Yesterday at
#WWDC Steve Jobs finally revealed what we had
known for a month or so; the details on the iPhone 4 officially. There are a few key features the iPhone 4 has in this revision which not only puts it on par with almost all other handsets on the market as an overall mobile device, but also as an overall experience.
There have been a few buzzwords coming out of Apple which to be honest are pretty much gimmicky and something Apple should look at, it's becoming ridiculous with all these stupid iNames. All they do is remove attention from what is a sublime piece of hardware. iAds (Aids) and Facetime etc, just sound stupid. Getting down to the details;
Retina Display
This is Apples name for a very high resolution display packed into a 3.5 inch screen, the results are as expected; crisp text and smooth picture and colour balance. The 960x640 resolution which displays 326 ppi (pixels per inch) is the highest in the industry. Match that with the 800:1 contrast ratio and users should get a vibrant, clear and crisp experience. It's interesting to note Apple decided to use an IPS screen rather than an AMOLED, it will be interesting to see if the colour accuracy holds up and which is better.
Camera
Finally we have a proper upgrade to the camera on the iPhone, which brings it in-line with most high/mid range handsets on the market. Not only does it come with an LED flash and auto focus but it also does 720p video capture at 30fps - this is a huge bonus in my eyes and should leave the iPhone4 with a lot of time to hold it's own in that segment until the next revision is due. It will also include iMovie which would allow the users to edit video and send all using the iPhone itself.
It also comes with a front facing VGA camera which now will do video calling but only via WiFi. This is an interesting move as video calling is nothing new (which tends to be a common complaint when Apple releases "new" features) but the uptake of video calling has never taken off, even if the technology and service has been around for almost a decade. There are a few factors which perhaps play to this conundrum; a - the use of video calling. Most are happy just calling someone via a voice call. The instances where video calling is desirable are few, calling family abroad maybe one of the reasons where video calling is desirable. Being able to see flesh and blood and interact with them is an experience much better than just hearing their voice. Which brings up the key point of the iPhone4 ding it via WiFi only. It makes sense because the bandwidth would be enough to cope with a good picture quality, and using WiFi it's very likely the users will be stationary. The only negative I can find for this feature is that it will only be capable iPhone 4 to iPhone 4. That is pretty poor. Why it can't be done iPhone 4 to Mac is purely down to Apples walled garden nature.
iOS4
the iPhone OS has been re-branded to iOS4, this is purely done for marketing purposes and I can see where this is leading. The important thing in relation to the iPhone 4 on this matter is it brings multitasking to the platform. There are a few more tweaks with how the OS works and being able to organise the millions of apps found on any iPhone into Folders. These are things the iPhone was calling out for and one of the many reasons I for one wouldn't have been willing to purchase an iPhone if it didn't.
Gyroscope
Why would a phone need a gyroscope? When the phone in question is a massive gaming platform. The iPhone has revolutionised many things, but the biggest thing it's done is made on the go gaming more accessible and more enjoyable. This is down to the great hardware found in the iPhones and the App store giving quick access to many may choice of games. Adding in a Gyroscope to the Accelerometer gives an extra dimension where app and in particular game developers to design games which can be controlled via gestures and angles. Very much like the Wii, this will start a new evolution where gaming on the iPhone will grow because of users can control and interact with them. Adding another dimension to gaming is only going to give access to better and more interesting gaming on the iPhone. It already stands alone on this feature and Apple has just put another step for it''s competitors to climb.
The iPhone 4 is now at a stage where I can't see a valid reason for anyone not to look at as an option. Arguments about other handsets having bigger cameras, more memory, fllick stands and all those irrelevant tidbits are no longer valid. It''s pure fanboy talk. The iPhone 4 now offers everything any other handset does, but with in a polished OS and superior hardware with a marketplace where there is more apps and games to keep you occupied and be productive than one could imagine. For those with the argument it doesn't have a physical keyboard; that's still a personal choice for you. You're never going to get a handset which can be as slim and sleek as an iPhone4 nor will it be as superior or equal in hardware. The future is touch based input, technology will evolve, it won't be long before physical keyboards are gotten rid of altogether. It's perhaps time you join the evolution.
For more information and full specs visit the
Apple iPhone4 webpage. The iPhone 4 was announced on the 7th of June and will be available on the 24th of June. Can anyone else match that?
