As Apple CEO Steve Jobs furiously sent emails trying to knock down reports of antenna problems with the iPhone 4, the Cupertino, Calif. company apparently was busy looking for antenna experts. And little wonder the sense of urgency: the iPhone 4 could comprise half of the iPhones the company sells this year, according to a Wednesday report.
A day before the YouTube videos appeared of dropped calls due to holding the iPhone a certain way, Apple posted job notices seeking iPad and iPhone antenna engineers with at least 10 years experience. The engineers’ job is to “optimize the radiation performance for mobile devices,” according to the posting.
The right person must have at least 10 years experience and is “expected to perform radiation performance measurements, create test plans, execute them, publish test reports, provide feedback to the other design engineers, and lead some of the manufacturing of antenna.”
There is also a sense of urgency. A report suggests the problems could damage the iPhone, as well as Apple’s overall brand. Apple will ship 21.7 million iPhone 4s in 2010, “representing 51 percent of the 42.6 million iPhones Apple is expected to ship this year,” according to iSuppli
iSuppli said Apple’s problems with its new external antenna provides a lesson for other companies. “The lesson here is manufacturers beware,” said senior wireless analyst Tina Teng.
Additionally, although Apple has risen out of nowhere to become the No. 3 smartphone maker in North America, it has come at a cost. Apple’s recent supply problems are prompting some consumers to look elsewhere. “In particular, consumers are not satisfied with Apple’s response to the antenna issue causing poor reception and dropped calls,” Teng told DigiTimes.
