Apple iPhone 4 Owners Can Apply for Their Free Case

Earlier this month, Apple CEO Steve Jobs revealed his company's plan for dealing with the iPhone 4's infamous "death grip" problem: owners of this smartphone can get a free case.

Since the iPhone 4 debuted in June, a storm of controversy has arisen after users discovered that holding this device in just the wrong way can greatly reduce wireless performance. Apple solution is it offer free cases to all owners of this smartphone.

Apple has begun allowing its customers to request these cases.  This is done by downloading an application called iPhone 4 Case Program from the App Store. This allows the user to choose from a selection of bumpers or cases.

Those who had already ordered a case from Apple before this plan was announced will be getting a refund for the cost.

Better Hurry
Apple's website has the following warning about this offer:

For iPhone 4 purchases made before July 23, 2010, you must apply no later than August 22, 2010; otherwise, you must apply within 30 days of your iPhone 4 purchase. To qualify for this program, you must purchase your iPhone 4 by September 30, 2010.

It's not clear what the situation is going to be after September 30 -- it's possible Apple expects to have a modified version of this device on the market by then.

Explanation of the "Death Grip" Problem
The iPhone 4 has a new design in which the outer edge of the device is used as a collection of antennas. While in most cases this improves the phone's wireless performance, a problem cropped up as well.

Numerous people and organizations, including Consumer Reports, have established that if a user's finger or hand touches a spot on the iPhone 4's lower left side -- an easy thing to do, especially for lefties -- the signal can degrade enough to cause the device to lose its connection completely in areas with low signal strength.

Putting the smartphone in a case prevents this from happening, which is why Apple is  giving out free cases.