iPhone 4 Announced Today

[Kevy Baby]

http://images.apple.com/iphone/features/images/overview-multitasking-20100607.jpg
From Mac Rumors (http://www.macrumors.com/2010/06/07/apple-announces-iphone-4-with-retina-display-hd-video-recording-more/):

As expected at today's WWDC keynote event, Steve Jobs announced the next iPhone model, dubbed iPhone 4. The iPhone 4 features a new design relative to previous models and is identical to the model obtained by Gizmodo earlier this year, over which a search warrant was issued and criminal charges are being considered.

The new iPhone will have Apple's own A4 chip and a larger battery that will offer 40% more talk time than the previous model. It will also be capable of HSDPA/HSUPA speeds of 7.2Mbps down and 5.8Mbs up. Surprisingly, the iPhone will not see a storage bump in this generation, maxing out at 32GB like the current iPhone 3GS.

Other new additions include 802.11n Wi-Fi, a gyroscope to detect motion on 6 axes, as well as an LED flash to supplement the new 5-megapixel auto-focus lens. The updated camera will have 5x digital zoom and will record 720p HD video at 30 frames per second. Videos captured can be edited on the device using the new iMovie for iPhone.

The new iPhone 4 will also have a secondary microphone on the top for noise cancellation, as well as a front-facing camera for video calls. It will also use the smaller micro SIM, making use of the smaller SIM standard like the iPad.

Size-wise, it will be just 9.33mm thick, which is 24% thinner than the current iPhone 3GS. It will have a glass front and back with a stainless steel band that wraps around all sides. This band is used as part of the antenna system for the GSM, UMTS, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth radios.

iPhone 4 will also have a Retina Display, a new display technology that packs in 326 pixels per inch, compared to the current iPhone's 163 ppi. Noting that the detection limit of the human eye is 300 ppi, Jobs described that the iPhone 4's display will "comfortably" exceed this and that text will be seen as a "fine printed book." The new iPhone's display will be the same 3.5-inch size of the current iPhone 3GS but with a resolution of 940 x 640 pixels and an 800:1 contrast ratio and the same IPS technology used in the iPad's display.

The new iPhone 4 model will go on sale on June 24 in the U.S., France, Germany, Japan, and the United Kingdom. In the U.S., it will cost $199 for the 16GB model and $299 for the 32GB model with a new 2-year contract. iPhone 4 will be available in 88 countries by the end of September.

AT&T will be offering an early upgrade special for current iPhone users in the U.S., allowing the lower upgrade pricing up to 6 months earlier than the company normally does.

An 8 GB iPhone 3GS will also be available and will be priced at $99 in the U.S. with a new 2-year contract.Engadget (http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/07/iphone-4-first-hands-on/) has some hands-on pics and notes:

We've just gotten some face time (ha ha!) with the new iPhone 4, and let's just say this: it's incredibly sexy. We'll hand it to Apple, the phone is so thin it's kind of mind-boggling. The 3GS by comparison looks bloated. Feast your eyes on the pics below, and check out the FaceTime video demo after the break! Oh, and special thanks to hand models Kara Swisher and Walt Mossberg.

Some takeaways about the device:
As we said, it's shockingly thin.
The screen is truly outrageous -- you basically cannot see pixels on it. We're not being hyperbolic when we say it's easily the best looking mobile phone screen we've ever laid eyes on.
The build quality is really solid. The home button feels much snappier, and on the whole it just feels like a tightly-packed device, but it's not heavy.
The side buttons are really nice and clicky.
iOS 4 is very familiar -- there's not a lot added to fit and finish.
The general speed of the whole OS is way snappier. The camera app in particular is noticeably faster -- shots get snapped in an instant.(Click the link above for pics)


And while not mentioned in either above, the new OS DOES do multi-tasking (http://www.apple.com/iphone/features/multitasking.html) (about effing time!)

[Alex]

Good for the multitasking, but doesn't that disappoint all the people who have told me that the lack of multi-tasking is a desirable feature? I'll have to go find them and ask.

[mousepod]

Good for the multitasking, but doesn't that disappoint all the people who have told me that the lack of multi-tasking is a desirable feature? I'll have to go find them and ask.

