When Apple gave its highly publicized explanation of the iPhone 4 antenna issues to the press back in July, CEO Steve Jobs said that Apple would give all iPhone 4 users a free case as an interim solution while the company researched the problem further. An executive with Mexican mobile carrier Telcel has now claimed that after September 30, Apple will release revised iPhone 4 hardware that does not exhibit the same signal attenuation flaw.
While announcing the launch of the iPhone 4 in Mexico, Telcel’s Director of Value Added Services, Marco Quatorze, told CanalMX that initial units would exhibit the same antenna problems as those released so far in the US. He also said that Apple would be providing free cases to all iPhone 4 buyers who request one from its website.
However, Quatorze also said that after September 30—the date Jobs promised an update on the antenna issue and the date that the free case program expires—Apple will begin supplying revised iPhone 4 devices that “do not have the reception malfunction.”
MacRumors notes that it is unusual for a carrier executive to have such advance knowledge of Apple’s plans, or to be allowed to share it if he did. However, Quatorze also said that Telcel will have a number of options for early buyers to upgrade to the revised hardware without having to extend the usual two-year contract. Apple did not to respond to our request for clarification at the time of publication.