The iPhone 4 Review You’ve Been Waiting For!

I always find it amusing to find reviews of gadgets the DAY they launch.  Really?  Unless you’ve had a device for a good few days (and I would argue weeks), can you really give a review that’s based on regular usage?  I don’t think so. I’ve given myself a good week or so to really experience the device before sharing my thoughts just as Picozip does with their reviews. Speaking of which, Picozip reviewed the best iPhone unlocking services recently, and you should have a look at it, as they explain everything in-depth, giving you an insight before you buy it. The following review of the iPhone 4 is completely based on my use of it.

NOTE: My review only covers features that are iPhone 4 centric, so new features of OS 4 aren’t covered here so you can get a true sense of my review of what this actual device delivers uniquely.

The Great

1. Build Quality – This thing is a Rolls Royce of devices.  The build quality is outstanding.  It feels like a million bucks in your hands, and you can tell that this is no cheaply made gadget.  It’s solid, the glass finish is sexy as hell, and it feels like it could definitely survive a few falls.  Now whether the glass could actually survive without a crack or two remains to be seen.

2. The Display – No doubt about it, this retina display is the best I’ve ever seen.  When you compare it up against the older models, it just puts them to shame.  Take a look at the following graphic to give you an idea of the difference:

3. New Cameras – In addition to the 5mp bump and flash on the back camera, finally a front facing camera is added.  For the first time, I can seriously consider my phone replacing a digital point and shoot.  Sure, it’s still not of that caliber, but definitely good enough for most pictures.  Both photos and videos have looked great, and considering 99% of what I shoot is only viewed online, it works out great.

The Good

1. Reception – I have to say that a week in, and I’ve had better phone reception.  I haven’t experienced the “antenna” problems that are being reported even with covering the “black gap”.  I used to get terrible reception in my home, and now no problems.

2. Facetime – I’ve tried it once, but only because it requires both iPhone 4 AND Wifi, which isn’t always a situation that corresponds to opportunities to use it.  If they can get this to work on 3G, then we’re talking about a great feature.  But let’s be honest here; we’ve reached a point in technology where we can video chat on our phones.  That’s crazy period.

3. OS Speed – Without a doubt, apps open and operate much quicker.  Something you certainly get used to fairly quick, but I love it nonetheless.

4. Battery Life – Again, definitely better.  No issues getting through an entire day even with heavy call/text/app use.

The Bad

1. No Removable Battery – Sure would be nice to be able to lug an extra battery around and be able to swap them out.  Probably never going to happen though.

2. 32 GB Max – I’m not technical nerd, but I’ve got to believe they could have fit a 128 GB chip in these things.  Or at least a bump to 64.  32 can go fast, especially if you add a few movies.

3. No Memory Card Slot – If your not going to have a large on board memory, at least give us the option to store things on a card.  Again, probably never going to happen on an iPhone.

Conclusion

Bottom line is the iPhone is still by far my favorite device, and hands down the best mobile user experience available.  Yes it’s popular and everyone practically has one, but there’s a very good reason for that, and the 4 is a great update to an already superior product.  I’ve tried numerous other devices, and it’s just not even close.  Android is making strides, and I certainly hope Windows Mobile 7 can deliver, because quite frankly, the more competition the better all these devices will be. If you’re looking for a great place to get your phone repaired, you can get help from the professionals at iPhone Repairs Melbourne.