China Unicom to avoid iPhone 4 'antennagate' with its own free cases

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
When the iPhone 4 launches in China in September, carrier China Unicom will give every customer a free case as a preemptive strike against the antenna concerns that caused a stir in the U.S.



According to Caixin, the cases will be offered to all iPhone 4 customers by the carrier as a "free gift." Apple's latest handset goes on sale in mainland China on Sept. 16.



In July, after reports of antenna issues with the iPhone 4 reached a deafening buzz in the tech community, Apple announced it would give away free cases to all iPhone 4 purchases made through Sept. 30. Customers can order their free case through the iPhone 4 Case Program App Store software.



The report did not indicate whether China Unicom's complimentary case will be mailed after the purchase, or made available to the customer when they buy their iPhone 4.



Earlier this month, a Wi-Fi-enabled 8GB iPhone 3GS was released by China Unicom. Apple's previous phones sold legitimately in the nation of over one billion did not have Wi-Fi, because the Chinese government had temporarily banned the technology.



Following the launch of the iPhone 4, China Unicom is expected to soon offer Apple's iPad for sale.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 49
    Duh. Smart move.
  • Reply 2 of 49
    Good move by Unicom. Now as for the rest of their policies...
  • Reply 3 of 49
    A tad off-topic, but my case arrived yesterday. Ugh. Apple sent me the wrong one.
  • Reply 4 of 49
    I still haven't had problems with any of them sold recently, I grabbed my friends and held it "wrong" and no issue with attenuation, I asked him if he had any issues, he just chuckled and said, "no". I think Apple added some coating on the current ones released.
  • Reply 5 of 49
    sendmesendme Posts: 567member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by roehlstation View Post


    I still haven't had problems with any of them sold recently, I grabbed my friends and held it "wrong" and no issue with attenuation, I asked him if he had any issues, he just chuckled and said, "no". I think Apple added some coating on the current ones released.







    Nope. The reality is that there are no reception problems. It was all made up by bloggers. It is an industry-wide problem.
  • Reply 6 of 49
    A note to anyone wanting to use the Bumper...your phone will look like it's been pecked by a graphite beaked hen after a week or so all around the metal, unless your pockets are spotless.
  • Reply 7 of 49
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SendMe View Post


    Nope. The reality is that there are no reception problems. It was all made up by bloggers. It is an industry-wide problem.



    Funny how Apple and china unicorn are giving out free cases to solve a non existent problem. After all, the antenna experts on the Apple Insider forum say this problem was "made up".



    By the way, my phone did it before I got my case, but I make up everything too.
  • Reply 8 of 49
    realisticrealistic Posts: 1,154member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by roehlstation View Post


    I still haven't had problems with any of them sold recently, I grabbed my friends and held it "wrong" and no issue with attenuation, I asked him if he had any issues, he just chuckled and said, "no". I think Apple added some coating on the current ones released.



    Most iPhone 4 users never reported having the problem to start with, so now we are supposed to take your coating theory as credible because YOU THINK you are right?
  • Reply 9 of 49
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by roehlstation View Post


    I still haven't had problems with any of them sold recently, I grabbed my friends and held it "wrong" and no issue with attenuation, I asked him if he had any issues, he just chuckled and said, "no". I think Apple added some coating on the current ones released.



    And when someone asked him if he paid too much for his apple products, did he just chuckle and say "no"?



    When he couldn't visit his favorite website because his iPhone or iPad has no flash, did he just chuckle and say no?



    When he couldn't tether his iPhone before ATT got their "rape me" data plans in place, did it bother him or did he just chuckle and say no?



    And on and on. Don't know what's worse, being a fanboi or being an arrogant fanboi. This is why people outside the cult of Mac think Apple customers are nuts.
  • Reply 10 of 49
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by roehlstation View Post


    I think Apple added some coating on the current ones released.



