Superslim iPhone 4 enough to fend off Android?

Apple CEO Steve Jobs duly stood up at the company's World Wide Developers Conference in San Francisco this week to introduce the long-awaited iPhone 4. This has become almost as much of a June tradition as Wimbledon tennis, but there was a clear difference this time around. To a far greater extent than on the previous three …

[James Hughes 1]

Nice article

I agree, I think Apple are going to have a hard time fending off Android based handsets - there are multiple manufacturers of it, so the installed base should increase very quickly, and that will drawn the App developers. Also, multiple manufacturers means, hopefully, faster development of the OS itself, meaning Apple will need to really pull out the stops just to keep up.

[Henry Blackman]

Unintelligent review

There is little to no facts in this article, and clearly the author hasn't seen the phone, so should not make comment on the iPhone 4 screen. Nor does the author reference the sales number error by Sprint, which makes the Evo less popular than he suggests. Nor, does the author reference the battery nightmare of the Evo.

IT people like to focus on features, 5mega pixel this, 12 mega pixel that-but consumers know that, for example, those numbers are meaningless. The 3MP camera in the 3GS is significantly better in many scenarios than much higher MP cameras in other phones. Apple focuses on results, not acronyms much to their dismay, but given the 4 isn't even out yet, leaves much to actual usage.

Let's remember the things IT people value, are not the things everyone else does.

[RichyS]

Exactly

Quite agree. I think the wireless 'consultancy' that claims to have authored this drivel is aptly named here. They need a rethink themselves.

Every article I have read from someone who has actually seen the screen says it's amazing. So, it's not acronym compliant by not being AMOLED. But other than giving geeks a hard on, is AMOLED actually fit for purpose yet? From what I've seen, I don't think so. Pretty much unusable outside, and the Nexus One uses dodgy pentile sub pixels, and thus isn't really giving the high resolution it's pretending too. The high pixel density, good contrast of IPS panels (close to AMOLED), zero air gap and usability outside for me are much better than some fancy acronym.

Have to agree that the EVO sales snafu is amusing!

Android's nice enough. And it's doing okay in certain sectors (like the lower end of the market populated by this magic age group the author talks about). You can bet they'll all get iPhones when they can afford one!

Oh, and do most smartphones really have front facing cameras? Last time I checked, only the EVO and certain Symbian phones had one. And most of those Symbian phones aren't really smartphones, just jumped up feature phones with no touchscreen or keyboard.

And somebody who thinks they're a technology consultant is still buying into the megapixel myth? How about taking a look at the size of the pixels on the iPhone 4 sensor, or the fact that it uses a back illuminated sensor. These things matter far more than megapixels. Or put it another way, show me a high megapixel Moto Droid photo, and then try and explain why it's much worse than a low pixel count iPhone 3GS photo.

And finally, where did Rethink get their data from stating that Android is doing better internationally than in the States? All the data I've seen is to the contrary.

As far as opinion goes, this was the opinion of an idiot.

[Steve the Cynic]

@Exactly

"Oh, and do most smartphones really have front facing cameras? Last time I checked, only the EVO and certain Symbian phones had one."

My 18-month-old Samsung Omnia (i900) has one. And it's WinMob6.1...

[RichyS]

@Steve the Cynic

Does WinMob 6.1 /really/ count as a smartphone?

[Big-nosed Pengie]

Dumbphone

Dumb dumb dumb dumb dumb,

[Tim Hale 1]

It's not the size...

it's what you do with it that counts.

Lots of phones have front facing cameras, generally speaking no-one uses them. There are, of course, exceptions. The thing is, can Apple make video calling mainstream?

Me, I don't know. I would like to think that we're finally catching up with sci-fi a little more and video calls will become if not and every day occurance, at least no unusual.

Ironic that the carriers have tried to get us video calling for years and now it might happen they seem to be running away (that was my impression from the key note, I have no corroborating evidence).

Still no fecking flying car though.

[garbo]

And even my 3 yr old N82...

has a front camera, 5 MP Carl Zeiss back camera - with Xenon flash. So the iPhone 4 is an upgrade, magical experience? Maybe, for earlier iPhoners.

[Neoc]

<sigh>

"Oh, and do most smartphones really have front facing cameras? Last time I checked, only the EVO and certain Symbian phones had one."

Well, that's weird - both HTCs I have owned in the last 10 years have had front-facing cameras. In fact, most of the smartphones I looked at before settling on my HTC Touch HD had front-facing cameras.

Pot, kettle - do your own research before accusing others of not doing theirs.

[Sampler]

Unintelligent response

This is an IT site so really it should focus on the things IT people value?

[RichyS]

Re. Unintelligent response

Well it's a shame that IT people don't value usability.

That could explain why the UX for most bits of enterprise software is so shit. I mean, no one needs training to use Amazon or eBay; why the feck is it deemed okay that users need training to submit their expenses via a SAP portal.

Bloody geeks.

[Tim Hale 1]

And who provides the training...?

Why the people who supply the software, or the people who paid those people money to be acredited trainers.

I agree with you that things should be simple, but sometimes that's not the goal:

Charge for the software

Charge to install / setup the software

Charge for training

Charge to administer the software

Charge for support

[John 62]

eBay training

people do buy books on how to buy and sell on eBay. But the point about enterprise software stands.

[MattWPBS]

You noticed...

The piece where it says "Opinion" rather than "Review" then?

[hahnchen]

This is an iPhone article

I'd be surprised if the author would just concentrate on the Evo's sales or no sales blip. It's pretty irrelevant given that the phone has sold out - I'm surprised they could even get that wrong. It's clearly not just IT guys that are buying Android phones.

How long is it until Android devices start sporting Apple's new screen? After all, it's not Apple's technology. But I haven't seen the new iPhone either, so I guess that means that any analysis is impossible.

[Ben Tasker]

Cameras

You've just partially written what I was about to post;

CAMERAS

If you want to tell me specs, then tell me more than MegaPixels.

MP means absolutely F*ck all to Image Quality

Whats the sensor size?

Whats the ISO range?

Whats the point in having a 12 MegaPixel camera if the sensor is so small and the ISO Range so poor that everything in grainy? I could print a Picture on the side of a house with a high enough pixel count, but why would I want to if the picture is shite?????

