The Iphone 4G: The Jump From 3Gs

The iPhone 4, released June 24, 2010, 3 years after the original iPhone, is the fourth model in the series of Apple iPhones. Combined with the iOS4 operating system, this smart phone for the new generation has been extremely well received and sold nearly 1.5 million units on its first day alone.

The original iPhone was announced on January 9, 2007 to an audience hungry for smart phones. There was a general lack in the market of phones that did more than the standard texting, calling, playing mp3s and having a camera attached. The jump from the standard phone to what has been branded ‘smart phones’ seemed to be just as large as the jump from pager to cell phone.

When the iPhone was released on June 29, 2007, thousands lined up outdoors to purchase this $599 super phone. It was followed by the iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS and sales were phenomenal.

There’s no doubt that each of the iPhone iterations have been a gradual step up, but the move from 3GS to 4 was monumental. It isn’t simply an improvement on performance, it’s entirely revamped device. 

To begin with, the entire shape of the beast is different. Rather than its round edge predecessors, the iPhone has gone for a boxy design. While nobody really wants to hear “boxy modern device”, Apple has done well in making it feel clean and comfortable. That’s not all, it’s 25% thinner than the iPhone 3GS. 

In addition, the screen is more scratch and smudge proof, as well as being four times the resolution of the previous phones. 

In order to accommodate a larger battery and better battery life, Apple created a mini-SIM card, making it even hard to be compatible with changing services.

At the top of the list for new features is an amazing improvement on the phone/video capabilities of the iPhone 4. With a camera on both sides, it’s now possible with FaceTalk technology to video chat from your phone. In addition, you can take HD quality video, as well as 5 megapixel photographs.

Multi-tasking is also a great new addition to the iPhone. Of course it was always possible to explore your iPhone while on the phone or listen to music as you took notes, but now its expanded to be able to have multiple 3rd party apps running at the same time as well.

Another huge step ahead is folders. It was annoying to have to organize your apps onto different pages and swipe through dozens of pages just to get to what you needed. Now you can store them in folders which are much easier to access and will keep your home screen clean. In addition is the ability to change the home screen wallpaper.

The general response to the iPhone 4, from announcement to arrival was relatively positive. Some previews had their doubts about the device, stating its upgrades would not be enough to warrant attention, but when it move into reviews, it seemed as though the response was very positive. It was referred to as the best in its class by the Wall Street Journal. Engadget listed it as the best smart phone on the market, and CNET has given it one of its highest ratings for any smart phone. Due to an issue with the antenna, some have chosen to not list it in their recommended section or say that it would perform better if it fixed the issue.

When the iPhone 4 was released, it was soon realized that there was an issue with the antenna. Reports were all up over the internet from fans who waited all night in getting the device. Blog post after blog post was made about an alleged issue with reception when making a call. News stories soon picked this up and started posting the bad news- that the device everyone had been waiting for was defective.

It turned out in the end to be an issue with the antennae being along the outside of the device. When touching the lower left edge, the antenna would be pushed and the reception in lower signal areas would be very poor, sometimes impossible to use. To this, Apple responded simply that you shouldn’t touch the lower left corner when making or receiving a call.

After several attempts to sue Apple for negligence and releasing a defective design, Apple announced that the large drop in reception was due to a misrepresentation in signal strength that was purely a software problem. It said it would fix this problem which had actually existed since the original iPhone.

After this, many review websites took to performing controlled tests that proved the loss of reception was real and that the iPhone had a defect. In response, Steve Jobs promised each iPhone owner a free case that would prevent the antenna from the mistake. Many have been satisfied, but claim that it is a temporary solution and are hoping for a more permanent. Even still, the case prevents the dropped calls and poor reception.

It was announced that this iPhone would give users the option of the traditional Apple white, but there has yet to be a release. The release dates has been pushed back time and again by Apple, and some people are beginning to theorize that by the time the white iPhone is available, the iPhone 5 will already be released.