Apple/iPhone 4: surprise press conference called for Friday

To try and get a control over a situation which is getting away from them, Apple has called a special press conference for Friday to address the signal quality issues with the iPhone 4.

The GSM reception quality issues on the new iPhone 4 have led to heated debate since its launch, with some users being affected by the problem while others don’t know what all the fuss is about. Regularly raised as an issue, the new antenna system located on the side of the device seems to be disrupted as soon as the phone is held in the left hand.

Apple has tried to launch a counter attack by explaining that it is simply a faulty display of the reception signal, whith the release of a simple software patch to correct the issue, but a negative report by Consumer Reports has now added a spark to the dry powder.

Despite the recognised qualities of the iPhone 4, and favourable reviews, Consumer Reports investigation means that a recall of handsets isn’t out of the question. If such measures should be taken, Apple’s share price would surely take a hit, while questions would also be raised about future demand for the phone.


A software or hardware problem?
This issue is starting to create a lot of noise, with Apple announcing that a special press conference will be held on Friday in their Cupertino offices. While the subject of this conference hasn’t been mentioned, market observers believe that it will be used to clarify the group’s position, as no response to the Consumer Reports report has yet been made.

While it doesn’t appear that a recall of iPhone 4 handsets will be the order of the day, as the problem is easily corrected by purchasing a protective case, Apple now needs to change their communication strategy to take into consideration this news.

The holding of a special press conference on Friday nevertheless shows that Apple is looking to clean up all criticisms. For a company that communicates very little outside of their carefully orchestrated marketing events, the iPhone 4’s signal reception problems has surely become too visible for their liking. Will the company continue to maintain that the issue is simply a display problem?