Review
Product: Apple iPhone 4
Manufacturer: Apple
MSRP: 16 GB ($199.99 under contract), 32 GB ($299.99 under contract)
Introduction
Unless you've been living under a rock for the past couple weeks, it's hard to read the news without seeing a mention of Apple's brand-new iPhone 4. Released in the U.S. on June 24th, Apple sold about 1.7 million units of the device in about 3 days. The iPhone 4 is the fourth generation of the iPhone which started with the first iPhone in 2007, followed by the 3G and 3GS in the following years. Click on to read my full impressions.
Unboxing and First Impressions
If you're familiar with the shape / feel of the iPhone 3G and 3GS, you'll immediately notice a difference in the industrial design of the iPhone 4. The overall feel of the device is heavy and generally more solid than the previous versions of the phone. It's slightly smaller than the width / height of the 3GS, and the back glass plate of the phone is identical to the front — very slick and slippery. In the small, tight packaging, the phone conceals an instruction booklet, the standard white iPhone headphones, a USB cable for charging / computer connection and the USB power adapter for an AC outlet. It's the identical power adapter as the other iPhones, not the bulkier adapter that comes with the iPad.
Between the two panes of black glass, you'll find the much debated steel antenna that surrounds the entire phone. Along the band, you'll find the volume buttons (now in stainless steel), the vibrate switch for silent use, the power button at the top of the phone along with the 3.5mm headphone jack. The volume buttons require a stronger push then previous models, eliminating accidential pressing of the buttons. On the right side, you'll see the micro sim card slot and on the bottom, the proprietary Apple connector. On the back of the iPhone 4, the new 5 megapixel camera hugs the top right corner along with the LED flash. Overall, the new version of the iPhone looks more attractive than previous models, and it certainly fits in my pocket better then the last iPhone, even with the bumper case installed.
Specifications
To say that the iPhone got a few upgrades in this version is vastly understating the amount of improvements that came with the iPhone 4. Starting with the internals, the CPU is a version of the 1GHz A4 chip that you can find in the iPad (likely clocked a bit slower). It provides a snappier experience from the 3GS and is extremely noticeable if you're stepping up from the iPhone 3G. Apple increased the amount of RAM in the iPhone 4 to 512 MB from 256 MB as well as updating to 802.11n Wi-fi and Bluetooth 2.1. There's a new lithium-ion battery in the iPhone 4 which provides a more substantial battery life than previous models. Storage has remained the same as the iPhone 4 is offered in 16GB and 32GB sizes.
The rear 5 megapixel camera is capable of 720p 30fps HD video recording and includes the LED flash as mentioned before. There's also a second camera on the front of the phone used for self-portraits and the Facetime video calling feature. Apple also included a gyroscope in this version, which will likely be used in a variety of upcoming game releases. Additionally, there's a second noise reducing microphone on the phone to eliminate street noise when making a call.
The biggest improvement to this version of the iPhone is the quality of the screen. Using what Apple calls the Retina display, the 960 by 640 resolution has an impressive 326 pixels per inch and a 800 to 1 contrast ratio. Comparing the iPhone 4 and a previous model side-by-side makes the differences very clear. Text rendering is extremely clear as you can read text on nearly any website immediately without having to increase the size of the page.
Review
I've used both the 3G and the 3GS before, so I'm certainly no stranger to Apple's operating system and their overall design of applications. What I'm most impressed about with the iPhone is the speed at which applications respond compared to previous phones. For example, I can hop into the map application on a 3G connection and make almost immediate transitions to zooming into street level — especially helpful when on the road and traveling by GPS directions. Web pages load faster, the camera takes / stores pictures quicker, games load a few seconds faster than the 3GS, the Facebook application is more responsive, etc.
Regarding reception and the publicized antenna issues, I haven't run into any problems with dropped calls or lack of bars. (That's using it with the bumper case.) That said, I was able to replicate the bar dropping issue when tightly gripping the phone with my left hand. Obviously with a case, the issue dissappears. Anyway, I've had pretty much no problem with coast to coast calls on this phone, something that my iPhone 3G would struggle with constantly. I also got the opportunity to try out Facetime with some friends. While I'm mildly impressed with the technology (switching from camera to camera during a call, the overall video quality), I have trouble justifying using it when it only works on Wi-fi and it's limited to the few people that currently have an iPhone 4.
In regards to iOS4 (available to all 3G and 3Gs owners), I've got my games organized into folders, and I have been enjoying multitasking with Pandora on. The multitasking slider bar is particularly cool when I want to skip songs without having to reenter the Pandora app. The unified mailbox improvements are nice, but certainly not as impressive of an experience as on my iPad.
