Apple posts videos of press conference, antenna performance, test chambers

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
Apple has added a new section to its website, informing consumers about the external antenna featured on the iPhone 4 and how users may experience signal loss. It also revealed its internal antenna testing chambers, and posted video of Friday's press conference in its entirety.



The new site apple.com/antenna aims to inform users about attenuation and signal loss. It notes that all antennas on all devices, including TV, radio, GPS and cell phones, can experience attenuation when obstructed.



The site includes videos that show users how holding the iPhone 4 in the incorrect way, covering the bottom left corner of the device, can result in a loss of signal with the iPhone 4. Other smartphones are highlighted as well, including the BlackBerry Bold 9700, HTC Droid Eris, Samsung Omnia II, and iPhone 3GS.



Another section of the site shows an inside look at Apple's antenna design and test labs.



"Apple has invested more than $100 million building its advanced antenna design and test labs," the company said. "Our engineers have logged thousands of hours designing and testing iPhone 4 in these state-of-the-art facilities."



The goal of the site is to convey to consumers that Apple always conducts thorough testing of its products before they are released. The labs feature 17 different antenna characterization chambers, also known as anechoic chambers, that are designed to accurately measure antenna and wireless performance. Video footage of the chambers is also available.







Finally, the entire video of Friday's press conference is also available on Apple's website. The event, held at the company's campus in Cupertino, Calif., can be streamed in low, medium or high bandwidth qualities.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 286
    jragostajragosta Posts: 10,473member
    First!



    Now, we can recap what we've learned from this:



    1. All the analysts who chimed in on this don't know anything and can safely be ignored in the future.



    2. In spite of hard data that the iPhone 4 is a great phone, the press managed to blow this up into a huge fiasco. Beware of sensationalistic junk you read in the press.



    3. In spite of significant data that there's no problem, Apple once again stepped up with an extra to try to make customers happy. And then got criticized by the whiners...



    4. Consumer Reports said that the iPhone 4 was the best phone out there except for the alleged reception problems and they couldn't recommend it unless Apple offered a free solution. Apple has done so - where is your recommendation, CR? So much for 'fair and unbiased"



    5. All the reports of 'massive' 'universal' problems were grossly exaggerated. Do not believe that kind of hype.
  • Reply 2 of 286
    ivan.rnn01ivan.rnn01 Posts: 1,822member
    Apple, you're out of your minds after having worked your butts off! Speak about your products. Only yours!
  • Reply 3 of 286
    vatdorovatdoro Posts: 52member
    Your link to the video is wrong. It goes to the WWDC event last month.



    All the sites that are saying today's press conference video is live all link to this WWDC event. They're all wrong.
  • Reply 4 of 286
    The press conference could not have gone better for Apple. Nice job, Steve.
  • Reply 5 of 286
    desarcdesarc Posts: 642member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Vatdoro View Post


    Your link to the video is wrong. It goes to the WWDC event last month.



    All the sites that are saying today's press conference video is live all link to this WWDC event. They're all wrong.



    you could have helped, but you chose just to point out errors instead.

    here's the link:

    http://www.apple.com/apple-events/july-2010/
  • Reply 6 of 286
    I loved the piece when Jobs revealed Apple sends a team of investigators with high tech equipment to the homes of customers who email him with supposedly reception problems.



    Class!



    Images of that scene from ET where they turn up at the house with Lab suits and Geiger counters spring to mind.



    I can just their faces.



    'ET iPhone home"
  • Reply 7 of 286
    bagmanbagman Posts: 349member
    Spin control - Jobs is good at it. He said nothing that anyone hadn't already known, except to deny any prior knowledge of the problem, and promised nothing other than they were going to continue working to make the antenna issue less of an issue - and you get a free case (sorry, we can't take a hit on our bumper gross margins), so you get a nifty 50 cent case for your trouble.



    They are obviously working on version 2 of the iP4, and I will wait until there is a hint of when it will arrive, because I got tired of dropping downloads all the time, which didn't happen in my 3G - ever. Yes, you infantile posters may label me a whiner, but I haven't had that argument since I was in 6th grade, so save your breath. I own a large amount of Apple stock, so it does me no good to continue to look on Jobs with a bit of skepticism, but he is, after all, a master, and you have to tip your cap to him, even if you can read between the lines just fine.
  • Reply 8 of 286
    balsakbalsak Posts: 17member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jragosta View Post


    First!



