So I got my iPhone 4 today….
I was impressed at how fast it got delivered considering the Apple website says 3 weeks and AT&T says 10 days, the phone came in 3 days. Activation was easy, put in a couple number from the box online, plugged it into my computer and it restored with all the settings from my 3GS. Only annoying part was re-entering all my passwords (email, WordPress, mobile me, dropbox, etc). All just a minor annoyance I was expecting. I wouldn’t want all my passwords to be so easily stored or transferred anyways.
Enough with the boring stuff, on to the actual review.
Software – It doesn’t feel much like an upgrade. It’s a new phone, yes, but most the “cool new stuff” is in the software. If you were already running iOS4 on your 3GS, you won’t notice a big difference in your day to day use.
But don’t let this knock iOS4. If you aren’t already running iOS4, you will notice a huge difference. The software changes everything about the phone.
Hardware – The phone is thinner and flatter (no rounded back, more squared corners). It actually feels weird to use as a phone. You can forget about holding the phone on your shoulder while on a call. The phone just slides off your shirt sleeve thanks to the all glass back. I almost dropped my phone twice attempting this seemingly impossible feat. You should get used to using the included headphones or actually holding your phone for making calls.
Holding it in landscape mode and typing is much easier. It’s a bit taller (wider in landscape), making it easier to hold and type faster. I never was able to type very fast in landscape on my 3GS. It feels more like an Internet tablet than a phone.
The phone feels solid but fragile at the same time, a result of all the glass used. I’ll use it for a week without a case and see how it goes, but I really doubt I’ll be leaving the phone naked for long.
Camera – It’s better. Much better. I walked around taking pictures for a day. All the photos came out clear. The speed is much better. Photos that normally would be blurry on my 3GS are much clearer. I was even able to capture some action shots or friends playing soccer.
The digital zoom is pretty useless. It will blur your photos and make them grainy looking with lots of noise. This is pretty much true with any digital zoom, but worth noting.
Video recording is much better. I took a few sample videos and they all were acceptable. Even when I played them on my computer monitor they were good quality.
I purchased the iMovie app. I’m pretty torn about if it’s good or not. It has good features and is easy to use, but it’s $4.99 and I don’t see a huge benefit to editing clips on the iPhone. The screen is just too small. It certainly takes some patience. I made one movie and I don’t intended on using that app again unless I’m stranded and bored.
Miscellaneous – The iPhone 4 runs much warmer than previous models. It’s not uncomfortable but noticeable none-the-less.
I may write a more in-depth review, but this was a quick rundown after a couple days of use.