Apple’s offering of a rare mea culpa in the Antenna-gate scandal has shocked many in the tech business. Here’s everything you need to know about Apple’s apology press conference in one handy list.

iPhone

• The iPhone4 has sold amazingly well, shifting 3 million units in less than a month
• Steve Jobs was quick to point out that it has been judged the #1 smartphone by many tech outlets

• Apple acknowledged the widely known problem with the iPhone4’s antennae, namely that if you hold the phone in your left hand, it can drop signal
• Apple went to great pains to demonstrate that this happens on other phones, such as the Droid Eris and Blackberry 9700.

• Steve Jobs claims it’s a problem the entire industry deals with
• Apple constructed an advanced test facility with 17 anechoic chambers (sound canceling chambers) to test the iPhone when they started making phones

• Apple claims that stats show the iPhone4 drops less than one call more (per 100 calls) than the 3GS.
• Jobs also claimed that the complaint rate among users was 0.55% (that’s still more than 16,000 users)
• However, despite the complaint rate being relatively high, Apple says only 1.7% of buyers are returning the phone
• This is an impressive stat given that the iPhone 3GS had a 6% return rate, which was still better than AT&T’s average.
• The white iPhone4 will be released in July.
• Apple plan to remedy some issues with the proximity sensor in the next iOS update.
• Apple deny that “a senior engineer” discovered the problem before release, but was ignored

Remedying the Problem

• Jobs says that despite the fact that AT&T sees only a small percent of users affected, they want to remedy this
• “We want all of our users to be happy.”
• Step one of remedying the problem is iOS4.0.1
• Fixes the misrepresentation of signal in the phone and also fixes the problems with Microsoft Exchange
• Jobs also acknowledges that the bumper fixes the problems with the phone.
• As a result, Apple’s giving every buyer a free case
• They can’t make enough bumpers, Jobs says, so they’ll make them as fast as possible
• In the meantime, they’ll offer a selection of cases to users.
• If you bought a bumper, Apple will reimburse you
• Getting a case is as easy as applying on their website.
• In addition, if you return your undamaged iPhone4 within 30 days of purchase, Apple will give you a full refund
• If you return your phone, AT&T will also refund your contract
• This will continue through September 30th
• The September 30th date is so Apple can reevaluate the issue and determine whether they can mitigate it
• Third-party case purchases are not included in the refund scheme
• This is because Apple isn’t necessarily on the best terms with third-party case manufacturers because they have spilled details on what new products will look like by showing off new cases, or so says Jobs.

Summary

• The iPhone’s external antenna works very well, although it is prone to interference
• Other phones have this issue too, but their antennae aren’t exposed so it’s not as easy to see
• Apple wants to fix the problem by giving out free cases and rolling out the new iOS update

Thanks to Engadget for the photos.