Apple admits iPhone's signal bars are BS. Worse than BP?

[Hermiod]

^The OP's attitude kind of wrote the idea of having a grown up discussion about this right off from the start.

If it is misreporting its signal strength then that's just a dumb software problem that can be fixed - and probably not by shoving golf balls and human hair anywhere.

 

[Archaeologist]

Matters such as these are the reasons that I'm willingly staying a step behind technologically, when it comes to portable convenience devices like the iPhone. I just want to be sure that when the time to upgrade comes around, I will be purchasing a durable product that will actually last at least half a decade, and have a good enough amount of features.

 

[tau136]

Matters such as these are the reasons that I'm willingly staying a step behind technologically, when it comes to portable convenience devices like the iPhone. I just want to be sure that when the time to upgrade comes around, I will be purchasing a durable product that will actually last at least half a decade, and have a good enough amount of features.

Ditto

 

[gturner]

I make the comparison because the BP spill wasn't a big deal and could've been well contained in a week, but the US refused to let state-of-the-art containment vessels work in US waters until day 72. We blew them off, laughing at the idea that the Dutch knew anything about oil spills, since no one at the high levels of the US government realized the Dutch were the same people who run "Royal Dutch Shell". We also failed to implement the existing plan to burn off any oil. We also refused help from a host of other countries. Only now are we going to allow some help from companies that can help, long after the devastation of our coasts is a given, but those ships have yet to actually be deployed. For example, we only accpeted the Dutch offer, 70 days later, with the provision that instead of getting right to work they instead train US crews to do their jobs. This will take a while, possibly months. Once that is done I'm sure the EPA or OSHA will find an excuse to not let the crew actually clean up any oil, which has been an ongoing problem.

BP had a minor problem that caused a blow-out, just as Apple had a major problem that could call their major profitmaker into question. The difference is that the government hasn't stepped in to help Apple yet.

 

[Hermiod]

^Apple has $25bn US in cash reserves. Even the most unlikely option - a full product recall of the iPhone 4 - would not endanger the company.

And the iPhone division isn't their major profit maker. They still make a hell of a lot more money selling computers than mobile phones.

 

[Marten]

And producing devices that are useless after a year or two and end up in a big pile of electronic waste isn't a problem? - not trying to be a big jerk, merely pointing out that electronic devices aren't environmentally 'clean' to begin with.

Don't know what it's like in Denmark, but in the UK there are companies springing up all over the place who will take your old mobile phone, refurbish or recycle it and pay you for the privilege.

In Sweden we have sections for electronic junk at the junk yards, but no one to pay for it.

 

[Hermiod]

In Sweden we have sections for electronic junk at the junk yards, but no one to pay for it.

You can do that here too, only with mobile phones it's possible to make a decent profit buying old phones and recycling them or refurbishing them.

An iPhone 3GS in decent condition will get you £200+.

 

[spinnerlys]

^Apple has $25bn US in cash reserves. Even the most unlikely option - a full product recall of the iPhone 4 - would not endanger the company.

And the iPhone division isn't their major profit maker. They still make a hell of a lot more money selling computers than mobile phones.

page 33 of Apple's Q2’10 Form 10-Q:

Desktops (a) 1,532,000,000 USD for 1,147,000 units
Portables (b) 2,228,000,000 USD for 1,796,000 units
iPhone and related products and services (d) 5,445,000,000 USD for 8,752 units


(a) Includes iMac, Mac mini, Mac Pro and Xserve product lines.
(b) Includes MacBook, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro product lines.
(d) Derived from handset sales, carrier agreements, and Apple-branded and third-party iPhone accessories.


Mobile devices are the main profit for Apple, Inc. (formerly known as Apple Computer, Inc.), that's why many Macintosh users fear, that Mac OS and the desktop and portable computer line will be abandoned someday, for now it just seems neglected, as one could see at WWDC 2010 and the rather loveless updates on the portable line, the iMac and Mac Pro are still waiting.

 

[Hermiod]

^Where are Apple's iTunes and App stores represented in those numbers ?

I would not say that their computer business is neglected at all.

 

[Arrqh]

^The OP's attitude kind of wrote the idea of having a grown up discussion about this right off from the start.

If it is misreporting its signal strength then that's just a dumb software problem that can be fixed - and probably not by shoving golf balls and human hair anywhere.

Unfortunately, as has already been pointed out, this is much more then just a software glitch. This is a design flaw in the iPhone's antenna, one that could be easily fixed if Apple would admit fault.

