After months of hype, order issues, and the delivery of iPhones before the launch date, the iPhone 4 is officially here. However with its launch there have been several issues that have cropped up and are frustrating early adopters. Assuming that Apple looks at these issues and assuming they decide to resolve them via a software update or a hardware redesign, it could be weeks, months, or even the iPhone 5 before these issues are corrected. Some of these issues are minor, some can be a deal breaker for some. You decide.
1. If You Hold Your Phone, Reception Will Suffer
Image Via Financial Times.com
As some of you probably know, Steve Jobs recently answered in an email a question posed by an iPhone customer regarding reception issues users were experiencing with the new iPhone. Steve’s reply came back, “Just don’t hold it that way then”. Jobs is referring to holding the phone as you would when having a normal conversation on a cell phone. The problem arises due to the fact that the edge of the phone is the antenna and there appears to be some signal degradation when the phone is held in the position you would hold it when conversing without a hands-free device. Jobs response along with Apple’s official response just goes to show that we now have to adjust how we hold the iPhone to use it…we conform to the product, not the other way around it seems.
UPDATE – MacRumors.com users are reporting that when contacting Apple Support, Apple stated that he should “Keep your ear to ground…an official statement/fix will be forthcoming any hour/day” In the meantime the Apple representative suggested he try the following solutions:
1) Cut a small piece of tape
2) Buy a bumper
3) Buy a case
2. You May Get Yellow Blotches on the Screen
Image via Gizmodo.com
Another issue that has been cropping up since iPhones started arriving June 22nd is discoloration on the screen. Users are reporting that there are yellow blotches and lines that appear on the screen while in use. Users are speculating that this is issue is related to an adhesive that is used to bind the screen.
3. Your Volume Buttons May Be Switched
Image Via 9to5mac.com
This is more of a cosmetic issue rather than a functional issue. It appears that some iPhone users have found that their volume buttons are switched, however the functionality of the buttons remain. The (+) button lowers the volume and the (–) increases the volume. As I stated this isn’t too big of a deal, but it highlights that lack of quality control at Apple.
4. The New Strenghthened Glass Panels Scratch and Shatter Like Glass
Image Via CrunchGear.com
The iPhone 4’s glass panels are “Chemically strengthened to be 20 times stiffer and 30 times harder than plastic, the glass is ultradurable and more scratch resistant than ever.†However it appears that although chemically enhanced, these panels do shatter like glass and scratch, just make sure you don’t place a shattered iPhone 4 in your pocket. With the iPhone 4 you have to not only worry about the screen shattering, you also have to worry about the back of the phone (which is also made of the same material) shattering.
5. You May Unintentionally Hang Up While Talking
Image Via Photobucket.com
A new problem, originally reported here is starting to come up on Apple discussion forums regarding the proximity sensor located on the front panel of the phone. The proximity sensor is used by the iPhone to turn off the screen during a conversation so that users don’t inadvertently push one of the buttons on the screen. It appears that this is failing to happen and users are reporting that the phone is hanging up, activating FaceTime, and muting calls, among other things.
I know some of these issues like the buttons being swapped out and even the proximity sensor issue could be resolved with a software update, as an iPhone 4 owner, I certainly hope so, but if the issues surrounding the antenna which some claim to be a design flaw…Apple could end up refunding those users or releasing an updated unit. Apple seems to be responding to these issues, let’s hope that they can resolve them.
