Gadgets and Gizmos

 

The iPhone 4

 

 

The big news this month is the launch and release of the much-anticipated Apple iPhone 4. As an iPhone 3GS user, I was both excited and a little annoyed at the release of the Apple iPhone4 so soon after the release of the 3GS and here’s why…

 

At university my allegiance was solely to Blackberry. It had everything - Push email, Facebook and MSN messenger - what more could a man on the go need? But as a graphic designer, I use Apple products every day, and eventually the inevitable happened: I defected to the iPhone. The iPhone offers so much more than any other phone on the market, and with the App Store holding hundreds of thousands of applications, what you can do on the iPhone is almost limitless. 

 

For about 10 months now I have happily been using my iPhone 3GS safe in the knowledge that I have the peak of phone technology in my hands. That knowledge has now been shattered; since the iPhone 4 was released on 24th June, I no longer have the best of the best. 

With opinions divided on the new iPhone 4, should I really consider trading in my 3GS? Having read the introduction on the Apple website (apple.com/uk) and watched the Apple movie on the iPhone 4, I’m beginning to think I really will be rushing to the nearest Apple store and paying whatever it takes to have this latest piece of Apple tech. The new phone has a whole new look, including brushed aluminium sides, and you can now choose to have a black or white front plate. For me, the white is a must-have! The next big feature that stands out on the reel of technical specs is the new iPhone’s screen, which has 326 ppi resolution and, according to Apple, pixels so small that they are undefinable to the human eye. 

 

Aside from all the tech specs and geekery, another major thing that comes into this decision is the cool factor. When all your friends and work colleagues have an iPhone 4 you will do anything to hide your 3GS in your deepest pocket and won’t want to answer your phone in front of them. Phones are much like fashion; you’ve got to have the latest and coolest look! 

There is so much more about the new generation iPhone that makes it a must-have, but to keep this article fair, I need to find some reasons why I would keep my old 3GS.

 

Last month, Apple announced that the release price for a SIM free iPhone would be £499. Now this, for anyone, is a large chunk of cash!  After browsing the Apple site, I saw that the new software (iOS4) that comes with the iPhone4 will not only be compatible with the 3GS, but also even with some of the later standard 3G phones. So for all of us who are stuck on 24 month contracts, this could be a way of getting a taste of the new iPhone4 without the massive payout.

 

Personally, I will be purchasing the new iPhone because I love new tech, but mainly because (and I just have to admit it), I am technology vain. And the guy who sits next to me in the office has already got one on order.