iPhone 4 first hands-on! (update: FaceTime video demo)
By Joshua Topolsky 
posted June 7th 2010 3:08PM
posted June 7th 2010 3:08PM
Some takeaways about the device:
- As we said, it's shockingly thin.
- The screen is truly outrageous -- you basically cannot see pixels on it. We're not being hyperbolic when we say it's easily the best looking mobile phone screen we've ever laid eyes on.
- The build quality is really solid. The home button feels much snappier, and on the whole it just feels like a tightly-packed device, but it's not heavy.
- The side buttons are really nice and clicky.
- iOS 4 is very familiar -- there's not a lot added to fit and finish.
- The general speed of the whole OS is way snappier. The camera app in particular is noticeably faster -- shots get snapped in an instant.
@krishansy
it looks like the slender offspring of a zune 120 and an iphone 3g. not saying its bad at all, thats just what i see...
@krishansy exacly, still same screen size??? NO 64GB and no possible expansion...well...they blew it! :P
@Schmerzlichtod I wish more people were like you in the comments section. I commend you.
@Nikkoli
I'd be 50-50. Apple because it makes both hardware-software, EVO because, well, it supports EVERY feature - bluetooth means real bluetooth, front facing camera can do REAL video calling (not only Android to Android), etc.
@krishansy
I agree, especially after pumping in all the resolution...It should be 4". We use web, gps, galleries....way too much for 3.5". I'll stick with android till apple gives me a bigger screen. Thats the prob with apple, only 1 device to chose from. I'm sure some want the 3.5" small form factor, but some of us want some screen. Can't please everyone w/ 1 device
@dswatson83
The 5" 16:9 screen will have a form factor same as that of an iPhone 3GS. So, iPhone can do away with the side bezels, reduce the top and bottom bezels (for sideways holding, etc) and it can have 5" in the same phone dimension! Why can't Steve try doing something useful rather than try being extremely cheesy!
@choufleur47 I complained about storage and expansion a couple years ago too. I never came close to filling up my 32GB iPhone 3GS. I stopped bitching.
@Fragmented I am so confused, I wish they'd just downrank vs delete.
@MrGoodCat
Reminds me of the old 2nd Gen iPod, just with a big screen. Somewhat industrial-retro.
Then again, looks like an HTC phone...
@hated one ah no it has not killed the EVO. while the iphone 4 is well built and beautifully designed it speaks great deals about apples position in the market when there new and improved iphone does nothing but break even with android products that are already on the market and have been announced for almost 4 months. apple the creator of the modern day touch screen focused smart phone is almost a month behind its competition. i expect either ALOT more innovation or perhaps lawsuits over the next year as apple finally realizes that while they were basking in there success the tortoise learned how to use a jet pack.
@suicidebob
Well Apple had like 24 pieces of news on the Ipad ... it was ipad this ipad that...
I don't expect the Iphone 4 hype to die down soon... many users will have to wait it off.
I personally want to see the Iphone 4 vs. Evo video... just to see size differences, etc.
@dswatson83
Yeah, but if you added extra sceen size the pixel density would go down and you wouldn't have a "magical" display that could be called "retina display".
As a side note, is that figure for maximum discernible pixel density by the human eye accurate? or is it like saying high bit-rate .mp3 files are no different than lossless codecs (which is completely dependent on the listener's hearing quality)?
One more minor thing...the IPS display is "much better than OLED" comment. Really, Steve? can he or anyone else back this up with fact? If it were in fact true, then why am I not reading tech blogs stating that new IPS displays are available that will make OLED obsolete?
@Fragmented
I think your clunky & slow.
The funny thing is that apple is just barley catching up with features/functions that have been around for quite awhile on other mobile OS. iOS4 was barley released and its already outdated. Open your eyes little boy theres a whole world beyond the apple.
*anyways*
I think its a well designed phone with some interesting features. Apple for the most part has made some quality products, this is no different. Still a no go for me though, at&t + proprietary apple + limited web browsing experience = too much negative for me to purchase.
