Apple: No Free Cases to Fix iPhone Antennae
Apple tells reps that offering customers free bumpers to fix signal issues is an absolute no-no.
We all know about the problem with the new iPhone 4 and its antenna. If you've been keeping up with tech news over the last week or so, you'll know that fixing it is easy; all you need is a case or bumper. If you're reluctant to get a third-party accessory, Apple sells them on its website! What could be easier?
Because it's so easy to fix and Apple sells them anyway, lot of people believe Jobs and his cronies might fix this problem completely by just bundling every iPhone 4 with a bumper. Unfortunately, Apple doesn't agree with giving everyone a free bumper that probably only costs $1 to make.
Leaked documents (obtained by Boy Genius Report) detailing Apple's procedure for representatives dealing with customers with iPhone 4 reception issues show the company is "NOT appeasing customers with free bumpers." Further, reps are told to remind customers that the wireless performance on the iPhone 4 is the best they've ever shipped and that gripping any phone in the wrong place will diminish signal.
1. Keep all of the positioning statements in the BN handy – your tone when delivering this information is important.
a. The iPhone 4’s wireless performance is the best we have ever shipped. Our testing shows that iPhone 4’s overall antenna performance is better than iPhone 3GS.
b. Gripping almost any mobile phone in certain places will reduce its reception. This is true of the iPhone 4, the iPhone 3GS, and many other phones we have tested. It is a fact of life in the wireless world.
c. If you are experiencing this on your iPhone 3GS, avoid covering the bottom-right side with your hand.
d. If you are experiencing this on your iPhone 4, avoid covering the black strip in the lower-left corner of the metal band.
e. The use of a case or Bumper that is made out of rubber or plastic may improve wireless performance by keeping your hand from directly covering these areas.
2. Do not perform warranty service. Use the positioning above for any customer questions or concerns.
3. Don’t forget YOU STILL NEED to probe and troubleshoot. If a customer calls about their reception while the phone is sitting on a table (not being held) it is not the metal band.
4. ONLY escalate if the issue exists when the phone is not held AND you cannot resolve it.
5. We ARE NOT appeasing customers with free bumpers – DON’T promise a free bumper to customers.
Do you think Apple should offer all iPhone 4 customers a free bumper case to fix the reception issue? Let us know in the comments below!
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Of course they don't offer anything free, silly... it's Jobs!
Ah my favorite, I think this should be their slogan.
Whoever leaked that memo better move to another country.
I am amazed that such a view is supported in the modern market.
sorry that we have sold you a broken product, but for the low price of your soul, we will sell you a plastic case to fix said problem.
your lord and master
Steve
It's Apple... Should anyone really be surprised?
Crap Tomshardware better Barricade the door and hide the computers because I think the swat team will be on the way.
This is very true. My motorola has an antenna on the top. I'm sure if I grip that it would lose reception. Problem is, I don't ****ing grip it there! I hold my phone like every other flipping person on the planet, with my hand covering the bottom left corner.
Fail.
If they offered a free case, then that would be tantamount to admitting that they were wrong. And Apple is NEVER wrong!
Microsoft should offer a free iPhone bumper when you purchase an XBox or a Kin phone
lol
the first to offer this will win a lot of advertising and visibility!!! Imagine that "Apple do not want to saolve it, we are smart here, we do it for them!"
Apple will hate this, using their iPhone to advertise something else...
Evo...here I come...I've had enough.
Okay so Apple has an issue with reception with the new iPhone but it is easily solved by using a case... hmmm. I have a case for my iPhone not because of reception solving properties, but because I want to protect it from day to day use. People need to stop being so cheap... Sure the iPhone is expensive and should have worked without a case, but people expect form over function from Apple..
All they need to do is apply some sort of clear insulation coating around the antenna. Easy, cheap, and allows for retrofitting on the ones they've already produced/shipped. Maybe use the same diamond vapor deposition they used on the 3GS screen.
All they need to do is apply some sort of clear insulation coating around the antenna. Easy, cheap, and allows for retrofitting on the ones they've already produced/shipped. Maybe use the same diamond vapor deposition they used on the 3GS screen.
Even easier is producing 12 cents worth of rubber to wrap around the phone and charging $30 dollars for it.
Apple should absolutely fix the problem. They have a problem, they should fix it. Yeah- my phone would probably have a problem if I covered the wrong part- but hey- that part is NOT a part that you NORMALLY HOLD. The iPhone's antenna is where a typical person holds it. The more and more I hear about this and read about this, the more I think Apple did it intentionally to force people to spend more and buy their cases to fix the problem. Like Apple says- its not a "problem"- for them its an opportunity to steal more money from their customers.
