Straight from the horses mouth, Apple on the iPhone 4's 'issues'

[Bateluer]

http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/mobile/06/30/leaked.apple.docs.mashable/index.html?hpt=Sbin

Pay special attention to number 3, those of you with iPhone 4's experiencing reception problems. Tell the CSR that the iPhone is on flat on the table and you're watching the reception vanish.

Seriously though, before anyone gets riled up, nearly all call centers are distributed information like this when there's wide spread reports of problems with new products. I may not be an Apple or iPhone fan, but every call center does this crap. Doesn't make it right, mind you, but I despise Apple for their own special brand of bullsh1t.

Here's the full text of the document as reported:

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.

 

[QueBert]

#3 makes perfect sense seeing how in many areas AT&T's network is horseshit. You probably have a decent number of people who bought this as their 1st iPhone which would make it their 1st phone on the AT&T network. I know in my town reception is really shitty in some areas. So the people I brought up buy it, and get shitty reception and think "ohhh! it must be the antenna issue I read about on the interweb!" when it's actually AT&T's network. I think #3 that should be the 1st troubleshooting technique used when anyone calls with a reception problem IMHO.

 

[DivideBYZero]

Why can't you post this into one of the 6+ existing iPhone reception issue threads?

 

[Bateluer]

Why can't you post this into one of the 6+ existing iPhone reception issue threads?

Separate issue. This isn't related to the iPhone 4's reception issue, rather, the leak of Apple's internal dialogue/response.

 

[TheWart]

Separate issue. This isn't related to the iPhone 4's reception issue, rather, the leak of Apple's internal dialogue/response.

Ummm, it is their internal response to the antenna issue, lol. Seems like it just may have fit into one of the other threads.

 

[Bateluer]

Ummm, it is their internal response to the antenna issue, lol. Seems like it just may have fit into one of the other threads.

Wasn't my train of thought at the time. I'll let a mod merge the thread if they see fit.