Apple yesterday decided to try and deflect the media attention they have been receiving on the iPhone 4 Antenna problem dubbed Antennagate by showing that both Nokia and RIM (Research In Motion) to having similar antenna flaws in their products.
Whether this was a wise move or not by Apple, they are definitely trying to show the world that this is a normal phenomena and showed a loss of signal to Nokia, RIM Blackberry and HTC phones depending on how you hold the phone in your hands.
By ousting both Nokia, RIM and HTC is one thing to try and deflect media attention, but by doing so you can be sure that both Nokia and RIM would come back with a lashing of words, and Nokia and RIM did just that…! No word yet from HTC who will probably want to stay under the radar at this point.
Nokia’s response was…
“Antenna design is a complex subject and has been a core competence at Nokia for decades, across hundreds of phone models. Nokia was the pioneer in internal antennas; the Nokia 8810, launched in 1998, was the first commercial phone with this feature.
Nokia has invested thousands of man hours in studying human behavior, including how people hold their phones for calls, music playing, web browsing and so on. As you would expect from a company focused on connecting people, we prioritize antenna performance over physical design if they are ever in conflict.
In general, antenna performance of a mobile device/phone may be affected with a tight grip, depending on how the device is held. That’s why Nokia designs our phones to ensure acceptable performance in all real life cases, for example when the phone is held in either hand. Nokia has invested thousands of man hours in studying how people hold their phones and allows for this in designs, for example by having antennas both at the top and bottom of the phone and by careful selection of materials and their use in the mechanical design.”
RIM’s response was…
“Apple’s attempt to draw RIM into Apple’s self-made debacle is unacceptable. Apple’s claims about RIM products appear to be deliberate attempts to distort the public’s understanding of an antenna design issue and to deflect attention from Apple’s difficult situation. RIM is a global leader in antenna design and has been successfully designing industry-leading wireless data products with efficient and effective radio performance for over 20 years. During that time, RIM has avoided designs like the one Apple used in the iPhone 4 and instead has used innovative designs which reduce the risk for dropped calls, especially in areas of lower coverage. One thing is for certain, RIM’s customers don’t need to use a case for their BlackBerry smartphone to maintain proper connectivity. Apple clearly made certain design decisions and it should take responsibility for these decisions rather than trying to draw RIM and others into a situation that relates specifically to Apple.”
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