July 2, 2010: Apple opens up about “Antennagate,” addressing iPhone 4 reception issues for the primary time publicly.
In a letter to clients, Apple admits to being “shocked once we learn stories of reception issues, and … instantly started investigating them.” Nonetheless, the corporate’s findings do little to dispel the rising Antennagate controversy.
Antennagate hits iPhone 4
The iPhone 4 was an incredible handset. When it launched in early June 2010, it grew to become a large hit, smashing data for preorders and opening-weekend gross sales.
The Antennagate concern reared its head when some clients reported dropped calls. The glitch occurred when a person held the iPhone 4 of their left hand, with their palm overlaying the handset’s tiny antenna hole.
iPhone 4 reception issues: A software program fault?
Apple design chief Jony Ive’s resolution to take away the earlier iPhone’s plastic antenna band triggered the issue. In its letter to clients, nonetheless, Apple positioned the blame on a software program fault.
“Upon investigation, we have been shocked to seek out that the method we use to calculate what number of bars of sign energy to show is completely improper. Our method, in lots of situations, mistakenly shows 2 extra bars than it ought to for a given sign energy. For instance, we typically show 4 bars once we needs to be displaying as few as 2 bars. Customers observing a drop of a number of bars once they grip their iPhone in a sure manner are probably in an space with very weak sign energy, however they don’t realize it as a result of we’re erroneously displaying 4 or 5 bars. Their huge drop in bars is as a result of their excessive bars have been by no means actual within the first place.”
Apple stated it could repair the issue with a free software program replace that included the corrected method.
“Since this error has been current for the reason that unique iPhone, this software program replace can even be accessible for the iPhone 3GS and iPhone 3G,” Apple stated.
The Antennagate aftermath
Sadly for Apple, that didn’t put the problem to relaxation. A number of weeks later, Antennagate hit crucial mass when revered commerce publication Shopper Studies stated it could not suggest the brand new Apple smartphone.
To calm the media firestorm, Apple CEO Steve Jobs flew again early from a household vacation in Hawaii to stage a press convention. He stood by the iPhone 4 (even taking part in a fan-made tune defending it). Nonetheless, he addressed Antennagate actually — and provided clients free iPhone 4 bumper instances that solved the issue. Future variations of the iPhone additionally corrected the system’s fault.
Ultimately, it took till 2012 (and the decision of a class-action lawsuit) for Apple to lastly deliver the controversy to an in depth.
Do you bear in mind Antennagate? Have been you an iPhone proprietor on the time? Tell us within the feedback beneath.