And personally, I think we're all capable of having a reasonable discussion, even with the presence of some humor in poor taste.

 

[Warp Coil]

I'm disappointed in Apple that they released a new product that seems to be having a number of issues. I'm reading reports about signal strength, dropped calls and a glitch in the sensors. They're all things that should have been caught during the R&D process. I'm really not buying into the B.S. responses that the company has given thus far.

I'm an Apple fan. I love my MacBook Pro. I love my iPod. I am happy with my iPhone 3G (aside from reception issues at home, but that isn't Apple's fault... or even AT&T's... every carrier seems to have trouble with phone reception in my condo). But I'm not a blind follower. If you screw up a product, I'm not going to just buy it anyway. Fix the iPhone 4 and I'll consider making an upgrade. Until then, I'll keep the phone I have. It works perfectly fine.

Oh, but seriously, this is in no way related to, connected to, or even in the same league as the BP oil spill disaster.

 

[Rii]

And personally, I think we're all capable of having a reasonable discussion, even with the presence of some humor in poor taste.

There's nothing wrong with gturner's sense of humour here, although this is hardly his best work.

That so many folks take his absurd and hyperbolic propositions seriously does rapidly transition from amusing to embarrassingly discomfiting, in the 'will you tell him or shall I?' sense, but that's hardly gturner's problem.

 

[Holdfast]

Yeah, I have to say I find a lot of gturner's work quite amusing, in the way same I used to enjoy sitting at the back of class when in school making glib one-liners to annoy the teacher.

Anyway, on topic, the thing with Apple is that while their products are often very pretty, they do have a very Apple way of working which doesn't often match up with the way my own mind works. I've come to the conclusion I don't view the world the same way as most people do, because I've never felt the whole "Apple is very user-friendly/intuitive" thing. I much prefer HTC's own stuff when it comes to phones.

 

[gturner]

Well, the latest investigations into the causes of the BP disaster, undertaken by Obama's fact-finders, are pointing the finger at a BP employee's inattention to the well-head pressure. Apparently he stepped out of the control room in frustration, wandering around the platform in a vain attempt to get a decent signal on his Apple iPhone, despite it displaying four bars the whole time.

 

[trekkiedane]

Well, the latest investigations into the causes of the BP disaster, undertaken by Obama's fact-finders, are pointing the finger at a BP employee's inattention to the well-head pressure. Apparently he stepped out of the control room in frustration, wandering around the platform in a vain attempt to get a decent signal on his Apple iPhone, despite it displaying four bars the whole time.

Fixed it!

 

[Spot's Meow]

Anyway, on topic, the thing with Apple is that while their products are often very pretty, they do have a very Apple way of working which doesn't often match up with the way my own mind works. I've come to the conclusion I don't view the world the same way as most people do, because I've never felt the whole "Apple is very user-friendly/intuitive" thing. I much prefer HTC's own stuff when it comes to phones.

I've felt much the same way. I actually learned to use a computer on Macs, and I thought it was okay, but when we got our first PC a few years later I was amazed at how much more useable I found it to be.

 

[Holdfast]

Anyway, on topic, the thing with Apple is that while their products are often very pretty, they do have a very Apple way of working which doesn't often match up with the way my own mind works. I've come to the conclusion I don't view the world the same way as most people do, because I've never felt the whole "Apple is very user-friendly/intuitive" thing. I much prefer HTC's own stuff when it comes to phones.

I've felt much the same way. I actually learned to use a computer on Macs, and I thought it was okay, but when we got our first PC a few years later I was amazed at how much more useable I found it to be.

Well, that's two of us against the rest of the human race. We just have special minds...

 

[emacs]

speaking of the iPhone 4, Apple will be hosting a press conference on July 15 2010

http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/14/apple-to-hold-press-conference-on-iphone-4-this-friday/

 

[Snaploud]

Well, the latest investigations into the causes of the BP disaster, undertaken by Obama's fact-finders, are pointing the finger at a BP employee's inattention to the well-head pressure. Apparently he stepped out of the control room in frustration, wandering around the platform in a vain attempt to get a decent signal on his Apple iPhone, despite it displaying four bars the whole time.

Fixed it!

The next step is to connect the phone into a wall outlet via a phone cord. I'm sure that will be in the next update.

 

[Squiggy]

Apple has corrected the problem by making the signal display taller bars.

There's nothing to see here folks. Move along.