Apple iPhone 4 (GSM)
Phone Scoop Review
Jun 24, 2010 by Philip Berne
In-depth with the latest from Apple. read review ›
User Reviews
Average Ratings
No issues.
I purchased the device and received it a few days ago and I've had no issues.
Running iOS4 and no random freezing like people report, no real issues with signal or dropped calls. I've even used the phone for calls, texts and browsing in the middle of my local Wal-Mart where my previous phone only carried 1-2 bars if any.
I've done the whole 'left hand signal drop' thing and did notice a drop, however I purchased a case and all that and no issues now. It wasn't even really an issue before, the signal still worked, just dropped a bit and honestly, who wouldn't get a case and risk breaking the phone?
PROS: Great utility! Between apps and the browser and faster speeds, this phone blows away all the 3GS' in the office.
-Dual Cameras are great! Nice, crisp images and no lag between change over.
-Resolution: Simply amazing. The blacks are black, not a charcoal grey like the 3GS or 3G.
Design: Nice, sleek look. The glass does attract fingerprints, but it's more durable and easier to clean than the previous screens. Just using a t-shirt works when before, it used to kind of work and smudge.
CONS: Battery life *is* kind of a bummer, but I work around computers all day so have no issue with charging the phone as I use. The drain rate is about 1% every 7-8 minutes of straight usage. Standby time is good though.
Pure Genius
Pros:
-Remarkable screen, best I have seen to date.
-INCREDIBLE battery life, I can not stress this enough. Coming from a Palm Pre and a Blackberry Curve 8520 this thing blows those two phones out of the water in terms of longevity.
-Multitasking is fast and smooth. Even with multiple apps open at once this phone does not slow down.
-Apple OS is remarkable and genius. My first Apple product ever and I'm highly impressed.
-Have not received a single dropped call since I slapped the full body invisibleshield on it.
-Camera is crystal clear with amazing color, no visible pop up in textures. I have the Evo in my store as a demo phone and did side by side comparison tests on the cameras. The Iphone wins hands down, as well as the video.
-App store apps are high quality. Much higher quality than android and palm based applications, and it's got the hardware to handle it.
-Syncs perfectly with google contacts and email. All my contacts on my palm pre were backed up to the google server, and the Iphone retrieved every last one of them.
-Social networking integration is great. Meebo works fantastic, and this phone has the best facebook app I have ever seen.
-Itunes automatically backs up the phone every time it connects, as well as applications. So no worries about doing a hard reset ever when the time comes.
-Call quality is very clear, my friends that call me don't even know I'm inside my car when I talk with them on speaker phone.
-The integrated touch screen keyboard is the best touch screen keyboard I have ever used.
Cons:
-Dropped calls and poor reception if you hold it from the bottom left hand corner. A Case that wraps around the stainless steel trim or anything else fixes it though.
-Battery takes over 3 hours to charge when hooked up via usb.
-Restrictions around Apple, homebrew does not exist in this world.
-Fingerprint happy.
Overall I am very satisfied with my purchase. If you're thinking about it, just do it. 30 days to try it out so why not right?
iPhone 4 is a great phone!
I've carried the iPhone 3G, 3G S and now the iPhone 4 and it is the best iPhone yet. I've had zero dropped calls or reception issues in the two weeks that I've owned it.
Pros:
-retina display
-upgraded camera with flash
-smooth processor
-iBooks
-customizable wallpapers
-nice body
cons
-AT&T's network
I love this Phone
Pros:
Retina
speed
ease of use
style of phone
safari
apps
great pictures
great video
ios 4
and on and on and on
cons:
None
I got the ip4 on launch day. I love the phone. If I try real real hard I can make the signals go down if I place two fingers over the black strips. But I can still use my data and get and make calls. Maybe its a coverage thing because I get great coverage. I always have five bars at home and most places I go. The worse I have seen was three bars and I still was able to make and get calls and use my data. I actually have better coverage now than with my 3gs. In my basement apartment when I am in the kitchen I start to break up but the call doesn't drop but now with the ip4 that doesn't happen.
