iFraud fails to impress

It’s amazing how far Apple has brought its product line the past few years. The iPod has evolved from a blocky chunk of metal to a slim and sleek piece of advanced technology. Just this September, the fourth generation iPod Nano was released, revealing another creative feature that allows the user to activate a shuffled playlist by shaking the iPod.

Apple’s innovative iPhones are easily set apart from the company’s other successful products.

Never before has a cell phone incorporated so many different features. It has become popular among not only teenagers but adults. Apple’s newfound fame, however, may not be completely deserved.

The first iPhone, which was released in the summer of 2007, became instantly popular. Of course, there were a few flaws here and there such as poor battery life and an overly sensitive keyboard. Apple also manufactured its iPhones and iPod Touches without rubber impact absorbers under the screens, leaving them easy to scratch and break. The lack of work life features on the iPhone such as the ability to download and edit attachments or copy and paste also irked users. Despite the quality problems, most just brushed these aside and learned to deal.

But after the iPhone 3G was released this summer, people began noticing an above average multitude of glitches. The main issue with the new line was connecting and staying connected to 3G networks. Calls were frequently dropped and areas with decent signal were scarce.

What was originally meant to become a life organizer became a chaotic hindrance. As a result, many people stuck with their Blackberries for its reliable features and converted the lacking iPhone to a gadget of entertainment. Thus the iPhone fell short of its original purpose, barely differing in its abilities from an iPod Touch, except now in two enticing colors.

If creating a phone that refuses to function as a phone wasn’t enough, Apple’s reaction to complaints was even worse. The company responded to customers with a software update only after having several suits filed against them. Even now, it is lacking the useful context menus for copy and paste functions. It’s pure irony that such a monolithic company only took action after legal action. And strangely, the new upgrades brought in reports of even worse connections than before.

It seems as if Apple is putting out products as fast as it can to lure in loyal fans rather than focusing on quality. It is an extremely foolish business decision to completely depend on dedicated customers buying updated versions of any product the moment of release, regardless of quality. Maybe Apple should go back to the drawing board and focus on its claim to fame: quality.