My little gripe for the day, and one I'm sure I'll repeat (yet again) in the future

[JEDIDIAH]

On the subject of results...

Apple might "focus on results" but those results are shoddy. That's the

real problem here. A diverse group of Android competitors means that

there will be a device to cater for every user. It won't merely be the Apple

centric one-size-fits-all approach. This approach is a problem for computers

and it will become a problem for mobile devices.

At best, the camera in a 3GS phone merely sucks less.'

It's a poor thing to fixate on.

The "Apple focuses on results" rhetoric rings hollow when you consider how

poor it's basic media support is and what a bother getting it onto the device

can be.

[Anonymous Coward]

Battery life, battery life

You would think that correcting the poor battery life would be a priority for Apple, but by skipping the AMOLED option they have missed a good opportunity to save some power..

The comparable, but much cheaper, Nokia N8 seems to have a similar battery life quoted but with a smaller battery. Why is that? Well it uses an AMOLED screen. Although, the fact that Symbian uses a micro kernel contributes most of the power efficiency.

[Annihilator]

re: battery life

So... they made the battery bigger, and reduced the power consumption of the overall chipset. That's not prioritising power?...

AMOLED wouldn't give the "prettiness" of the iPhone display. Take your Nokia N8 outdoors into bright sunshine and spot the difference.

Besides, Apple allegedly approached Samsung for an AMOLED technology and found their supply capability to be limiting.

[Anonymous Coward]

Battery life - AMOLED

Actually AMOLED doesn't consume less power, if you were to display a mainly white screen then power draw is actually 10 times that of LCD TFT.

So I think Apple have actually done there homework here.

The life of AMOLED is shorter as well in terms of colour brightness which starts to deteriate after 3000 hours.

[Anonymous Coward]

What iTards fail to understand

Is that Android allows all the big boys to make iPhone killers very easilly.

This has already been demonstrated by HTC, Samsumg Sony Erricsson and Google. This is just of the first wave of iPhone killers. All of them immensely good, with iPhone killing featuresets, and a marketplace of currently equal, but soon to be outclassing proportions.

Where the trend WAS that people picked iPhone because the app store was better stocked, now what everyone in the Open Handset Alliance is making their own iPhone killers, the situation has now reversed in just under 18months...

[RichyS]

Really?

Well, they've had two years to create an iPhone killer and still haven't managed it.

What makes you think that's changing now?

Android's nice enough, but the whole UX still doesn't match that of the iPhone.

[Rob]

AC's point...

... is that 'Droid is open in that other manufacturers can use and customise the OS to their needs and model of phone. The amount of different models from different manufacturers at different price points is going to be the key that kills iPhones dazzle and 2 years is not really that long in the mobile phone market which has fits of innovation before it all goes quite for a year or 2.

Don't get me wrong the iPhone will carry on but without diversity from Apple, Android is sure to overtake it on the numbers game due to saturation. Android must also be doing something right as I have come across a number of people who have opted for a 'Droid phone who previously weren't interested in smartphones which suprised me (takes a lot to surprise me).

The one thing I do agree with in the article is that Apple need to carry on with their innovation if they want to retain their place in the phone market, even a poster on here mentioned they were expecting to see a 'nano' phone at a cheaper price point. The 4G sounds great with glass and steel but what will that do to the cost per unit and the final retail price to the consumer?

[Tim Hale 1]

Costs

Cost per unit? No idea

Cost to consumer? I would expect the retail price to be more or less the same as the last model.

[JEDIDIAH]

Wrong point of view here...

The real question here isn't quite so much when Android is going to kill

Apple's smartphones but when are the non-phone features on an iDevice

going to make speciality devices moot. Others that have complained about

specs cited in isolation have stumbled onto the dirty little secret that smart

phones make crummy cameras. They also make crummy media players.

They also make crummy web browsers. They also make pretty crummy game

machines. We put up with that because we all need phones and having

something else built in means that something is available even if it is mediocre.

My media player of choice is an Android because it is open, has gobs of space

and plays anything SD natively. So even if the wife drags along the iphone or

the ipad, my Android is coming along too.

So are the real cameras.

The real question is whether or not there will be some sort of vendorlock

keeping apple phone users tied to apple when those contracts expire.

Just like Windows an DOS in the past, it's not so much about how good

stuff is but whether or not you will be out in the cold for using something else.

Compatability is king, especially in a web being pushed to discard open web

technology for highly proprietary "apps".

[Geoff Campbell]

@RichyS

In a spirit of genuine enquiry (yes, I know, normal service will be resumed shortly, but let's go with this for now):

Can you tell me how the iPhone UI and facilties are better than Andoid? I currently have a Samsung Galaxy, which is stuck on Android 1.5. It's absolutely gorgeous, despite the OS being little more than a technology demonstrator, and the CPU being a bit slow. I was going to upgrade to an HTC Desire after reading up on the advances in Android v2.1/2.2, but I'm open to persuasion if the new iPhone really is that good?

GJC

[Frederick Tennant]

Why Kill The iphone?

What iTards fail to understand Is that Android allows all the big boys to make iPhone killers very easilly.

But the real question is why kill the iphone, it has saved the smartphone market. HTC, Sony Erricson, Windows had done nothing with smartphone technology, (and dont get me started on the tiny pen we had to work with) only the Tech boys used them as the general public soon got board with that. The smart phone market was almost dead when enter stage left Apple and its OS.

So Joan of arc and apple have something in common?

Apple OS gave smart phones to the masses. Just go into a pub or any public place and see how many are out there, Yes Sony HTC and the others can produce a better spec phone, but why did they wait until now to pull their fingers out?

Software, its nice to get all my software for my phone from one site, Im not sure about the others but this works for me and it takes the guess work out finding software the old fashioned way. New phone looks nice, but nothing new just old tech used right.

I could go on but its boring now.

[Neil 6]

Feature?

Is the width (or slimness!) really a FEATURE? Come on that's pushing it a little.

HTC Desire with Android is an absolutely astounding phone, Apple have been caught up if not overtaken with the latest smartphones.

[Anonymous Coward]

Slimness is a feature

for those who carry it in a pocket.

[david bates]

I worry about slimness

The Nexus is fairly thin, and with that big, vunerable screen I have to be careful which pocket it goes in - certainely not the back pocket, and often not the hip in case I flex it. I never had to worry about my chunky N73 flexing.

