IGN: Apple iPhone 4 Review

When all is said and done, the iPhone 4 is an amazing device, and one of the best smartphones around. Though not without its flaws, the overall user experience is great, and the look and feel of the device will undoubtedly set the industry standard yet again.

[goalweiser]

I was going to approve this but then I saw the score. It lacks many of the specs, programs, and capabilities that other phones currently have.

In fact, if not for the retina display, it would have nothing other phones don't. That's not even taking into account what other companies have done with screen size and resolution.

That said, if you're basing your review off just the iPhone and its hardware, the score is still not justified. While nice to look at, glass on the back suits what purpose other than to offer another way to damage your device. The antenna has problems. You may or may not be experiencing issues with the screen.

It is a nice phone with a great OS, but it is indeed no longer setting any standards. It would be nice to see an objective review of the iPhone for once but it seems like people are incapable of doing one.

[Active Reload]

What specs are you talking about? With all the apps out there for it, they actually bring the iPhone up to snuff with its competitors. I'll probably never own one, but I just seen they have an app for turning it into a mobile router. That was the pure distinction for me to rather consider the EVO or the HD2.

[Cartesian3D]

and read the complete review of IPHONE4 , "I was going to approve this but then I saw the score. It lacks many of the specs, programs, and capabilities that other phones currently have. "

Anandtech.com review (most complete review) :
http://www.anandtech.com/sh...

the advantages of Iphone :

- outstanding battery life (50% better than 3GS and 100+ % more than NEXUS1 google)
- best Display overall (1000:1 contrast and high brightness for outdoor), AMOLED has better blacks(almost 0 nits and infinite contrast.) but they have very low brightness and they are not very shiny in outdoor situations
- best design
- best camera in its class (best colour and less noise) and the best HD Video recording available on the market ( 1.35 MBps bitrate 30Fps )
- most responsive browsing and UI (even better than froyo Nexus ONE)
... etc

ok now what? you hate apple so much , because you've never used one.

engadget review :
http://www.engadget.com/201...

from engadget.com : "the iPhone 4 is the best smartphone on the market right now."

[Active Reload]

Is that why you disagreed with me, because you thought I was Goal lol?

[Cartesian3D]

are you out of your mind..

I'll give you an agree (you're going to be 2:2 ) for proof..

lol .. n4g is crazy!

[snp]

- best Display overall (1000:1 contrast and high brightness for outdoor), AMOLED has better blacks(almost 0 nits and infinite contrast.) but they have very low brightness and they are not very shiny in outdoor situations
----

Disagree.

Amoled has better blacks, yes, but also more natural colour and better colour saturation, better screen response times. They don't have 'low brightness' - their brightness is better than the Retina (a fancy name for a higher res, but otherwise garden variety IPS lcd) - and the S Amoled has eliminated virtually any advantage of Lcd over Amoled in sunlight.

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

-----
from engadget.com : "the iPhone 4 is the best smartphone on the market right now."
----

I'd be careful quoting engadget on Apple. They're as good as shills. The number they did on S Amoled in the 'show down' was frankly pretty despicable.

http://www.engadget.com/201...

Have a read through those comments. Have a look at the video of full shot above - including whites etc from normal distance (ie. not zooming on backing panel), then Engadgets focus - and what they've chosen to 'omit' in considering each screen (ie. the 'only' thing Engadget focused on in the 'showdown' was resolution (enhanced with artificial 'super zooms'); which just happens to be 'the only thing' the Retina is superior at - and which actually makes very little difference in these size screens in normal world use).

The rest is debatable, but that the 'Retina' (an IPS lcd) is better than an Amoled, let alone S Amoled - nup, that's just silliness. Colour, contrast, screen rate, viewing angle... you name it. With the exception of res - which is a gimmicky difference at arms length in real world - Amoled slaughters the Retina (which is probably why it's strongly rumoured Jobs wanted the Amoled/S Amoled, but settled on the Retina when supply issues made it impossible.)

