Because we love it: A wholesome guide to the very smart iPhone 4
With an objective to fend off competition from Google and other smartphone manufacturers, after months of unprecedented leaks, Steve Jobs has officially unveiled the iPhone 4 [you may have known it as the iPhone 4G until] at the Worldwide Developers Conference. According to Jobs, the new iPhone has 100 new features, a reason in the announcement he claimed: “We're going to take the biggest leap since the original iPhone. This is really hot. Beyond a doubt the most precise thing, the most beautiful thing we’ve ever made.”
Why you may want it: Notable features of the iPhone 4
"When it ships, it will be the best smartphone on the market."
To live by the ‘beautiful’ statement, the Apple’s new ‘beautiful’ gadget - iPhone 4 is a contraption, which is lighter, more powerful and thinner than any other phone on the block. The iPhone 4 has a delightful anti-scratch glass coating on the back and the front, with stainless steel band around the phone that’s stuffs inside the antenna and acts as the main structure of the phone.
The iPhone 4 has the same 3.5-inch screen (as the 3GS) but here with an impressive high definition aspect – it’s an IPS 960x640 display offering 800:1 contrast ratio – Apple calls this a ‘Retina Display’, it’s rated a 326ppi, something none of us have ever seen before and as Apple claims, is beyond the human eye’s limit of distinction.
The new phone allows users to multitask, letting you operate a series of applications simultaneously (the competitive phones have the feature already, but it certainly is a invasive addition to the iPhone), this thanks to the iOS 4 (iPhone OS 4 as we have known it better).
Following the iPhone 4 leaks, we were expecting a front facing camera for video calling and video chat, which Apple did deliver in the new ‘FaceTime’ – as they call the feature. For now the video calling is only possible over Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, which works from iPhone 4 to iPhone 4 only. The iPhone 4 also features LED flash alongside the new 5MP camera and separate buttons for volume up, down and mute. The new version of the iPhone offers an improved video-shooting capabilities, it packs a 720p camcorder that shoots at 30fps. For video editing Apple has introduced an app – this is a custom version of the iMovie app, which can be bought from the Apple Store for $4.99.
Under the vibrant and exciting exterior the iPhone 4 has an A4 processor, you’ve known for running your iPad. The phone’s form factor may be the thinnest out there, as we have told, but it still manages to stuff in itself a slightly larger built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery, which guarantees extended battery life to 7 hours of 3G talktime , 6 hours of browsing, 10 hours of Wi-Fi, 40 hours of music, and 300 hours of standby, freakin’ awesome improvement over the previously lousy iPhone battery. The other extras new inclusion on the iPhone is a gyroscope which coupled with the existing accelerometer and compass, gives it six-axis motion sensing, a wonder edition for the developers and the gamers alike.
Besides the aforementioned features, the all new heartening announcement from Jobs was that - Microsoft's Bing and Yahoo will now be seen as search options on the iPhone 4, iAds will open opportunities to design advertisements which would tie up with the apps and the Facebook fanatics will get the popular Farmville onto their new iPhone.
The Green claims
Apart from being high on technology, Apple has gifted its new iPhone 4 with several eco-friendly features. The iPhone 4 includes a proximity sensor and an ambient light sensor to curb energy use and is powered by a bigger battery as well. Moreover, the device has been created from PVC-free material. The iPhone 4 will ship in packaging made from recycled fiberboard and bio-based materials as well.
What topples the old? iPhone 4 Vs. iPhone 3GS
For those who own an iPhone 3GS know the limitations of their phone, while the others may still be interested in knowing. Since the iPhone 4 is the biggest leap since Apple’s first iPhone, we thought it was fitting to provide you with the gist on how the iPhone 4 is better equipped than the iPhone 3GS:
Price and availability:
To be made available in white or black colors, the iPhone 16GB will be priced at $199, while the 32GB version would be priced at $299, each with a two-year contract. This time Apple isn’t willing to waste time with its global endeavor, considering the competition from Google's Android based phones etc, and would therefore have the iPhone 4 going on sale in United States and four other countries (Germany, France, UK and Japan) on June 24, and would reach 88 other countries by September. Apple would be selling a first party case and a dock $29 each along with the iPhone 4, pre-orders for which would start within a week.
Face off against competitors
We’ve seen that the iPhone 4 plays heavier on the iPhone 3GS like all of us would have wanted. But all the users looking cool with Android phones and others planning on a new iPhone would definitely want to know how the iPhone 4 sizes up against its competitors viz-a-viz HTC EVO 4G, Nokia N8, Palm Pre Plus and HTC HD2.
Infographic courtesy Engadget
How gyroscope will revamp mobile gaming experience
The iPhone 4 with a built-in gyroscope would feature better sensitivity for more motion gestures offering a better gaming experience to the users. The gyroscope coupled with the existing accelerometer and compass, gives it six-axis motion sensing, which adds to the respective levels of precision. Sans the physical buttons or joystick etc the game developers have managed to get the best gaming experience to the users with the iPhone’s built-in accelerometer, yet the tilt sensing capabilities and the precision addition with the gyroscope would definitely add a new meaning to gaming on the iPhone. Developers should certainly update their tilt controlled games to benefit from the gyroscope sensor of the iPhone 4 but I am not really sure developing gyroscope-supported games particularly for the iPhone 4 would be financially great idea for the developers at this point in time.
The Verdict
The release of the iPhone 4 will have the Apple competitors scratching their heads to try and overcome what the new smart-genius-phone as touched upon and the gates of opportunity it has opened. How much of a headstart would this be for the fierce competitors’ remains to be seen though? With the iPhone 4 Apple continues to set pace for others mobile developers to follow. It’s unique FaceTime video calling, Retina display, HD video recording, gyroscope inclusion and 40% better battery life would certainly play heavy on many, but would the Apple iPhone 4 be innovative an iteration to stay ahead of the rival phones based on the Google’s Android OS, this too is a question that only time would answer.
For me, Jobs’ adamant attitude for not including Adobe Flash still plays as a negative besides the ever hefty price tag of the iPhone 4(considering the contract fee etc, over the cost).
