By this time tomorrow Apple will have spelt out their solution to fixing their problematic iPhone 4 which several observers are now claiming was rushed into the market in an effort to beat several new Android based Smartphones including the new Galaxy S from Samsung.
One of the leading carriers of the iPhone in Australia, where the phone has not been launched, told SmartHouse that Apple Australia will delay the launch untill there is a fix for the problem, however this has not been confirmed by Apple.
The device, which has racked up over 2.2 million sales since being launched, is one of the most popular Smartphones in the world. A recent study by ChangeWave reveals that 73 per cent of consumers are happy with their new iPhone 4.
According to several media reports, the antenna reception problems were identified by the phone’s designers 12 months ago, but the company and CEO Steve Jobs chose to overrule internal concerns, a move that could cost the company billions if they are forced to recall their new iPhone 4.
The rush to launch the phone, which was due to go on sale in Australia later this month, left carriers around the world with little time to test the phone.
The iPhone 4, which has been dogged by reports of antenna-reception problems since its launch last month, is facing a total redesign after software patches failed to fix the antenna problem.
Apple insiders are claiming that the company has no intention of withdrawing the phone from sale, however they could be forced to give away a free cover for the phone in an effort to minimise the problem.
In the USA and the UK, where the phone is already on sale, some customers have already taken legal action against Apple over the issue.
The Wall Street Journal said that Apple engineers were aware of the risks associated with the new antenna design as early as a year ago, but Mr. Jobs liked the design so much that Apple went ahead with its development, said a person familiar with the matter.
They went on to claim that the iPhones Apple sends to its carrier partners for testing are “stealth” phones that disguise a new device’s shape and some of its functions. Those test phones are specifically designed so the phone can’t be touched, which made it hard to catch the iPhone 4’s antenna problem.
Last night Apple released a new software fix in an effort to solve a problem with the iPhone’s signal bar display, which misrepresented signal strength.
Bloomberg News claimed that Apple’s senior antenna expert had voiced his concern to Mr. Jobs that the antenna design of the iPhone 4 could lead to dropped calls. In response, a spokesman for Apple said: “We challenge Bloomberg BusinessWeek to produce anything beyond rumours to back this up. It’s simply not true.”