    Now, we can recap what we've learned from this:



    1. All the analysts who chimed in on this don't know anything and can safely be ignored in the future.



    2. In spite of hard data that the iPhone 4 is a great phone, the press managed to blow this up into a huge fiasco. Beware of sensationalistic junk you read in the press.



    3. In spite of significant data that there's no problem, Apple once again stepped up with an extra to try to make customers happy. And then got criticized by the whiners...



    4. Consumer Reports said that the iPhone 4 was the best phone out there except for the alleged reception problems and they couldn't recommend it unless Apple offered a free solution. Apple has done so - where is your recommendation, CR? So much for 'fair and unbiased"



    5. All the reports of 'massive' 'universal' problems were grossly exaggerated. Do not believe that kind of hype.



    Your still in denial?? After Apple even admitted it? Come on now, multiple reviews have tested it an confirmed it. Many people I know have experienced the problem.



    The fact is that Apple had a design constraint, the thinness, and had to engineer around that, resulting in risky antenna placement. Reports show that experts at Apple were very opposed to the idea, any other company would of ditched it and made the phone thicker. Steve took the risk, and now the phone is thinner.



    This "flaw" is on every iphone, but depending on how you use it, you may notice it or not. People who value close to 100% reliability on their phones were disappointed by the service, and felt misled. Apple has corrected the issue by offering free returns.



    However I'm willing to bet more people would just prefer the phone being thinner than having a dropped call here an then, who cares right. Well the iPhone is just not for business purposes, and other things that demand reliability out of a phone. One phone can't suit all, but for the vast majority who could care less about the occasional dropped call the iPhone's form factor is the best on the market right now.



    My friends who use iPhone believe dropped calls are a "Fact of life" for all phones, and are fine with their iPhone 4 with a bumper. However I never, ever have dropped calls on Verizon, even the occasional dropped call on the iPhone 4 is simply a deal breaker for people like me, and I am disappointed that I'll have to buy something else. Realize that different people might have different needs than you do.
  • Reply 9 of 286
    nceencee Posts: 857member
    0.55% have called AppleCare ?



    - How many have gone into the Apple Stores?

    - How many have called or gone into AT&T?

    - How many have gone back to Wal-Mart, RadioShack, BestBuy or any of the other outlets?



    With these numbers, I think, the iPhone 4 will not look so good



    Nice try Steve but Apple Care is not all of the facts.



    And most if not all users have likely been told, there are fixes coming, hold on to your phone for awhile to see what they are coming up with.



    Skip
  • Reply 10 of 286
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ncee View Post


    0.55% have called AppleCare …



    - How many have gone into the Apple Stores?

    - How many have called or gone into AT&T?

    - How many have gone back to Wal-Mart, RadioShack, BestBuy or any of the other outlets?



    With these numbers, I think, the iPhone 4 will not look so good



    Nice try Steve but Apple Care is not all of the facts.



    And most if not all users have likely been told, there are fixes coming, hold on to your phone for awhile to see what they are coming up with.



    Skip



    Well unless you can tell us the numbers it's pure speculation. Haven't we been here before.
  • Reply 11 of 286
    lukeskymaclukeskymac Posts: 506member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Bagman View Post


    Spin control - Jobs is good at it. He said nothing that anyone hadn't already known, except to deny any prior knowledge of the problem, and promised nothing other than they were going to continue working to make the antenna issue less of an issue - and you get a free case (sorry, we can't take a hit on our bumper gross margins), so you get a nifty 50 cent case for your trouble.



    Errrrr, no. Watch. The. Keynote.
  • Reply 12 of 286
    nceencee Posts: 857member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mr Underhill View Post


    Well unless you can tell us the numbers it's pure speculation. Haven't we been here before.



    No, just stating facts.



    HE said AppleCare, not any other outlets … HE SAID THIS!
  • Reply 13 of 286
    jragostajragosta Posts: 10,473member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Balsak View Post


    Your still in denial?? After Apple even admitted it? Come on now, multiple reviews have tested it an confirmed it. Many people I know have experienced the problem.



    The fact is that Apple had a design constraint, the thinness, and had to engineer around that, resulting in risky antenna placement. Reports show that experts at Apple were very opposed to the idea, any other company would of ditched it and made the phone thicker. Steve took the risk, and now the phone is thinner.



    This "flaw" is on every iphone, but depending on how you use it, you may notice it or not. People who value close to 100% reliability on their phones were disappointed by the service, and felt misled. Apple has corrected the issue by offering free returns.