@krishansy My guess from watching the show, its facetime on wifi for 2010 only, after that it will open up. AND I would add that in the future there will be some support for iPhone to other device. Maybe not from Apple, but thats good, it gives the developers some room to develop.
@krishansy
What's real video calling? I think in this case it's probably just iPhone to iPhone. Unless I missed something during the keynote.
@station Limited web browsing experience? What, because of no flash? Really? That's limiting you? You talk about someone being a fanboy, when you're just the antithesis.
Give me a break. The iPhone web browsing is fantastic, even bettered by the fact that AT&Ts 3G is faster (and has been proven countless times in every market in America) than any other provider. So before you go casting stones about being a fanboy, make sure your own biases don't come into play when you make comments, ok son?
@invisible21 Display and audio are 2 different things. The human eye loses it's ability to discern "points" at around 300 per inch... which is why the print minimum is 266ppi. If this thing is getting the density it claims, it will be unlike anything displayed digitally you've ever seen.
@Abraham Lincoln You can fit a lot of Gettysburg Addresses in 32 GB, after all.
@dswatson83 Agreed, larger screen and a mechanical shutter release and I would have been sold.
@Stepup
God knows what new technology we end up with by 2011. So what matters to me is features in 2010.
@krishansy the iPhone 4 will be able to do video calls with other phones too... it's just that iPhone 4 to iPhone 4 there is no setup required. At least that's how I read it. In any case it's an open standard, so any phone (or other device) can implement it and share the wealth.
@invisible21
I wasn't there, but didn't he say something about pixels per inch? I don't know if any OLED screen can match the 300+ density. Also seen a lot of criticism of OLED in daylight, but this is just hearsay since I haven't used the technology extensively myself.
@invisible21
Also after reading all these people complain about screen size vs. Evo 4g I checked on the specs and its screen is 800x480 vs. iPhone 4 @ 960x640 so while yes, the screen could stand to be bigger (although the Evo is a BEAST) it should be noticeably sharper than it or anything else on the market for that matter. Think about it, the resolution of my first 42" plasma was 1280x720 viewable and this is close to that but can fit in a pocket!
@Axtell
"Limited web browsing experience? What, because of no flash? Really? That's limiting you? You talk about someone being a fanboy, when you're just the antithesis."
Wow. Way to skip right to roasting him. He's literally stated "It's not FOR ME." And you have to tell him why he's wrong and why the iPhone is perfect for him.
"Give me a break. The iPhone web browsing is fantastic, even bettered by the fact that AT&Ts 3G is faster (and has been proven countless times in every market in America) than any other provider."
Nobody is arguing that it isn't fantastic. He's arguing that it's too limiting FOR HIM. Jeez. Faster when you can get a signal. If you deny the fact that AT&T has problems, there's something wrong with you.
"So before you go casting stones about being a fanboy, make sure your own biases don't come into play when you make comments, ok son?"
Except his comment was all about his own biases. He never tried to apply his opinion on anybody, unlike you. Good job, fanboy.
@youngluck
That's why I asked the question...I wasn't implying Jobs was lying on that one. Do you work in a vision related field? Just curious because my interest of/knowledge in audio is because I went to school for and work in that field.
In any case, thanks for the informative answer!
@Axtell
word up!
Not a fan boy of ANY OS, I dont own an Android/Apple device. dont make your ass+umptions about me when you have no idea kid.
I didn't say that Apple was a bad OS, absolutely no mobile OS is without its flaws. Android has offered more, recently, than most others in terms of functionality and openness. Ive used iphone plenty of times to know that its NOT WHAT I WANT, understand?
Its called preference Axtell...look it up lol...
@invisible21
If you're wondering why the comment section is so screwed up for this post, it is because Engadget felt the need to censor the first comment, which was made by krishansy and read, "Evo wins".
Good job Engadget.
@Mike10010100
Wow didn't know i struck a nerve with the poor kid lol..
@station
I know, right? Apple fanboys have this innate need to justify their personal decision with everyone else. Kinda like religious fanatics trying to "convert" people. They assume that because they like something for specific reasons, everyone else will too.
