Editor's Review
By Jasmine Osada 17-08-2010

Apple's latest smartphone has launched here amid much anticipation from fans and concern about the device's apparent reception problems.

We took the iPhone 4 for a spin and here's what we think :-

Look & Feel

The iPhone 4 is a gorgeous phone. While its overall look does not seem to stray far from the original candybar design, Apple has certainly made improvements to an existing formula that works, creating an even more visually impressive device.

The design, at least on the outside, is also now essentially a steel band sandwiched by two panels of glass.

Gone is the curved metal back cover found in previous generation iPhones - Apple had instead replaced this with a glossy, glass flat back panel.

The edges of the iPhone 4 are also very angular, a stark difference from the curved design in the previous generation of devices.

The final look is a much sleeker and slimmer iPhone.

I'll be honest - I am not quite a fan of the earlier curved and rounded look that the previous iPhones sported because it looks a little too untailored. The sharp, angular look of the iPhone 4 presents a professional, classy look that its predecessors lack.

The iPhone 4 is also a pretty hardy smartphone. Both glass panels are scratch-resistant, while the stainless steel band sandwiched between them is five times stronger than the industrial standard.

Features & Functions

Apple added plenty of upgrades and improvements to the iPhone 4 but one of the most outstanding improvements to the iPhone 4 is the new Retina display.

Text displayed on the screen is much sharper, the screen brighter and colours are more vibrant. Applications, websites, photos and videos all look fantastic on this phone.

The camera on the iPhone 4 also gets an upgrade - Pictures certainly look better through the 5-megapixel camera; and the LED flash is a practical, useful addition that perhaps came in a little late.

While its camera pictures are good, I felt that Apple could have done better here by actually upping the camera to an 8- or 12-megapixel one, which seems to be the standard in higher-end smartphones of late.

Another new addition to the iPhone 4 is its front-facing VGA camera, meant for use with its video conferencing application FaceTime.

Mobile video calls on the go aren't exactly an exciting new concept, but it is a nice feature to finally see on the iPhone. However, those planning to use FaceTime might have a very limited group of people to talk to depending on who they plan to contact.

This is due to the fact that FaceTime only works via Wi-fi, and only with a contact that is able to run the FaceTime program with you on his or her own iPhone 4.

If you are planning to do video chats with your fellow Yuppie iPhone 4 owner friends, the FaceTime feature is a useful addition. But if you're thinking about calling your Android or BlackBerry-totting friend or someone on a PC, you're out of luck.

Chances are though, that future third-party apps will address the demand for cross-platform video chats.

Performance

The iPhone 4's antenna and call-dropping issues are probably what potential iPhone 4 owners are most concerned about.

As Apple gave us their official Bumper case with our review set, we tried making calls with the protective rubber band on and off the phone to see if there was a difference.

The result - None of our calls were dropped, even if our reviewers held it "the wrong way" (holding the phone such that the antenna points are blocked by one's hand).

That said though, our iPhone 4 did show a significant drop in the number of signal bars when the bottom corner of the phone was covered. But this did not seem to affect call quality or the transfer of 3G data as our reviewer was browsing the Web.

Once the Bumper case goes on though, the problem disappears.

Running on Apple's latest iOS 4 operating system, the iPhone 4 is lightning fast compared to its predecessors.

Applications loaded quickly without lag and the phone was prompt in responding to commands.

The iOS 4's multi-tasking feature was also put into good use here as the iPhone 4 is capable of handling more workload without slowing down.

However, quite a number of applications, such as some chat programs will automatically log out once you've switched to another app. This is likely to change, however, once developers update their apps to take advantage of the new OS.

Those who use their phones intensively throughout the day will be glad to know that the battery life for the iPhone 4 has improved.

We managed to use the iPhone 4's voice, data and app functions for an entire workday and still got some juice left in the device. When subjected to more casual use, our review unit was able to last a good three days before requiring a battery charge.

The Verdict

The iPhone 4 is a visually stunning, powerful smartphone that is greatly enhanced by a cutting-edge operating system and supported by the largest app library in the market.

With the additions of previously lacking essential functions such as video call capabilities and a much improved camera with flash, the iPhone 4 has pretty much everything you need.

If you're looking for a smartphone for that comprises both functionality and design, then the iPhone 4 is your answer.