Apple's Antennagate Q&A Finally Sees the Light of Day
Apple iPhone 4 “Antennagate” Q&A (2010) [video]
The full video of Apple's Antennagate press Q&A, long unavailable, has been posted today. The session followed the iPhone 4 antenna controversy that dominated 2010.
The Antennagate Q&A, which has never been available, has been posted today.
- rgovostes
I watched the press briefing and then the Q&A in full, followed by part of the iPhone 4S announcement (Tim Cook's first keynote, and the day before Jobs's death). A couple of thoughts:
- Steve basically has 4 points to make during his prepared slides and he drags them out over 30 minutes. He's basically lecturing the press and just shy of scolding them for their vacuous reporting.
- Steve talks about how much they love their customers, and want to do right by them. The iPhone 4S keynote also features one of those Apple Store grand opening videos with crowds of happy customers. This has basically vanished from the brand persona... Tim may have said it in a monotone, but you don't feel it anymore.
- The members of the press do not come across as particularly competent in the Q&A. One of the questions is basically, "You previously shipped a software update that addressed cellular issues. Why are there still cellular issues?" They got really hung up on the fairly clear details of the free case program.
- The live Town Hall keynotes are so much more pleasant to watch. Not just pleasant but more comfortable to watch. The highly-produced modern keynotes are exhausting.
- I had no recollection of Apple releasing watch faces for the iPod nano* so it could be worn on the wrist, a few years before the Apple Watch. (*macOS autocorrect still enforces such capitalization of this 21-year-old product.)
- wil421
My iPhone 4 was like the Nokia of iPhones. Mine lasted forever and I think it was my longest lasting one. I had it for 5 years, I knew people who had it until 3G was being phased out and they had to switch.
I always use a case on every phone and never had a single issue with the 4.
- stouset
I loved watching this, and it really cements for me how out of touch with reality the common antennagate narrative was.
Everything about this Q&A was thoughtful, well-meaning, and heavily considered. And it's true: while the iPhone 4 had ways it could be better, it wasn't materially worse than any of the other phones of its era. A recall would have been ridiculous because that would have required them to have a fix for something the industry at large hadn't yet solved.
And they were extremely measured in their response. If you're unhappy with your cell reception, they were happy to give you a case to improve the situation, no questions asked. If you still weren't happy, they had (and had had, and continue to have) one of the best return policies in the industry. They wanted to you to be happy with your purchase, and if you weren't, they wanted you to be able to get a phone you would be happy with.
Steve Jobs may have been a terrible person in many ways, but one of the good things about him absolutely was his unfailing commitment to his customers.
- nozzlegear
It's fascinating how Jobs isn't afraid to pause and wait while he thinks about his answer (07:00, 20:00). He doesn't have that habit most have of babbling to fill dead air. It makes him sound a lot more authentic/less rehearsed.
- JMiao
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