[The Original Steve]

Desire

+1

Epic phone. Played with the 3GS for about 20 minutes before ordering the Desire and I'm sure I made the right choice.

Slimmer, "better" screen (I've yet to see it) and a gyro... <sarcasm>wow</sarcasm>

The Desire IS the iPhone with more options, freedom and power. Apple have 12 more months on top then it's the turn of the Android.

[Tim Hale 1]

Moto

Well it was for the RAZR!

[Brian 62]

megapixels - dead horse

Can we please stop harping on the "low megapixels" thing? Everyone who's been in tech for at least 10 years knows that the megapixel race is well and truly bogus, and higher pixels actually result in WORSE picture quality. Jobs even addressed this in the keynote by describing how they made the pixels bigger to help maintain image quality.

It's now only left up to the Press (you guys) to stop perpetuating this myth, even when you do it only in a list of bullet points to try to make the list look more impressive.

[Fat Jez]

re megapixels - dead horse

Absolutely. As long as the quality of the lenses on any of the current mobile phones remains as it is, there is no point in increasing the megapixel count.

[Anonymous Coward]

Close but ne cigar pas, innit

The lenses aren't the only dealbreaker, the pissy little sensors too- areal density is too high, which is why you get an increase in noise as you crank up megapixels on the same size sensor.

I'm not expecting a micro 4-3 phone with a lens mount any time soon, though :)

[Ben Tasker]

Thank You

Thought I was the only one annoyed by this. Clearly I'm not as irritable as I was beginning to think I might be!

[Anonymous Coward]

@ Brian

"Jobs even addressed this in the keynote by describing how they made the pixels bigger to help maintain image quality."

Maybe you should go back and rewatch the keynote. Jobs boasted that they kept the pixels the SAME SIZE, *NOT* bigger.

I'll agree that megapixels aren't everything. dSLRs are long safe from being replaced by a phone anyways.

[uhuznaa]

@Anonymous Coward:

"Maybe you should go back and rewatch the keynote. Jobs boasted that they kept the pixels the SAME SIZE, *NOT* bigger."

He said they kept the pixels the same size as on the old 3 MP camera, making the sensor bigger rather than the pixels smaller. They *are* larger than on most (or all) other smartphone cameras with the same or higher MP count.

That being said, the sensor is still pathetically small compared to "real" cameras. But there is not much you can do about this in a smartphone, a bigger sensor would require more depth for the lens and there is just no room for that. Things like backside illuminated sensors help a bit, though. Every little bit helps here. Except more megapixels of course.

[Tom Harvey]

Easy Peasy

"To a far greater extent than on the previous three occasions, Apple faces some real challenges in the smartphone world"

Ye, cos having the Number 2 smartphone handset makes things real hard compared with entering an established market, dominated by RIM and MS?!?

No insight, just waffle that is guaranteed page hits. Can I have my click back please?

[Andrew Moore]

hmmmmm

"Stainless steel for strength. Glass on the front and back. Integrated antennas, and extraordinary build quality," was Jobs' boast.

He then went on to add "People have literally died bring this product to market"...

[Mike Cardwell]

Bollocks

"Now, at least, the handset has a front-facing camera - present on most smartphones for video calls"

Present on "most smartphones"? That's a load of bull crap. *some* smartphones have front facing cameras, the vast vast majority don't. No Android phones have a front face camera for example...

[Anonymous Coward]

Except EVO maybe?

Blame the competition and their time machines.

[david bates]

My Nexus does indeed not have a front facing camera...

...but then, its not in any way, shape or form something that I consider when I buy a phone. My N73 had a front facing camera, which in three years of onership I never, ever used. No-one has ever video called my from their phone either.

I'd prefer they used the space for something useful.

[l3v5y]

Umm...

A few years ago, every smartphone released outside the US had a forward facing camera. Lots don't know, as it's utterly pointless!

[ml100]

Step out of your back yard for a moment

Almost every smart phone in UK since 2004 has had a front facing camera. The real issue is that nobody wants to make video calls. Its just the USA that lags behind in network features because you have such a fragmented and under invested infrastructure.

The original premise of 3 network in UK was all about video calling, now its never mentioned.

The real power of Apple is to popularise a feature that nobody ever cared about before. If they can make video calling de rigueur then it will benefit the whole industry. [Perhaps not the consumer in any way]

...doubt it though

[Anonymous Coward]

re Unintelligent review

Utter BS, twisted to suit the argument of the day. Consumers blindly assume more megapixels mean better pictures. Only the techies know better...

[Tim Hale 1]

Not 'techies'

Photographers and camera geeks know better, regular IT techies don't.

[regviewer]

Slim and Video Calling won't help

Consumers don't care much if you've made the phone a fraction less slimmer - it's very hard to tell and it's slim to the naked eye the way it already is. Video Calling won't help either. HTC EVO 4G can run Video Calling with it's front-face camera on both the network running at 4G AND WiFi; iPhone 4 is limited to just WiFi. And with WiFi issues plaguing the iPhone 4 during Steve Jobs presentation, there might just be a wave of major WiFi hardware issues on the iPhone 4 waiting to get in the hands of eager consumers.

[Tim Hale 1]

Fail Fail

Consumers care about how slim it is when it's in their hand. From the pictures it seems to be noticably thinner.

Video calling will 'help' if Apple can make it popular, sure the EVO can do it but does anyone use it? Think about how many people outside of geeks knew anything about MP3 before the iPod, not many. Apple made digital music popular and mainstream and if they can do that with video calling I expect a lot of this kind of conversation:

I need a phone that can do video calls!

You've already got one.

No I don't, this one's old and busted.

No, see that little black dot on the front of the phone? That's a camera.

Oh. I did not know that.

And suggesting that the iPhone 4 may have WiFi problems because of a swamped network suggests more than a little bias.

[BingBong]

fail on you

The wifi issues were A LACK OF BANDWIDTH in the room nothing else [due to the sheer number of "mifi" access points in use] which meant the web page loading was slow.

[Frederick Tennant]

Wake up and smell the coffee!

Apple old tech with ground breaking OS in a sexy package, thats what people want. Slim is sexy fat is ugly

if you watch the show check how many people was online during the speach and you might understand why he asked to turn the dam things off if you was a techie.