Conclusion
Should you upgrade to the iPhone 4 if you have a previous version? If you have a 3G and your contract is up, without a doubt. If you have a 3GS, I would try out iOS4 first and then go play with an iPhone 4 in an Apple store or borrow one from a friend to test it before considering an upgrade. Plus, according to Bloomberg, there's a Verizon announcement looming on the January horizon that makes the iPhone 4 an even more attractive option. In short, I'm very impressed with the quality of the display and speed of the phone over previous models. It's highly recommended to anyone interested in the iPhone platform.
Image Gallery
Manufacturer: Apple
MSRP: 16 GB ($199.99 under contract), 32 GB ($299.99 under contract)
Introduction
Unless you've been living under a rock for the past couple weeks, it's hard to read the news without seeing a mention of Apple's brand-new iPhone 4. Released in the U.S. on June 24th, Apple sold about 1.7 million units of the device in about 3 days. The iPhone 4 is the fourth generation of the iPhone which started with the first iPhone in 2007, followed by the 3G and 3GS in the following years. Click on to read my full impressions.
Unboxing and First Impressions
If you're familiar with the shape / feel of the iPhone 3G and 3GS, you'll immediately notice a difference in the industrial design of the iPhone 4. The overall feel of the device is heavy and generally more solid than the previous versions of the phone. It's slightly smaller than the width / height of the 3GS, and the back glass plate of the phone is identical to the front — very slick and slippery. In the small, tight packaging, the phone conceals an instruction booklet, the standard white iPhone headphones, a USB cable for charging / computer connection and the USB power adapter for an AC outlet. It's the identical power adapter as the other iPhones, not the bulkier adapter that comes with the iPad.
Between the two panes of black glass, you'll find the much debated steel antenna that surrounds the entire phone. Along the band, you'll find the volume buttons (now in stainless steel), the vibrate switch for silent use, the power button at the top of the phone along with the 3.5mm headphone jack. The volume buttons require a stronger push then previous models, eliminating accidential pressing of the buttons. On the right side, you'll see the micro sim card slot and on the bottom, the proprietary Apple connector. On the back of the iPhone 4, the new 5 megapixel camera hugs the top right corner along with the LED flash. Overall, the new version of the iPhone looks more attractive than previous models, and it certainly fits in my pocket better then the last iPhone, even with the bumper case installed.
Specifications
To say that the iPhone got a few upgrades in this version is vastly understating the amount of improvements that came with the iPhone 4. Starting with the internals, the CPU is a version of the 1GHz A4 chip that you can find in the iPad (likely clocked a bit slower). It provides a snappier experience from the 3GS and is extremely noticeable if you're stepping up from the iPhone 3G. Apple increased the amount of RAM in the iPhone 4 to 512 MB from 256 MB as well as updating to 802.11n Wi-fi and Bluetooth 2.1. There's a new lithium-ion battery in the iPhone 4 which provides a more substantial battery life than previous models. Storage has remained the same as the iPhone 4 is offered in 16GB and 32GB sizes.
The rear 5 megapixel camera is capable of 720p 30fps HD video recording and includes the LED flash as mentioned before. There's also a second camera on the front of the phone used for self-portraits and the Facetime video calling feature. Apple also included a gyroscope in this version, which will likely be used in a variety of upcoming game releases. Additionally, there's a second noise reducing microphone on the phone to eliminate street noise when making a call.
The biggest improvement to this version of the iPhone is the quality of the screen. Using what Apple calls the Retina display, the 960 by 640 resolution has an impressive 326 pixels per inch and a 800 to 1 contrast ratio. Comparing the iPhone 4 and a previous model side-by-side makes the differences very clear. Text rendering is extremely clear as you can read text on nearly any website immediately without having to increase the size of the page.
Review
I've used both the 3G and the 3GS before, so I'm certainly no stranger to Apple's operating system and their overall design of applications. What I'm most impressed about with the iPhone is the speed at which applications respond compared to previous phones. For example, I can hop into the map application on a 3G connection and make almost immediate transitions to zooming into street level — especially helpful when on the road and traveling by GPS directions. Web pages load faster, the camera takes / stores pictures quicker, games load a few seconds faster than the 3GS, the Facebook application is more responsive, etc.
Regarding reception and the publicized antenna issues, I haven't run into any problems with dropped calls or lack of bars. (That's using it with the bumper case.) That said, I was able to replicate the bar dropping issue when tightly gripping the phone with my left hand. Obviously with a case, the issue dissappears. Anyway, I've had pretty much no problem with coast to coast calls on this phone, something that my iPhone 3G would struggle with constantly. I also got the opportunity to try out Facetime with some friends. While I'm mildly impressed with the technology (switching from camera to camera during a call, the overall video quality), I have trouble justifying using it when it only works on Wi-fi and it's limited to the few people that currently have an iPhone 4.