If you follow the link above, you'll see that the new version of "multitasking" that Apple is using on the iPhone is a "best of both worlds". If open apps were running in the background (the imagined definition of multitasking for the iPhone before today), the battery would drain faster. This new version pauses apps when you switch between them.

I'm satisfied with that explanation.

[innerSpaceman]

That's cool for the multi-tasking - but I don't find myself using the device for internet all that much. Incredibly, I find the new phone to be so much uglier than the original iPhone that I'm not tempted for a minute to buy one for the tech upgrades.

I just recently freed my phone from its protective case to restore its sexiness of fantastic design. The new phone comes unsexy out of the box, so it's a big no-thanks from me.

Thinner is good - but I don't think the old one looks "bloated." Ovoid, rounded shapes are futuristically sexy, and sharp edges are simply not as appealing to my sense of futuristic aesthetic. Wall*E vs. Eve.

[Not Afraid]

I love it and I'm so happy our contract is up in July. New phones new phones new phones!!!!

(But, I will be putting mine in an un-sexy case. I'm too rough on my devices to risk it.)

[Kevy Baby]

If you follow the link above, you'll see that the new version of "multitasking" that Apple is using on the iPhone is a "best of both worlds". If open apps were running in the background (the imagined definition of multitasking for the iPhone before today), the battery would drain faster. This new version pauses apps when you switch between them.

I'm satisfied with that explanation.I know others will poo-poo it, but I think I would prefer this way of multi-tasking. I would be too worried about draining my battery too quickly by forgetting what was also running.

I just recently freed my phone from its protective case to restore its sexiness of fantastic design. The new phone comes unsexy out of the box, so it's a big no-thanks from me.Personally, I think you are crazy for not having a cover on it. Maybe it is just me, but I think the question is not IF you will drop it, but WHEN. While no cover is a panacea of protection, I feel that a decent cover is a must - especially with the iPhone (and especially for Susan, but that is another story).

[Not Afraid]

As someone who has broken an iPhone while in a pretty but not so strong case (and had to pay for a new one) I'm NEVER going without a case.

[Kevy Baby]

Also, one thing I didn't mention in my OP (once again, courtesy of Mac Rumors (http://www.macrumors.com/2010/06/07/iphone-os-4-becomes-ios-4-available-june-21-for-free/)):

iPhone OS 4 Becomes iOS 4, Available June 21 for Free

In addition to announcing the new iPhone 4 at today's WWDC keynote event, Steve Jobs reviewed the upcoming iPhone OS, now known as iOS 4. Previously announced at a special event in April, the OS update will include multi-tasking, a unified inbox, folders, and other features. Newly-announced today is the inclusion of Bing as an additional search engine option as well as the iBooks app, which is currently only available for the iPad.

iOS 4 has been declared Golden Master Candidate and will be publicly released on June 21st. It will be a free upgrade for existing iPhone and iPod touch owners, though depending on the age of your device not all features many be available. This is the first time that a major OS update has been free for iPod touch owners.From a previous Mac Rumors post (http://www.macrumors.com/2010/04/08/apple-announces-multitasking-iad-mobile-ad-service-and-more-in-iphone-os-4-0/):
While the iPhone 3GS and late 2009 32 GB and 64 GB third-generation iPod touch will be fully-compatible with iPhone OS 4.0, earlier models of the devices will not support all of the features announced today. Notably even the iPhone 3G and second-generation iPod touch will not support multitasking. iPhone OS 4.0 will also come to the iPad in the fall.

[Moonliner]

I love it and I'm so happy our contract is up in July. New phones new phones new phones!!!!

(But, I will be putting mine in an un-sexy case. I'm too rough on my devices to risk it.)

AT&T is being generous with iPhone upgrades (http://gizmodo.com/5557583/why-is-att-suddenly-so-generous). People are asking why.

[Kevy Baby]

^^ Interesting ^ ^



I saw this while wasting time and it amused me, so I thought I would share:

http://graphjam.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/129071796070370598.png

[BarTopDancer]

^^^^ pretty much.


AT&T is being generous with iPhone upgrades (http://gizmodo.com/5557583/why-is-att-suddenly-so-generous). People are asking why.