The retina display is the best thing I have ever seen since I went from standard tv to hd. My ip4 screen looks better in some cases better than my computer screen.
Ios 4 is great it makes things much more simpler and everything is more smooth with it. I am debating whether to jailbreak now.
There are some really bad reviews on here and in the end they suggest that you get a droid phone. It makes you wonder do they own the phone or are they reading the blogs and watching youtube videos and coming to their conclusions. I am not saying the ip4 is better or worse than the droid phones out there but it is a matter of taste. For my taste this phone is perfect for me. And 1.7 million and counting. If ease of use and great features and a great screen is what you are looking for the ip4 is for you. If you like rooting your phone and doing complicated procedures for your phone then the droid phones are for you.
No Problems from My Iphone4
Its amazing to hear all of these people whining about their phones. I have had mine for a week, and have not had 1 dropped call related to reception. The speaker is louder, the screen is AWESOME, and the multi-tasking is great! The phone to me feels much better than my 3g. I'm here in the Dallas area, and have driven all over without any problems! My only complaint is the fact that the Apple App Store hasn't produced enough apps that are Iphone 4 compatible! If ya don't like it, return it! Go back to your slow and buggy Windows Smart phone, or the ever boring Blackberry!
Glad I made the switch
Let me start out by saying I have had several smart phones by each of the major carriers. The iPhone 4 is amazing. Perhaps I got a "good one" as I have not experienced the signal drop that many are talking about. The only place where I can say that I was slightly disappointed by the phone is that there is no micro sd card slot. But having owned a storm, evo, and droid I can honestly say in a world of does the rest of the smart phones don't compare. For everyone complaining that there is no social networking or media l, well there is an ap for that. Oh and I haven't charged this phone in 2 days and I use almost 500 min a day. Hint use the headphones and lock the phone. That way you don't annoy everyone around you with your conversation. By the way you can answer calls, open iPod, change songs and adjust volume from the apple headphones. Use them they are a truly amazing feature.
Pros:
Camera
Video editing
Headphones
Network
Battery life
Aps
Design
Wi-fi
Speed
Browser
Cons:
Expensive accessories
Earpiece when not on speaker is not very loud
Ps. I'm writing this review on my iPhone while talking on the phone. Only AT&T lol.
Screen
Whatever you say this is the best phone
Whatever you say this is the best phone, other company like samsung, htc, motorola... just try to make a copy of apple iphone, but remember a copy is a copy.
the iphone 4 do everything good, obviously when another competitor make a phone one year later can have a faster processor... this is the technology game.
about antenna gate, i have a question:
who want to down signal? i don`t know you but i don't.
is smart use iphone 4 with cover, so you never have problems with antenna.
is the best phone in planet earth, but it`s not perfect.
remember goggle, motorola and all cellular company are envious about apple.
Don't be a hater
I have had an apple I phone since the beginning and have had all 4 models at one point or another. I have NEVER had any issues with the phone that in one way or another from my own fault(drop, wet, etc..) The service has been great with at&t I have been with them since they were originally at&t then cingular and now at&t again. For all of those out there that can't wait for the verizon version, I say FABULOUS get off my network so I can have even faster 3g downloads. I would rather have a phone that I can use anywhere in the world via sim card than a phone from a carrier who nickels and dimes you to death for every little feature.
As for the phone itself. The display is incredible, the speed is awesome and most apps are flawless. There are always a few lemons in every aspect from apps to hardware. Apple is still there if you do have issues(1st year is golden)
As for the antenna issue, EVERY phone in one way or another has an issue with the antenna. If you don't believe me then do a little internet search on "cell phone antenna issues". You would be surprised at the amount of data out there.
The free bumper takes the issue completely away and everything is as it should be.