[That Awful Puppy]

Nice, with just one giant fail

Ever seen the pictures from that 12 MP camera? Yes. They suck. All they do is take up memory.

Otherwise, a pretty decent article with some nice insight.

See also:

http://www.iainclaridge.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/merkley2.jpg

Needs moar megapickles, as the fine gentlemen of /p/ would say.

[Citizen Kaned]

yes

and they are bloody amazing! depends on the camera. the ones i saw were from a £6k pro digi camera and are astonishing.

remember that high MP just means much more room for graphics bods to work with (i.e. zomming in and photoshopping) and print much larger images at a decent DPI.

but i agree that standard joe doesnt need anything over about 5mp but with decent quality. i still find most digi cameras have a lot of noise. i need a new one for my upcoming safari to kenya <excited> never been to africa :)

[Ben Tasker]

MIssed the point I think

Think the OP was referring to the 12MP photos generated by whichever phone it was that was referenced in the article (I've forgotten which already)

But yeah, assuming more MP makes worse pictures is wrong. Just take a look at some of the >40 MegaPixel Hasselblads - They chuck out some (huge) images in fantastic quality.

It all comes down to a combination of

Pixel Count

Sensor Size

ISO Range (high ISO often leads to more grain)

As well as a load more more technical aspects.

It's rampant consumerism that has allowed the 'more megapixels is good' mindset to proliferate.

[Tim Hale 1]

Well there you are then!

I'd expect a camera like that to have a good lense and a big sensor. Two important factors in cameras whether or not they're on a phone.

IF you have a tiny sensor and a plastic lens, all the pixels in the world aren't going to get you a decent picture.

The megapixel myth is finally starting to die and it can't go fast enough.

[That Awful Puppy]

Oh.

Right. My bad, I meant pictures from that 12 MP phone camera.

Although I like my 10 MP DSLR just fine - shot with an EOS 7D the other day, with its eleventyhundred megapickles, but the tonality was just wrong, and don't get me started on user interface - Canon could learn a lot from Microsoft, and I hate Microsoft's UI design.

[Yves Kurisaki]

Battery!

I'm no fanboy, but we're not just talking functionality here. I still have to see the first Android phone that doesn't completely suck in the battery department. What's the point of having the latest amazing features and some more if you can't even look at the phone or it drains. And don't get me started on the monstrosity that is the 'Android app market'. I've got 6 months left on my phone contract. Android and the handset makers will have to do a lot better to move me away from the iPhone.

[david bates]

Well...

My Nexus usually reports approx 50% battery left when I plug it in at night. Thats with a mix of calls, surfing and games. It seems to charge in just a couple of hours as well. Mind you, I dont have the screen on full or GPS on unless Im using them.

[ml100]

Android doesnt want YOU

No manufacturer of Android based smart phones is trying to sell to Apple fanbois!

That's like Jehovahs Witness going door to door in Iran. If you are ignorant enough to jump on that bandwagon you'll never see sense.

[Anonymous Coward]

iPhone mini?

I was hoping Apple would announce a budget, mini version of the iPhone. That would certainly reach into a new sector of the market and fill the requirements for people that feel carrying the current model in their tight jeans pockets uncomfortable!

[fatchap]

Shuffle?

Even better would be really small phone with no screen or buttons that would just dial a small selection of contacts at random.

[Mark Spooner]

Great Idea!!!!!!!!

Voice dialing only. Configured from a web-site. It could actually sell.

[januaryfirst]

smaller package

Agreed, even if it had the 3GS's internals wrapped around a smaller package.

[Pavlovs well trained dog]

Reg readers vs the rest of the world

I'd imagine the typical (is there such a thing) Reg reader would froth and gnash his/her teeth at the iOS geek lock out and that seems to be evident in the reporting in the publication

so for most here, Android's a clear winner

for the rest of the world who see phones as appliances or fashion statements or tools or trinkets of delight I don't think the lock-out factor means a thing.

Neither does 5, 7, 8 or 12 MPs in the camera.

[Richard Cartledge]

Scamera

People don't want big megapixels on phone cameras. Even 5mp is excessive for a pea sized lens. 12 of the SONY is utterly ridiculous. All you get on many phones (and compact cameras) is a large file with a meagre 2 megapixelish quality image.

[Paul 93]

Well i'm hoping at least....

... it will be a better phone, now the antenna is somewhere near the outside of the device.

And although not a popular view on el reg, some people actually don't want to be able to configure everything, as they are either not bothered or too stupid to do so. I think I'm falling into that category, and I want one as its shiny, and matches my macbook pro.

P.

[The Original Ash]

I just looked at new phones

iPhone is still ludicrously priced on ludicrous tariffs. I'll get a Samsung Galaxy S. 4" AMOLED screen? Oh yeah baby, gimme some o' that lovin'...

[Anonymous Coward]

Cameras

I'm still not sure why cameras are a big issue, I can't remember the last review of a Canon that stated "Well it's not a very good phone..."

[Red Bren]

Thanks for that!

If it wasn't for the ban on hot drinks in our office, I'd be mopping coffee out of my keyboard.

[Anonymous Coward]

Hmmmm

I was thinking of doing a camera review tonight, I think you've just given me a good criticism to use for whichever camera (Nikon vs Canon) doesn't fit my prejudices!

Thanks, have a pint

[Al Jones]

I usd to agree

Until work gave me a Blackberry that has a phone. I'm surprised how often I use it.

See something interesting in a shop, but I want to do some more research online when I get home, so I take a photo of the label.

Need to get the serial number off the back of the machine, but can't get my head into that small space - stick the phone in there and take a photo of the label.

See an interesting personalized license plate in the parking lot - take a snap, just because I can, and I have a camera right there.

See an amusing sign on the street - take a snap, just because I can, and I have a camera right there.

See a poster for an upcoming event that I might want to go to - - take a snap, so that I can look up the details when I get home, and I have a camera right there.

Need to make a note of any error codes or messages that come up where a screen print won't work (a Blue Screen, when you're in the BIOS, on the login screen, etc).

If you ever need to talk someone at a remote site through the process of doing a hard reset of a box in a remote server room, it's very handy if you took a snap of that rack the last time you were there, and can add labels and e-mail it to them before they press the wrong button.

