iPhone 4

[Woland]

Hey, Canadiens!

Jobs just announced that the iPhone 4 is coming to Canada on July 30. (this may not actually be news to anyone, I don't know if this has been announced before or not.)

What I am curious to hear is whether anyone is going to buy in or trade up to the device, given all the negative press it's received. I don't have an iphone, so I can't speak to whether it has any problems or not, but it's not like everyone doesn't know what I'm talking about.

So, iPhone 4-ed?

[James]

I'll be grabbing the new phone.

I've had the 3G for 2 years now and it's starting to show it's age. I have been really happy with the iPhone in that time. I'm not worried about the issues that have been coming out of the states. I have a hard time listening to press about the iPhone coming out of the US because it seems like everyone is so jaded and angry with AT&T more than with the actual phone.

Rogers, as evil as they are, have a really great network most everywhere I go with my phone. So I'm not to worried about "atennagate"

I would be willing to switch to a Android phone if we actually had a decent choice of them here in Canada but we don't. And to be honest most of the features Android offers that I would like, could always (and most likely will be) added to the iPhone down the road with software updates.

[cathou]

well as soon as i can have a new phone (i have an existing contract that still have 6 month to go before i can have a rebate on a new phone) i will change for an iphone. it will be my first iphone, i have a old and crappy samsung right now

[aeric90]

I need a new phone soon. The LG Neon is a certified piece of crap and I also have insane Apple envy since all my friends have them and are happily Bumping as well as all those other apps... If I can get a deal from Rogers I'll likely try to get a hold of one.

[Matt]

Almost certainly getting an iPhone 4.

-m

[Metcarfre]

Tempted, but not for a while. Plus I hate Rogers so much I might just wait to the end of my contract and switch.

[Evil Jim]

Not unless it's dishwasher-safe.

[TheRocket]

I won't be. I want a phone that doesn't have quality issues based on how I hold it.

[tak197]

I am in the States, and I am more excited to hear reviews of the new Droid X, because I need a new phone and I'm up for an upgrade now. I'm staying on the family plan with my mom and dad, but I'll be repaying them for the data plan.

[empath]

Considering I barely use my landline phone, I don't see the point...

I won't be. I want a phone that doesn't have quality issues based on how I hold it.

[Matt]

You heard they're offering free cases or a refund to everybody as a result of the problem, (which is ostensibly not unique to the iPhone 4) eh?

-m

[Graham]

The percentage of iPhones showing the problem is less than 1%. That's better than the number of XBoxes that RROD.

I am getting an iPhone 4.

[Matt]

there's also the word that they're adding a fix to the hardware in subsequent models to mitigate the effect - that is, they're putting in a little rubber stopper to separate the antennae. apparently.

-m

[tak197]

Yes, because that's something they should have thought of in the first place. You know, make sure the PHONE ANTENNAE WORK. I won't badger people over it, but this was all something that should have been considered when they were testing the prototype that Gizmodo managed to get their hands on.

[epocalypse]

It does work. My parents have had them for the better part of a month, and haven't had a problem. also, the video camera is impressive, only 720p but the color and exposure ratios on it are the best for a camera of its size i've used. Don't listen to the hate, the thing kicks ass. Not that everyone, if anyone, actually needs it; but if you want one, I recommend it.

[Dave-O_Boy]

I thought this thread said "Persona 4" and was very disappointed when I realized I was wrong.

[Graham]

Yes, because that's something they should have thought of in the first place. You know, make sure the PHONE ANTENNAE WORK. I won't badger people over it, but this was all something that should have been considered when they were testing the prototype that Gizmodo managed to get their hands on.

It was, and they didn't encounter the problem because it's such a small percentage of failure.
I'm pretty sure Apple knows it's not good practice to intentionally release something that's busted.