I think the article nailed it - something big is coming down the pipes and they want to lock people in. I know earlier I said the VZ iPhone rumors that I heard were that it wasn't coming (and again, not some super secret rumor, just someone with the same knowledge of what WB was hearing) and I asked again and heard what WB did.

The upcoming months will be very interesting between what may or may not be happening with the iPhone and VZ and the new Android phones and software that are coming out. I'm glad my "upgrade" period doesn't start until November, and even then it's only 1 year into my contract and not prime upgrading time but the "buy out" vs. upgrade/extend cost differential may be minimal.

[Alex]

I'm satisfied with that explanation.

Except nobody who ever defended the lack of multitasking ever used battery life as a defense but rather that it was actually better to only be able to run one application at a time.

As for how well this form works, I'd have to try it and see what impact "pausing" has. I have several apps that I frequently use simultaneously where I wouldn't want them to stop when I had something else in the foreground but I'd probably get used to it.

All somewhat moot for me since I'm pretty sure the iPhone still has a virtual keyboard which my use of test phones at work has confirmed is a showstoppe for me. I'm just old.

[mousepod]

Except nobody who ever defended the lack of multitasking ever used battery life as a defense].

Except me.

[Alex]

Ok, fine. Nobody I remember ever discussing it with.

Mostly I'm thinking about a cadre of Mac developers at work and a couple other people I've had in person conversations with. I'm sure we've discussed it here but I don't remember any of those details.

[innerSpaceman]

Kevy, I'm sure I will drop it at some point. That's when I will upgrade to the new phone. But if I buy a product partly due to its aesthetic, I would not be getting my money's worth to destroy that aesthetic. I thought I wasn't doing that with a transparent case - - but when it broke off in a fall, I realized I'd been fooling myself.

And yes, I am fully aware of the irony. The fall that revealed my phone's latent sexiness would kill it now if it happened again when I'm letting that sexiness go fully expressed. That's ok by me. There's no price tag on all the boners my naked iPhone gives me.

[Kevy Baby]

There's no price tag on all the boners my naked iPhone gives me.Steve, I love you buddy, but you REALLY need to get a boyfriend...

[keith - SuPeR K!]

Very excited. I completely disagree with iSm. I think the iPhone 4 looks awesome :)

[Capt Jack]

As someone who has broken an iPhone while in a pretty but not so strong case (and had to pay for a new one) I'm NEVER going without a case.

not sure I ever said, I did end going with the iPhone. (thanks to all who helped me decide)

and mine is in about as un-sezzy, but secure cover I could find.

otterbox defender
http://lh4.googleusercontent.com/VSMMt_nsMuKEsPvM_vdFPpM56xXjuQ7XqUWs-P_f5l-ktQC_1n0N9R7zC8QalvE2JmYjDQs-Dxl_SLRwTkOMUi1qwpYFyLvxdm3BeyvcYJzvcfiQmYNdXoJs7o r6MNhqcl_POn5qcz2_kQWTamPA8P6TpObS0Aq9Yz8ZrnXtuAD3 DXpJuo_jTQ3h8ufkyxX0n4LN

well...except for the yellow. thats too un-sezzy even for me

[innerSpaceman]

If I was keeping it in a case, I wouldn't mind the new phone. In fact, I'd definitely keep it in a case to hide it's boxiness. I love the Eve-ness of my current phone - so until fate pries it out of my damp, slippery hands - - I'm sticking with it.

Yes, Kevy, I need a boyfriend bad. For now, it's me and my EvePhone. We're in love.

[Chernabog]

Jane Lynch vs. the Iphone4 (http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20007045-1.html)

I love that woman. :) LOL.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

For now, it's me and my EvePhone. We're in love.You need a glowing version of this as your iPhone background.
http://www.theaterhopper.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/logo_only.jpg

[CoasterMatt]

Why the hell are the iPhones so easily breakable? My Blitz has been thrown in excess of 30 ft, and even when it split nearly in two, it easily snapped back together and still functions just fine.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Because your blitz doesn't have a sensitive, fragile touch screen that covers 90% of the surface of the phone.

