Apple iPhone 4 (GSM)
Phone Scoop Review
Jun 24, 2010 by Philip Berne
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iPhone 4 should have been called iPhone 3.5
There are a few things about the iPhone 4 that really jump out at you...and then that's it. Using the iPhone 4 made me feel tricked. I felt like I was still using the iPhone, the iphone 3g and the iPhone 3gs. The hardware showed big differences from models past. But what about the user experience? Where is the software innovation? I have owned several high end phones over the past year, and i decided to see what all the iPhone 4 hype was about. I have now used it for over a month. If i can sum it up in one word, it would be: mehh.
Pros:
5mp camera with flash (this is only a pro if comparing to previous iPhone models. other phones are on to 8mp with dual flash)
720p video record
Front facing camera
Retina display (a bit overrated)
Cons:
Not usable without a case (reception/design flaws)
No settings for camera
Feels heavy and uncomfortable to hold (compared to 3gs)
No expandable memory (my 16gb has only 3 gb left. 720p recording uses a lot of memory.)
No video out
The iPhone 4 is a nice phone. So is the 3gs. The retina display and front camera are the only reasons that this phone got any stars. I feel that Apple forgot the key in making a great phone....the dependability to make phone calls.
Crap!!!
This is the biggest rip off from apple. The internet is just as fast as the 3gs(definitely not faster), It drops calls because of the flawed antenna,it has proximity issues (your face keeps hitting the mute button), still cant use flash player on the new i phone 4 making it impossible to stream some videos, sound quality is very poor. Just returned mine, I'd rather stick to my 3gs....
Lives up to the hype, but not perfect
I switched from a Windows Mobile device to iPhone and I now understand what all the hype is about. This phone is the fastest, most powerful, and feature rich on the market. I made the switch after 5 years on Windows mobile devices because of the improved screen resolution and multitasking capabilities on the new iPhone 4. I was very close to purchasing the HTC EVO but I did not want to switch carriers. I am glad I went with the iPhone,I can't put the phone down. That said, the phone is not perfect. Below is what I liked and did not like.
Pros:
- Screen is stunning
- Fast processing speed
- Multitasking is the best I have used
- Battery life (owned it two weeks and yet to have it die before 24 hours)
- New iOS4 apps are outstanding
- 720p video capture, very crisp
- Folders are useful
- Safari is fast
- Very thin and fits easily in pocket
- Downloading apps is fast and easy
- iOS4 games are fantastic
Cons:
- Dropped calls (way too many to blame AT&T)
- Poor reception (a number of people complained they could not hear me)
- No expandable RAM - 720p video is going to eat up the memory quick
- Proximity sensor sometimes has issues where it does not shut off the screen when you put the phone to your face
- Difficult to hold because it is so thin and slippery (smooth finish on front and back)
- Flash on camera is terrible, it over exposes every picture
- Speaker phone could be better - not very loud
- No support for Flash
switched back to 'ol faithful (3gs)
Let me first start off by saying I have owned both the iPhone 3g and 3gs. The 3g was a decent phone, but the lag always annoyed me. The 3gs on the other hand had the snappiness that the 3g lacked, and ran like a champ. I say this so people don't claim I'm just another apple hater (I'm also writing this review on my MB Pro).
That being said, I was highly disappointed with the iPhone 4. Other than the retina display and the 5mp camera, I don't feel there was really anything new that the phone had to offer. I also couldn't help but feel the whole two weeks I had it that the phone was somewhat slapped together.
The biggest problem of all was the issue of reception. Maybe I had a bad phone, but my phone literally dropped 80% of my calls. I do not talk on my phone using the "death grip." I hold my phone with my thumb and middle finger on the sides and my index finger on the back for support. This is how I have held every other phone I've ever owned, and I have never had a phone with such reception issues.
Ultimately, I had to return the phone because I simply cannot have a phone that drop's every single call. I also did some tests of my own with my 3gs and 4, both running iOS4, and IMO the 3gs ran everything besides the camera and iPod a split second faster. In the end I switched back to my white 3gs and I'm very glad I did. My calls are crisp and clear, phone is snappy with iOS4, and overall the 3gs is just one of the best phones I've ever owned.
My opinion...wait till the 2nd gen comes out, or go with another phone. There's supposed to be a couple android phone's coming out with AT&T in the fall, and from the android phones on other platforms they're probably going to take a chunk out of Apples market, especially if they don't fix the iPhone 4.