[BulletToothtony]

it's always the same with apple products..

there is the people that buy them and they fall in love with the software.. because they do really have the best OS on macs, phones and mp3 players..

and then the people that have never tried them who don't understand what the big deal is about.. they truly believe that it's just like everything else out there.. but it's great to see how the software works so freaking smooth and in so good harmony.

Do i think that macs are overpriced? ABSOLUTELY that doesn't make them bad.. you either can afford them or not.. i'm not gonna hate on an Audi cause i can't afford it.

Bottom line the iPhone 4 is the best phone i've ever had..

[snp]

Not a matter of hating Tony, but a spade is a spade (if that was aimed at my post and it's focus on screens). People calling lcd tech (even with a slightly higher pixel density) better than oled... that's just complete nonsense and warrants calling out (it's entering defensive territory to even make such a silly comment, frankly).

On absolutely no measurable level does lcd get near, let alone beat oled tech. On virtually every measurement oled (in this case with the advantages of S Amoled) not only beats it, but trounces it.

I don't have a horse in either race, not through a lack of funds, but through a lack of use for either phone at this time - and i have no bone to pick with Apple (reverse the brands and my comments stay the same). But again, a spade is a spade. Anyone who viewed that video, and then clicked disagree is being the exact cliche of an Apple addict that does get bandied about (or is just being plain defensive, to the point of irrationality, about their purchase - they refuse to believe there is not only not anything, but not even any 'aspect' of anything that could better it).

[snp]

And one last link:

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

Is Iphone3 versus Amoled, but since Iphone4 uses the same screen tech (just at a higher dpi) the strengths of Amoled and weaknesses of lcd demonstrated on video are applicable equally to an Iphone4 versus S Amoled/Amoled screen phone.

[coolfool]

Dude, you said it, the iPhone seems to have a free pass when comes to reviews. Terms like "setting industry standard" seem to get banded about before anyone has thought about what that really means and what a phone really has to do to deserve that term.

If this phone "sets the industry standard" then the bar really isn't very high.

And while I am on the subject since when are any apple products at "industry standard price"? Most competitors (especially the HTC Desire) are way cheaper. Ah, maybe this is what they meant by "setting the industry standard". Apple are setting the industry standard price, namely MORE than their competitors.

[Mista T]

hahaha, nuff said :P
http://www.youtube.com/watc...

[King_of _the_Casuals]

Ever wonder why the Iphone has such a small screen when all the other phones have grown? It's because Apple knows the majority of there market has small hands. (AKA: Woman!) Ever wonder why there is no porn on the Iphone? well there isn't a large market for it!

more proof...Just look down your Facebook feed and look who is using a Iphone to post messages. It's all females, gay males or guys you have questions about. Honestly, go look and you will see I'm right.

and if you're a guy with an Iphone, sorry but your phone is gay....what does it say about you! LOL

[DarK-SilV]

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

[Commander_TK]

Pres fan, eh?

[MEsoJD]

That's why I chose it over the Evo.

I don't understand all the hate?

Probably just crazy Android fanatics.

Its not just the amount of features a phone has over another that decides whether its superior.

Please just spend time with both options before you pass judgment.

[Quagmire]

So...iPhone is as Good as Transformers: War for Cybertron, then?

[Daver]

loll

[TheFaggot_]

LOL

[TheFaggot_]

iPhone sucks ass.
Every year Apple releases a new iPhone that has half of the specs that other already have.
And they call it a NEW phone...
Blah

[Erotic Sheep]

Instead of whining with false arguments, go try one for a change. You'll see its actually a very good device. Unless you can't afford one of course and therefor join the hate train -.-

[Jack-Pyro]

u mad?!

[Ghoul]

i get the feeling people oinly hate on the iphone (especially here on n4g) because they cant afford its premium price.

HTc and whatever other phone simply just doesnt have the same atention to detail on interface design industry design and overall selection of functions

just because others have packed in more features doesnt make it better.

so far the iphone is simply put the best experience i had with any smartphone ever.

[news4noobs]

the only people who hate the iphone, are the ones that don't have one.

i loved my 2g and 3g and no doubt will also love the new 4g.