In regards to iOS4 (available to all 3G and 3Gs owners), I've got my games organized into folders, and I have been enjoying multitasking with Pandora on. The multitasking slider bar is particularly cool when I want to skip songs without having to reenter the Pandora app. The unified mailbox improvements are nice, but certainly not as impressive of an experience as on my iPad.
Conclusion
Should you upgrade to the iPhone 4 if you have a previous version? If you have a 3G and your contract is up, without a doubt. If you have a 3GS, I would try out iOS4 first and then go play with an iPhone 4 in an Apple store or borrow one from a friend to test it before considering an upgrade. Plus, according to Bloomberg, there's a Verizon announcement looming on the January horizon that makes the iPhone 4 an even more attractive option. In short, I'm very impressed with the quality of the display and speed of the phone over previous models. It's highly recommended to anyone interested in the iPhone platform.
Image Gallery
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A bargain this is not.
Ive seen em for cheaper
How 'bout an Android phone review also? I am not interested in being locked into the Apple environment. Fortunately, Android phones are rapidly gaining market share and in my view will become the standard smartphone platform within a few years.
I can't get the coupon code to work.
Definitely get a bumper: http://gizmodo.com/5582647/iphone-4-catches-fire-burns-owners-hand
So is a hacked iphone better or a hacked android?
*If you reply with "do you want freedom or captivity" as an answer, please back that response up with something tangible.
Thanks in advance
I love it how my iPhone loses signal if I hold it with my left hand. I must be holding it wrong.
Thanks for the honest review. ive been waiting for someone to compare it to a 3G, not just on the specs but how launching, etc feels.
"If you have a 3G and your contract is up, without a doubt"
Thanks for the review, I think you are very accurate and I agree with almost everything you said. We have some for users here at work and I just watched the bars drop and the phone go to searching for signal in person... so I'm very worried about that.
(@Apple) If the bumper is required, why is it a $30 accessory?
On the 3G, apps take a long time to launch, general usage of apps can be slow, etc. On the 3GS and 4, app launches are much faster, getting around apps has very little to no lag and the interface scrolls very quickly.
That said, I bought an Evo, jail broke it and now I'm sharing my net connection over wireless without having to pay Sprint the additional $30 per month. http://code.google.com/p/android-wifi-tether/
Post edited by Ben out of spite.
I think that Ben is just showing off his new iphone.
Good Job Ben! I Love the phone too! and a good review.
This coupon was limited to 4 uses only.
Interesting how Ben spent so much time on the features of this "phone" without mentioning whether or not it was a good phone. I guess nobody uses the phone feature much anymore.
Do you know eyephone is also a phone?
Bought one and returned it.
Before even thinking about buying it do a search with keyword "iPhone 4 Death Grip". Merely holding it normally on lower portion of the phone, your reception go from 5 bars down to 1 or none. This is obviously a design problem, but Apple claim that it is program error.
Lets not forget Apple formal response from Steve Jobs is "you are holding it wrong!" Later change to there is no Death Grip, all cell phones lose signals. Finally the most recent response is the display does not display the correct info, the next iOS update will fix this which I highly doubt because software do not fix dropped calls.
Do another search on "iPhone 4 proximity sensor", because when you bring the phone to your ear to talk the screen some times it stays lit and button functional so your face may hit a button.
Basically iPhone4 was rushed out because their phone was lost and the secret was out, have to rush it out to keep people interested in the phone before it become old news and the new gadgets become common on other phones as well.
i disagree with unison999... software can undoubtedly affect reception. just like an in car dash receiver (g pioneer) can affect sound quality of the radio.. also disagree that they rushed it.. a new iphone comes out annually.. and undoubtedly there will be a next generation, and another, and so on.. every year, they have that mac/apple meeting and steve jobs never lets us down with a new innovative product. one year it was the ipod, another it was the iphone. the mac book air... the nano... etc. to name a few.
Ben, are you trying to show off that you got an I phone 4 while most people don't?
I'm ditching my 3G to get a Droid of some sort (X or 2) in August or September. A co-worker of mine recently got an iPhone 4 and I vomited on it when he showed it to me. It's digusting. It seems marginally quicker than a 3GS with a nicer screen and quicker/better camera. That's great, since I never use the camera on my 3G and the screen resolution on it is just fine (in my opinion). I can't take 2 more years of AT&T AND Apple's s Android, here I come!!!
Thanks for the review Ben. My 3G contract is not up til next march. I figure i will wait until the Iphone 5 announcement and see whats coming before leaping. But wow has trusty old 3G slowed down with ios 3&4. Getting annoying. Planned obsolescence.