But there was trouble in paradise. The biggest criticism of the iPhone 4 concerned the antenna, which had an apparent tendency to lose signal and drop calls if the phone was held in a particular way. Apple fans spent a few weeks complaining about this, until...

15 July 2010: Apple addresses 'antennagate'

Apple tackled the problem head on, holding a where it argued that

a) Not many users were affected: "0.55% of all iPhone customers have called AppleCare with an antenna issue. The data leads you to the conclusion that it's been blown so out of proportion, it's incredible."

b) It was a problem that was common to all smartphones: "Phones aren't perfect, and it's a challenge for the entire industry. This happens to all phones. We haven't found a way around the laws of physics... yet." (Can I just add that this may be the most gloriously cheeky use of the word 'yet' in history?)