The iPhone 4 was a preventable disaster
Reports have begun to emerge that the iPhone 4 antenna issue was known to Apple before the product was unveiled, and Apple CEO Steve Jobs decided to favor aesthetics over functionality.
Whatever their policies Apple has a team of brilliant engineers and designers to have developed devices such as the iPhone and iPad, so how is it that a huge flaw like this one escaped their attention? The answer is, that it didn’t.
Much like the abrasive policies of the Apple Store, and most of thier FUD, it seems like decision to ship a faulty device came from the top. From sources within Apple, reports are emerging that Apple engineers knew of the antenna issue, however Apple decided to go ahead with design despite the concerns. Due to the shroud of secrecy that Apple maintains over its products, the iPhone 4 did not receive proper testing and was only given to the carriers for testing in the nick of time. A changed antenna design should have received much more testing.
Apple is really making it difficult for people to absolve them of the blame that squarely lies on their shoulders, and this being Apple, there is certainly no small army of Apple fanatics waiting to forgive Apple even now. Instead they have been blaming users for holding the device wrong, or simply denying the issue and then releasing a software fix which makes the antenna bars bigger.
With an Apple conference today about the iPhone 4, it is wouldn’t come with any surprise if Apple talked about this widely reported issue. What everyone is waiting for now is how they will resolve the issue, and only in admitting to, and resolving – permanently – this issue will Apple gain any favor.
Will Apple issue a permanent fix though? Or can we expect another, albeit more public dismissal of this issue? It seems unlikely (and insane) for Apple to deny the issue any longer, but a fix could come in any number of ways, as a free bumper, a free fix or replacement. Apple had earlier denied free bumpers, but if they do go for this now, wouldn’t cost Apple much, as the bumpers cost them an estimated $1 of their $29 price tag. However it is hard to imaging people enjoying buying a phone for its aesthetics and then covering it up with an ugly cover.
Opinions and analysis are split over what might be the happening. While some claim that the recall would be too expensive, and wouldn’t happen, others say it is inevitable, and still others report that it has already silently begun. Some report that a fix has been developed and is the cause of the delays in shipping of more iPhone 4 units. Apple needs to develop a fix in any case, and stop selling its defective versions, the sad bit is that while Apple is maintaining its shroud of secrecy, people are continuing to buy faulty devices that they have manufactured.
It might not be too late for Apple to get some of its shine back. Apple may have lost a lot of credibility, but they have a big enough cache.