Are pigs flying? Apple to hold press conference this Fri

Will wonders never cease? Looks like even Steve Jobs can’t ignore the public relations nightmare the iPhone 4 has invoked. In an uncharacteristic move, Apple is holding a press conference this Friday for a handful of media-type folks to talk about the iPhone 4. This news comes courtesy of well-known tech blogger Jim Dalrymple, who works for CNET, but posted the info on his own TheLoop.

The expected topic of the event is the handset’s now-infamous reception issues. Websites, tech experts and established journalists have been burning up quite a few keyboards, writing about the infamous “Death Grip” glitch, which has some users experiencing a loss or total drop in cellular signal when grasping the smartphone at the lower antenna points.

Apple’s first response to the signal complaints comprised of telling users not to hold the device that way, or purchase one of Apple’s Bumper cases, to prevent interference at the points of contact on the external antenna. The company eventually acknowledged that users saw a drop in bars — but chalked it up to a software problem that inaccurately showed the amount of signal reception. Apple said it was working on a fix in the next software version, iOS 4.1, a beta of which was just released to developers.

But most users, journalists and review sites didn’t buy the “inaccurate bar display” argument. They contend that the loss of signal was evident regardless of the number of bars displayed. Lately, the idea that Apple should recall the iPhone 4 is gaining traction, and demand for it has been reaching a fever pitch.

The latest milestone in this drama was Consumer Reports’ verdict on the iPhone 4 this week: It received the highest marks compared to every other smartphone on the market — and the highly regarded organization cannot recommend the device based on the antenna/reception issue. Today, the company released new findings regarding the Bumper case. Although some sites report varying degrees of success curtailing reception interference using the Apple cases, CR stated unequivocally that “The Bumper solves the signal-strength problem.”

Here’s a video CR shot, testing the phone’s signal strength with one of these cases on.

Was Consumer Reports’ coverage of the device the final straw that broke Jobs’ silence? Who knows. But after weeks of complaints, it’s interesting that Apple moved so quickly after CR got involved.

What do you think Cupertino will announce this Friday? Is a recall in the works? Will Jobs announce free Bumpers for all? And if neither of these things happen, will you grab a free iPhone 4 case instead of paying up $29 for an Apple-branded Bumper? Let us know your thoughts below.