Apple announces iPhone 4 Case Program will conclude on Sept. 30

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
Customers who buy an iPhone 4 after Sept. 30 will not be able to request a free case through Apple's "Case Program," but they will be able to contact AppleCare to request a free Bumper.



While the Sept. 30 date had already been revealed when the program was announced, Apple said at the time it would take the opportunity to reevaluate the situation. But on the official iPhone 4 Case Program site on Friday, Apple announced that it will not extend the program in its current incarnation.



In addition, it will no longer offer the 30-day return with no restocking fee for unsatisfied customers.



"We now know that the iPhone 4 antenna attenuation issue is even smaller than we originally thought," the site reads. "A small percentage of iPhone 4 users need a case, and we want to continue providing them a Bumper case for free."



"For everyone else, we are discontinuing the free case program on all iPhone 4s sold after September 30, 2010. We are also returning to our normal returns policy for all iPhone 4s sold after September 30. Users experiencing antenna issues should call AppleCare to request a free Bumper case.



In July, after reception with the iPhone 4 had garnered a great deal of publicity, Apple held an event at which it announced it would give free cases to iPhone 4 buyers through Sept. 30. Eventually, the company released a free application on the App Store that allowed customers to choose a case, including an Apple-branded Bumper, or a number of third-party options.



Last month, an executive with a Mexican wireless carrier claimed that Apple would release a new iPhone 4 with revised hardware to address the antenna issue at the end of September. However, the company has made no indication that it has a hardware fix for the issue in the works.



When the iPhone 4 launched, users discovered that they could reduce the reception of the device and, in areas of weak reception, cause dropped calls by covering the bottom left of the handset. In addition to announcing the case program, Apple, at its press conference in July, stated that all phones experience reception issues when held incorrectly.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 56
    I ended up with the wrong model of free case. \



    Anyone else have that problem? If so, is it worth one's effort to try and get to resolve it....?
  • Reply 2 of 56
    matrix07matrix07 Posts: 1,993member
    But... but... Ireland told us that antenna issue is so bad Apple will change hardware comes October???...
  • Reply 3 of 56
    to be honest, i didn't have problems but i got the free bumper anyways...saved $30
  • Reply 4 of 56
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by matrix07 View Post


    But... but... Ireland told us that antenna issue is so bad Apple will change hardware comes October???...



    There are still 3 more weeks to go in September.
  • Reply 5 of 56
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by techapocalypse View Post


    to be honest, i didn't have problems but i got the free bumper anyways...saved $30



    My only issue with the iPhone 4 was the proximity sensor, resolved in iOS 4.1. I had purchased a Bumpe before the give away was announced. On these boards I was informed that I shouldn?t be allowed to protect my phone from falls with a Bumper because I didn?t have an issue with attenuation. Gotta love the asshat logic of some posters.
  • Reply 6 of 56
    daharderdaharder Posts: 1,580member
    Which will be soon followed by the introduction of the revised iPhone 4 featuring a completely new antenna system.



    http://www.macrumors.com/2010/08/31/...-of-september/
  • Reply 7 of 56
    So the problem is minor enough to cause Apple to discontinue the free online bumper program, return to normal return policy, and come out with a statement drawing attention to it.



    But at the same time...it is so bad that they need to come out with a hardware refresh 3 months after launch to fix the problem?



    Lots of contradiction here. I guess we'll see what happens if the seam in the external antenna suddenly disappears, or if the model number changes.
  • Reply 8 of 56
    nkhmnkhm Posts: 928member
    Maybe it's just me, and maybe lots of the usual names will run to attack this statement. but I don't experience this problem, none of my friends do and I've yet to meet a single person who has. Every single person I've met who owns one says it's the best phone they've ever owned.



    Media fud? Or just a very unfortunate, very small vocal minority?
  • Reply 9 of 56
    nkhmnkhm Posts: 928member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by DJinTX View Post


    So the problem is minor enough to cause Apple to discontinue the free online bumper program, return to normal return policy, and come out with a statement drawing attention to it.



