Weeks after the official launch the iPhone is still selling like gangbusters. Why? Because its a great phone. The best iPhone Apple has ever released, and one of the best smartphones out there. But, if you have frequented tech blogs, or over the past few days, even “mainstream” media outlets, you would think that not one person using the iPhone4 is able to make phone calls.

Why? Because, like always, stories about Apple products drive page-views, especially when there is even the slightest whif of bad in them. And in this case, there are some negative aspects to the iPhone4. The issue getting the most attention lately: AntennaGate.

The facts of this situation are as follows – Under certain circumstances, some people, when holding the phone in a very particular way, can cause a not insignificant reduction in the signal quality of the phone. Not one person out there denies that this happens, even the most staunch Apple fans will admit that for some people, this is happening.

But, if you only read and believe the bogs, and the myriad of news outlets that have latched onto this trending topic, you could come away believing that EVERYONE is having this problem, ALL THE TIME. There are cries for a recall, for Apple to give things away, people predicting the end of Apple.... Blah blah blah. The reporting that is being done on this issue is not unlike the predictions that have been made so many times, by all walks of tech commentators – Apple will never succeed, at anything.

But lets be honest for a moment, Apple has sold nearly 2 MILLION of these new phones in under a month, and reports of this problem occurring in real-life situations are anecdotal at best. Only under perfect conditions could even Consumer Reports get the signal attenuation of occur, and that was in a closed lab.

I don’t have the new phone, I will at some point, but my hesitation has nothing to do with the antenna, and everything to do with price and timing. But I have had hands on experience with several different iPhone4’s, and had lengthy conversations with their owners. At no point have I, or these owners experienced a drop in the signal, let alone a failed call, simply because of the way they were holding the phone. Personally, I find it extremely uncomfortable to even hold the phone in a manner that is supposed to cause the antenna issue, and I know I am not alone on that.

So what is really happening here? My guess, there is a small issue, for a small percentage of people, in certain environments. Additionally, blogging, tweeting, Facebooking all give the small number of people, a very big voice, one that gets noticed by other bloggers. It is en vogue to attack Apple, and particularly the iPhone, simply because they/it has been extremely successful. Its way more fun to blog about an underdog, or something negative than it will ever be to promote something that is already successful. Finally, this has become such a high-trending topic simply because editors/bloggers/posters know that this topic, even when they are not adding anything new to the conversation, will drive eyes to their sites, helping to boost their advertising revenue.

And once again, we see that the hype always comes back to two things. 1. MONEY 2. My team is better than yours.

I think that Apple has had a very rough go PR-wise the past several months, and believe they may need to alter how they relate to the public and media because of it. Right now, they are not addressing the issue in a way that helps stop the conversation. By ignoring it, and not engaging it, they are quickly adding fuel to the fire. I don’t see a recall on the horizon, but I do see a big PR/marketing push to get back some positive mindshare.

To see some other perspectives, check out AppleMatters.