@Mike10010100
sorta like you hypocritcal android fanboys...
@dswatson83 This is a 46" 1080p plasma vs a 52" SDTV. Its bigger but its still last generation.
@tvcity6455
I've heard similar complaints about OLED and am personally a plasma man myself as far as TVs go, however his statement got me curious about why I'm not hearing about IPS being the next evolution for large screen LCD TVs if the quality is actually better than the not-fully-realized OLED tech. It seems to me if Jobs' statement is accurate, this technology might be what finally makes plasma tech obsolete in TVs and there's no way it costs as much as the OLED prices I've been seeing (for small screens, no less).
@MrGoodCat these posts do not all need to be BREAKING NEWS, engadget. theres a lot of bulging tight pants down in your office i think
@BrookLynnsFinest
Oh, I'm sorry. What part of this thread was I trying to convert you to Android? Hmm?
@invisible21
He could have just been talking about mobile displays; I don't really know. I didn't realize you were talking about display technology in general. Apple's iMacs and Cinema displays don't yet use IPS for whatever reason, which again makes me think he could just be talking about mobile displays.
@station That's totally true. If Apple makes an iphone to work with Verizon or even Sprint that will be great. Att=expensive, dropped calls, bad service
I can't remember the last time I was this excited about a new product release. Can't wait to see what the screen is like.
@krishansy FaceTime is being made an OPEN STANDARD, and it requires ZERO set-up. So, when this happens, the question will be, will everyone else support it? This is TRUE VIDEO CALLING, because its integrated. Video Calling where you need to be logged into a third-party integrator is nice, but this is the way to go. Trust me.
@BrookLynnsFinest
OMG another one? man Mike10010100 your right, its like a cult..
Listen person, my initial "down-ranked into oblivion" comment I had made absolutely no reference to (A) being better than (B) in fact I was complimentary towards apples new device. I was "down-ranked" prob by the moron that commented at me for being a "fanboy" Mike10010100 called him out on his ridiculous comment.
you can keep the "fanboy" shit to yourself..
@jimvegas
Agreed, if iPhone came to Sprint, VZW, even T-mobile, I think that i would consider it a lot more. Its a nice piece of tech..
@Kanga
I never asked about the initial post but I was curious. The censorship is slightly disappointing on Engadget's part although a comment like "Evo wins" without any facts to back it up or any intelligent comparisons is just flame bait. I totally respect his/her (probably his) opinion and think that the Evo is an impressive phone but comments like that are only ever posted to instigate and I can understand why Engadget would remove it as it has little conversational value.
@tvcity6455
sure imacs use IPS...
Straight from http://www.apple.com/imac/design.html
"IPS technology.
The iMac display is designed to look great from almost any angle. A technology called in-plane switching (IPS) makes this possible. "
@station Does what you, mike or brooklyns say really mean anything? Your not really about to change the world by venting your grievances on a techblog so how about we just stay on topic and contribute some more to the 'Useful' category.
@tobsmonster2
I apologize. I forgot to give my daily sacrifice to Steve Jobs. Our topic is entirely relevant.
@Mike10010100
lolwut?
@krishansy said, “… camera can do REAL video calling…”
Yeah, me too: any day of the week, I'll take an unimplemented feature with I-know-it'll-be-perfect vaporware, over an actual capability that people can use very nicely today, but might want to evolve over time.
After all, where would the computing industry be without, “Real Soon Now!” And everything else about the Android is just perfect, no version 2.2 necessary.
@MrGoodCat
Josh, can I ask..
did you make all the shots using the GF1?
were you able to get that shallow DOF using the pancake lens??
@MrGoodCat
Looks like the Engadget writers got so excited that they made that iPhone all white.
@Abraham Lincoln
Well, if you'd been able to throw some unconverted divx files on it, you'd still be bitching.
Like I am right now..
@invisible21
Then how come the "first" comments only get downranked and not deleted?
I don't usually care about the censorship, but it shouldn't be needless.