So it doesn't have flash, so what. The new version of flash is NOT backward compatible with older media so most company with media on the internet is not going to go back and recode everything and will eventually go to HTML and flash will go the way of the dinosaurs. Extinct.
I can say that I did try a Droid X and the speed and apps are not there, and flash is suspect at best. It dies and freezes up so frequently it let me to wonder why have it at all. The screen although bigger in size still doesn't have the resolution of the iPhone 4. Wow get a new product and skimp on the screen , way to go Motorola.
All in all the iPhone 4 is still the leader in smart phone with Blackberry a close second. Motorola and nokia still have way too much research to so to catch up.
The iPhone 4 redefines smart-phones, again!
I got my new iPhone 4 the day it was released. No, I did not wait in line, it came in the mail from my UPS man.
Let's get right to it. This new Apple iPhone 4 is nothing less than remarkable. Coupled with a new operating system, a much faster chip, a screen that is unmatched by any I have ever seen, live video chat, This is the one that could easily sell for $500.00! Calls are more crisp with no drop-outs, the web flies, and texting is much faster.
Apple's A1 chip runs both cool and zooms! As far as all the articles about signal loss when you hold it at the lower left side, it's both true and a non-issue. A nice case solves the problem 100%. My old Sanyo phones all had stickers telling me where to hold them and I never heard a word about that in the press but the again this is the ROLEX of all cell phones!
This is a solid, beautifully designed and perfectly implemented product that is both minimalist and just right.
PROS:
Audio quality on both speaker (vastly improved) and earpiece.
The SCREEN - THE SCREEN!!!!!!!!!
Live video chat
A refined operating system thats virtually perfect
A quarter of a million app's at the app store-all tested by Apple before we download them.
Build quality-superb
Ultra high quality camera and HD video
2 camera's
led light on both stills and HD video
The iPhone 4 feels more balanced in your hand than the older more plastic feeling 3g.
Improved reception on all fronts - welcome improvement!
CONS:
You have to pay for it.
The antenna that wraps around the phone needs to be held correctly
Nothing else-nothing!
CONCLUSION:
If you have been waiting for the refined or shall I say redinfined iPhone, your day has come. I have used most of the latest Android phones and they simply DO NOT compare. I simply love the way it works and feels!
This phone makes you paranoid.
The phone makes my 3Gs seem like an antique. The polish and style is absolutely perfect. I have never encountered a phone with a finish like this one before.
With that being said, the thing makes you absolutely crazy. You don't want to put it in your pocket, you don't want to carry it in your hand for fear you'll drop it. You can't put a case on it because you don't want to detract from how good it looks but you can't walk around without a case.
***PROS***
-THE SCREEN! This thing speaks for itself. Perfect. flawless. amazing.
-Speed. It's lightning. I've never used a faster phone.
-The camera, is fast and accurate.
-Face-time video calling, works perfectly and is almost breath-taking the first few times you use it.
-" so far works very well for all of the applications that incorporate it. Pandora runs flawlessly even when I'm browsing the web or using a web-intensive app. and again, it's FAST.
-Voice quality and signal has absolutely improved a LOT since the 3Gs, especially for the guy on the other end due to the noise canceling Mic on the phone.
***CONS***
-on the initial software (4.0) the camera's "tap to focus" seems to be a little buggy, it wants to auto-focus on it's own.
I'm sure this is an issue that will be resolved soon.
-Messaging notifications have always irritated me. I want something, anything different. Android, Palm, you guys win on this hands down.
***Summary***
I can't complain really about much with this iPhone update. There is a TON of new stuff to love about it and not much to dislike.
Should you buy it?
Well, unless AT&T does not work at your house or you don't "do the Internet thing" then yes. Very very yes you should purchase this phone at least to try it. Whats the worst thing that could happen? you return it in the 30 days? I'm gonna bet you don't. (not because of the iPhone itself at least!)
Good luck! And if this was helpful, click "this was helpful"!!!