    No, it's difficult to add coating to stainless steel. It would also have to be thick enough to stop the attenuation. That's why scotch tape doesn't really work. It's not thick enough. It would require testing, which isn't done in a few weeks. It's just overhyped by the media.
  • Reply 11 of 49
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Blackintosh View Post


    And when someone asked him if he paid too much for his apple products, did he just chuckle and say "no"?



    When he couldn't visit his favorite website because his iPhone or iPad has no flash, did he just chuckle and say no?



    When he couldn't tether his iPhone before ATT got their "rape me" data plans in place, did it bother him or did he just chuckle and say no?



    And on and on. Don't know what's worse, being a fanboi or being an arrogant fanboi. This is why people outside the cult of Mac think Apple customers are nuts.



    Tethering? Free for me with no JB on my unlimited data plan.



    Favorite site without flash? None of my favorite sites that I go to use flash that is detrimental to the functionality of it. Don't miss it.



    Pay too much? I have money to burn. Never an issue.
  • Reply 12 of 49
    willrobwillrob Posts: 203member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ghostface147 View Post


    Tethering? Free for me with no JB on my unlimited data plan.



    Favorite site without flash? None of my favorite sites that I go to use flash that is detrimental to the functionality of it. Don't miss it.



    Pay too much? I have money to burn. Never an issue.



    How is tethering free on an unlimited plan? According to ATT you have to give up the unlimited plan in order to get tethering, and then pay extra each month. Jailbreaking will provide it, but you say you have it without JB.
  • Reply 13 of 49
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SendMe View Post


    Nope. The reality is that there are no reception problems. It was all made up by bloggers. It is an industry-wide problem.



    I'm not so sure anymore. I don't believe that the issue with the antenna ever amounted to anything but sadly, I think they've put the coating on anyway.



    After many months of waiting (I'm in Canada), my iPhone 4 arrived yesterday and while it's likely impossible to tell for sure, it sure *looks* like it has some kind of coating on the antenna.



    I'm kind of ticked off about it actually, as I would rather have the bare metal.



    Admittedly, all I'm going on is appearance, but in all the shots I've seen online and in all the advertising materials, the metal frame looks blue-white, shiny and ... well, "steel-like."



    The iPhone 4 I have in my hand, has a tinny feel and is best described as a dull, dark, pearly grey kind of metal that doesn't look much like the pictures at all and if you told me it was some kind of crappy tin with an electroplated coating, I'd believe you, because that's what it actually looks like.



    It doesn't have "teh shiny" at all, and it sure doesn't look like the pictures! Very different.



    Oh, also it's one of those that has the flaw where the back case has gaps between it and the housing. Great.
  • Reply 14 of 49
    Too bad Apple still didn't fix the design issue with the IPhone 4.

    I will love to use my IPhone without the "Bumpers"; they don't looks nice on the Iphone.

    I tried to use it without it but the calls and internet drops if I hold the phone how I use to do it on my IPhone 3g.
  • Reply 15 of 49
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by willrob View Post


    How is tethering free on an unlimited plan? According to ATT you have to give up the unlimited plan in order to get tethering, and then pay extra each month. Jailbreaking will provide it, but you say you have it without JB.



    Handylight is the app I use. It has since been pulled from the App Store for the hidden tethering feature.
  • Reply 16 of 49
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ghostface147 View Post


    Tethering? Free for me with no JB on my unlimited data plan.



    Favorite site without flash? None of my favorite sites that I go to use flash that is detrimental to the functionality of it. Don't miss it.



    Pay too much? I have money to burn. Never an issue.



    What of others? Are you the only person in the world?
  • Reply 17 of 49
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Prof. Peabody View Post


    I'm not so sure anymore. I don't believe that the issue with the antenna ever amounted to anything but sadly, I think they've put the coating on anyway.



    After many months of waiting (I'm in Canada), my iPhone 4 arrived yesterday and while it's likely impossible to tell for sure, it sure *looks* like it has some kind of coating on the antenna.



