Apple iPhone 4 review

Apple's hotly anticipated new iPhone model is finally here, introducing an updated version of the operating system plus a refreshed hardware design with high resolution screen and support for high definition (HD) video recording.

Available now from Apple and several UK mobile networks, the iPhone 4 builds on the consumer-friendly features that made previous models a hit with buyers, such as its touch-driven user interface and close integration with Apple's iTunes music service, not to mention the burgeoning number of apps available for it.

It also adds some features that may make the iPhone fit better into an enterprise IT environment than earlier models, more of which later.

For existing iPhone users, the main attractions of the new model will probably be its HD video recording capability and the FaceTime app for making video calls – just so long as the people you are calling also have the new iPhone.

Other than these features, we found the iPhone very similar in use to previous models, despite the new iOS4 operating system. The user interface appears to have changed little since the very first iPhone model, and the supplied applications are likewise mostly the same.

This is not necessarily criticism, but users who already have an iPhone 3G or 3GS may want to think twice before rushing to replace it with this model, unless they can get a good deal on the upgrade.

Those who have not previously owned an iPhone should be warned that the handset is tied intimately to Apple's iTunes service. This is the only mechanism through which consumers can purchase and download applications and music.

However, the iPhone itself must also be connected to a Mac or Windows PC running iTunes to be activated before you can use it. While most potential iPhone buyers are likely to have a Mac or PC, making this a requirement seems to be taking things a bit too far.

The iPhone 4 is available with twice the Flash storage of previous models, in 16GB or 32GB versions. We looked at a 32GB model connected to O2's network.

In design, the iPhone 4 is slimmer and flatter than its predecessors, lacking the slightly bulging rounded back of earlier models. In fact, Apple claims it as the world’s thinnest smartphone at just 9.3mm thick. It also feels more solidly built than the earlier models, although at 137g, it is just 2g heavier, and is more comfortable to hold.

Our review unit came in the glossy black casing that is currently the only choice, with a white version expected to be available from July. It has a stainless steel band running round the edge of the casing that also doubles as the antennas for the wireless radios.

Much has already been written about the problems some users have had with signal strength due to this design, but we encountered no such difficulties during testing. No matter how we held the device, it did not seem to affect the signal strength indicated, and we were able to make and receive voice calls perfectly well when holding the iPhone in a left-handed grasp.

The steel band is punctuated by controls, with volume up/down and a mute switch on the left side. The top edge has the on/off button, 3.5mm audio jack socket and a microphone used during FaceTime calls. All those controls are also made of steel and have a reassuring rugged, industrial feel.

On the right edge is a pop-out tray for the micro SIM, while the bottom edge of the device has Apple's 30-pin dock connector, the main microphone for voice calls, plus a speaker.

The front fascia of the iPhone 4 has a forward-facing VGA-quality camera above the screen to support FaceTime calls, in addition to its five megapixel camera with flash at the rear.

One of the chief new features of the iPhone 4 is its so-called Retina high resolution display. This is the same 3.5in size as earlier iPhones, but doubles the resolution on both axes to 960 by 640 pixels, which Apple claims as the highest of any smartphone.

The increased resolution does not seem to make much difference until you come to use FaceTime, which shows both you and the other caller on screen at the same time, or you download Apple's iBooks application, where the greater number of pixels delivers smoother text rendering than you can expect on other handset displays.

FaceTime itself is surprisingly easy to use. To start a session, you call someone normally, then tap the FaceTime icon on the menu that displays during a call. The other caller sees an invitation, which they can choose to accept or reject.

In our tests with a colleague who also had an iPhone 4, the video call took several seconds to establish – so long, in fact, that our colleague decided the connection must have failed and hung up during the first few attempts.

Once established, FaceTime shows your own face in a small window overlaying that of the person at the far end, but users can touch an on-screen button to switch to the rear camera of the iPhone, so you can transmit video of what is happening around you.

Overall, we were impressed by the quality of the video, which is perhaps a testament to the power of Apple's A4 ARM-based processor, also used in the iPad.

On the downside, FaceTime can only make video calls to other iPhone 4 handsets, and also only works if both devices have a Wi-Fi network connection.

