iPhone 4: the verdict
So, the next generation of iPhone has been released. Here’s what the great and the good of the tech world who have managed to grab a few minutes with the holy grail for phone lovers have to say about it…
“Courtesy of Apple “
Pocket Lint:
“The iPhone 4 feels great in the hand. The glass on the back and front makes it smooth and appealing – no wonder Apple’s own case is just a piece of brightly coloured rubber that covers the extreme edges, leaving the front and back exposed to the touch. And that stainless steel frame is pretty cool, too.”
Gizmodo, which famously got hold of a prototype earlier this year, commented:
“The biggest feature of the new iPhone 4 is probably video calling, thanks to its front camera. Apple calls it FaceTime, and it works iPhone 4 to iPhone 4 over Wi-Fi – at least for 2010. Apple claims that in the future it will be available over 3G.”
PC Pro’s Barry Collins, meanwhile, lists the four things he thinks are still missing from the iPhone 4:
“1. 64GB model: Those with even moderately sized music collections and an appetite for apps may struggle with the 32GB storage capacity, let alone the entry-level 16GB model.
2. OLED display.
3. iPad tethering: OK, nobody was seriously expecting Apple to shoot itself in the foot by allowing iPad owners to tether their device to the iPhone and give it a mobile internet connection. But is it really too much to ask for those who’ve invested in Apple products twice?
4. Music streaming.
FT:
“If you’re a gamer, you will appreciate the addition of a gyroscope to the iPhone’s motion-sensing capabilities, and if you are just a general user, improved battery life that allows up to 10 hours of internet browsing on Wi-Fi means the iPhone will still be lit up and functioning long after the Evo, with its weak battery life, will have shut down.”
Techradar was a fan of the phone’s camera functionality (with a 5mp sensor and 720p HD video):
“The metal buttons, shiny edge, and the way the flat-edged case feels more camera-like when you’re shooting pictures, like a particularly slim point-and-shoot. Solid and familiar, yet futuristic.”
PC Advisor:
“The new phone’s display doubles the resolution to a 960-by-640-pixel IPS display. That display truly makes a difference. Whereas the iPhone 3GS’s text – in the menus, in apps, or on web pages – appears thick, fuzzy, and undefined, the Apple iPhone 4′s text is razor sharp, even when enlarged. The new “Retina display” – so named because it surpasses the number of pixels the human retina can process – also greatly improves the sharpness, clarity, and visible detail of images.”
The Independent:
“Aside from the introduction of face-to-face video calling, it’s not a staggering feature set: a sleeker design, a better display and enhancements for gaming and photography. But, crucially, it’s way more powerful than its predecessor, speedier, easier to use, and will make previously laborious tasks seem like a cinch.”
MacWorld:
“We got to spend a few minutes using two new iPhone apps, iMovie and iBooks. Given just how much processing power is required to edit video, iMovie’s performance was impressive. Trimming a clip is a simple as tapping on it and dragging a pin right or left. Now you can shoot your kid’s dance recital, edit it together, and ship it out to friends and relatives before the dance teacher has finished her thank-yous at the end of the night.”
The Telegraph’s Claudine Beaumont sums it up for us:
“On battery life, speed and multitasking, Apple has addressed some of the key criticisms of its device. And, with Google Android snapping at its heels, Apple has, apparently effortlessly, manage to haul itself to the front of the chasing pack and cement its reputation for producing some of the best smartphones on the market.”
So, if that’s got your fingers twitching to flash the plastic and upgrading, here’s some final advice from PC Pro:
“O2 customers will have to sign a new 18- or 24-month contract when they purchase the iPhone 4, and of course pay for the new handset. Current iPhone owners could mitigate much of that upgrade fee – or even turn a profit – by trading in their current handset with O2. The network is offering £240 to customers recycling a 16GB iPhone 3GS, and £253 for the 32GB model. For customers with a year or less to run on their contract, that could eliminate the cost of buying out their contract.”
