iPhone 4 unearthed: Apple’s perfect recipe for smartphone supremacy
Amongst all the iPad Hype Steve Jobs finally announced iPhone 4 at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in San Francisco. Apple has been known for surprising its adversaries in the past, but somehow iPhone 4 (at that time known as iPhone 4G) information was leaked in the cloud. Well, all those things are inconsequential now, as Apple showcased its latest concept of what a smartphone can really be.
# What iPhone 4 really is?
Apple had not made a major upgrade in its iPhone division for two years, although minor critical upgrades came along in this period of time. The all new iPhone 4 is a complete revamp from the current version of iPhone, which looks to take on Windows Phone 7 Series.
First impressions
Believe you me, talking about first impressions this smartphone is an eye-candy. Be it the looks, features, or sleek functionality. Talking about the past, Apple is known for playing it safe when it comes to new launches, but Steve Jobs seems to have thrown it all into iPhone 4. The body is amazingly thin to hold, display is freaking awesome, operating system is much snappier, it’s not too heavy, and the body frame feels sturdy when you hold it.
How is it different from earlier versions?
Courtesy Engadget
When compared to iPhone 3GS, the new iPhone 4 gives the impression of being way ahead of time. The screen resolution is almost double, it sports an all new iOS 4, battery life is a big catch for users, front & back camera is perfect for video conferencing applications; and to top it all the pricing is completely justified.
The Crisp specifications
• iPhone 4 is 4.5 x 2.31 inches, 0.37 inches thick and it weighs 4.8 ounces (137 grams)
• 3.5 inch multi-touch screen
• 960x640 Retina display rated at 326ppi (pixel per inch)
• 800-to-1 contrast ratio
• Cortex-A8 main processor unit—the main brain—paired with a PowerVR SGX 535
• Two low-power 128MB DDR SDRAM chips
• Has a 5megapixels, with 5X digital zoom (with backside illuminated sensor) with HD video (at 720p / 30fps) recording options
• A rear camera with LED flash
• 3-axis gyroscope coupled up with 3-axis accelerometer sensor
• 30-pin connector port
• Microphone on the top used for noise cancelation
• Uses the new micro-SIM standard
• 7 hours of 3G talk, 6 hours of 3G browsing, 10 hours of WiFi browsing, 10 hours of video, and 40 hours of music
# Cost and availability options
The iPhone 4 will be available in black/white on June 24, and will cost $199 and $299 for 16 and 32GB if you are a new user. If you are an existing iPhone user, the early upgrade will make you $399 and $499 lighter. Without contract, the iPhone 4 is $499 and $599.
# Resident Operating System
iPhone 4 has the all new iOS 4, and the iPhone’s resident software will be known by this name only from now on. iOS 4 brings the much awaited selective multi-tasking feature to the iPhone 4. This new OS is much faster & snappier than the current iPhone version, not only that it brings whole load of new features missing in its adversaries.
# Powerhouse under the hood
Apple’s A4 chip, much like the iPad’s processor chip is the brain-center of iPhone 4 smartphone. This chip is made up of two inter-connected chips; Cortex-A8 main processor unit and PowerVR SGX 535 that thrust the new iPhone for high definition graphics and fast processing. the main standout point of this processor chip is its power-efficient technology.
# Sleek design exteriors
Although Apple has maintained rounded contours at the corners, a flattened look on the sides and the back sports the new iPhone 4. It is 9.3mm thick and is 34 % thinner than the iPhone 3GS, which is uber cool. Stainless steel rim acts as the skeletal to bind together the smartphone, and also acts as the antenna for Wi-Fi & 3G reception, so we can expect crystal clear reception on iPhone 4.
# Stunning display for a smartphone
iPhone 4 boasts-off an amazing 3.5-inch multi-touch display(dubbed as retina diplay) having 960x640 pixel resolution at 326 pixels per inch with 800:1 contrast ratio that is 4X better than the previous generation iPhones. That means you can enjoy 720 p movies, internet browsing, applications, crisp text, 3D graphics, and more to the fullest.
# Extra fuel in the tank is definitive bonus
iPhone 4 will have a battery that is 16% bigger than the current version, couple this up with A4 processor having smart sub-components that switch-off and switch-on for optimized battery life on the go. As of now, Apple claims to have improved on talk time statistics by 40% on the new iPhone 4.
# Gaming like never before
Earlier versions of Apple iPhone have not been a big hit with gaming community. Constraints with the hardware, left app developers no other choice but to give-up the thought of developing high-end 3D games. iPhone 4 is set to change it all with advanced motion controls and high-definition graphics processor, that give app developers the leverage to develop 3D games. The new iPhone display will provide for some adrenalin rush gaming on the iPhone itself.
# Look forward to some really great Apps
Steve jobs has left no stone unturned in iPhone 4’s hardware or functionality components; so you can mark my word that devs will come-up with stunning apps for this version. Developers will also get access to a new gyroscope, giving iPhone dev team ‘six axis’ motion control between the gyroscope, accelerometer, and compass; supported by a new "Core Motion" API.
# Competitors that’ll make the cut
Courtesy Engadget
iPhone 4 has raised the bar to a new level with Windows Phone 7 Series looking to take the challenge on to the smartphone arena. If we look at the competition from OS platform perspective, the viable competitors for iPhone 4 are EVO 4G, Nokia N8, Palm Pre Plus, HTC HD2; and of-course Windows Phone 7 Series.
# What technology experts say?
Paul Miller from Engadget says:
Sure, it looks exactly like we expected it to (Steve compares it to an old Leica camera), with a glass front and back, but it's what's on the inside that counts, kids.
Devin Coldwey from Mobile Crunch says:
Three years is a long time to stick with what was essentially the same design, especially for a company as chameleonic as Apple. A change was due, and the change is welcome.
Richard Goodwin from Know Your Mobile says:
The new iPhone 4 features an absolute shed-load of new features, specs and design quirks - some of which, have never been seen before.
# The bottom line
Every aspect of the iPhone 4 is drenched in the word “new”, so it has a lot more to offer than it is apparent right now. From what I’ve read and seen of the iPhone 4 so far, it is a complete package loaded with features galore. Nothing seems to be cranky on first look, and I hope Apple has finally got the iPhone formulae right, if already it wasn’t a revelation.
# iPhone 4 as it is seen
Have a look at some of this exclusive iPhone 4 pictures courtesy Gizmo Watch.