[Cartesian3D]

I have a macbookpro first intel edition .. it looks gorgeous even after 3 years! .. the LCD is F***ing awesome.. and the performance is outstanding .. there isnt any noise from fan in MAC OS..

steve is some kind of douche but apple product arent overpriced at all..

[TheFaggot_]

Oh really?
I have an iPhone 3GS and I still hate Apple.
I can't see flash cause those bastards won't let me, every app has to be accepted by Apple. Camera sucks my enormous dick at least on the 3GS and every OS they release is basically the same thing with zero customization. Oh I forgot they added wallpapers now thats a big improvement.
Oh and don't forget Apple's new invention called FaceTime. I can't believe you can now talk to another person and he can see you!!
Apple is a communist developer that I don't want to buy anything from anymore.

[Cartesian3D]

if you did want a better camera why you bought a 3GS in the first place?

3GS is for gaming,smooth interface for browsing, and having fun,a standard camera just for point and shoot.

and you didnt know iOS hasnt Flash support? just read the reviews and then buy sth you want next time.

[Mustang300C2012]

Yet you own a 3GS, the third Iphone on the market and bitch about flash. I am sure you have a computer. You can get your porn fix on their with flash. Seriously!

[aCHU]

i agree 1million% with you lirankn :)
bubbles and an agree...
i used to allways mess around with my friends and thier iphones all the time and its nothing great at all...
and with a completely retarted limited multitasking.. like WTF!?

Android surpassed it loooong time ago... i mean with your own almost limitless customization of the COMPLETE overhall of the phone to what you like and flash 10.1 with froyo.. you cant simply beat it,accept for the apples apps.. they have alot more so far but droid market is catching up.

think about it,even with a jailbreaking iphones your still limited to only free apps to my knowledge ... but rooting the android devices gives you FULL power and control over your WHOLE phone..
with the iphone it controls you,but with android YOU control it.

and dont even begin with browser speed,ive allready tested the iphone 4g's speed with even the original moto droids and my current droid incredible.. and iphone 4gs is still week compared..thats what happens when you have shity carrier that decides to no longer give you unlimited data access,i mean cmon man thats fvcked up.

ANDROID+VERIZON FTW!

disagreeers: wow you apple fanboys are a bunch of crybaby's.. its a phone for NOOBS!.. get it right.
and the ipad sux ball sackage.
dissagree all you want but wont change the fact iphone 4g is still and iphone 3gs with better camera and oh,backgrounds? haha LAAAAME!.

[Kaneda]

Can you surf the web on talk on the phone at the sametime on Verizon?

[mikepmcc]

Agreed, iPhone simply has the best and most responsive interface out of any phone.

[tdogchristy90]

who is new the the iphone and smartphones in general, I can't put the thing down. I never was a big phone person, my last phone was a motorola razor and after five years I upgraded to the iphone 4. So for not being a big phone person, the fact that I can't put this thing down is testiment to me that they did something right.

[Jack-Pyro]

I upgraded from a Razor as well, and now that I have my iPhone 4, I couldn't be happier.

Fire on all you haters, you with your unjustified arguments.

[RosoTron36]

One major fault is the carrier, AT&T.

[Exquisik]

I agree with you. The only thing holding me back from getting the iphone is AT&T. Their reception sucks, their customer service sucks, and their plans suck. I still remember the time when they advertised 'no drop calls' back in the days when I had AT&T, and I had more drop calls than anything.

If Apple is smart enough and decides to sell their iPhone to other carrier as well, I bet they'll be raking in a lot more money than they are right now. Hell, I'll be jumping the bandwagon myself.

[RosoTron36]

They would completely dominate the mobile industry if/when they finally expand to more reliable networks.
The competition is finally catching up though, but the Iphone is still pretty damn good. And that's coming from someone that's not an apple fan whatsoever.
I have Verizon btw.

