Nobody likes being told that they’re doing something wrong. Especially when you know deep down you’ve been doing it right for your whole life.
But that’s essentially what Apple told everyone on Thursday night with their “you’re holding it wrong” response to the dropping signal issue on the new iPhone 4.
When it was unveiled at WWDC, my concerns over the external aerial were more about them overheating in long calls. It turned out that Apple found a way around that: just not let you make any calls while you hold the **mobile phone**.
Don’t get me wrong. I am something of an Apple fan boy. But when you effectively tell people that they have to buy a case to make their new phone work… then you’ve got problems.
Charlie Brooker wasn’t far off the mark when he lambasted the iPhone for being such a beautifully designed bit of kit that “you need to put a condom on it to use it outdoors” (paraphrasing Charlie there…) – but to need a sheath to make the damn thing work at all? I’m just glad I waited before diving for this iPhone.
My 3GS is basically a souped up 3G with the kinks worked out. Can’t wait for the 4GS equivalent when Apple find a way around these signal woes!