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Tag: Antennagate

  • Apple Begins Making “Antennagate” Lawsuit Settlement Payments

    Last month we reported that Apple had settled a class-action lawsuit over the “Antennagate” controversy surrounding the launch of the iPhone 4. Under the terms of the settlement, Apple agreed to pay each iPhone 4 owner $15 or give them a free black bumper case. According to the settlement, payments were to start going out sometime in April.

    Now it looks like things have gotten underway a little early. According to Ira Rothken, an attorney who took part in the lawsuit, the settlement website, iPhone4Settlement.com went live today. Rothken made the announcement via Twitter:

    @rothken
    Ira Rothken    The iPhone 4 Antenna Class Action Settlement website is up if you want to make a claim or get info please visit http://t.co/MQI6qEi2 12 hours ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    Those who qualify can fill out the appropriate forms via the settlement website to claim their $15. Those who want an iPhone bumper instead of the money have to go through AppleCare and describe their reception problems to an AppleCare representative.

    Not everyone qualifies for either the money or the bumper, though. Those who got a free case when Apple was giving them away after the iPhone 4 launch are not eligible. There are also a few other eligibility requirements detailed on the website:

    To be eligible for the cash payment, you must have: (a) experienced antenna or reception issues; (b) been unable to return your iPhone 4 without incurring any costs; (c) been unwilling to use a case or free bumper for your iPhone 4; and (d) completed certain troubleshooting steps or are unable to complete the troubleshooting steps because you no longer own your iPhone.

    The iPhone 4 launched in June of 2010 its new form factor raised a few eyebrows. Hesitance over the squared-off design didn’t stop it from having the most successful product launch in Apple’s history, though. Even so, users started to notice a problem early on: the antenna, which had been moved to the outside of the device for reasons that were, apparently, largely aesthetic, had reception problems when people held their phone a certain way. The complaints turned into a full-blown scandal that prompted the departure of the executive who had overseen the antenna’s design, a great big thumbs-down from Consumer Reports, and several lawsuits. Apple’s offer of a free bumper case for those who were having difficulties placated some, but the lawsuit continued, ultimately being settled in February. The antenna problem was fixed in both the Verizon iPhone 4 (which came out later in 2010) and the iPhone 4S, which launched last year.

    What do you think? Did you have reception problems with your iPhone 4? Will you claim your $15, or will you go with a bumper? Let us know in the comments.

  • iPhone 4 Owner? Apple May Owe You $15.

    iPhone 4 Owner? Apple May Owe You $15.

    When Apple released the iPhone 4, it was the company’s most successful product launch up until that date. A lot lot of consumers, however, were frustrated to find that there were major reception problems, in a scandal which became known as Antennagate. It led to the departure of Apple’s executive in charge of iPhone hardware, though it is even cited in Walter Isaacson’s Steve Jobs bio as an example of when Jobs put design over functionality.

    The issue led to a big thumbs down for the device from Consumer Reports.

    The whole thing even inspired this, which Apple played at its own press event:

    Jobs said at the event, Apple hadn’t figured out its “way around the laws of physics yet.” He recommended iPhone owners install an update, and announced that Apple would give them free cases, and that those who had bought one would get a refund (if they were not from third-parties).

    Still, there were a number of lawsuits, which resulted in their consolidation into one class action suit. Now, a settlement has been reached, according to CNET, which reports that those who bought an iPhone 4 will be entitled to $15 in cash or a bumper case from Apple.

    More details will emerge at iPhone4Settlement.com in the coming weeks, the report says, though there is nothing at that URL at the moment.

  • Apple Exec Responsible for Antennagate Gone

    It appears that the "Antennagate" turned out to be not only be a hassle for iPhone users, Apple’s PR department, and the company as a whole, but ultimately Mark Papermaster, Apple’s executive in charge of the iPhone’s hardware. He is no longer with Apple.

    The New York Times reported on his departure, but said it was not clear if he was ousted or if he left on his own accord. They were able to reach him on the phone, but he wouldn’t comment. However, other reports seem to indicate the former is more likely.

    Bob Mansfield is next in line to take over Papermaster’s duties, the company told the NYT. He is SVP of Mac hardware engineering, and is already responsible for key parts of the iPhone, such as, the retina display and touch screens, as well as the A4 chip.

    Though it’s entirely possible he wasn’t responsible for the design of the flaw, it looks like Papermaster was ultimately responsible for letting it pass.

    iPhone 4 "During a tour of Apple’s device testing facilities (where Mansfield, but not Papermaster, was present), we were told that the iPhone 4 was being tested for a full two years  before its launch," writes MG Siegler at TechCrunch. "That means it was being tested before Papermaster got to Apple. While it’s not clear when the final hardware was approved for production, it’s certainly possible that Papermaster had little to do with that specific device’s hardware creation."

    "That said, in the time leading up to the iPhone 4’s launch, he clearly had to be heavily involved in every aspect of it — including the antenna," he adds.

    John Gruber at Daring Fireball claims to have heard a little about the situation prior to Papermaster’s departure. "From what I’ve heard, it’s clear he was sacked. Papermaster was a conspicuous absence at the Antennagate press conference," he writes. "Inside Apple, he’s ‘the guy responsible for the antenna’ — that’s a quote from a source back on July 23."

    It’s not confirmed that Papermaster was indeed ousted, but it sure looks that way. Either way, it will be interesting to see where he ends up. He is unlikely to make the antenna mistake again, and companies will probably recognize that. In fact, I’m guessing the entire industry learned a big lesson from Antennagate. That’s one area of the hardware design that must require a huge checkmark before any major product release goes forward.