Rivals slam Apple for link with its antenna ‘debacle’

Handset manufacturers Research in Motion (RIM), Nokia and HTC have hit back at claims by Apple in defence of its iPhone 4 that all smartphones experience issues with signal

Apple held a press conference last week (July 16) to discuss the much publicised signal issues surrounding the newly launched iPhone 4.

Apple chief Steve Jobs told journalists the issues on the iPhone 4 are not “unique” to it, highlighting Nokia and Motorola and showed videos of the BlackBerry Bold 9700, Samsung Omnia 11 and the HTC Droid Eris experiencing signal reductions when gripped firmly.

Jobs said: “Most smartphones behave exactly the same way. This is life in the smartphone world. Phones aren’t perfect. It’s a challenge for the whole industry and we’re all doing the best we can. But every phone has weaknesses.”

But BlackBerry manufacturer RIM chief Mike Lazaridis hit back at Apple as “unacceptable” for bringing it in to Apple’s own “self made debacle”.

He accused the Californinan manufacturer of  making “deliberate attempts” to distort the public understanding of antenna design in order to deflect the attention away from Apple’s “difficult situation” with the iPhone 4 fall-out.

Nokia also publically stated it prioritises antenna performance over physical design should they ever conflict.

HTC  and Samsung have both rebuffed suggestions made by Jobs too, that signal issues are common on smartphone handsets.

HTC also said Apple’s action to implicate all smartphone manufacturers, and to suggest signal performance was an industry issue. HTC Chief Financial Officer Hui-Meng Cheng was quoted: “Apple should face its own problems. The reception problems are certainly not common among smartphones.”

Samsung, which supplies Apple with various handset components, said in a statement: “Based on years of experience of designing high quality phones, Samsung mobile phones employ an internal antenna design technology that optimises reception quality for any type of hand-grip use.”

Samsung claimed not to have received “significant” feedback on signal problems with its Omnia 11.

Instead of recalling the device, as some observers expected, Apple said it will issue a free ‘bumper’ rubber band to alleviate the problem, or money back on products purchased within the past 20 days. The refund offer stands until September 30, when a revised version of the iPhone 4 has been tipped to appear.