Apple to end Antennagate free case scheme

iPhone 4

Apple will cease offering free cases for iPhone 4 devices sold after 30 September, as the antenna issue is not now deemed as serious as the company first believed.

Just a small percentage of iPhone 4 owners actually need a case, Apple has claimed, and they will still be able to get a free one after the deadline.

"For everyone else, we are discontinuing the free case programme on all iPhone 4s sold after 30 September 2010," the Cupertino company said.

"Users experiencing antenna issues should call AppleCare to request a free Bumper case."

Anyone wanting to get their hands on a free case will need to download the iPhone 4 Case Program app from the Apple App store, sign in and then select the product they want.

Apple announced the free case initiative back in July, even though chief executive (CEO) Steve Jobs was adamant the iPhone 4's design was not flawed.

Jobs accused the media of trying to "tear down" the company following reports that some users experienced drastically reduced signal strength when they held the phone in a certain way what became known as the infamous "death grip."

It appears Apple is now looking to bring an end to the Antennagate saga.

Tom Brewster

Tom Brewster is currently an associate editor at Forbes and an award-winning journalist who covers cyber security, surveillance, and privacy. Starting his career at ITPro as a staff writer and working up to a senior staff writer role, Tom has been covering the tech industry for more than ten years and is considered one of the leading journalists in his specialism.

He is a proud alum of the University of Sheffield where he secured an undergraduate degree in English Literature before undertaking a certification from General Assembly in web development.