Need to root around on the bosses desk while he's at lunch - take a photo of it first so that I can put everything back the way it was :-)

And then there's the requisite photo's of various small children, animals, colourful sunsets etc, a couple of videos taken at the fireworks, the sort of snapshots you take with a cheap and cheerful digital camera. So I never would have picked a phone because it had a camera, and I'd never use my phone when I wanted to take a "photograph" rather than a "snapshot", but it's turned out to be a surprisingly useful tool to have available.

[Anonymous Coward]

too small

3.5" corner to corner to so yesterday, retina detaching ppi notwithstanding. Next upgrade I want an HTC Evo or at the very least a Desire.

[SteveCo]

Hands Off!

Is it less safe to have the antenna on the outside of a phone, actually touching your hand?

[MarkOne]

re: Battery!

My HTC Legend lasts much longer than my old iPhone 3GS, and it's way more functional too.

I get day and a half out of the HTC with moderate use. I was lucky to get a day out of my iPhone.

Of course when the iPhone battery needs replacement, you throw the phone away, or pay Apple silly money to replace it. When the HTC needs replacing, you just clip the back off....

Android excessive battery consumption is a myth created by Apple iTards who have little else to cling to... ("that Multitasking in Android MUST SURELY kill the battery")

[Anonymous Coward]

@MarkOne

Why in the hell are you comparing your current model phone to the previous model of iPhone in an article talking about the launch of a new iPhone model? What is the relevance? Just so you can slam the iPhone?

[Anonymous Coward]

Not a fan but...

...I do like the style of the new phone very much. Was never keen on the rounded back shape of the <3 models, looked a but toy like whereas the new model looks very good indeed.

Saying that, can't stand the way they operate so am still looking at something like the Desire (even though iit's more rounded) although the resolution and quality of the iPhone 4 screen is really tempting...

And, as everyone else has said, who cares about the number of pixels on the camera. It's the size and quality of the sensor that matters, not its resolution.

[It'sa Mea... Mario]

Wow..

Pleasant lack of / reduction in Anti-Apple-just-for-thr-sake-of-it posts in this thread.. without it being all fanboi posts either..

Hope I haven't just spoke to soon..

Do agree with Tom Harvey way up above, this article is purely for click generation and lacking anything worthwhile.

[Frank Long]

And Nokia?

Besides from a single insignificant mention, the author manages to completely ignore the biggest player in the global smartphone market.

While Blackberry may be the big boy in the the US, Nokia have ~37% of global smartphone sales, significantly more than Apple RIM and even Android.

When combined with their partnership with Intel, surely they must be taken into consideration when discussing the smartphone market.

They are the lowest cost mobile hardware manufacturer in the world, even the manufacturers making clone phones in China can't beat them on price. They have been written off a number of times before (When RAZR emerged, the beginning of 3G, when SE rose on the back of the T610 and P800...) only to come back.

While Maemo/Moblin might not appear to be serious contenders, only a fool would write off an alliance between Intel and Nokia so quickly, especially when it's based upon completely open standards and vast distribution channels.

They may not provide the greatest user experience (although people seem to forget that in the late 90s, early 2000, Nokia was the gold standard in usability), but they will produce cheap phones with great features that work well enough for most people.

Apple and RIM have their own walled gardens, which means they will probably maintain the gains they've made, but they're both premium producers the vast majority of people who can afford their phones have them already. Most of the population can't afford their price premium (cf the PC market) so that's likely to end up a battle between Android and Moblin. Both Linux. huzzah for open standards.

[Anonymous Coward]

Customer Loyalty

Many people are comparing Apple's output to HTC's output. Eight months ago I was the proud owner of new HTC Hero - Android 1.5 I think it was. Since then, we've seen new Android phones released with v1.6, v2.0, v2.1 of that particular OS. Despite many noises that my little Hero would be receiving an OS upgrade (at one time to v1.6 and recently to v2.0) I'm still waiting.

Seems that HTC just don't care about existing handset owners and want to keep throwing out new phones with later OS versions, rather than make good on OS upgrade promises to those with earlier phones.

At the very least with an iPhone, Apple are prepared to offer OS upgrades to the bulk of older iPhones. Even though they might not be able to offer all features to all versions, there's at least some benefit to existing customers from this. That builds loyalty.

I won't be investing in another HTC phone - just to watch it be left behind in the scramble for the latest Android incarnation. Soon as iPhone 4 is available, the Hero is for sale.

[Mr Brush]

Hero Eclair Update

Rumoured to be hitting Europe on Jun 18th.

I haven't felt the need for the update until I recently discovered a useful OpenGL API that isn't supported on 1.5

I'm sure most people don't NEED the update, it's just one of those irrational things that people get into a 'must have it' frame of mind about. Like shiney new crud from Apple.

[Anonymous Coward]

Hero Eclair Update

And has been in the pipline since last year. People have used phrases like 'sense of entitlement' and suggesting that nobody really NEEDS an updated Android OS on Hero but as an owner of a Hero I'm afraid that simply isn't the case.

For one thing, The changes between versions mean that apps developed for later OS releases aren't compatible with 1.5 so without the update owners of 1.5 based devices will be increasingly left out. Bug fixes and performance improvements are also needed. My keyboard has been sluggish from pretty much day one, after rooting and flashing a ROM based on the 2.1 update released to Asia performance has improved greatly.

These devices are not cheap and people are often being tied to 18+ month contracts. If after 12 months support for the device is dropped they probably aren't going to be rushing to get another phone of the same brand come renewal time. I doubt I'll go HTC again and unless problems like fragmentation are addressed it probably won't be an Android handset either.

[Al Jones]

Adroid 2.1 has been released for the the HTC Hero

http://www.cnet.com/8301-19736_1-20005487-251.html

[Aylee]

Hero

My HTC Hero has been running Android 2.1 for the last month. Sure, I had to upgrade it myself, but it was hardly rocket science. The problem with Apple users is they expect to be spoon fed everything. I have no objection to Apple making things easier, but their user base seems to have stopped thinking for themselves.

Sure, my year old HTC Hero is a little slow, but I have played with the iPhone 3GS and the HTC Desire, and the latter wins by a mile in terms of battery life, features and usability.

[Anonymous Coward]

@Aylee

"The problem with Apple users is they expect to be spoon fed everything."

The problem with arrogant, offensive twats is they think they're better than everyone else.

"I have played with the iPhone 3GS"

And that's related to the new iPhone how?

