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Apple Says ‘Small Percentage of iPhone 4 Users Need a Case’ as Case Program Nears Its End

Categories: Apple, iOS / iPhone OS, iPhone
By: , IntoMobile
Friday, September 10th, 2010 at 12:41 PM
iphone-4-case-program

Now that the whole Antennagate fiasco for the iPhone 4 has simmered down, it’s time to revisit the case program. As a result of all the bickering and banter about the iPhone 4′s fickle antenna, Apple decided to give free cases to users who purchased, and will purchase, its latest smartphone before September 30. For those who decide to purchase a handset after that date, cases and bumpers will no longer be free.

Here’s what Apple says on its web page:

We now know that the iPhone 4 antenna attenuation issue is even smaller than we originally thought. A small percentage of iPhone 4 users need a case, and we want to continue providing them a Bumper case for free. For everyone else, we are discontinuing the free case program on all iPhone 4s sold after September 30, 2010. We are also returning to our normal returns policy for all iPhone 4s sold after September 30. Users experiencing antenna issues should call AppleCare to request a free Bumper case.

Curiously, Apple states that a “small percentage of iPhone users need a case.” I’m not sure who those users are, and how Apple plans on diagnosing their problem, but they will continue to get free bumper cases from Apple after the case program ends.

If it is only a small percentage of users being affected by this issue, could it have been a manufacturing problem with the latest Apple smartphone? Are new batches of smartphones coming out with the antenna issue resolved? Or is Apple just downplaying the numbers here in order to avoid further uproar?

In any case, if you did buy the new iOS smartphone, or you intend to purchase one before September 30, don’t forget to take advantage of this offer by downloading the Case Program application and getting your free case or bumper shipped to you. Otherwise, you’ll end up forking over about $20-30 for a new bumper or case.

[Via: Apple]

About The Author

Marc Flores

Marc has been a mobile fanatic for the better part of a decade and has had more devices pass through his hands than he would care to count. Originally from Los Angeles and briefly in San Francisco, Marc now lives in Brooklyn where, unlike Will Park, he longs for simpler times and simpler technology. All the while, he writes about gadgets and wireless technology as he tinkers, hacks and ultimately breaks most of his gadgets in the process. Marc has written about the mobile industry for Boy Genius Report, MobileCrunch, Laptop Magazine and has had his work appear in the Wall Street Journal, Gizmodo, CrunchGear and more.

  • Roger Thornton Brown

    It is only a carrier-led market in the US as the US plays catch up with the mobile infrastructure. It’s a services-led market. Apple have shown others how to services well but lack the vision to supply the breadth of services the market demands. Android are playing catch up fast but need to get the cloud and the market as slick as itunes. Nokia have the services sorted at the desktop and, if they can sort the cloud and the market out could still leverage their installed base to take the lead in offering real services that people want.