    I'm kind of ticked off about it actually, as I would rather have the bare metal.



    Admittedly, all I'm going on is appearance, but in all the shots I've seen online and in all the advertising materials, the metal frame looks blue-white, shiny and ... well, "steel-like."



    The iPhone 4 I have in my hand, has a tinny feel and is best described as a dull, dark, pearly grey kind of metal that doesn't look much like the pictures at all and if you told me it was some kind of crappy tin with an electroplated coating, I'd believe you, because that's what it actually looks like.



    It doesn't have "teh shiny" at all, and it sure doesn't look like the pictures! Very different.



    Oh, also it's one of those that has the flaw where the back case has gaps between it and the housing. Great.



    So your mad and disappointed that Apple may have made a repair attempt? If I were Steve Jobs, I would be banging my head on my glass desk after reading this one.



    You just can't win with Apple fans.
  • Reply 18 of 49
    postulantpostulant Posts: 1,272member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Prof. Peabody View Post


    ***snip***ance, but in all the shots I've seen online and in all the advertising materials, the metal frame looks blue-white, shiny and ... well, "steel-like."



    The iPhone 4 I have in my hand, has a tinny feel and is best described as a dull, dark, pearly grey kind of metal that doesn't look much like the pictures at all and if you told me it was some kind of crappy tin with an electroplated coating, I'd believe you, because that's what it actually looks like.



    It doesn't have "teh shiny" at all, and it sure doesn't look like the pictures! Very different.



    Oh, also it's one of those that has the flaw where the back case has gaps between it and the housing. Great.



    Post a picture...
  • Reply 19 of 49
    charlitunacharlituna Posts: 7,217member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    In July, after reports of antenna issues with the iPhone 4 reached a deafening buzz in the tech community,



    Nice hyperbole. It was hardly deafening and it was 99.9% only in the US, which means the issue is as much or possibly entirely ATT and not the iphone 4.



    And keep in mind that the cases are for the perceived issue from the bar readout, which is not indicative of actual reception. You can have 5 bars and still drop calls due to tower overload. Or have 1 bar and be fine cause no one else is on the tower. Something pointed out by several blogs, users and Apple.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SendMe View Post


    Nope. The reality is that there are no reception problems. It was all made up by bloggers. It is an industry-wide problem.



    No there is a reception problem with ATT. They acknowledge that in some areas service blows big chunks. NYC and San Fran are two such areas. And as the Consumer Reports article said, the whole bars issue could result in calling problems in areas with weak reception. But in fact you can drop the bars part of the statement. Because it's not the attenuation that is the issue. It's that ATT sucks in your area. That's why you are getting weak reception. You'd still get weak reception with 5 bars.



    So basically there are two issues here. The whole bars issue, which happens with all phones to some degree even without picking it up. And reception issues caused by ATT's suck service in areas. The catch and the reason for the cases, is that non Geek folks with help from the blogs and places like Consumer Reports, have created causality where there's only correlation and those folks perceive of the whole thing as the drop in bars is causing their bad service. That might be the truth for 2% of those folks cause they got a phone with a bad antenna but for the other 98% it's just smoke and their service is actually fine, great even.
  • Reply 20 of 49
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Blackintosh View Post


    And when someone asked him if he paid too much for his apple products, did he just chuckle and say "no"?



    When he couldn't visit his favorite website because his iPhone or iPad has no flash, did he just chuckle and say no?



    When he couldn't tether his iPhone before ATT got their "rape me" data plans in place, did it bother him or did he just chuckle and say no?



    And on and on. Don't know what's worse, being a fanboi or being an arrogant fanboi. This is why people outside the cult of Mac think Apple customers are nuts.



    You don't know which is worse, being a fanboi or being an arrogant fanboi. Well, that's pretty simple and obvious. Most of your statements seem to overlook the simple and obvious.
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