Bluetooth versus Antenna - iPhone 4
I would like to play the devil advocate regarding current Apple PR.
There are 3 mil iPhones 4 released; also, there are at least as many iPhones 3GS upgraded to iOS 4.
All those devices share at least one software issue: the BT stack is not functioning correctly. Meaning any BT you’d connect, the communication gets scrambled, in one or two hours after pairing, and there is no way understanding each other’s words.
The main core of BT users are business people and top level management. Therefore: the decision makers.
The second layer of BT users are the drivers, for whom a BT connection is essential, wether it is a headset or an audio kit connection.
The third layer are those who joined forces in ruining Apple’s image by amplifying the antenna issue: people who never cared before, but when they saw the opportunity of harming a giant, they began testing, shooting movies and making a big fuss over forums and major media carriers like Reuters.
(And do not dare to under-evaluate these latest opportunists: they can make the other morons at Wall Street destroy a company on a “five minute market survey” policy, as it already happened. )
I know there’s a PR rule saying “don’t excuse! If you do, keep it simple and very narrow targeted on the main problem”. Never talk about multiple issues if there is a distinct one that is taking 80% of public attention.
But!
There’s another PR rule saying: “don’t take any responsibility which is not under your control”.
Jobs said they’ve just discovered, with the Antennagate help, how much they care about their customers. This might not seem to be, but it actually is a very serious responsibility; maybe the heaviest or the greatest one. Now every Apple customer believes a technical issue coming from Apple can be a source of respect and consideration. This is the way it should be and it’s great.
BT issue is just another iOS 4 issue; as Jobs said, there is no perfect phone. I agree.
Nevertheless, there must be perfect PR! If you doubt that, you doubt mathematics can be accurate.
Therefore, if Job loves all of us and he discovered how much he cares about our suffering, how about Apple quickly coming with a public announcement about this BT issue, if a quick fix is impossible?
This issue, as I was saying, affects the decision makers, may also threaten lives (as in driving and talking) and can become a big fuss if Google wants it to be. Not to mention the Wall Street jokers and their infamous crisis approaches.
Right now, I have a BT problem but never had an antenna problem. Therefore I feel betrayed seeing Apple so concerned about some actual 0.55% compared to a potential 200% sharing a Bluetooth problem.
Most important, I feel betrayed in my heart seeing Jobs’ taking the stage for stock and media reasons while saying how much he cares about his customers.
I felt Apple has a poor PR agency / team from the beginning; I thought I might be wrong when I saw the 16th July press conference. Now I can tell they have smart PR people, but too young or inexperienced.
Link to Apple Discussion forum is this:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=11930459#11930459