One of
the best product launch shows of 2014 was undoubtedly the launch on
9th
Septemberof Apple's new phones and the watch. The audiences world
over watched with awe, as Apple's CEO Tim Cook unveiled two new
phones and a watch on huge TV screens. In fact Tim Cook himself
called the introduction of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus as “best launch
ever.” It is needless to say that for months before the launch,
Apple had carefully teased the introduction of the new iPhones before
debuting them. So great was the frenzy of demand, that pre-launch
orders had topped 4 million. Within just three days after the launch
Apple sold a record 10 million new iPhones.
It was
obvious that such frenzy and euphoria could not have lasted ever.
First came the internet pranksters. Last week, a group calling itself
as “the 4-chan group of internet sleuths” created a slick-looking
advertisement that suggested Apple's new operating system, iOS 8, was
so advanced that you could "wave charge your device by placing
it within a household microwave for a minute and a half." The ad
also cautioned users not to "wave-charge" for more than 300
seconds. Some other trolls said that iPhones are waterproof, its
camera can see through clothes and the latest one that said that
iPhone 6's are infected with Ebola.
Some
people in Australia falling for the hoax, actually microwaved their
iPhone 6 with disastrous consequences and are now cursing the world.
A twitter user, obviously unhappy with iPhones extra large screen
size commented;
“The
#AppleWave hoax is so amazing! There's no way this phone could fit
inside a microwave oven.”
Then
came the reports on social media that some iPhone 6 users had lost
cellular connectivity after downloading iOS 8.0.1, an update that was
supposed to remedy a glitch involving the company's new HealthKit
apps. This time Apple responded promptly and removed the update from
its app store shortly after the social media reports surfaced. Apple
says that it is actively investigating these reports and will provide
information as quickly as we can.
Apple
now says that it has devised a workaround for iPhone 6 users, who
lost voice service or other features. Users can reinstall the
previous version of iOS to restore past functionality and Apple plans
to release a new version of the operating system, iOS 8.0.2, in the
next few days.
Then,
another report came up. “Mac Rumours” is an Apple user website.
It quoted one unhappy iPhone 6 Plus owner who spent 18 hours at a
wedding (including eight hours travel) with the phone in the front
pocket of his suit trousers. And found that his new phone was
slightly bent. More users reported that the phone easily becomes
bent when carried in a pocket. The new problem got so much of
publicity on twitter that a new twitter hashtag: #bendgate has become
popular. Pictures of newly-curved phones are being circulated online
– though there is no way to be sure how they ended up like that. In
fact, one blogger actually showed bending his iPhone 6 Plus on
camera.
Responding
quickly to both these issues, Apple released a new software update
late on Thursday to fix the problem connected with software, which it
says had affected fewer than 40,000 devices. Regarding bending issue
Apple says that its iPhones feature stainless steel and titanium
inserts to reinforce high-stress locations and use the strongest
glass in the smartphone industry.
During
my manufacturing days, I had learned that any new product launch,
always had its own teething troubles and in spite of any amount of
pre-testing the product, some new problems would invariably crop up
when a product reached the consumer. It is quite amazing, that even
for a company like Apple, same thing holds true.
30th
September 2014
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