The New iPhone 4: My Thoughts
Today, June 7th, Apple came out and officially announced the new iPhone: the iPhone 4.
People were anticipating lots of things coming out of WWDC, but surprisingly, the one we knew the most about is the only one that came to fruition. You probably won't be surprised to hear that the new iPhone is the same one that was leaked (at least by design). Here, we'll take a look at the details announced, and I'll finalize my thoughts in comparison to the 3GS, so you can decide if you want to upgrade (which AT&T is offering for all upgradeable lines in 2010).
New Design
Just as leaked, the iPhone 4 has a glass and steel design. The face and backing are made of glass (black or white) that is resistant to scratches, which is phenomenal. This is the same material they use for windshields in helicopters and trains. The steel bands wrapping around the device are where all the cellular components are, and provide extra support for holding the device together. It is reported to be five times stronger than ordinary steel. Inside, it introduces the A4 chipset, first launched in the iPad. That power utilized in such a small device is supposed to make it even faster, and consume less battery life than ever before. It also now contains a gyroscope, in combination with the accelerometer, to make rotations of the device in gameplay even more accurate. This is similar to the Playstation 3 controllers or the Wii MotionPlus. There is also a second microphone located at the top of the device used for noise cancellation, like in the Bose QC headphones.
Retina Display
The 960-by-640 backlit LCD display boasts a pixel density of 326 pixels per inch, making it the highest-resolution phone screen ever. To achieve this, Apple engineers developed pixels 78 micrometers across, that the human eye can’t distinguish them individually. That makes text remarkably sharp and graphics incredibly vivid. IPS technology also provides excellent color and contrast from almost any viewing angle. The screen retains it same size, and matches, if not excels the quality and clarity of the iPad.
Rear Camera
The camera mounted on the backside of the device is now upgraded to 5 megapixels. I also admire the fact that in the keynote, Steve Jobs made a point that megapixels don't necessarily determine quality. (Coming from me) It seems here, the quality is absolutely stellar. They've touted the camera to be the same size even though the quality has increased, to allow more photons to be taken in. The iPhone 4 also records video in high definition 720p. Located next to the camera is an LED flash for low light situations. I'm not sure whether that kicks in automatically in low light or if you have to set it yourself, but it's a nice feature nonetheless.
FaceTime
On the front of the device, there is another camera used for video calling. This function is called FaceTime. It allows people to make calls, but see each others faces. It also allows you to switch between cameras and make a call off the rear camera. What I'm curious to see is if you can record video from the front camera. What's disappointing about this feature is that it only works where there is WiFi (so we might see it coming to the iPod touch), and it only works iPhone 4 to iPhone 4.
iPhone OS 4.0, now called iOS 4, was discussed, but only to highlight the features once again, so it's not worth an in-depth view at this point. It will, however, be free for all devices on June 21st, but is not supported by the first generation iPod touch, and some features are excluded on the iPhone 3G.
My Thoughts
The design, I couldn't be more thrilled with. At first glance, it wasn't too appealing to me, because it just seemed ugly. After hearing the specifics, and the power it packs behind it, in a device that is 9.3 millimeters thin, the thinnest smartphone on the planet, I'm sold. The camera, I'm pretty excited about. I don't own a digital camera, so having great quality photos and videos wherever I go will be fantastic. I can almost guarantee I won't be using FaceTime, and I'm hard-pressed to see who will. The features in iOS 4, I haven't been able to try for myself, but I'll see how I use them once I get the device.
I can say now, I will be getting the iPhone 4, 16GB in black, most likely. I cannot tell you if it is a worthwhile upgrade from a 3GS. I would recommend holding off if you have a 3GS. If you have a 3G or 2G iPhone, I think you should upgrade. It probably is worthwhile, unless you just got the 3G for $99 last year.
The iPhone 4 will be available for pre-order on June 15th, and sales on June 24th. It will come in black or white, 16GB for $199 and 32GB for $299. An 8GB 3GS will be available in black for $99.
Mike Khuraibet Jun 7, 2010 at 3:05 PM
Reader Comments (2)
i love the new iphone4 but what the point of having video calling on wifi ?
THE IPHONE4 IS AMAZING AND AWESOME!! 100% BEST PHONE SO FAR :D GREAT JOB APPLE! :)