19:07 Oct 30, 2011 

Electrically, the 4-pole plug has 4 contacts (poles). Visually, the author describes the plug as having 3 bands (and a tip - that is out of the discussion). The band that is closer to the plug root (opposite the tip) is also called "sleeve" whereas the next two are called "rings". Bottom line - author mixes terminology in an inconsistent manner. (Historically, the PL55 plug had 2 contacts - ring and tip).
If I were the technical writer of the same, I would say that, counting the tip as contact no. 1, the Apple version uses contact no. 4 as MIC and contact no. 3 as GND - whereas Nokia uses contact no. 3 as MIC and contact no. 4 as GND. Very simple IMHO.