[Anonymous Coward]

But in 6 months' time ...

... what will the newer Android phones be like?

What will be the killer features or applications?

It's a fast moving target for Apple, so catching up now might not be good enough.

[uhuznaa]

Well...

The hardware of that thing is not at all bad, I think. And the "only 5MP" is really tiring. It has a rather large sensor and lens, a backside illuminated sensor (which is a first in a smartphone as far as I know, not that any "tech journalist" would care) and seems to take quite good macro shots. Any smartphone maker putting such effort into the camera while giving up on the MP race has to be lauded. Everybody knows that piling megapixel on megapixel is a bad thing but obviously nobody has the balls to be the first to do something about it.

The gyroscope is also something noone else thought of yet. The screen has not only high DPI, it has the touchscreen laminated to the LCD, which should help to minimize parallax problems and make it tougher. The battery seems to be really good, the design surely isn't shabby. 9.3mm is, well, good. No, the hardware is really fine.

iOS starts to suck, though. When it comes to wireless syncing and file management and the like the OS is user-unfriendly in a way that is outright un-Apple. Things like "openness" are irrelevant here, the masses don't care, only geeks care.

And can Apple fend off Android? Why, no. Never. One company with one or two devices can't fend off uncounted companies offering hundreds of phones and tablets with an OS they get for free. There are lower prices there and more options. Even *expecting* Apple to hold a majority of the market is madness. In fact, if they manage to keep a third of the market or so they will do really, really great. One could even say that the iPhone holds up that good today is either a miracle or most Android phones aren't really that good compared to the iPhone. Which Android smartphone exactly is selling bettter than the iPhone or even close?

In the smartphone market Android will become what Windows was (or still is) in the PC market, there is little doubt to that. Expecting Apple to "fend off" all other Android phones together is like expecting Apple selling more Macs than all others selling PCs.

[quick_beam]

Wow, a voice of reason...

I totally agree with you, except to add that the size of iPhone's eventual marketshare depends on 1) how the smartphone market unfolds; 2) Apple's ability to push it's product through it's international channels; 3) it's ability to build on it's advantage on the apps front; 4) whether Android handset makers can sustain this pace of development while selling these many phones; and lastly 5) whether the Android strategy has the legs. No one has yet seen the future, not even Jobs. There is an obvious reason why Apple is choosing this strategy- it's a very profitable business. And the fiscal elements should not be overlooked, as it can sometimes be a deciding factor, ala Pre.

[Tony Paulazzo]

New Phone

I've just got an HTC Desire. I'm not going to slag off Apple, I'm just really happy I got a new phone, and it's great!

[batfastad]

Desire

Agree. HTC Desire here for about 3 weeks. Had an SE P1i for a while which could do everything I'd really needed but the HTC Desire is something else. The amount of customisation available on the thing is staggering!

[David Halko]

Game Changing??? I want to see...

Wireless Watch writes, "the new gadget delivered nothing really game changing"

I want to see the 720p video from the iPhone4! --- One less gadget to take around when I am at a friend's wedding!

A little iMovie on the phone? --- I hope that means posting edited video to FaceBook or YouTube within minutes of taking it!

After messing with my friends $50 phone from China with 2 SIM cards, all I can say is that the user experience and GOOD APPS on a smart phone is everything! (Pressing on the screen is a real drag... not to mention trying to use the tiny keys on the keyboard...)

I don't care if phone has 10 different apps if they are all inferior to the 1 or 2 apps on another phone from a usability perspective.

Yes, I am in the market for a new phone now, my 1st generation iPhone is showing it's age... I have not made a decision yet with the new found competition on the market.

[chr0m4t1c]

WiFi issues?

According to reports there were 570 WiFi base stations in the room.

That's a pretty extreme case for any phone, are you saying that another phone on the market would have done any better? Evidence?

As for video calling, I don't think any consumers actually give two hoots about it, but I notice that all of the people who were posting those "Ha! The iPhone has no front-facing camera, so no video calling - EPIC FAIL" posts have now vanished.

So, the new phone now plugs some of the other perceived gaps in capability:

Screen resolution. All those with the various Android HD screens have to shift to a different position, from the early comments it looks like the latest stick to beat Apple with with be "Ha! They've chosen the wrong technology!"

Multi-tasking. The shift has already started with this one, the argument goes "Ha! It's not TRUE multi-tasking, the application has to register for events and then go to sleep; it isn't really running.". That's a bit of a lame argument, that's how well-behaved programs behave in other operating systems anyway.

Battery life. Better than previous iPhones, but I can't see the arguments changing much here; there are two camps, those who go through three or four batteries every single day and therefore need a swappable battery and those who would complain even if the battery lasted for six weeks of continuous talking because it's an Apple device.

Camera. 5-Meg instead of some bleeding edge 14-Meg thing. Cue a round of pointless megapixel willie waving. Apple claim to have gone for quality rather than stats and I'm inclined to believe them, the photo industry has known this for a while, it's just taking a bit longer for some consumers to grow up a bit and learn a bit about optics. I have a four year old 7MP camera that produces better images than a lot of current 10+MP cameras because it has a good sensor and a good lens.

[Robert Grant]

It's better than my 2-year-old phone now

"Oh, and do most smartphones really have front facing cameras? Last time I checked, only the EVO and certain Symbian phones had one. And most of those Symbian phones aren't really smartphones, just jumped up feature phones with no touchscreen or keyboard."

My 2 year old HTC Diamond has a front-facing second camera. And about 277dpi. And HSUPA. Nice to know the iPhone's caught up :)

[Hayden Clark]

ooo shiny!!!

..is the only criterion for buying an iPhone. It's the only one needed too.

As long as iPhone 4 has the "oo shiny" response, it doesn't matter what it does, really.

[Peter X]

What about iPhone nano

It was mentioned in another post here, but whilst Apple aren't talking about an iPhone nano, it is the obvious next product. But they couldn't do that before without removing features from their existing phones... and there wasn't much scope for that! But with iPhone 4, they can now produce a "nano" product based on the iPhone 3G or 3GS, but sans GPS, probably with giros (for gaming) and it shouldn't risk customers switching to the cheaper product.

