Anatomy of the next iPhone

What's new? Is it worth the upgrade? Take a look at the key new features of the Apple iPhone 4 and decide

by Hedirman Supian

05:55 AM Jun 11, 2010

 

Design

At 9.3mm, the svelte design of the iPhone 4 contributes to its much improved form factor. And the hardy custom glass screen that covers its front and back is the same material used in the windshields of helicopters and high-speed trains. The stainless steel band that wraps along the sides of the phone is reportedly five times stronger than standard steel and also doubles as its wireless antenna.



Retina Display

Dubbed so because it has four times the resolution of its predecessor, the bright, ultra-high resolution display delivers a wide viewing angle and renders text as sharp as print.



FaceTime

FaceTime is what Apple calls its new video call function. Higher in quality than standard 3G video calls, it can only be used over WiFi and between the new iPhones. But Apple is working with telcos to use it over their cellular networks, and will push it as an open standard that can be used by other devices. Switch between the front and back cameras with just one tap.



iOS 4

The updated operating system enables multitasking, so several apps can run in the background. The built-in email app now features a universal inbox and threaded emails. To better handle the burgeoning number of apps you might have, you can now organise them easily into folders.



5-megapixel camera and high-definition video capture

To put it simply, the higher-resolution camera sensor can absorb more light, resulting in better pictures. There's also an LED flash that can be used for photos and videos. High-definition video is captured at 720p resolution, at 30 frames per second. Using the iPhone's GPS feature, movies and photos will be automatically geo-tagged with location information as well.



Other hardware improvements

The iPhone 4 has the same efficient processor as the iPad, so you can expect speedier performance. There's also an extra mic on the iPhone that enables noise cancellation for clearer calls. The inclusion of a gyroscope makes the smartphone even more sensitive to motion controls that can be employed in games and other apps. The phone also supports the wireless 802.11n standard for wider range and faster file transfers.



Worth the upgrade?

You can almost picture hardcore geeks the world over collectively rolling their eyes as Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone 4 at Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference this week. After all, the new features - such as high-definition video capture and high-quality video calls - are already available on many smartphones.

But while the features aren't new, Apple is counting on luring consumers by delivering a smooth and immersive user experience. FaceTime, for instance, one-ups the conventional 3G video call by making it a breeze to talk to your loved ones "face to face", and have them see what you're seeing on a big, bright screen. If you're a travelling parent or caught in a long-distance relationship, FaceTime could be reason enough to upgrade.

If you have an iPhone 3GS, you'll get the software improvements that come with iOS 4 (out on June 21), but you won't get the sharper screen and other hardware improvements that come with iPhone 4. iPhone 3G owners can update to the new OS but you won't be allowed to multitask apps because of the device's slower processor.

According to Apple, the iPhone 4 will arrive on our shores next month. With all three telcos here offering the iPhone, consumers will also need to consider the cost of the subscription plans. And keep in mind that the iPad will see its official launch here around the same time - us mortals with not-so-deep pockets have a tough decision indeed.

 

http://www.todayonline.com/Tech/EDC100611-0000071/Anatomy-of-the-next-iPhone

 

 

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Apple to launch new iPhone

05:55 AM Jun 08, 2010

SAN FRANCISCO - Apple chief executive Steve Jobs was poised to unveil yesterday (this morning, Singapore time) the fourth version of the company's hugely-popular iPhone - including a screen with up to four times more detail, a camera flash, noise cancellation and longer battery life.

The announcement was expected at the company's Worldwide Developer Conference in San Francisco, which has drawn thousands of programmers keen to write programs - apps - for the device.

More than 51 million iPhones have been sold since its launch in June 2007, and a number of developers have made thousands of pounds from selling apps through Apple's App Store.

But for Mr Jobs the unveiling would be something of an anti-climax - many details about the phone leaked out in mid-April after one of his staff lost a prototype in a bar near the company's headquarters. It was sold to gadget blog Gizmodo, where blogger Jason Chen took it apart and posted a video declaring: "You are looking at Apple's next iPhone."

