Close
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Apple
    • Apple
    • IT Management
    • Mobile
    • Small Business

    Apple iPhone 4 Antenna Case Closed, Company Says

    By
    Nicholas Kolakowski
    -
    September 11, 2010
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      Apple is closing the case on the iPhone 4’s antenna-rim issues, which dominated much of the conversation about the company and its signature smartphone throughout the summer.

      “We now know that the iPhone 4 antenna attenuation issue is even smaller than we originally thought,” reads a note on Apple’s corporate Website. “A small percentage of iPhone 4 users need a case, and we want to continue providing them a Bumper case for free. For everyone else, we are discontinuing the free case program on all iPhone 4s sold after Sept. 30, 2010.”

      The note adds: “We are also returning to our normal returns policy for all iPhone 4s sold after Sept. 30. Users experiencing antenna issues should call AppleCare to request a free Bumper case.”

      It makes no mention, however, of whether Apple has somehow re-engineered the device to circumvent the problem, which was said to involve a loss of signal whenever bare skin touched the exterior antenna rim.

      A recent survey by Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster suggested that those antenna issues, combined with Apple’s reliance on AT&T as its exclusive iPhone carrier, had hurt sales of the device. Of the 258 cell phone users surveyed, 69 percent reported being aware of the device’s “quality issues,” with 20 percent saying those issues had “impacted” their purchase decision.

      Apple executives, however, have insisted that the antenna issues have not affected the iPhone 4’s sales.

      “My phone is ringing off the hook [from] people that want more supply,” Apple Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook said during a July 20 earnings call. “Right now it is hard to address the real question you’re asking, about, ‘Is there an effect or not?’ because we’re selling everything we can make. You can’t run an experiment that way.”

      During that call, Apple executives announced that the company would pay out roughly $175 million in free rubber bumpers that cover the iPhone 4’s antenna rim.

      Apple released its iOS 4.1 update for mobile devices Sept. 8. In addition to fixing a handful of software bugs, the upgrade installs new applications such as the multiplayer-centric Game Center, iTunes TV show rentals and the Ping social networking service. The update also preserves iOS 4 features such as multitasking, the iBooks e-reader, application folders and the ability to change home-screen wallpaper. Apple plans to follow the update with iOS 4.2 for the iPad.

      Nicholas Kolakowski
      Nicholas Kolakowski is a staff editor at eWEEK, covering Microsoft and other companies in the enterprise space, as well as evolving technology such as tablet PCs. His work has appeared in The Washington Post, Playboy, WebMD, AARP the Magazine, AutoWeek, Washington City Paper, Trader Monthly, and Private Air. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Big Data and Analytics

      Alteryx’s Suresh Vittal on the Democratization of...

      James Maguire - May 31, 2022 0
      I spoke with Suresh Vittal, Chief Product Officer at Alteryx, about the industry mega-shift toward making data analytics tools accessible to a company’s complete...
      Read more
      Cybersecurity

      Visa’s Michael Jabbara on Cybersecurity and Digital...

      James Maguire - May 17, 2022 0
      I spoke with Michael Jabbara, VP and Global Head of Fraud Services at Visa, about the cybersecurity technology used to ensure the safe transfer...
      Read more
      Applications

      Cisco’s Thimaya Subaiya on Customer Experience in...

      James Maguire - May 10, 2022 0
      I spoke with Thimaya Subaiya, SVP and GM of Global Customer Experience at Cisco, about the factors that create good customer experience – and...
      Read more
      Cloud

      IGEL CEO Jed Ayres on Edge and...

      James Maguire - June 14, 2022 0
      I spoke with Jed Ayres, CEO of IGEL, about the endpoint sector, and an open source OS for the cloud; we also spoke about...
      Read more
      Cloud

      Yotascale CEO Asim Razzaq on Controlling Multicloud...

      James Maguire - May 5, 2022 0
      Asim Razzaq, CEO of Yotascale, provides guidance on understanding—and containing—the complex cost structure of multicloud computing. Among the topics we covered:  As you survey the...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2022 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×