iPhone Consumer Reports doesn't recommend iPhone 4 - Page 2

Fotoman · 07-12-2010, 07:11 PM

Yeah. Some egg on CR's face for essentially admitting that they didn't test before they gave it their original recommendation.

But despite the obvious embarrassment reversing their recommendation causes, they did at least do the right thing once they got around to testing.

Now... What's Apple's excuse for continuing to stonewall? Is a company's credibility damaged more by an embarrassing admission or by staunch denial of the obvious?

It's a rhetorical question. No need to respond.

kjk · 07-12-2010, 08:51 PM

they can't recommend it..but still gets the highest score of any smartphone:

http://digitaldaily.allthingsd.com/2...on-the-market/

I'm guessing "holdability" needs to be added to their scoring

vaughnmr · 07-12-2010, 09:07 PM

I think the iPhone 4 is one of the best phones on the market. And the antenna design is great, with one small caveat. Don't put your hand on it.

If they do the right thing and supply users with the protection band that corrects the problem, for free, instead of $30 us, then I think they have made another customer. If they continue to blame the problem on me, or ATT, or a software problem, they've lost me forever. Ignoring everything else, I am a customer, do right by me and you'll be ok.

HarryT · 07-13-2010, 03:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vaughnmr

I think the iPhone 4 is one of the best phones on the market. And the antenna design is great, with one small caveat. Don't put your hand on it.

If they do the right thing and supply users with the protection band that corrects the problem, for free, instead of $30 us, then I think they have made another customer. If they continue to blame the problem on me, or ATT, or a software problem, they've lost me forever. Ignoring everything else, I am a customer, do right by me and you'll be ok.

But, as my poll shows, vaughmir, the majority of us who have an iPhone are not experiencing this problem. I honestly think that it's been "hyped up" by the press beyond all proportion. Have you experienced it yourself?

tompe · 07-13-2010, 03:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

But, as my poll shows, vaughmir, the majority of us who have an iPhone are not experiencing this problem. I honestly think that it's been "hyped up" by the press beyond all proportion. Have you experienced it yourself?

Sample size 7... But 2 of 7 having problem seems to be a lot of people to me. If these are the odd for a think not working properly I would not buy it.

HarryT · 07-13-2010, 04:06 AM

My point is, Tommy, that if you were to go by the press reports you'd think that this was some sort of horrendous "disaster" that was badly affecting everyone who owned an iPhone 4, whereas if you read the poll post, that clearly isn't so. I'm not saying that it isn't a real issue - it clearly is - but it's not as bad as some elements of the press seem to be making out it is.

I, by the way, was the voter in the poll who was having a minor problem, but solved it with a £2.99 case from eBay.

tompe · 07-13-2010, 05:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

My point is, Tommy, that if you were to go by the press reports you'd think that this was some sort of horrendous "disaster" that was badly affecting everyone who owned an iPhone 4, whereas if you read the poll post, that clearly isn't so. I'm not saying that it isn't a real issue - it clearly is - but it's not as bad as some elements of the press seem to be making out it is.

That is not the impression I have got from the technical blogs. But the problem will affect everybody if they are moving around and come to areas with bad signal. I assume phoning from a train will be a big problem.

vaughnmr · 07-13-2010, 05:41 AM

http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/12/a...-4-piece-on-f/

Looks like an official deny compaign is in full swing now. If you mention this on the Apple support forums, it will be deleted by the moderators.

HarryT · 07-13-2010, 06:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tompe

That is not the impression I have got from the technical blogs. But the problem will affect everybody if they are moving around and come to areas with bad signal. I assume phoning from a train will be a big problem.

Actually, Tommy, if you read the technical (rather than the "consumer") reviews of the iPhone 4, they say that one of the areas of real improvement in the iPhone 4 compared to earlier models, and to other brands, is that it has significantly improved performance with weak signals. That is one of the things that the new antenna specifically addressed.

See, for example:

http://www.anandtech.com/show/3794/t...one-4-review/2

scottjl · 07-13-2010, 07:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vaughnmr

http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/12/a...-4-piece-on-f/

Looks like an official deny compaign is in full swing now. If you mention this on the Apple support forums, it will be deleted by the moderators.

apple has a long history of deleting posts and threads they don't like.. this is nothing new.

tompe · 07-13-2010, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Actually, Tommy, if you read the technical (rather than the "consumer") reviews of the iPhone 4, they say that one of the areas of real improvement in the iPhone 4 compared to earlier models, and to other brands, is that it has significantly improved performance with weak signals. That is one of the things that the new antenna specifically addressed.

See, for example:

http://www.anandtech.com/show/3794/t...one-4-review/2

I meant that the technical blogs did not describe it as a disaster which you seemed to claim. But it is still described as a problem.

HarryT · 07-13-2010, 11:37 AM

I don't think anyone (except Apple, perhaps

) would deny that it's a very real problem.

joblack · 07-13-2010, 12:44 PM

http://www.tuaw.com/2010/07/12/apple...n-memory-hole/

Big Brother Apple?

joblack · 07-13-2010, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vaughnmr

I think the iPhone 4 is one of the best phones on the market. And the antenna design is great, with one small caveat. Don't put your hand on it..