While analysts are therefore expecting few surprises from Apple, they believe improvements to the iPhone will help to keep it at the forefront of mobile phone innovation.

"We'll see the evolution of an established and hugely successful product rather than a revolutionary new device," said Mr Geoff Blaber, an analyst with CCS Insight.

"Apple has to continue improving. It's facing a barrage of competition that didn't exist three years ago when the first iPhone was launched. Google's Android platform is gaining in momentum and popularity, and is an increasingly capable operating system," he said.

The new iPhone OS 4.0 software also features iAd, Apple's new mobile advertising platform. The company has ambitious plans to dominate advertising on the mobile web in much the same way as Google dominates desktop advertising.

Mr Jobs prefers to keep details of upcoming products under wraps to heighten expectations. But with more details known about the new iPhone than any previous model, some of that effect is likely to be diminished.

Yet Apple can revel in having passed Microsoft as the most valuable technology company based on market capitalisation, and having sold two million of its iPad tablet computers worldwide since they went on sale in the US on April 3. Agencies

 

http://www.todayonline.com/Business/EDC100608-0000127/Apple-to-launch-new-iPhone

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iPHONE 4 UNVEILED

Apple gets a jump on rivals

SAN FRANCISCO

APPLE’S iPhone is outdistancing the pack of phones that use Google’s rival software, thanks to video-
calling features, a sharper screen and its array of 225,000 applications, analysts said.

The iPhone 4, unveiled on Monday by chief executive Steve Jobs, is thinner, has better resolution and a front-facing camera. It also sports a new type of glass and a stainless-steel band that Apple says is designed to improve network reception.

Apple is counting on the product to fend off mounting competition from Android, a smartphone operating system developed by Google.

The iPhone is evolving fast enough to keep competitors at bay, even if the new version lacks major surprises, said Mr William Kreher, an analyst at Edward Jones.

“They remain the technology-innovation leader,” Mr Kreher said in an interview with Bloomberg Television. “While nothing was really revolutionary in terms of new features, I think that Apple took a nice step forward.”

Mr Jobs, who unveiled the phone at the company’s developer conference in San Francisco, downplayed the threat from Android. The iPhone was the No. 2 smartphone in the United States in the first quarter, with a
28 per cent share, he said, citing Nielsen data.

Research In Motion ranked first, with a 35 per cent share, while Android-based devices accounted
for 9 per cent.

Though many of the iPhone 4’s enhancements were expected – a prototype of the iPhone was dissected and photographed by technology blog Gizmodo. com in April – the upgrade provides Apple with some exclusive capabilities, said Mr Shaw Wu, an analyst with Kaufman Bros.

“The new features and software further differentiate the iPhone from competitors,” he said.

When Apple’s first iPhone appeared in 2007, its touchscreen design and app-based interface shook up the market. Research In Motion and other mobile- phone makers clambered to add similar features to their
devices.

Since then, the industry’s rapid- fire advancements have made it harder for an upstart to catch up quickly, said Mr Charles Golvin, an analyst at Forrester Research.

“Apple and its competitors are steadily bringing better and better technology and software to...the market,” he said.

“In that environment, it’s difficult to leapfrog the competition in the same way the iPhone did when it was introduced.” The iPhone is now Apple’s top product, generating 40 percent of revenue last quarter –
more than the Macintosh computer.

The company has three products that work with its App Store: the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. All in, Apple will have sold 100 million of those devices by some time this month.

Mr Jobs said yesterday that there are more than 225,000 applications available.

The company has paid out more than US$1 billion (S$1.4 billion) to developers, who get a 70 per cent share of profits on programs sold through the store, he said.

Android developers, meanwhile, have created only about 50,000 apps, according to Sanford C. Bernstein & Co.

An advertising system called  iAd will be built into the new iPhone software, giving creators of apps a new way to make money.

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