Apple picker I was lucky enough to be one of the first customers to get an iPhone 4 on the first day of sales in the UK. It cost me an early riser and a few hours in line, but it was worth it. Here are at least some first impressions and comparisons with the previous 3GS model.
Display
We will not lie to ourselves. The first thing that strikes you in the comparison is the new Retina Display. As we know, it contains 4x more pixels while maintaining the same dimension. The qualitative leap is truly striking. The new icons 'cut the glass' and you can easily distinguish them from the icons of applications that have not yet been updated. Wherever a vector font is used (that is, almost everywhere), you see only uncompromising curves and absolutely sharp edges. Even even the most tedious text in the browser or in miniature icons within the new folders is still readable on iPhone 4!
The comparison with printing on chalk paper is quite appropriate. Covers in the iPod are obviously stored in a better resolution, the new album thumbnails in the playlists are perfectly sharp compared to the 3GS. In games, thanks to the gentle scrolling, everything is perfectly smooth, of course, the beefier processor also helps. Photos look better on the new display in iPhone 4 than downloaded on a computer, LED IPS technology is undoubtedly the pinnacle of current mobile options. In short, a display the likes of which the world has not seen on a mobile phone, there is nothing to add.
Construction
From other sources, you already know what's new and that the iPhone 4 is barely a quarter thinner. I'll just add that it feels really good in the hand and the sharp edges give a greater sense of security than the previous rounded back. On the other hand, due to its thinness and vertical edges, the lying phone is difficult to lift from the table! I suspect a lot of falls are therefore caused by hasty lifting when ringing.
All the buttons are more 'clicky', they provide ideal resistance and a light click gives the right response. As for the alleged loss of signal when grabbing the edges (it doesn't even work otherwise), I haven't noticed anything like that, but I'm not left-handed, and I'm had a full signal everywhere so far. In any case, a protected frame (e.g. Bumper) should eliminate this problem anyway.
I'm not sure how the iPhone 4 is going to clean with the protruding frame, it really needs a lot, both sides are fighting now, the oleophobic surface on both sides is trying its best to prevent it, but of course it's only moderately successful.
Camera
I wouldn't be afraid to declare the improvement of the camera significant. Of course, the readability of details is clearly better at 5mpix. Thanks to the new technology, objectively more light reaches the sensor and results in worse conditions they are better even without flash. The lightning is rather symbolic, but of course it helps a little in the most difficult moments. On the display, you can easily set whether it should start automatically or force it to always turn off/on.
At the same time, with another new button on the display, you can switch to the front VGA camera at any time and take photos or videos of yourself in low quality. The video quality is again a big step forward, HD 720p at 30 frames per second is really noticeable. The phone obviously has no problems with operation and scanning, but the weakness is still the type of sensor used (CMOS-based), which causes the well-known image 'floating'. Therefore, it is still useful to shoot the video in a stable position or only make very smooth movements.
I also tried iMovies app for iPhone 4 and I have to say that although its possibilities are relatively simple, it is really easy to work with, during a few minutes of 'playing' you can create an excellent and entertaining video, which will hardly make anyone believe that it was created entirely on your phone. For comparison with the iPhone 3GS, a few photos and a video, always taken with both models held together in one hand.
In the following videos, you can see the difference in video quality between iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS. If the compressed version is not enough for you, after clicking on the video, you can download the original video on the Vimeo website.
iPhone 3GS
iPhone 4
Speed
The iPhone 4 is again slightly faster, but since the iPhone 3GS practically had no noticeable lags and the new iOS4 system kicked it up even further, the differences are rather negligible. iPhone 4 is definitely not twice as fast as the transition between the previous generation, applications usually start half a second earlier, regardless of size and complexity.
Considering the resolution of the display, however, the processor (or graphics co-processor) probably significantly faster must be On the other hand, the performance of the iPhone 4 is clearly visible in games. Such Real Racing, which has already been updated, offers really incomparably finer and more perfect graphics, and the performance of the rendered graphics is so smooth and fluid that the game even plays noticeably better.
I haven't had the chance to try the hot new FaceTime yet, but if it works like the rest of the phone's functions, then I think we have something to look forward to.
záver
The overall impression of the phone cannot be anything other than positive. It must be difficult for Apple to constantly improve something that is already absolutely perfect from the point of view of a common mortal, but as you can see, the boys from Cupertino still manage to surprise and continue to cheerfully set the pace and speed of development in the mobile industry as well.
Photo gallery
On the left are photos from the iPhone 3GS and on the right are photos from the iPhone 4. I have a gallery with full-sized images also uploaded to ImageShack.
Very nice.. probably the biggest difference in the photo compared to the 3GS is the sharpness.. it can be 5 megapixels, but mainly the brightness of the photos and better color rendering.. either it is set that way in the OS or the iPhone actually lets more light in.. anyway, thanks for the review.. and it's time to replace the old iPhone 2G with a new one :)
I also have a question from yesterday: When I downloaded games that were free one day, why can I download Doctor again for free, but not Doctor?
After deleting any officially purchased application, you can download it again for free. Rather use the forum for any problems and questions, I think it will be clearer there and you can get more advice.
The video from Nove Founi is nice, but somehow it jerks
the signal will be happy with that information ;) so it's probably only stupid at AT&T
Thanks for the nicely written review. However, it is somewhat spoiled by "forgotten" English words (folders, thumbnails, scrolling, lags).
