Unless you have had your head buried in the sand, you have probably heard of the reception problems that iPhone 4 owners have been having with their new iPhone 4s. But for those who haven’t heard, after weeks of going back and forth, Steve Jobs finally admitted to a crowd of reporters and other interested folks that the iPhone’s design is behind the reception problems, and that the solution lies in attaching a bumper, which is a type of an iPhone case, to the iPhone. Steve Jobs alluded to the fact that Apple would provide a free iPhone bumper to every new iPhone owner.
Of course, while Jobs’ solution was simple enough, he failed to give the requisite details at the time of his initial announcement. Where would iPhone owners pick up the free iPhone bumper? How long would iPhone owners have to wait for this iPhone bumper? Would this free iPhone bumper actually remedy the problem? Well, at last, Apple has made the announcement official by posting all of the details online, at www.apple.com.
Details about the free bumper are posted under the heading, iPhone 4 Case Program, and every detail is finally spelled out with clarity. The program is divided into two categories, one for iPhone owners who have yet to purchase an iPhone 4 Bumper, and another for iPhone owners who have already purchased the iPhone 4 Bumper and want a reimbursement for their costs.
As for those who have yet to purchase an iPhone 4 Bumper, and would like to pick one up at no charge, the following steps should be followed. They should keep in mind, however, that certain time limits apply to the program. If they purchased the iPhone prior to July 23, they have until August 22 to receive their free Bumper. Otherwise, they must apply for the program within 30 days to qualify.
1. iPhone 4 owners should first download the iPhone 4 Case Program app directly from the App Store.
2. iPhone 4 owners should then launch the app on their iPhone 4 and sign in with their iTunes Store account or Apple ID.
3. Lastly, iPhone 4 owners should select their Bumper or case.
As for those who already purchased their iPhone Bumper, and would like a refund, several options apply, depending on how they purchased the iPhone:
1. Those who purchased the iPhone 4 Bumper using a credit card have already had their account credited by Apple.
2. Those who purchased their Bumper using cash, check or a gift card from the Apple Retail Store can return to the store with the receipt to receive a full refund.
3. Those who purchased the iPhone 4 Bumper using a gift card on the Apple Online Store will have a new gift card mailed to them automatically.
4. Those who purchased the iPhone 4 Bumper from an AT&T Store can receive a refund by filling out a rebate coupon, found online, at www.apple.com.
It is Apple’s hope that the iPhone 4 Case Program will quell any doubts that consumers may be having about the integrity of the iPhone, as well as the integrity of Apple itself.
