Author: Francesca Published on : Jun 18,2017

Today's another weird one in the world of technology. Apple's spin doctors are operating on overdrive in a blatant attempt to discredit the imminent backlash from the Consumer Reports Massacre. The criticism of Consumer Report's study of the iPhone 4 stems from a blog post written by a so-called technology expert named Bob Egan, an admitted iPhone fanboi. Egan offers scant specifics and presents zero scientific or empirical evidence of his own, which makes you wonder what his refutation is based on (his self-proclaimed credentials no doubt). Egan's appreciation for irony appears to be about as fine tuned as his grammar when he goes on to mock a group of apparently subpar, yet noticeably unidentified, "blogging sites." Apparently these heinously disreputable sources are better left unknown. Nevertheless, Egan himself stops short of dismissing the iPhone 4's technical problems altogether, though he chooses to raise suspicions about AT&T's network rather than blame the snake oil spilling out of Apple. His final pleas for The Man Himself (Mr. Jobs) to release "answers" feel disingenuous to the point of being forced, as if he even he didn't believe himself capable of preserving a shred of integrity after that veritable explosion of pointless banter.

Meanwhile, Apple's stocks are dropping faster than iPhone calls; but the tech giant may yet emerge from this debacle unscathed. Consumer Reports, who fell out of Apple's good graces when they suggested that iPhone users remedy their antenna woes with duct tape, appears ready to make amends. Well, maybe. Their most recent study confirms what we've known all along: buying that ugly $30 bumper will fix the iPhone's signal problems. However, they don't seem prepared to greet Apple with open arms as the last sentence of the review places the burden of cleaning up this mess squarely on Apple's shoulders once again.

In the midst of Apple's mad dash at damage control comes a bit of startling news: iPhone 4s are still selling like hot cakes. Rumors of a recall abound, but according to sales figures, people are undeterred. It's entirely possible that skeptics simply don't believe their precious Apple could ever steer them wrong. Others may be attracted to the product because of its appearance, speed, camera, etc. There's also a small group of rabid tech freaks who will buy anything just to stay on the cutting edge.

When evaluating the validity of these claims, it's important to remember a few key pieces to this puzzle. First off, Apple deliberately created scarcity when it released its latest gadget, which is tantamount to psychological manipulation in an effort to boost sales, particularly in a sluggish economy. It's virtually impossible to obtain an accurate assessment of how much Apple's endless marketing campaign and shameless tactics are resonating in these consumers' behavior, but it would be foolish to discount the overwhelming hype factor in this equation. Then there's the simple fact that Apple's base is large enough to account for a substantial portion of the total sales, which means they're probably not winning any new converts. And let's not forget Apple's decision to re-up with the same exclusive service carrier, carefully timed shortly after the phone's release. Naturally, it would be intellectually dishonest to ignore the price of this device. At a time when millions of people are jobless and languishing on unemployment, the iPhone's high price tag places it far out of reach for many. But for those lucky enough to be revealing in financial stability in the heart of the Great Recession, demand for expensive gizmos is always inelastic. The recent buzz about a possible class action law suit against the company could be a contributing factor as well, albeit a minor one.

When all is said and done, there's one thing I can't take away from the iPhone: it's slaughtering the BlackBerry......