Daniel Eran Dilger
While waffling between official blog entires that first told users there's "no reason not to buy" iPhone 4 related to its antenna issues, and then backtracking to say it "can't recommend" the phone until Apple addresses its antenna issues with a free fix (after also noting that applying a piece of tape solves the signal attenuation issues it found in testing), Consumer Reports has ranked iPhone 4 the best smartphone on the market.
The group's latest blog entry did note in passing that, despite refusing to give iPhone 4 a "recommended" listing, "its score in our other tests placed it atop the latest ratings of smart phones that were released today."
However, web surfers interested in the group's official comparative rankings probably wouldn't notice that if they only follow the site's official blog and the avalanche of blog responses that its postings have generated, because visiting its online mobile phone rankings page only presents an ad asking visitors to pay for a subscription in order to view its rankings (below).
Once users pay for "complete access to smart phones," Consumer Reports represents a detailed outline of its cellphone rankings where the new iPhone 4 leads the pack with a "highest rated" score of 76 points out of a possible 100. The next-highest ranked phones are Apple's previous generation iPhone 3GS and the HTC Sprint Evo 4G, which are both ranked at 74 points overall.
As noted by John Paczkowski of the Wall Street Journal "Digital Daily" blog, the Consumer Reports paid evaluation rates the display, navigation, web browsing, multimedia and battery life of iPhone 4 as "excellent," gives its phoning and messaging a "very good" ranking, and describes voice quality as "good."
"Well this is ironic," Paczkowski writes. "iPhone 4 is hands-down the best smartphone available today, but Consumer Reports advises against buying it."
Apple moderators have been scrambling to delete negative chat about the most recent Consumer Reports blog entry from its support forums, given that the group only provides the full story to users who pay for its research.
Consumer Reports does not note that competing smartphones have far more serious problems that can not be resolved by using a protective case or applying a piece of tape. The outrage surrounding the iPhone 4 antenna seems to be a particularly vexing issue among advocates of competing smartphone platforms. As one comment notes, "Isn't it interesting the people who are having this problem don't even own iPhones?"
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
AppleInsider Staff
Chip Loder
Malcolm Owen
111 Comments
The madness continues... w00t 1st post
We're sorry Mr. Job's, is this an ok fix for now? Please, please don't hurt us ? we beg you to forgive us. We spoke out of turn, and it won't happen again.
We like you, won't re-call and take back all of the magazines we've already sold and made, but we will try to patch it up.
And yes, I have an office and a home filled with nothing but Apple products, and have for MANY, MANY Years.
Big fight!
CR is pressing Apple to change, and Apple do business its own way.
Apple is winning, but not @ PR front.
It is the best smartphone, bar the design flaw. So they are right on both counts.
The CR article does include this when you click on the phone for details...
"CR's Take
A high-scoring, versatile, and innovative smart phone that performs even better than its 3G S predecessor. A very good choice for multimedia addicts--and even corporate users. We can't recommend the just-released iPhone 4 until Apple comes up with a permanent--and free--fix for the antenna problem we confirmed during testing."
I do trust the CR take on this issue. They got it right this time. It's a great phone, except for this one issue. It's also the reason why i'm not buying one yet. I think this can finally put the debate between whether it's a software or hardware problem to rest. I have been a long-time subscriber to CR and read other blogs (i.e. CNET, etc.) for comparison and i have found that CR is a great resource for getting the most unbiased review you can get out there; they don't take hand-outs by manufacturers like some other review sites, they use the subscription money to remain unbiased.