Review: Apple iPhone 4

Very little can be said when introducing the iPhone 4. Apple's marketing machine tells people exactly what it wants them to hear, while making them believe it's what they need to know.

It's an iPhone, but better. The question is, how much better?

Apple had an advertising campaign a while ago, with the tagline; “It just works.” This is about the closest thing I can use to describe the iPhone platform, and now the iPhone 4 and the new features it brings.

One of the obvious features that “just works” is the Retina display. Apple's managed to design a screen with a pixel density of 326 pixels per inch. Magazines are printed at 300dpi; that is to say, the iPhone 4 display produces extremely clear and defined images.

'Bleeding edge' would be the wrong words to describe it because it's even sharper than that. Photos on the screen, even if displayed on your computer monitor, wouldn't do it justice because they'll just be viewed on an inferior screen with a significantly lower pixel count. Put simply: the Retina display is from the future.

Also from the future is the general design of this fourth iPhone. Scratch-resistant glass panels on the front and back make it feel a bit fragile, because one drop from the wrong height will shatter them to pieces, but no other phone feels like this does when held in one hand or both.

The infamous aluminium band, comprising the GSM and WiFi, makes it feel even more like a design piece than an actual phone. I tested out the 'death grip' - holding the phone in a way that bridges the two antennae - and it did lose signal, but not always enough to drop a call or lose a data connection.

Is it a design fault? Yes. Is it a problem? No. Your network operator is more likely to be the cause of a dropped call than the phone's faulty design.

Anecdote time: I'm on Vodacom and I found myself two kilometres from Vodaworld one weekend. The iPhone 4 and BlackBerry Torch both had the same terrible reception and both dropped calls or network connectivity, despite being in line of sight with the mothership. Fancy that.

That covers the bits you can see and touch, but what about those that make Apple's magic happen?

It runs iOS4, the mobile operating system also powering the iPod touch, iPhone 3GS, 3G, Apple TV and iPad. The latest incarnation of the software features multitasking, folders and a few other tweaks, but running on the iPhone 4 hardware it feels slicker than ever.

Part of this has to do with the fantastic display (really, it can't be stressed enough how good it is to look at), but the iPhone 4 is also the best-specced mobile device from Apple.

It runs the same A4 processor found in the iPad, but boasts 512MB of RAM, double the amount found in its tablet cousin. This definitely helps with the multitasking - more apps can be left open to do their thing and there is no delay in switching or navigating between them.

Another bit of hardware to augment the software is the internal gyroscope. The only application in the base OS making use of the gyroscope is the compass - it can now more accurately determine heading from any orientation.

The big benefit of this is as an input device. A gyro gives measurements for movement and direction more accurately than accelerometers, so games can use it as a device for aiming or motion input. Apple is big on gaming, so this is a very important inclusion. I only had time to try it out with one game and a music app, but it's very intuitive and super-responsive.

Smartphones are dumbphones without a camera. Since previous iPhones had rather modest two- and three-megapixel snappers, the iPhone 4 has been kitted with a backlit 5MP sensor capable of recording still images and HD (720P) video. Image quality is really good, thanks to the auto-focusing lens, and the backlit sensor makes low-light images more usable. Only just, though.

Video quality is also fantastic, easily on par with some dedicated mid-range video cameras. Touch-to-focus is available for photos and can also be used during video recording, which is very handy. Equally useful is the LED flash, also usable in both shooting modes.

One thing worth noting on the camera is a white-balance flaw when capturing photos or video under fluorescent light. Both still and moving images will be tainted by a circle with a blue hue. There's already an app in the App Store to remove this phenomena from still photos.

By far the coolest 'what can it do' feature of the iPhone 4 is FaceTime. Apple's take on video calls takes advantage of both the front- and rear-facing cameras. Switching between the two in calls is done by simply tapping an icon.

FaceTime calls can only be made over WiFi, for now, which I guess is to guarantee a hassle-free experience. I've played with video calling in Skype, iChat, MSN Messenger and a few other platforms. None are as awesome as FaceTime. Not one.

The combination of two good cameras, an incredible display and Apple's video streaming tech makes for a video experience unlike any consumer solution I've played with, seen or read about.

Initiating a FaceTime call is simple. It's the same as making a normal call: select a contact and push the 'FaceTime' video call button. As long as the receiving party has an iPhone 4 or iPod touch on WiFi, and you have their phone number or Apple ID e-mail address, the call will be connected.

All of this technical prowess would be pointless without a battery to give it juice for more than a day. My iPhone 3GS, with current network conditions, could barely manage a whole day and needed a charge every night.

The 4, with location services and WiFi turned on manages a good two days of average use before needing a charge.

The tough question for most would be whether they put their name on the list for an iPhone 4 and shell out the hefty upgrade fee. Its biggest problem is also its biggest draw: the swish interface. It works, so why change it?

On the other hand, that same interface is now four years old. Unpacking the new iPhone won't blow you away if you have one already because it does all the same stuff. Just better and faster, while looking prettier. FaceTime calls, HD video and the Retina display are almost enough to justify the upgrade, but only if you'll really appreciate and use those features.