Whats really sad is how few people really know how cell phone antennas work. Its a shame that nobody talks about how holding the phone actually increase wifi strength. Not saying apple has the best design but at least I do get signal in locations my 3g was completely dead.
"5. We ARE NOT appeasing customers..."
I've been a customer service consultant for many large corporations over the years and I am taken aback that a company would actually has that type of a policy. It is shocking and so arrogant that I'm really speechless. Jobs seems to be reading the BP Customer Service manual.
Who doesn't have a case on their iPhone? This is blown way out of proportion. If you don't put a ($5-20) case on your ($300-$400) phone anyways, you deserve to lose reception for being an idiot.
My phone has a case to carry it about in, but I take it out to talk on it. I think if I had something like the iPhone, I would probably prefer something similar.
Okay so Apple has an issue with reception with the new iPhone but it is easily solved by using a case... hmmm. I have a case for my iPhone not because of reception solving properties, but because I want to protect it from day to day use. People need to stop being so cheap... Sure the iPhone is expensive and should have worked without a case, but people expect form over function from Apple..
OK, FANBOY here is the thing, what if I DON'T want a rubber or a case on my phone. What if i want to feel the phone on my hand and not some stupid case. It's true that nothing is perfect, BUT when you are selling something YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO MAKE SURE IT WORKS PROPERLY.
Just in case, NO I DON'T HATE APPLE, I DO HAVE AN iPHONE 3GS.
BUT if STEVE sell me something not working properly, and doesn't fix it or even apology for it, I would BEAT THE CRAP OUT OF HIM.
they should really fix the design flaw and stop acting like everything they touch is gold and people are just diluting there creations magnificence
I think they made up the part about the 3G reception issues to make the iPhone 4 seem less bad. I own a 3G an never lost any reception from just holding it naturally... or completely covering it for that matter.
They forgot the most important part:
5. "Just don't hold it that way."
I can cover all 4 corners/top and bottom on my nokia n82 and i don't even lose a bar, i guess if you want a good phone then its best to buy from a company that specialize in making phones not a company that takes old technology and puts it in a fancy case then sells it for an arm and a leg. I don't know why people defend apple so much when they won't even fix a fault their own product with out charging the consumer for it, helsinki syndrome maybe
i'v always thought that apple products can go to hell.... then i thought all of apple can go to hell ..... now i realize its the apple customers that can go to hell ..... IF U STILL LIKE APPLE YOU KNOW WHERE YOU CAN GO ??? ... to hell with it/end rant
No kidding they stand in front of the Microsoft stores with their Ipads. They have issues.
Apple can say what they like but at the end of the day they are selling a product which is not fit for purpose. They either fix the problem, lose customers or get sued. Simple.
I am not really sure how to handle this. I mean this is all the standard jargon for a customer service rep.I would know because I was one for a year and then a supervisor for another year.
Please realize that this is an internal document and it is written for customer service representatives that need precise instructions so they can do their job correctly in a set time frame.
Apple sure loves to kick its customers in the teeth.
I'm certainly not an Apple (or any other kind) of fanboy but they typically make a well designed product. The iPhone 4 has some issues and Apple is too arrogant to admit it...and its disgusting, at least to me. I like my iPad, Macbook Pro, and Macbook Air, and have had iPhones in the past but I'm done with the iPhone for AT LEAST a year. I'm really disappointed to see it proven that Apple really doesn't care about customer service. I hope they pay the price for it but since there's so many iFans/iZombies I doubt they will.
I should receive my Evo on Tuesday. Screw the iPhone.
And watcha cried and said the "rubber-band" wasn't a solution.
Let's look at the potential bonus revenue will make from this cam
Potential rubber band sales :
1,700,000 x $29 = $49,300,000
Fill in the rest for me TH community:
% of iPhone 4 users most likely to fork over the 29$ = ??
% of iPhone 4 users most likely to return their 1st batch iPhone4 = ??
% of iPhone 4 users who are self-proclaimed engineers and will develop their own rubber-band = ??
Probability that 3rd party companies will develop clone/knock-off rubber bands and sell for much less than the $29 apple version = 100%
Anand did a detailed review of iPhone 4 and it seems the antenna problem is overblown by yellow journalism
http://www.anandtech.com/show/3794/the-iphone-4-review