Having said all that... Apple traditionally produce "premium" products. They look nice, they work well, they're desirable, but they also cost more. As such, they're never likely to totally dominate any market. Whilst they have done well with iPods in terms of market share, I'd say this is because they're inexpensive -- yes an iPod Shuffle is twice as expensive as a competing music player with similar features, but at that price point, it's not a huge purchasing decision.

iPhone on the other hand has always been too expensive to dominate, and given the number of Androids available, and given their lower cost, Apple will never achieve the same level of success as they did with the iPod. If they release an iPhone nano they'll do better though... but I suspect they're going to have a tough time with this.

And to conclude my rambling post, Apples market cap is high because they're profitable *and* they still have considerable scope for expanding market share. But they can only maintain this if they continue to increase profits... which requires increasing market share... which can only happen if they can capture customers at the lower end of the spectrum.

[Tinal]

Highlights from this years WWDC: iPhone 4, Steve Jobs.

iPhone 4: Is thinner, has almost twice the pixel density, and still doesn't support flash.

Steve Jobs: Is thinner, has almost twice the ego density, and still doesn't support flash.

[DEAD4EVER]

iphone 4

wasnt suprised really with another apple phone to replace the 3gs but personally im not getten a apple due to there exspensive price tag. if i was to get a new phone id be happy with htc like the evo 4g that seems an awsome phone with alot of apples great features sure it dont have apples market place but i dont care not bothered about thease stupid apps for your phone. all im bothered about is using it for texting and calling. and if people say well you have to use phones for social networking and internet well newsflash thease services like surfing the net cost with some mobile networks like o2. also people complain about battery life in thease new phones er well why dont you turn off bluetooth that drains it somthing rotten only use that when your transfering stuff or are working in a taxi firm making lots of calls. all people are paying for is apples fancy bitten logo thats all and making steve richer. but if anyone complains about a apple product in reviews or somthing you get alot of grief which shows this world is filled with apple fanboys. and those who wait outside stores to pick up a new product like apples new items are sad do they not realise that thease products will mostly likely come down in price a few months after.

[theSensibleGeek]

@RichyS

"Android's nice enough. And it's doing okay in certain sectors (like the lower end of the market populated by this magic age group the author talks about). You can bet they'll all get iPhones when they can afford one!"

iPhone 3GS: $199 @ Apple.com

Moto Droid: $199 @ VerizonWireless.com

Looking like an elitist tool: Priceless.

[Anonymous Coward]

I'll just leave this here

http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2002/7/12/

[Stephen 10]

@theSensibleGeek

And what are the total contract prices for those? The outright buy price for the phones are as follows:

iPhone 3GS: $699 (you seem to have specified the 32Gb version)

Motorola Droid: $559

And the Droid looks to kill the 3Gs on specification

What was your point again?

[RichyS]

@the'Sensible'Geek

Firstly, you've picked pretty much the top end Android phone.

Secondly, Verizon have been doing a 'buy one get one' deal on the Droid -- so you get 2 Droids for your $199.

Thirdly, there are much cheaper Android phones available. While you can get a last gen iPhone for $99, you can get various Android phones for free (Droid Eris, Moto Devour, etc.).

Not looking so sensible now...

[jecrawford]

@RichyS

Two for one. Desperately trying to garner market share?

Is this a good business model?

Not looking so sensible………

[shellyagal]

iphone on rebates

I am a regular online frugal shopper and mostly use cash back portals like Bing, ShopAtHome, AAfter Search and Ebates.

[DrXym]

iPhone 4 won't fend off Android

It might be enough to stop the rot (for the time being), but the reality is there are COUNTLESS android manufacturers. Motorola, Sony, Samsung, LG, et al. Devices selling at all price points and all networks. Not just phones, but tvs, tablets and other devices too.

Even if we look at phones, most of the top of the range Android phones are quite comparable in terms of features and price even before the iPhone 4 appeared and they'll overtake it soon enough.

[Giles Jones]

Megapixel myth

Stop believing the megapixel myth.

I have 12MP on my SLR with a 35mm sensor there is no chance in hell that a 12MP camera phone can match my SLR. I would imagine the photos out of my SLR at ISO1600 are better than those of the 12MP camera phone in any conditions.

Apple is lagging behind in megapixels, but they're making a stand against lousy quality cameras. The backlight sensor is cutting edge.

Have a look at the awful cameras HTC include in their phones.

[Anonymous Coward]

Get a grip, Apple haters

The iPhone is "finally catching up" to whatever phone you had 3 years ago? Really? What miracle phone did you have 3 years ago that had a back-illuminated camera sensor? Gyroscope? Dual microphones? Scratchproof case? "Case antenna," for lack of a better term?

No argument that the Android camp can quickly copy and improve upon the iPhone's feature set... bigger screens, more megapixels, etc.

But seriously, credit where credit's due. The most novel thing about the EVO is that little plastic kickstand.

Even if you hate Apple, you should be grateful that they are giving other manufacturers something to copy, which you will eventually benefit from, just as they did with the original iPhone.

[JimboG]

Why does this pass for valid analytical comment?

This article lost me at the ludicrous statement, "As Microsoft well knows, a product is most vulnerable when it becomes a sacred cow." If this analyst's interpretation of Microsoft's rise and decline over the last 25 years is summed up in this statement, he can't have anything to say worth listening to.

Why did The Register publish this abject dribble?

[ukdeluded]

Hands Up!!!

Has anyone here ever, ever, ever used the front camera on their phone or actually done a video call?!

I've had a multitude of phones with front cameras (and still have one), and I have yet to use it.

I've tried, just for fun, but I've never managed to connect a video call!

[Ed 11]

I want to love Android...

My iPhone 3G contract is up and I'm undecided between whether to get the iPhone 4, the HTC Desire, or hold out for the next TOTR Android handset.

The Apple App Store really is brilliant and to me is the sole selling point of remaining with Apple. I've played about with Android on my house mates phones and the Android store, in comparison, is a sack of pooh. There is no Android equivalent of Angry Birds, The Guardian app, the Sky+ app the British Gas app etc.

I want to love Android. I want to get out of bed with Apple and Steve Jobs. I thoroughly dislike the contempt he seems to have for many developers and the arbitrary rules they face. But I'm not a developer, I'm only a consumer. Whilst I know it's people like me that make Apple's attitude sustainable, the companies I want to write apps for my phone write apps for Apple so there is not much incentive to move on.