    But at the same time...it is so bad that they need to come out with a hardware refresh 3 months after launch to fix the problem?



    Lots of contradiction here. I guess we'll see what happens if the seam in the external antenna suddenly disappears, or if the model number changes.



    What hardware refresh? The same one rumored by the media who blew the initial story completely out of proportion?



    There has been no hardware refresh.
  • Reply 10 of 56
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by DaHarder View Post


    Which will be soon followed by the introduction of the revised iPhone 4 featuring a completely new antenna system.



    http://www.macrumors.com/2010/08/31/...-of-september/



    Which will then be followed by a class action to get every iPhone 4 that replaced with new ones as that would be Apple admitting that the 12 million(?) they?ve sold worldwide are defective. Great idea, DaHarder¡
  • Reply 11 of 56
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by nkhm View Post


    Maybe it's just me, and maybe lots of the usual names will run to attack this statement. but I don't experience this problem, none of my friends do and I've yet to meet a single person who has. Every single person I've met who owns one says it's the best phone they've ever owned.



    Media fud? Or just a very unfortunate, very small vocal minority?



    Combination of both maybe?
  • Reply 12 of 56
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by nkhm View Post


    What hardware refresh? The same one rumored by the media who blew the initial story completely out of proportion?



    There has been no hardware refresh.



    You misunderstood my post. I know there hasn't been a refresh at this point. I was addressing the two very different rumors/reports on the varying severity of the issue. On one side Apple says it has affected so few users that they are discontinuing the promotion and returning to normal refund policies. On the other hand this CEO from Telcel in mexico is stating the problem is so bad that Apple has had to plan an upcoming hardware refresh to fix it. I am pointing out the contradiction in this situation.



    Now do you follow what I was saying?
  • Reply 13 of 56
    Cheapskates!



    As per Pharaoh Jobs: There is nothing wrong with my external antenna. So let it be written. So let it be done.
  • Reply 14 of 56
    matrix07matrix07 Posts: 1,993member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by DaHarder View Post


    Which will be soon followed by the introduction of the revised iPhone 4 featuring a completely new antenna system.



    http://www.macrumors.com/2010/08/31/...-of-september/



    And a free case when you bother to call Applecare? Yeah.. right...
  • Reply 15 of 56
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Blackintosh View Post


    Cheapskates!



    As per Pharaoh Jobs: There is nothing wrong with my external antenna. So let it be written. So let it be done.



    So new iPhone 4.5 ? lolz.. Where is that guy who predicted it?
  • Reply 16 of 56
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by nkhm View Post


    What hardware refresh? The same one rumored by the media who blew the initial story completely out of proportion?



    There has been no hardware refresh.



    Will not be. Steve is not one to to eat his hat. Not all times, at least!
  • Reply 17 of 56
    I'm guessing after Sept 30 Apple will be going to the "Ask for a case if you're having antenna issues Program".. I think..
  • Reply 18 of 56
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    My only issue with the iPhone 4 was the proximity sensor, resolved in iOS 4.1. I had purchased a Bumper before the give away was announced. .



    As an aside, just half an hour ago, my nacked iPhone 4 fell out of the pocket of my jacket onto the floor (some sort of hard plastic, a train to be precise) without suffering any ill-effects.
  • Reply 19 of 56
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by noirdesir View Post


    As an aside, just half an hour ago, my nacked iPhone 4 fell out of the pocket of my jacket onto the floor (some sort of hard plastic, a train to be precise) without suffering any ill-effects.



    No ill-effects yet. I would say be careful not to repeat that. The stress tests I saw online of the phones shattering seemed to hold up well after one or two drops, but more than that all bets are off. I think the gorilla glass is really tough, but each successive drop weakens it a bit more until eventually you will be very sad and cry.
  • Reply 20 of 56
    Quote:

    Which will be soon followed by the introduction of the revised iPhone 4 featuring a completely new antenna system.



    haha, good one.



    i'd put money on iPhone 5 having the current antenna system.
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