I don't agree with that. If you say scrolling or lags, I immediately remember what it means, rather than if the author had to describe it in a few Czech words ;)
Is it possible to turn on the LED without filming or taking pictures? Or is there even an external application already on it that activates it?
no Apple won't allow it
applications are already in the appstore ... Flashlight - For iPhone 4 ... there are several of them
Hello, may I please know if the clicking of the Home button has also changed? Because on the old iPhones, the press was quite deep and unresponsive. Thank you in advance for your reply
The stroke is barely a millimeter and the response is a very clear click. Same as on all the last buttons.
hello, I would like to ask the author where the videos from England were taken. it looks very nice there. and anyway thanks for the good review!
Poole.
Has anyone from Apple tried to go through the photo gallery in the article on the iPhone? For God's sake, it's a punishment! Skoda, I'll kill a nice article
unfortunately, I don't have a fix for it, it's a standard gallery and it just doesn't work like that..
Very nice article, have you tried cutting a Czech SIM to a MicroSIM to see if it will accept it? I'm just asking, I'd like to go to Montpellier (apple.com/fr) and try it out...
It's easy to wipe a normal sim card.
Hi, I just wanted to ask how the GPS module in the new iPhone is doing, or rather the technical specifications. I did not read here if it is better than the one in 3GS.
Thanks for the reply Karel
Then there are only subjective comments where people write that GPS is better..
I can't judge the GPS too much, but in my opinion, the system's approach to localization (application of the CoreLocation API) has changed drastically in iOS4 as a whole (that is, also on the 3GS), because the phone is often able to locate the position very accurately even WITHOUT GPS (inside buildings). Of course, it depends on the operator's network. Assuming that the GPS in the iPhone is still AGPS (assisted by other networks), significantly better and faster localization can be expected regardless of the change of the GPS chip.
Hello, I would like to ask if the iPhone is blocked on our operators when I buy it in a store, because I only read about the online store on the official website. Thank you very much
Nice, well written review. Thanks.
Hi, good review. I want to ask how it is with the visibility of the display in direct sunlight compared to 3G/3GS and competing smartphones. I would mainly be interested in whether she remained good. Thank you in advance for your reply.
I don't know how it compares to the competition, but compared to the 3GS, it is noticeably better, but that is in any conditions. Pixels are much closer to the touch layer, colors do not change even from extreme angles, dark colors are more saturated. The display is simply superb and a huge leap forward from the 3GS.
And how much did it cost?
£299 + (18*£30)
Thanks. But there are still some services in that 18*30 Pounds, right? Do they also sell free ones at full price?
UTFG? They can be ordered from the Apple Store for £600.
Hi, do I have an iPhone 4 in Czech? Or will I have to wait another year to be honored?
This has nothing to do with iP4 but with iOS4, which is of course honored.
Congratulations on the first review, but it wouldn't be out of place to post some photos.
I assume that the new iPhone will not fit into the TomTom GPS navigation holder for 3GS due to its different dimensions and angularity. However, has anyone tried it? The connector is the same, so it's more mechanical if it can be attached without any additional work. Thanks for the others too.
I'm currently working in Scotland and I ordered a new iPhone yesterday, but unfortunately I'll have to wait a month for it as shipping takes 3 weeks :(
Becher: Not without a boost, but the axis is for a few seconds. http://youtu.be/12SJON9VXC4
How is it going in the Apple retail store? :) I'm in Great Britain and I want to buy an iPhone 4, but the online order is for a minimum of three weeks. When I come to the retail store, can I take it right away? Or how is it actually? :)
Why Consumer Reports can't recommend the iPhone 4:
http://blogs.consumerreports.org/electronics/2010/07/apple-iphone-4-antenna-issue-iphone4-problems-dropped-calls-lab-test-confirmed-problem-issues-signal-strength-att-network-gsm.html
And another Apple problem:
http://www.diit.cz/clanek/apple-po-dvou-letech-priznal-chybu-externich-disku/36564/
... the apples are starting to get a bit rotten lately
Nice article about a good mobile phone.
I would argue with the full signal.. Why do you think that Apple hastily released an update after the first problems of users with the signal - when the problem is in the design of the antenna, which today a freshman in the electrical engineering field knows..? The phone pretends to have a full signal - but it doesn't.
Although there are better networks here than in the USA, but in places with a weaker signal (e.g. on the train, in the mountains, etc.), in my opinion, you will be the same as the American... I don't want to paint the devil on the wall, but when this matter she got to such extremes, so it's very hard to trust someone that she REALLY has a full signal..
Hi, I would like to know if you have noticed faster GPS responses. With my 3GS, my current position always freezes a bit and suddenly jumps to where it should. I mean the situation when you're riding a bus and watching where you are. I don't even know if the phone behaves like this even with full-fledged navigation. I only use it for google maps. I don't think this should happen with real navigation. It would be useless in the car. Thanks for the reply.
I wonder what the video looks like when recorded in 4p on the iPhone 480 (if possible). The 720 is not 100% yet. I don't know if the processor or the video chip can't keep up with fast movements, but there shouldn't be a problem at 480p. Can't you throw in an example?
You can win an iPhone 4 in a contest on the website http://www.mobsms.cz/mobil/apple-iphone-4
iPhone 4 is not a bad phone, I'm more satisfied than everything I've had, but it also has its faults, for example bluetooth is completely useless and what about the bars freezing the iPhone, the operating system probably can't keep up