Apple’s iconic handset has undergone its most radical redesign with the iPhone 4, unveiled on Monday and going on sale on June 24.
I was among the media given a few minutes to play with the device, after Steve Jobs’ keynote launch, and its look and features are much improved over its predecessor, the iPhone 3GS.
Most striking is the screen, which has a new sharpness from its special 3.5-inch Retina display that gives a 960×640 resolution – the highest of any smartphone.
The stainless steel band that frames the phone is also a significant change. It functions as an antenna as well and there are multiple noise-cancelling microphones, which means reception and voice quality should be better.
The camera, featuring 720p HD video recording, appeared to be much better quality – it has a five-megapixels sensor, compared to three on the 3GS, and features an LED flash that also doubles as a video light when recording.
Running the new 4.0 software and with an A4 Apple processor inside, response times seemed markedly faster than its predecessor.
Putting it up against the best of the Android competition – the HTC Evo, which went on sale in the US on Friday – the iPhone 4 is still lacking in some features.
The Evo uses faster 4G networks, has an 8Mp camera and the capability to turn itself into a Wi-Fi hotspot. It also has a much larger screen and its video calling can take place over 3G – the iPhone’s capability is limited to over Wi-Fi.
However, the build quality of the iPhone seems better – the phone is lighter and incredibly thin – and the usability of the interface and applications is still superior – for example, the iMovie app for editing video on the phone looked very easy to pick up.
If you’re a gamer, you will appreciate the addition of a gyroscope to the iPhone’s motion-sensing capabilities, and if you are just a general user, improved battery life that allows up to 10 hours of internet browsing on Wi-Fi means the iPhone will still be lit up and functioning long after the Evo, with its weak battery life, will have shut down.
Pre-ordering for the iPhone 4 begins next week before it goes on sale in the US, UK, France, Germany and Japan on June 24, at a subsidised price of $199 in the US for the 16Gb version.
Apple has come under pressure of late from superior features appearing in its smartphone rivals, but, with the iPhone 4, it seems likely to maintain its leadership and appeal to consumers.