Sounds like 'Toyota has one of the best cars, there is only this little accelerator problem'.

Fotoman · 07-13-2010, 01:08 PM

I've also been wondering lately if Apple didn't already know prior to the launch of the phone.

I've always kept my iPhones in a case--a rubberized protective "Roots Canada" one--and planned to do the same with the new one.

But the Apple bumpers caught my eye. Unless I'm mistaken (and this does happen occasionally

) I don't remember bumpers being offered by Apple for any previous iPhones.

When I saw them I thought it was just Apple getting in on the device personalization business that they have usually not paid all that much attention to... but now that the Antenna issues have been exposed and more importantly, essentially resolved by use of those bumpers, I have to wonder about the reason for offering the $30 accesories together with the launch of the phone.

And offering them as an extra for $30 was sort of a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" thing. Giving them away free would have been tantamount to an admission of a known design flaw that they were correcting with a more attractive version of duct tape... charging for them? Well, we're all seeing the problem that's causing now with petitions, bad press and such...

Call me a conspiracy theorist, but I think the bumpers are an indication that Apple knew about the antenna issue before launch.

07-13-2010, 12:44 PM	#28
joblack Wizard Posts: 1,745 Karma: 4382514 Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Somewhere on earth Device: Onyx Boox Tab X	Apple drops Consumer Reports/iPhone 4 discussion threads down memory hole http://www.tuaw.com/2010/07/12/apple...n-memory-hole/ Big Brother Apple?

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07-12-2010, 07:11 PM	#16
Fotoman Groupie Posts: 157 Karma: 2160 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Vancouver, BC Device: iPad 64GB wifi (Sony 505 RIP)	Yeah. Some egg on CR's face for essentially admitting that they didn't test before they gave it their original recommendation. But despite the obvious embarrassment reversing their recommendation causes, they did at least do the right thing once they got around to testing. Now... What's Apple's excuse for continuing to stonewall? Is a company's credibility damaged more by an embarrassing admission or by staunch denial of the obvious? It's a rhetorical question. No need to respond.

07-12-2010, 08:51 PM	#17
kjk . Posts: 3,408 Karma: 5647231 Join Date: Oct 2008 Device: never enough	they can't recommend it..but still gets the highest score of any smartphone: http://digitaldaily.allthingsd.com/2...on-the-market/ I'm guessing "holdability" needs to be added to their scoring

07-12-2010, 09:07 PM	#18
vaughnmr Ebook Reader Posts: 605 Karma: 3205128 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Texas Device: Kindle 3, HTC Evo, HTC View	I think the iPhone 4 is one of the best phones on the market. And the antenna design is great, with one small caveat. Don't put your hand on it. If they do the right thing and supply users with the protection band that corrects the problem, for free, instead of $30 us, then I think they have made another customer. If they continue to blame the problem on me, or ATT, or a software problem, they've lost me forever. Ignoring everything else, I am a customer, do right by me and you'll be ok.

07-13-2010, 04:06 AM	#21
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	My point is, Tommy, that if you were to go by the press reports you'd think that this was some sort of horrendous "disaster" that was badly affecting everyone who owned an iPhone 4, whereas if you read the poll post, that clearly isn't so. I'm not saying that it isn't a real issue - it clearly is - but it's not as bad as some elements of the press seem to be making out it is. I, by the way, was the voter in the poll who was having a minor problem, but solved it with a £2.99 case from eBay.

07-13-2010, 05:41 AM	#23
vaughnmr Ebook Reader Posts: 605 Karma: 3205128 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Texas Device: Kindle 3, HTC Evo, HTC View	http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/12/a...-4-piece-on-f/ Looks like an official deny compaign is in full swing now. If you mention this on the Apple support forums, it will be deleted by the moderators.

07-13-2010, 11:37 AM	#27
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I don't think anyone (except Apple, perhaps ) would deny that it's a very real problem.

07-13-2010, 01:08 PM	#30
Fotoman Groupie Posts: 157 Karma: 2160 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Vancouver, BC Device: iPad 64GB wifi (Sony 505 RIP)	I've also been wondering lately if Apple didn't already know prior to the launch of the phone. I've always kept my iPhones in a case--a rubberized protective "Roots Canada" one--and planned to do the same with the new one. But the Apple bumpers caught my eye. Unless I'm mistaken (and this does happen occasionally ) I don't remember bumpers being offered by Apple for any previous iPhones. When I saw them I thought it was just Apple getting in on the device personalization business that they have usually not paid all that much attention to... but now that the Antenna issues have been exposed and more importantly, essentially resolved by use of those bumpers, I have to wonder about the reason for offering the $30 accesories together with the launch of the phone. And offering them as an extra for $30 was sort of a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" thing. Giving them away free would have been tantamount to an admission of a known design flaw that they were correcting with a more attractive version of duct tape... charging for them? Well, we're all seeing the problem that's causing now with petitions, bad press and such... Call me a conspiracy theorist, but I think the bumpers are an indication that Apple knew about the antenna issue before launch.