Published in Mobiles

How Apple is dealing with angry left handers

by on30 June 2010
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Leak shows how to deal with reality
A leaked crib sheet given to AppleCare employees shows how Jobs' Mob wants its staff to deal with the failure of its iPhone 4 to work left handed.

The sheet which AppleCare reps must follow when dealing with any reception complaints regarding the iPhone 4 makes for amusing reading if you are not dumb enough to actually invest cash into an iPhone 4.

It says:

  1. 1. Keep all of the positioning statements in the BN handy – your tone when delivering this information is important.
    •    The iPhone 4’s wireless performance is the best we have ever shipped. Our testing shows that iPhone 4’s overall antenna performance is better than iPhone 3GS.
    •    Gripping almost any mobile phone in certain places will reduce its reception. This is true of the iPhone 4, the iPhone 3GS, and many other phones we have tested. It is a fact of life in the wireless world.
    •    If you are experiencing this on your iPhone 3GS, avoid covering the bottom-right side with your hand.
    •    If you are experiencing this on your iPhone 4, avoid covering the black strip in the lower-left corner of the metal band.
    •    The use of a case or Bumper that is made out of rubber or plastic may improve wireless performance by keeping your hand from directly covering these areas.


  2. 2. Do not perform warranty service. Use the positioning above for any customer questions or concerns.
  3. 3. Don’t forget YOU STILL NEED to probe and troubleshoot. If a customer calls about their reception while the phone is sitting on a table (not being held) it is not the metal band.
  4. 4. ONLY escalate if the issue exists when the phone is not held AND you cannot resolve it.
  5. 5. We ARE NOT appeasing customers with free bumpers – DON’T promise a free bumper to customers.

The short answer is, do nothing, it is not a real problem, don't promise anything and hope the customer will use the right hand instead of the left. What is scary is that people are keeping on buying the broken gadget.


1.       Keep all of the positioning statements in the BN handy – your tone when delivering this information is important.

·         The iPhone 4’s wireless performance is the best we have ever shipped. Our testing shows that iPhone 4’s overall antenna performance is better than iPhone 3GS.

·         Gripping almost any mobile phone in certain places will reduce its reception. This is true of the iPhone 4, the iPhone 3GS, and many other phones we have tested. It is a fact of life in the wireless world.

·         If you are experiencing this on your iPhone 3GS, avoid covering the bottom-right side with your hand.

·         If you are experiencing this on your iPhone 4, avoid covering the black strip in the lower-left corner of the metal band.

·         The use of a case or Bumper that is made out of rubber or plastic may improve wireless performance by keeping your hand from directly covering these areas.

2.       Do not perform warranty service. Use the positioning above for any customer questions or concerns.

3.       Don’t forget YOU STILL NEED to probe and troubleshoot. If a customer calls about their reception while the phone is sitting on a table (not being held) it is not the metal band.

4.       ONLY escalate if the issue exists when the phone is not held AND you cannot resolve it.

5.       We ARE NOT appeasing customers with free bumpers – DON’T promise a free bumper to customers.

Last modified on 30 June 2010
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