calling AppleCare. Numbers are obviously lower because the only reason to call AppleCare was to let off steam.
The iPhone 4 return numbers are also low because Apple promised a software update that would resolve the issue. We reported earlier that people generally seemed ok after learning about the software update.
Although Apple has made the situation ideal for themselves, the number of dropped calls from the iPhone 3GS to the iPhone 4 has clearly increased, according to Jobs. Regardless of the reception issue being commonly found in other smartphones, it should still be a phone first, without having to hold it a certain way.
The iPhone 4 has sold over three million units in 30 days and is still over-all a solid phone. This is simply an analysis of Apple’s communication and assisting regular users to understand what is truly being stated.
[Gallery not found]Social Media
Social media trends are reporting that users peaked interest in the iPhone 4 on the day of the press conference as expected. The drastic fall in mentions about the iPhone 4 on Monday is a sign that consumers have less to complain about the reception issue now that Apple has provided a software update and free bumpers to all.
The Resolution
iPhone 4 users who have purchased their phone before the end of September will get a bumper for the phone for free. There is no information about how to get these yet, and if they will be the same quality as currently sold.
If you have already purchased the bumper from Apple, you will get a full refund.
Users who are still not satisfied with the bumper are allowed to return the phone; however, there was no cut off date listed for how long this will go on.
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