[Alex]

Unless iPhones have changes since last I saw one this morning and the touchscreen is now on the back as well, at most the fragile touchscreen covers 50% of the surface of the phone (less including the thin edges).

It doesn't change your point and is pedantic but I don't want you one day crashing a rover into Mars.

[Ghoulish Delight]

You and your third dimension.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

The breakable discussion puts me in mind of the first great technologically significant, portable, expensive device - the pocketwatch. Too bad there's nowhere on a naked iPhone to attach a short wallet chain to prevent dropping. You're still stuck with a case.

[Chernabog]

I still want Jane Lynch (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QzmtZQMqso) more than an iphone.

(Does vBulletin allow for embedded video to youtube?)

[Ghoulish Delight]

It would require a hack to embed video.

[innerSpaceman]

Wow, that's a great idea, CP. What a dumb thing not to incorporate in the new phone - in a world of thieves, much less butterfingers.

I can only imagine it's the usual Planned Obsolescence.

[CoasterMatt]

I just wanna know if it blends.

[Moonliner]

I just wanna know if it blends.

I got the (http://www.uncrate.com/men/images/2006/11/blendtec-blender.jpg) blender for Christmas last year, if anyone wants to supply the iPhone I'll be happy to test that out for you.

[flippyshark]

As far as fragility, this one is glass on the front AND back! (Why on the back?) Anyway, it's pretty keen, but I just can't get past my unwillingness to add yet another 60 dollar a month (at least) obligation to my life. (If the data could tether with my iPad, well, that might tip the scales for me.) Also, the AT&T coverage out in my neck of the swamp is pretty bad.

[Moonliner]

As far as fragility, this one is glass on the front AND back! (Why on the back?) Anyway, it's pretty keen, but I just can't get past my unwillingness to add yet another 60 dollar a month (at least) obligation to my life. (If the data could tether with my iPad, well, that might tip the scales for me.) Also, the AT&T coverage out in my neck of the swamp is pretty bad.

A new Android phone can Hotspot (http://techcrunch.com/2010/05/13/exclusive-google-to-add-tethering-wifi-hotspot-to-android-2-2-froyo/) for your iPad. Just saying...

[Not Afraid]

They do make cases that can be attached with a chain or to a belt loop. They work great if you have a bluetooth headset. I had one that I used a lot, but I like the clip better.

You also have to be aware of having the phone attached to your waist. I broke a previous phone by leaning up against a counter with the phone attached to my waist. Back pockets aren't good either (for obvious reasons).

[innerSpaceman]

Yeah, but if I have a case, the phone won't break when I drop it. Um. I guess it helps prevent against theft, but does not address my particular issue.

And really, glass on back, too? I HATE the new iPhone. Maybe I'll put my old one back its case just to make it last longer. But when it goes, I've a feeling I'll be switching to an Android or something.

[BarTopDancer]

The chain talk made me think of pagers chains. Which brought me to this image

http://www.bcelectron.com/images/pagers+cellphone_collage.jpg

We've come a long way.

[flippyshark]

A new Android phone can Hotspot (http://techcrunch.com/2010/05/13/exclusive-google-to-add-tethering-wifi-hotspot-to-android-2-2-froyo/) for your iPad. Just saying...

Not out of the question. I've been looking at the Sprint and Verizon Mifi units as well. If i thought one of those could deliver adequately for my desktop at home, I would drop Bright House immediately and carry my hot spot with me, then bring it home and plug it in. (I still don't have a television, so I don't need a cable company if the wifi works at home. But I don't yet know how viable this is. If only a friend or neighbor would get one so I could test it.) anyway, I only want to pay for Internet access on one bill a month, not two or three. It seems like a lot of options are fast approaching but not quite here yet, especially in my remote patch of West Kissimmee.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

The chain talk made me think of pagers chains. Which brought me to this image

http://www.bcelectron.com/images/pagers+cellphone_collage.jpg
WOW! That portable phone has TWO lines of text on it! I don't know why you need to see the numbers you're dialing, but it sure looks cool.



This is what I would have said at the time

[BarTopDancer]

I saved my money to buy a StarTac. I think it was $200.


Look at that nifty pager with text on it! I wonder how that happens!

