UPDATE: I was right. Steve Jobs did not send the emails below. MacRumors has the details here.

I’m starting to disbelieve that the best marketer in the world is sending emails like these. If this is real, he’s killing himself.

The iPhone Blog and the Boy Genius Report are detailing this conversation Jobs had with a customer:

TOM: You are going to kill your brand over one product. Apple is coming off arrogant and rude. If there is no fix just tell people so they can return their phones. We have work to do. I have bought just about every apple product made in the last 20 years and this is the 1st time I am ashamed to be a MAC fan. This is just sickening,

JOBS: No, you are getting all worked up over a few days of rumors. Calm down.

TOM: I just had dinner with 3 people who had iPhone 4s we all cant make calls without dropping. There is no rumors it is reality.

JOBS: You are most likely in an area with very low signal strength.

TOM: I hope this this is not really you. Are we on a different MHz? I have yet to see an iPhone [4] work in Richmond when you hold it in your hand. It is not “isolated”. I was a big fan. But I am done.

JOBS: You may be working from bad data. Not your fault. Stay tuned. We are working on it. Sent from my iPhone

JOBS: Retire, relax, enjoy your family. It is just a phone. Not worth it.

Hard to believe that a person so talented in creating powerful marketing and passionate consumer fans talks to customers like this. I have my doubts.