iPhone Fix: Free Bumpers by Apple

Apple did the right thing: The company will offer all customers who bought the iPhone 4 a free bumper case in order to address problems with the phone’s external antenna. “We’re not perfect,” CEO Steve Jobs admitted at the Friday press conference. “Phones aren’t perfect either.” Jobs made four main points: First, that all smart phones drop calls when held in certain ways (he gave video evidence of Blackberry, HTC, and Samsung phones losing bars); Two, that AppleCare has only received complaints from 0.55 percent of customers; Three, that customers are returning the iPhone 4 at one-third of the rate they returned the iPhone 3GS; and four, that the iPhone 4 drops more calls than the iPhone 3GS, but that the difference is less than one call per hundred. The free cases will be available on Apple’s website starting late next week; people who already purchased bumpers will be able to receive a refund. And customers who are still unhappy will be able to return the actual phones.