Which brings me on to my second area of concern, namely the fragmentation of Android. With the iPhone, I know the product I get on day one will evolve and develop significantly over the period I own it. Software updates will be available and will add new features frequently. With Android... well unless I get the Nexus One then whether or not I get the full benefit of the latest and greatest Android version is in the lap of HTC, Samsung, SE or whoever made the handset. Take all those people with the admittedly lovely HTC Desire. I understand HTC have said they will get updated from 2.1 to 2.2 but given their track record with updating (or rather, neglecting to update) my house mates HTC Hero, I'm cynical. And even if they do one day get 2.2, 2.3 will be out in the Autumn and they can probably forget about ever seeing that on their devices.

What to do...

[Mr Grumblefish]

The British Gas app

Well, that certainly clinches it!

[Jeff 11]

The 3GS was pretty much the same

Actually there was less in the way of new features between the 3G and the 3GS. Video capture, cut and paste, a compass and a faster CPU and GPU. OK, admittedly no-one will use video calling; it's an idea that's never worked because you look like a prize prick talking to your phone as though it were a real person, not to mention having your partner's voice loudly blurted out of the speaker for all to hear. I also doubt the UK/US networks will have the capacity to do it with acceptable quality (certainly not HD as Apple's screenshottery implies) as well.

But the camera may finally be usable, multitasking will make Skype viable, it's supposedly tougher and thinner, and that 25% reduction in pocket bulk on what's already a slim phone is a big thing for some people. And if the A4 CPU makes things as smooth as on the iPad then it'll make the Android and WM tech look like juddering crap - and the 3GS is already way ahead of both when it comes to rendering speed.

[John Sanders]

Everything has to change...

to fundamentally remain the same.

[Anonymous Coward]

Bye Apple

If one of Apples hot new features is "Folders" all I can say is wow!

When will they invent technology so you can...say, sort your photos alphabetically? Just try it.

And Apple is the benchmark? Yeah right.

I've had 3 iPhones over the years and although I waited to see what the iPhone 4 would bring I just ordered my HTC Desire today. I've had enough of Apples crap. It's not that their products themselves aren't good, its the little things that have me shaking my head...Glad to see the back of them.

[John 62]

another megapixel comment

At the risk of sounding like a fanboi I'm going to suggest the author rethink his comparisons with other phone cameras. If he'd said that 5MP was going to be a tough sell in a market that wants a single number to measure a camera's performance that would be fair enough, but he didn't. Hence I'm jumping on the bandwagon to figuratively flay him.

I understand that my iPhone is not good for 'real' photography, but I have a 'real' camera for that (with large a 10MP sensor). On the other hand, with good light my iPhone takes great pictures and 2MP is enough and there have been comparison shots to show that the 3G's 2MP sensor gives better low light performance than the 3GS's 3.2MP sensor.

By all means, pile on Apple for their App Store policies, the lack of wireless sync, the bloatedness of iTunes (though it does give the advantage of not relying on the manufacturers to do OTA OS upgrades; manufacturers who won't want you upgrading your phone, but rather getting a new one 6months later because that's the only way they make money, they don't get a cut of app sales or ad revenue), but a high quality 5MP camera on a phone is not a problem for Apple.

[jackofhearts]

Android?

I like the idea of Android, and I get the impression it gets pretty good press - but I don't know anyone with one, literally I have never seen one outside the shops. Although 'smart' phones are definitely in use by the majority of friends and colleagues, they are all iPhones or Blackberrys.

[Campbeltonian]

Outside the US

I'm willing to bet that Android handsets are selling a lot better in the US than they are in the UK. It's very telling that the market share survey that showed Android as having a slight lead over the iPhone was a US-only survey.

My hunch is that it's got a lot to do with the fact that HTC have been the most prominent Android manufacturer. They seem to be relatively well known in the US because of their Windows Mobile handsets, but they were pretty much unknown here before the Android handsets started to ship.

As it stands, I know one person who owns an HTC Hero, and my boss wants to buy a Nexus One at some point. I know way more people with iPhones.

[Anonymous Coward]

Poor article

Any author who thinks the quality of a camera can be measured by the number of megapixels it has is not worth paying any attention to.

[theSensibleGeek]

@Stephen 10 & RichyS & jecrawford

@Stephen 10:

I don't think you and I actually have any disagreement. My point was that RichyS' comment was idiotic, because he assumed that the only reason people would buy an Android device over an iPhone was because they couldn't afford an iPhone. I was pointing out that the common costs to acquire each phone are comparable. Being as the average user will accept a contract, the contract price seems to be the most appropriate comparison. GIven your comment that the Droid seems to mop the floor with the iPhone 3GS, it seems clear to me that the reasons people would buy an Android over an iPhone extend quite a bit beyond affordability.

@RichyS:

Yes, I picked pretty much the top end Droid phone. I also picked the top end iPhone that pricing is listed for, so I'm not sure that gives you anything. Secondly, Verizon's buy one get one free deal is because they released the Incredible, thereby decreasing demand for what could be considered the "previous gen" droid leader. Likewise, for the price of an iPhone 3GS, you could buy two previous gen iPhones.

Yes there are much cheaper Droid phones out there, but your initial comment doesn't make that relevant. Your implication was that the only reason someone would buy an Android phone over an iPhone is because they can't afford an iPhone. My point was that if someone can buy a Droid, they can buy an iPhone - therefore, if your implication is true, the Droid should have sold HORRIBLY. It didn't, and therefore, your implication is crap. You may have MEANT that the only reason someone would buy an old G1 is because they can't afford an iPhone, and were that the case, I might have even agreed with you, but that's not what you wrote.

@jecrawford:

Two for one is a way to move excess inventory, caused in this case by the release of a better, faster, stronger Android phone (HTC Incredible).

When you have too much product sitting in your inventory, and it's not selling very well, would you rather:

a) let excess inventory (for which you have already incurred costs) sit on the shelf, or

b) discount the excess inventory to move the product (thereby receiving revenue).

The choice seems pretty simple to me.

[Stephen 10]

@theSensibleGeek

"GIven your comment that the Droid seems to mop the floor with the iPhone 3GS, it seems clear to me that the reasons people would buy an Android over an iPhone extend quite a bit beyond affordability."

Thanks for the very reasonable reply, I can find nothing I disagree with in that statement.