Since January 13th (almost two months ago), I started having problems with my iPhone 3G. I can't tell you how many countless hours I've had doing research on the web, conversations I've had, and even trips to the "GENIUS Bar" at the local Apple Store regarding systemic problems with the phone including: dropped phone calls (couldn't believe AT&T's dropped call rate on iPhones!!!), a failing microphone (people couldn't hear me, but I could hear them), intermittent static, phone not recognized by AT&T, etc.
As an embedded systems engineer, I find it utterly disturbing that fundamental hardware symptoms, especially basic phone features, have software roots consistently on the iPhone. For example, with a software re-install, my microphone problems were gone... or at least for a couple of days. In my work with Bell Labs and IBM, I would have been fired time and time again had I released products with fundamental flaws such as this: "a microphone not working on a phone" (seems very rudimentary to me). A dear friend and I always joke about how the iPhone is a computer that wants to be a phone. Many people have always criticized Steve Jobs for being a control freak... but after two months of dealing with Apple, I understand why. Hopefully, at 1 Infinite Loop, he never had to deal with the representatives of his Vision at the Apple stores nor those of his iCare centers. In short, his representatives really DON'T CARE at Apple... a concept SO REMOTE for Steve Jobs, who is likely turning over in his grave right now.
I remember reading a full Fortune Magazine composed of articles on Steve Jobs' trajectory; one article in particular stands out, that is, when he sat with employees of a particular division after an unsuccessful feature launch and his asking them philosophically, what that particular feature DOES. Once he received an acceptable answer, Steve yelled back at them, "Then why in the !@$# does it not do that!" I wish that in my recent dealings with iCare and Apple Stores that I wasn't a mild mannered citizen, and I, too, could have raised my voice over the phone or stood on top of an Apple Store table and yelled Steve's very words, "Then why in the !@$# does it not do that!" Why doesn't an iPhone, at the absolute bare minimum, work EXCELLENTLY as a phone? Why are hourly wage store clerks able to treat their clients (notice, clients not customers) as idiots (user error) and clients come back time and time again. It's never a problem with the perfect iPhone. I am so exhausted by Apple lovers claiming that Apple products don't have problems.
Another thing that Steve Jobs touts is that his company is the only company that can offer a full product as SEAMLESSLY as his can because Apple controls the hardware, software, and even application level software. It's ironic that a company that controls everything can blame problems on the user. After all, Apple's higher level vision is to make the user experience a joy barring all the complexities in technology. I do have an immense respect for the complexity (yet beautiful design) of Apple products. I always have. However, I do appreciate much more, when someone takes accountability and is truly responsible for his/her own problems. I wish that in full confidence I could claim that "I WILL NEVER OWN AN APPLE PRODUCT", but I know, much like the distribution company for the Beatles' music came to know, dealing with Apple is inevitable. That makes me REALLY sad.
I hope tons of Apple employees can read this article... take a couple of steps back, re-engage the vision and passion Steve had for his company and his products, and learn to have a heartfelt commitment to what Apple is SUPPOSED TO BE. Steve's autobiography, I'm sure, is a must read for anyone aspiring to be a top-level manager, much like his brilliant case study he had done contributing to "Apple After Steve". I wish that every single Apple employee, not just managers, could read that and take it to heart. Your company depends on it.
After two months of, tons of phone calls with, three trips to Apple stores and iCare dealing with an iPhone that I use for MY BUSINESS, I would personally like to thank Nathan at iCare for being the ONE responsible person of MANY that I dealt with at Apple. (Thanks, also, to the SINGLE phone call I had to make to AT&T to get this issue resolved - MUCH better customer service). It's a shame that no one will ever compensate my company for the lost hours of productivity and opportunity. I can only imagine a company with many employees who had to deal with an issue like this.
This is a REAL experience with Apple, Inc. I wish Apple was really what its fans claim them to be. I write this because iCare.
Note: This post was edited by a forum moderator to add line breaks for easier reading. Note to members who replied to this post about the lack of paragraphs, I will be removing your posts. Thanks! -Lee on 03/07/2012 at 4:02 PM PT

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