Apple iPhone 4 Hits The Streets Along With Many Design Problems
Shortly it is going to be the beginning of July and we all know what is in store! A new iPhone phone is about to be released to customers.
Already the iPhone 4 has it’s share of drama around the release, some of the issues as early as Apr of 2010. In early Apr, Gizmodo staff member Jason Chen bought a then secret iPhone 4 prototype model from a nameless person for a sum of $5,000. Gizmodo.com held intensive coverage of the iPhone 4 and even was mentioned on large reports networks like FoxNews and CNN. His house was later ransacked by the California Rapid Enforcement Allied Computer Team and had his PCs seized. The explanation for the raid on his house was something to do with commercial espionage; but how was he guilty of that if all that you’re doing is purchasing something? You are not swiping it so whats the issue.
Then when the iPhone was ready for pre order online, the system crashed after over six hundred thousand preorders had been taken. Not only that, ATTs systems were afflicted by security breaks and people were accessing other peoples accounts accidentally, and having the ability to see and edit other customers information. There were reports of AT&T stores being closed over the amount of folks trying to preorder and the stress of ATTs systems being far too overloaded. Finally, after hours of confusion and screw ups, ATT and shut down the pre-order system. What they really needed was computer geeks for their computer network.
Mashable journalist Sam Axon reported being mugged while standing in a queue for the iPhone earlier today in Chicago. His tweet on Twitter was as follows “I was just mugged while waiting in line for the iPhone 4. Not kidding.” What’s happened to society? And ultimately, there are reports abound of the iPhone 4 having issues with its hardware. Gizmodo.com is reporting the iPhone 4 will drop all service if the case of the phone is squeezed near the antenna mount on the side of the case. It just so happens you can make the phonephone drop calls by touching to tiny antennas at the same time with your fingertip. The solution is as straightforward as a miniscule piece of scotch tape, or put the phone in a case. Such a straightforward repair for a five hundred dollars gadget but it shouldn’t exist in the first place?
There is also verifiable evidence that the screen of the iPhone 4 has issues with yellow pixels, bands and splotches on the screen from ordinary use. Most likely Apple won’t mend the difficulty for free and will claim that the user damaged the LCD themselves. Unlike digital camera parts, most people can’t repair an iPhone themselves. Again, should this be an issue at release or should it have been fixed before the extremely pricey item was sold to the public? Sony found out the hard way years ago with a huge recall for digital camera repair service to fix the CCD sensor on millions of cameras consumers had previously bought.
Apple has a record of making awesome products, but with the knowledge that the iPhone 4 was going to be as well liked as it is, they really should have invested more in research and development. It’s far easier to handle design problems before you put item into mass production than it is to deal with them after the consumer has purchased the item. No company wants to have a product recall for millions of buyers with problems after the fact. Hopefully the people at Apple will remember this experience when releasing new devices in the future.