Antennagate
A public-relations crisis that arose in 2010 when Apple's iPhone 4 exhibited significant signal loss due to an antenna design flaw. Holding the phone in a specific manner—termed the 'death grip'—caused reception degradation. Apple CEO Steve Jobs held a dedicated press conference to address the issue, and the episode became a widely studied case study in technology-company crisis management.
Timeline (last 90 days)
Apple held a dedicated press conference on July 16, 2010 to address Antennagate, with Jobs taking the stage in person.
At the press conference, Jobs acknowledged the signal attenuation while emphasizing that all smartphones have similar issues.
Apple has historically invoked copyright on multiple occasions to request platforms to take down recordings of early press conferences, and the Antennagate press conference video is a typical case that has been repeatedly removed.
Recently, a complete version of the Apple Antennagate press conference video has been circulating online again.
The combination of "acknowledge + downplay + remedy" became a reference template for crisis PR for many technology companies afterward.
All Facts (4)
At the press conference, Jobs acknowledged the signal attenuation while emphasizing that all smartphones have similar issues.
50%UnverifiedApple has historically invoked copyright on multiple occasions to request platforms to take down recordings of early press conferences, and the Antennagate press conference video is a typical case that has been repeatedly removed.
50%UnverifiedThe combination of "acknowledge + downplay + remedy" became a reference template for crisis PR for many technology companies afterward.
50%UnverifiedApple held a dedicated press conference on July 16, 2010 to address Antennagate, with Jobs taking the stage in person.
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