In contrast, Skype already has the ability to make video calls over 3G from handsets such as Nokia's N900, and such users are able to call Skype users on platforms such as PCs and Macs.

According to Apple, FaceTime is based on common standards such as session initiation protocol (SIP) and uses H.264 video and AAC audio codecs, so there seems to be no reason why it cannot be made to interact with other video messaging clients.

HD video recording is another headline feature of the iPhone 4, with the handset capable of capturing full 720p (1280 x 720 pixel) clips. We found the quality of video quite respectable, although still images taken with the same camera seemed slightly grainy when viewed on a computer screen.

The camera app also offers basic video editing capabilities, allowing users to cut down a video, marking the selection using an on-screen filmstrip timeline. Videos can be sent by email, MMS, or uploaded to YouTube direct from the app.

More advanced features are available in iMovie, a £2.99 download available from the app store that allows users to cut and paste selections between several filmstrips, add a soundtrack and choose from pre-defined transitions between scenes.

Other new features of Apple's iOS 4 platform include application multi-tasking for the first time on the iPhone. However, this is apparently only supported in new applications written to use the multitasking APIs in iOS 4, and even then only provides for specific functions such as audio playback to continue when an app is running in the background.

As far as the user is concerned, multi-tasking allows you to quickly switch between two applications by pressing the home key of the iPhone twice in quick succession. This brings up a menu of recently accessed applications and lets you switch to one while the other continues running – subject to the limitations mentioned above, of course.

Another new feature of iOS 4 is folders for applications. This lets the user group related applications together into a single icon on the main screen, rather like the Program Groups in Windows.

However, we were surprised by the lack of any built-in social networking tools on such a mainstream device. Although these are likely to be available from the App Store, most other smartphones come with at least a Facebook or Twitter app pre-loaded.

For business users, Apple has added some welcome extra support in the iPhone 4. Email messages and attached documents can now be secured using encryption based on a key generated from the device passcode, and in-house applications can be provisioned from a web server, with users simply needing to tap a URL to install.

In addition, Apple said that iOS 4 has new device management APIs that allow mobile management vendors to better integrate the iPhone 4 into their tools, providing for over-the-air deployment of apps, for example.

It is also worth noting that the iPhone can display attached documents such as Word, Excel and Powerpoint files, plus PDFs and Apple's own iWork file formats.

But these improvements must be set against the iPhone's requirement to be activated using iTunes, which either calls for employees to have this on their computer, or for an IT manager to activate each iPhone for staff.

In specifications, the iPhone 4 is pretty much comparable with other high-end smartphones, supporting 3G/HSPA, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and quad-band GSM for voice calls, plus GPS for navigation and other location-based services.

The new model also adds a three-axis gyro to the sensors found in existing iPhones. This does not currently seem to be used for anything, but will allow third-party apps to sense the orientation of the handset.

The iPhone 4 continues Apple's practice of embedding the lithium ion battery inside the device, which prevents users from changing the battery if it becomes defective, or carrying a second battery as a back-up.

Apple quotes a battery life of up to 14 hours talk time on GSM, a standby life of up to 300 hours, and up to six hours internet access via 3G, or ten hours on Wi-Fi. This roughly matches our experience, with the iPhone needing recharging after a day's heavy use of Wi-Fi.

Overall, we found the iPhone 4 not much of a step up from previous models, save for a handful of new features such as FaceTime and the high-definition video recording.

This is not to say the new handset is not worth having. Apple made smartphones simple for anyone to use with the touch-screen interface in the original iPhone, and this continues with the slick and easy way you can make video calls via FaceTime.

However, the rest of the user interface has changed little since the first iPhone, and the latest devices from vendors such as HTC are arguably a match for the iPhone in both capabilities and ease of use.

That said, consumers will no doubt love making FaceTime calls to their friends, and video recording with the editing capabilities of iMovie will likewise prove a hit for capturing clips while on holiday.

For businesses, the email encryption and potential for the new device to integrate better with management tools could make this model more appealing than earlier iPhones.

Apple iOS 4, 3.5in touch-screen with 960 x 640 resolution, 16GB or 32GB Flash storage, 3G/HSPA and quad-band GSM, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, HD (720p) and 5 megapixel still camera, front-facing VGA camera