Nokia, RIM assail Apple over antenna claims

RIM and Nokia have attacked Apple over Steve Jobs’ claims that their phones also suffer from antenna problems.

 

The Apple CEO apologized at a rare press conference at the company’s headquarters last Friday over the signal problems in the new iPhone 4.

 

However, he infuriated rivals with his claims that other smartphones also suffer from similar signal problems.

 

“Most smartphones behave exactly the same way,” Jobs told reporters, citing BlackBerry, HTC Droid Eris, Samsung Omnia and Windows mobile phones. “Phones aren’t perfect and it’s a challenge for the whole industry.” 

 

Jobs announced that Apple would give away free phone cases, aimed at eliminating the signal loss caused by users gripping the lower left hand side of the phone.

 

But RIM co-CEOs Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis described his comments as “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,” they said in an emailed statement.