Smartphone makers push back against Apple

“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,” said the co-executives of Research in
Motion, maker of the Blackberry.

In a statement,
Nokia referenced the decades of research and development it has invested in
antenna design, while taking a jab at the iPhone 4’s reported signal issues for
left-handed users.

“In general, antenna
performance of a mobile device/phone may be affected with a tight grip,
depending on how the device is held. That’s why Nokia designs our phones to
ensure acceptable performance in all real life cases, for example when the
phone is held in either hand,” Nokia said.

During his comments on Friday Jobs said the antenna problem has
been blown out of proportion by the media and pointed out that only 0.55
percent of iPhone 4 customers have called to complain about the reception.
Apple is offering all customers a free case to resolve the antenna issue.