Apple fans rejoiced Monday when Steve Jobs revealed the newest addition to the Apple family, the iPhone 4. Along with a sleek new design, the iPhone 4 boasts a number of long awaited features, like a front-facing camera, multitasking and the iPhone 4 OS. Though the iPhone is often heralded as the top smartphone around, newly released devices like the HTC EVO and Droid Incredible are gaining ground and recognition in the mobile market.
Surprisingly, reactions to the iPhone 4 have been somewhat negative, with many journalists and commentators pointing out major areas where the iPhone 4 is behind the curve. But are they really behind? Apple doesn’t add a new feature or enter a new market without perfecting the technology first, and all of its products are great examples of that. Apple understands it’s also about implementation and user experience, both of which the iPhone 4 delivers upon.
How well does will the iPhone 4 stack up to its competitors? These were the most discussed topics we saw among blogs, articles, and comments across the Web.
Multitasking
Despite being known for innovation, Apple is quite behind on multitasking for the iPhone. All Android-based phones have multitasking capabilities, as well as the Palm Pre and some Windows Mobile devices. When he revealed the iOS 4.0 in April, Jobs acknowledged this by saying, “We weren’t the first to this party, but we’re going to be the best.” However, Apple’s lateness may actually be a positive. When iPhone 4 is released, many other Apple devices – iPhone 3G and 3GS, iPad, and 3rd generation iPod Touch – will receive a free upgrade to iOS 4.0, allowing these devices the same benefits of multitasking support. Multitasking on the iPhone is one of the biggest changes, and one that will certainly enhance user experience.
Front-facing Camera
Unfortunately, Apple was late to the party on this feature as well. The HTC EVO, released on Monday and reportedly already sold out in many outlets, also features a front-facing camera, and a video conferencing app called Qik that runs over the Sprint network. Apple’s bundled video conferencing app, FaceTime, will only work over Wi-Fi networks. Still, it is a major feature request by customers that Apple has responded to, and will most likely see improvement as Apple continues to improve the iPhone. With this new feature a reality, we hope a front-facing camera is on its way for the next generation of the iPad.
Network
A phone can only be as strong as its network, and it’s no secret that iPhone users are becoming increasingly frustrated with AT&T. Availability on only one carrier could prove to be a roadblock in the future, as many customers would rather keep their current service and buy an iPhone competitor like the EVO or Incredible rather than switch to AT&T. Another setback is the lack of a 4G upgrade. That leaves the HTC EVO as the only 4G phone available, a feature that has the device flying off the shelves, with rumored sales of 300,000 to 600,000 units the first day on the market. How can Apple remedy the network situation? Make the iPhone available on multiple wireless networks. This could allow for better network service, a larger customer base, and 4G network availability.
Despite being a little late to the game, iPhone 4 will no doubt be another bestseller for Apple. Apple fans are likely to forgive the less-than-stellar service and lack of “firsts” for the functionality, design, and convenience of the device. The iPhone 4 won’t be the last generation of the device. As its competition continues to innovate, so too will Apple. Now, Apple just needs to keep a watchful eye on its competitors and make sure it’s now the first to arrive.
Related posts:
Comments
so in another simpler words: “the new iPhone stinks and brings nothing new to the table”
thank you dear author for writing one of the few straight forward and truthful articles.
Bravo for technical change, but finally I prefered iPhone 3’s design