[Joshua]

I like the iPhone 4 a lot, I however do not like AT&T, so I got an EVO 4G its is pretty much exactly the same. Me and my friend(who does have an iPhone) where playing with his iPhone 4 the antenna thing, is only if you hold it a certain way, easily remedied with the little rubber side case thing, and the proximity sensor takes a second to realize its next to your face but as long as you don't stick it directly to the side of your head thats hardly an issue.

[empath]

Yes, because that's something they should have thought of in the first place. You know, make sure the PHONE ANTENNAE WORK. I won't badger people over it, but this was all something that should have been considered when they were testing the prototype that Gizmodo managed to get their hands on.

It was, and they didn't encounter the problem because it's such a small percentage of failure.
I'm pretty sure Apple knows it's not good practice to intentionally release something that's busted.

...but they (like EVERY Big Company™; not singling Apple out) do anyway, MagSafe...



I'll stop pointing out their foibles when people stop putting them on altars and genuflecting. They're a consumer electronics provider, nothing more and nothing less.

[theDreamer]

People think the iPhone 4 is shitty for the same reason they think Dell is shitty.

When you make THAT MANY PRODUCTS, a small percentage of error relates to a huge number of bad reviews, and you only ever hear about the bad ones.

Other manufacturers may make products with higher failure rates, but since less are bought, less reviews are written.

It makes it really hard to judge.

[Tally]

I'll stop pointing out their foibles when people stop putting them on altars and genuflecting. They're a consumer electronics provider, nothing more and nothing less.

Ah, refreshing. I very much agree with this sentiment.

[epocalypse]

Look, all I'm saying is that I was a skeptic, but am now impressed.

[empath]

People think the iPhone 4 is shitty for the same reason they think Dell is shitty.

When you make THAT MANY PRODUCTS, a small percentage of error still translates into a relatively large number of defective products, and that translates into a huge number of bad reviews, and you only ever hear about the bad ones.

Agreed, with the missing step in your progression inserted.

Other manufacturers may make products with higher failure rates, but since less are bought, less reviews are written.

It makes it really hard to judge.

Well, not really, but it does result in multiple measures of 'fail' that differ in their appearance.

For instance, let's say two calculator companies produce similar models - Texas Instruments and Casio.

Casio makes a hundred thousand units, and their product is suppled with a keypad from a fairly sloppy sub-contractor, and 3% of their calculators fail in that a key gets stuck or falls off within thirty days of purchase. Casio has 3000 defective units on the market.

TI makes five million units, and very painstakingly designs their product, and their keypad supplier is much more diligent, and cuts down the 'key stuck' failure rate to two tenths of one percent (0.002%) within a month of purchase. But that still means 10,000 defective TI calculators are on the market.

Which number is more important? The failure rate? Or the RAW QUANTITY of defective product?

Deciding which is more important also depends on public perception - not so much what IS logically more valid, but what the potential customer will believe is a more 'truthful conclusion' when making purchasing decisions.

THAT's were things get messy; as always, it's when irrational human beings are added to the equation.

[operagirl95]

Which number is more important? The failure rate? Or the RAW QUANTITY of defective product?

How is that logical may I ask? Failure RATE is more important. If 100% of 3 things sold are defective (let's say improperly cooked rotisserie chicken) and 5% of 100 things sold somewhere else are defective - Where do YOU think I'm buying my dinner? That's right, the place where I have at least SOME chance of not winding up in the hospital vs. the one where it's guaranteed.

*facepalm* Empath, think carefully before answering me.



Edit: And on the topic of actual iPhone problems, why is no one here bitching about the proximity sensor issue that's been a WAY bigger issue? Or does anyone actually know what I'm talking about? No? Just going by the media hype, eh?

[Metcarfre]

But if you have 10,000 customers with failed products (0.002%) versus 3000 (3%) with a corresponding number of negative reviews or comments online, it would be apparent to some that the product (in empath's example, a calculator) with 0.002% failure rate is more than three times more likely to be defective (since there are more than three times as many customers with defective products).

He's talking about the perception rather than the reality.