iPhone 4: Apple Turns One Bug Into 3 Mistakes
What’s worse: The iPhone 4 reception software bug… or Apple’s lame handling of the situation? As The VAR Guy analyzes Apple’s latest communications to customers, our resident blogger believes arrogance is now the Number One challenge facing one of the world’s most powerful technology companies. Here’s some analysis.
As you may have heard, Apple on July 2 described a software bug with the iPhone 4. Hey, bugs happen. Even with Apple technology. But Apple’s decision to announce the bug issue on July 2 — only hours before a three-day holiday weekend in the U.S. — sure seems strange at best and sneaky at worst.
Plenty of IT companies time their negative news disclosures to surface just as holiday weekends are about the start. In theory, the timing helps to minimize negative press coverage. But in the age of the Internet, the media eventually catches on…
Further complicating matters, Apple was not available for additional comment about the bug. Apparently, one-way communications — from the desk of Steve Jobs to the Apple web site — is all the world deserves…
Alas, Apple now faces a lawsuit over the reception issue.
Ultimately, Apple (1) took a bug issue and made it even worse by (2) trying to offer an official comment only hours before the holiday weekend and then (3) not being available for additional comment to the media.
Strike one. Strike two. Strike three. On this issue, Apple failed miserably. The VAR Guy wonders: Can this type of arrogance eventually undermine Apple’s reptuation?
Sign up for The VAR Guy’s Newsletter; Webcasts and Resource Center; and via RSS; Facebook; Identi.ca; Twitter and VARtweet.
Great article. I think the software bug is only half the story. The other half, possibly more important, is how terrible the coverage is by ATamp;T.
I was going to upgrade to the iPhone 4, but after six drops on one call (downtown of a large city) the other day, I decided to hold off. I love Apple and I hope they not only fix the bug but drop ATamp;T.
-Eric
Eric: The VAR Guy appreciates your continued readership. Our resident blogger was on vacation, but is back now and happy to see your comment. Seems like the Apple-Verizon rumor continues to circulate, so maybe that will eventually offer you some relief.
The VAR Guy, meanwhile, has yet to upgrade to iPhone 4 because of all the bug reports (regardless of whether they’re rumors or accurate…).
-TVG