[Kevy Baby]

The chain talk made me think of pagers chains. Which brought me to this image

http://www.bcelectron.com/images/pagers+cellphone_collage.jpg

We've come a long way.If you're gonna go old school, just cut to the chase:
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n290/1hackman/First_mobile_phone1.jpg

[€uroMeinke]

This might weigh things back in favor of getting an iphone:

New Gov't Rules Allow Unapproved IPhone Apps (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128772296)

[Alex]

I'm not sure what the big deal about the ruling is (not saying you're making a big deal but it seems to be getting an outsized level of press). The ruling says Apple can't sue you for doing something Apple has never sued anybody for doing. And Apple can still do what they've always done, not support jailbroken phones and do what they can to break unapproved stuff with software upgrades.

The ruling about read-aloud software is interesting. The publishers forced Amazon to make the text-to-speech feature on the Kindle configurable (and many publishers take advantage of that).

[Kevy Baby]

A friend sent me this comment on a blog he was reading. I don't have the source, but it made me laugh:

Glad to see Apple making the iPod Touch and iPhone4 on par with each other. They are now identical: Neither one can make phone calls.

[Not Afraid]

I've had zero problems with my iPhone making phone calls.

[Kevy Baby]

I know. And the majority of iPhone 4 users have experienced zero issues. But if I am going to poke fun at the "opposition," I have to be fair and poke fun at "my side."

I love my iPhone 3GS and if I needed a new phone right now, I would not hesitate to get the iPhone 4

[innerSpaceman]

You will pry my 3GS out of my cold dead hands, until it itself is dead. I've never loved a phone this much. It should last at least till the iPhone 5 - and maybe I'll like that one better. To each their own, but I really hate the iPhone 4's look. I would be the one to have connectivity issues, because phones don't like you when you hate them.

[CoasterMatt]

The iPhone 3GS can't take a flight of stairs quite the way my dear UTC Blitz can. My zombie phone has LITERALLY snapped in half, and after carefully popping it back together, continues to serve beautifully.

[Kevy Baby]

I just recently freed my phone from its protective case to restore its sexiness of fantastic design. The new phone comes unsexy out of the box, so it's a big no-thanks from me.

Thinner is good - but I don't think the old one looks "bloated." Ovoid, rounded shapes are futuristically sexy, and sharp edges are simply not as appealing to my sense of futuristic aesthetic. Wall*E vs. Eve.Bad news for you: the next iPhone (iPhone 5?) will have the same boxy shape: http://macrumo.rs/NM4CTl

[innerSpaceman]

Yeah, I'm stuck with it, I guess. But I've enjoyed my 3G for longer than practically anyone else. :D

Also on macrumors recently - Virgin Mobile is offering cheap iPhone plans (http://www.macrumors.com/2012/06/07/virgin-mobile-usa-launching-iphone-on-june-29-with-plans-starting-at-30/) - starting at $30/month, with unlimited texting plans at around $50/month.

If those prices still hold when the iPhone 5 comes out, I'll be jumping ship faster than AT&T can brew T.

[Moonliner]

Yeah, I'm stuck with it, I guess. But I've enjoyed my 3G for longer than practically anyone else. :D

Also on macrumors recently - Virgin Mobile is offering cheap iPhone plans (http://www.macrumors.com/2012/06/07/virgin-mobile-usa-launching-iphone-on-june-29-with-plans-starting-at-30/) - starting at $30/month, with unlimited texting plans at around $50/month.

If those prices still hold when the iPhone 5 comes out, I'll be jumping ship faster than AT&T can brew T.

The price looks good, but the Virgin Mobile data coverage (http://www.virginmobileusa.com/check-cell-phone-coverage) looks spotty.

[CoasterMatt]

iPhone still fails my staircase throw test, every time.

[innerSpaceman]

The price looks good, but the Virgin Mobile data coverage (http://www.virginmobileusa.com/check-cell-phone-coverage) looks spotty.
It could not possibly be worse than AT&T. :cool:

[BarTopDancer]

And doesn't VMs unlimited data throttle at just a few megs?

[lashbear]

Just got my iPhone 4s yesterday. I'm loving Siri. I'll just give dictating my password list a miss, though, seeing as apple gets anything I dictate.