RIM: there's nowt wrong with our BlackBerry antennas, thank you very much!

What's the best thing to do if your kit is found by independent testers and by consumers to be 'problematic', to say the least? Well, deny it, imply user error and then come right out and say that everyone else's products are equally flawed - at least if you're Apple CEO Steve Jobs.

During a press conference on Friday morning relating to the by now infamous alleged non-problem with Apple's iPhone 4 antennas, Jobs pointed out to the world that this non-problem is 'not unique' to the iPhone 4.  "You can go on YouTube and see videos of Nokia phones and Motorola phones and other phones doing the same thing," he said, showing videos of vanishing signal bars on the HTC Droid Eris, the BlackBerry Bold 9700 and the Samsung Omnia II. "Most smartphones behave exactly the same way," he went on "every phone has weaknesses."

It's not the first time that Jobs has implied that all smartphones suffer with similar issues - it was one of his stock responses from the moment the problem raised its head - but by naming names, this time he has seriously ruffled some feathers. Friday's comments prompted a strongly worded press release from BlackBerry maker RIM, direct from CEOs Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie, pointing out in no uncertain terms that there's nothing wrong with BlackBerry antennas.

“Apple's attempt to draw RIM into Apple's self-made debacle is unacceptable. Apple's claims about RIM products appear to be deliberate attempts to distort the public's understanding of an antenna design issue and to deflect attention from Apple's difficult situation. RIM is a global leader in antenna design and has been successfully designing industry-leading wireless data products with efficient and effective radio performance for over 20 years. During that time, RIM has avoided designs like the one Apple used in the iPhone 4 and instead has used innovative designs which reduce the risk for dropped calls, especially in areas of lower coverage.  One thing is for certain, RIM’s customers don’t need to use a case for their BlackBerry smartphone to maintain proper connectivity. Apple clearly made certain design decisions and it should take responsibility for these decisions rather than trying to draw RIM and others into a situation that relates specifically to Apple." 

Meanwhile software update iOS 4.0.1, released last week, doesn't seem to have solved the antenna non-problem, and has resulted in more complaints on Apple forums from some users claiming that the patch couldn't be successfully installed. And the saga continues...