Watch how you hold it.Apple has scheduled a press conference for 10am Friday (5am Saturday NZ time) at its Cupertino headquarters outside San Francisco.READ ALSO: iPhone 4 grip of death strikes in Auckland
Watch how you hold it.
Apple has scheduled a press conference for 10am Friday (5am Saturday NZ time) at its Cupertino headquarters outside San Francisco.
READ ALSO: iPhone 4 grip of death strikes in Auckland
The company has not even confirmed the subject of the event, but that has not stopped the mainstream US press from speculating that it could be full-blown iPhone 4 product recall, or an announcement that all customers will get a free, rubberised case (which stops direct contact, and thus the grip of death; Apple has previously suggested a $US25 case as a solution, causing an outcry).
It’s also possible Apple will announce a software upgrade, which could enhance the iPhone 4’s ability to handle signal fluctuations.
Internet wags have even suggested that Steve Jobs will offer free rolls of masking tape - one DIY, if ugly - solution proving popular.
Apple ignored pre-release warnings - report
Many of the wilder rumours flying around the net can be discounted, one of the most telling accusations comes from a reputable source: Bloomberg.
The news agency reportd an Apple engineer warned the company about the grip of death during an early design phase, but was ignored.
Bloomberg lends credence to its report by naming the engineer (one Ruben Caballero).
The story also claims that one US carrier also warned Apple about potential reception problems.
A spokesman for Vodafone New Zealand - which is due to release the iPhone 4 at an unspecified time over the next few months - said the telco always tests every handset before taking it to market. However, the testing does not always take place locally.
Senator, Letterman weigh in
Apple's problems also gained a political dimension yesterday, with Senator Charles Schumer weighing in. The senior New York Democrat called for Apple to offer a free solution to the problem.
And late-night TV host David Letterman weighed with his "Top 10 signs you've bought a bad iPhone".
For a company used to being the epitome of cool, it's been a tough week.
Tomorrow, it could get tougher.
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