[DA_SHREDDER]

Yeah, IGN are so full of shit. They gave the HTC Evo an 8. How could they give something like the Evo an 8 when its superior in every aspect? Its a wifi hotspot, digital satellite tv, 1 ghz snapdragon processor (the fastest phone on the market to date), it has way better 3 and 4g speeds, 4.5 inch screen, and an unlimited 4g plan? I hate the media, really I do.

[Ghoul]

maybe just because maybe a rating is not based on features but on quality and usability with a product

oh and im tired of you guys shouting at everyone beeing a apple fanboy just because i think that the iphone is a remarkable product of excellent design usability interface and overall package !

grow up or learn a certain style of discussion

[MEsoJD]

You can name 100 of features but do they work well?

Also ask yourself really how relevent those extra

features are to your life?

[Ares84PS3]

....and while it looks great it keeps on dropping calls. I usually talk to my gf on the trip from work to home and that is about 15minutes and the phone droped the call 7 times. Yes, 7times. That is unacceptable. If it will keep on doing this than I will return this soon and get my 3Gs back. I don't care how great the screen looks if it can't do the primary function of a phone.

[Kingdom Come]

I have had an iPhone 4 since release and it is fantastic, there is no other way to describe it. I purchased (Or my parents purchased) my first smart-phone around 2 years ago and as part of my contract, I get a new phone yearly, my upgrade was scheduled a week before the iPhone 4 and therefor I got that.
It is one of the greatest devices in he world, honestly, all I could improve on is the graphics of the games of which are available via the App store, I was hoping that with the new phone there would come new games...

[silkrevolver]

...I love it. The reason the iPhone brand is so good doesn’t lie in its technical prowess... it lies in its user friendliness and app store. I try to mess around on my friends smart phones, I do... but they are really just complicated pains in the ass. It’s so simple, it’s camera looks way better than any 5 megapixel I’ve ever seen, facetime is really cool (even if it’s wi-fi only,) I live in an area where At&t’s bullshit isn’t a problem and it’s fast. Really fast. All of my movies look great on it and I have no complaints so far. I understand that some people have an anti Apple sediment, but just let it go, It’s a great smart phone.

[jdktech2010]

I've had an iphone 2g for 3 years and while I enjoy it....the call quality isn't that great, there's no major differences between the new iphone 4 and mine except 3g and it's looks. I could buy the 3gs and get all the things I would be missing for 100 bucks less.

All that being said, I'm kinda done with AT&T and am gonna try out Verizon and the Droid X when it hits. I'm a little annoyed at Apple's response to the antenna issue that they knew about (hence the first ever Apple branded case in the bumper case). They're basically saying get over it or buy this case we engineered because we knew the antenna was gonna be an issue and wanted to profit off of it.

I used to have every apple product but am starting to realize they have many problems just like the other companies but I've never seen a response from Apple like the one on the current phone. Ironically, that's where I hold my phone is the lower half so I'm just gonna skip the problem altogether, get rid of the network problem and try something new on both fronts.

I definitely don't fault people for loving the iphone...I enjoyed it for 3 years but I'm just a little tired of AT&T and Apple's attitude towards fixing problems...as in they don't really have one

[JonnyBigBoss]

Great phone but I can't get away from my Palm Pre Plus. The WebOS is just too amazing!

[sak500]

I love my Nokia N900. Which other phone can give you emus for C64, Amiga500, NES, PS1, pS2 etc. Plus unlimited multitasking, i can open 5 ~6 browsers, while playing angry birds. Overclocked the 600mhz to 930mhz. cna dual boot to android as well.

[hoops]

The iPhone is a great smart Phone. One of the best on the market right now. Good job Apple.
But this survey that was done is funny:

http://m.zdnet.com/blog/btl...

[ECM0NEY]

People who call the new iPhone an iPhone 4g needs to do some research before coming on here. Its not even a 4g phone. Its an iPhone 4. Only 4, not 4g, Only the Evo is 4g which is only available in very limited areas at this time(mostly east and west coast). Yes AT&t service sucks we know. If the iPhone was on Verizon it could do so much more. Including video chat without a hot spot.

[Sigh]

The next iphone, I'd say in about a year, will be 4G. Then the next will be 4GS, etc.