    However I'm willing to bet more people would just prefer the phone being thinner than having a dropped call here an then, who cares right. Well the iPhone is just not for business purposes, and other things that demand reliability out of a phone. One phone can't suit all, but for the vast majority who could care less about the occasional dropped call the iPhone's form factor is the best on the market right now.



    My friends who use iPhone believe dropped calls are a "Fact of life" for all phones, and are fine with their iPhone 4 with a bumper. However I never, ever have dropped calls on Verizon, even the occasional dropped call on the iPhone 4 is simply a deal breaker for people like me, and I am disappointed that I'll have to buy something else. Realize that different people might have different needs than you do.



    Funny - you have the nerve to say that I am in denial - when you completely ignored all the facts that have been presented.



    No one says that it's perfect - Jobs even admitted that. But all your insane allegations are just more of the same old FUD.



    If you actually have an iPhone (which I doubt), return it and get your money back and spare us any more of your whining. Please.
  • Reply 14 of 286
    sendmesendme Posts: 567member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jragosta View Post


    First!



    Now, we can recap what we've learned from this:





    5. All the reports of 'massive' 'universal' problems were grossly exaggerated. Do not believe that kind of hype.





    Look at how the whiners have to hold the phone to make it have a problem. Who holds their phone that way except for whiners? The whiner's finger is touching the screen! And he expects to have good reception? Try holding ANY cellphone with a touchscreen like that and see what happens!



  • Reply 15 of 286
    ski1ski1 Posts: 251member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ncee View Post


    No, just stating facts.



    HE aid AppleCare, not any other outlets … HE SAID THIS!



    Exactly. How many people would waste their time calling Applecare when most people know about the issue, know that Apple is already aware of it, and are just waiting/hoping for a fix. Why call Apple on a known issue. I bet if everyone who is experiencing more dropped calls, low data rates, etc, actually called Applecare, those numbers would be a great deal higher.
  • Reply 16 of 286
    jragostajragosta Posts: 10,473member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ncee View Post


    0.55% have called AppleCare ?



    - How many have gone into the Apple Stores?

    - How many have called or gone into AT&T?

    - How many have gone back to Wal-Mart, RadioShack, BestBuy or any of the other outlets?



    With these numbers, I think, the iPhone 4 will not look so good



    Nice try Steve but Apple Care is not all of the facts.



    And most if not all users have likely been told, there are fixes coming, hold on to your phone for awhile to see what they are coming up with.



    Skip



    We do know that Fortune reported that BMO had surveyed 25 AT&T stores and only 11 iPhones had been returned as of a few days ago. That confirms that the number of returns is small.



    Now, if you have any evidence that they're lying or that the number of returns (or even complaints) is large, feel free to provide it.
  • Reply 17 of 286
    chronsterchronster Posts: 1,894member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jragosta View Post


    First!



    Now, we can recap what we've learned from this:



    1. All the analysts who chimed in on this don't know anything and can safely be ignored in the future.



    2. In spite of hard data that the iPhone 4 is a great phone, the press managed to blow this up into a huge fiasco. Beware of sensationalistic junk you read in the press.



    3. In spite of significant data that there's no problem, Apple once again stepped up with an extra to try to make customers happy. And then got criticized by the whiners...



    4. Consumer Reports said that the iPhone 4 was the best phone out there except for the alleged reception problems and they couldn't recommend it unless Apple offered a free solution. Apple has done so - where is your recommendation, CR? So much for 'fair and unbiased"



    5. All the reports of 'massive' 'universal' problems were grossly exaggerated. Do not believe that kind of hype.



    Apple is giving away free cases because nothing is wrong.





    Right.
  • Reply 18 of 286
    chronsterchronster Posts: 1,894member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SendMe View Post


    Look at how the whiners have to hold the phone to make it have a problem. Who holds their phone that way except for whiners? The whiner's finger is touching the screen! And he expects to have good reception? Try holding ANY cellphone with a touchscreen like that and see what happens!







    You're giving it away too easily. Rule 1 to trolling: sell it like you believe it.
  • Reply 19 of 286
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member
    Nice Youtube music video.
  • Reply 20 of 286
    sendmesendme Posts: 567member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ncee View Post


    No, just stating facts.



    HE aid AppleCare, not any other outlets ? HE SAID THIS!





    But just watch. The whiners will accuse him of dissembling.
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