The iPhone's features: What's new, what's not
Ta-da: the iPhone
(Credit: Apple.com)Unless you've cut yourself off from all media access this year, you know that on Friday, June 29 Apple will release its iPhone with AT&T. Ever since the device's unveiling last January, the tech world has been running in circles asking what the iPhone will be like, what it will do, and how it will do it. But because Apple hasn't been the leakiest of faucets when it comes to specs, the hype has resulted in a lot of speculation instead. Of course, that will all change in several days, as you can be sure everyone lucky enough to get an iPhone in their hands--including us--will flood the Web with opinions.
So while we can't tell you just yet whether the iPhone will live up to the hype, and more importantly, whether it will be a good phone, we can tell you what features the iPhone will offer and whether those features are the first of their kind. A lot of readers have questioned us as to whether the iPhone's features really are revolutionary, so we offer the following comparisons. While a few of its offerings are new to the cell phone world, the appeal of the iPhone lies more in its promise to do things differently, and perhaps better. Once we get our review model, we'll be able give you a thorough assessment. We note that you might know a lot of this already, so if that's the case, we invite you to read about a melodramatic chipmunk instead.
The iPhone's touchscreen keyboard
(Credit: CNET Networks)
The touch screen
A lot has been made of the iPhone's touch screen and its lack of buttons. Yet the iPhone is not the first cell phone to rely so heavily on a touch screen. The LG Prada, the Motorola Ming, the HTC Touch, and the Samsung SGH-i718 all feature prominent touch screens, with this last handset offering tactile feedback as well. Sure, these other handsets may have the traditional Talk and End keys, but you won't find a standard dialpad or keyboard.
But will it be easy to use? Will it allow for fast typing? Though these questions are completely warranted--there is a learning curve for a touch screen if you've never used one before--a doomsday scenario doesn't exactly ring true. If other phones use a touch screen so effectively, the iPhone might just be able to do the same. Where the iPhone's touch screen really seems to distinguish itself is in the way you can manipulate things such as your music playlists and your photos. At MacWorld, the way Apple CEO Steve Jobs swept his finger across the display to shuffle music and resize photos was very showy indeed.
Flip through your music.
(Credit: Apple.com)
Media player
A big attraction of the iPhone is the iPod digital music player and the iTunes integration, but the iPhone is hardly the first cell phone to play music. Sony Ericsson's Walkman phones, such as the W810i, are especially good at playing your tunes, and Nokia's Xpress Music handsets such as the 5300 are quite nifty as well.
What's more, the iPhone is not the first cell to interact with iTunes; it will just do so in a different way. Remember the dud that was the Motorola Rokr E1? That had an iTunes player. Moto's Razr V3i and the Slvr L7 had them as well. Yet those phones were crippled with a ridiculous 100-song limit and a sluggish iTunes interface. Fortunately, the iPhone boosts its memory to respectable levels--though 8GB is somewhat small as MP3 players go. We were hoping for stereo Bluetooth as well but you won't find it onboard. More phones are beginning to offer that feature including the Nokia 5300.
On the other hand, the iPhone will not be able to download music wirelessly. Several phones, such as the Samsung Upstage and the LG VX8300, have such capability--and Sprint and Verizon have their own music stores.
The only way to sync your music.
(Credit: Apple.com)
Videos
From what we've seen in the iPhone commercials on Apple's Web site, the video experience on the iPhone looks quite pretty. A lot of other cell phones play video, either through 3G services or Sling Box, but the iPhone will be the first to accept downloads from iTunes. So it goes without saying that it won't be average streaming video over 3G. On the other hand, Verizon Wireless has its V Cast Mobile TV service on handsets such as the LG VX9400 and the Samsung SCH-U620.
Mapping
It doesn't have built-in GPS, but the iPhone is one of the first cell phones with integrated support for Google Maps. Though the application is available for other cell phones, the experience isn't always a seamless one. The Motorola Razr V3xx, for example, is beset with restrictions that severely limit third-party apps. When testing Google Maps on that phone, the browser asked us whether we wanted to proceed every time we requested data--frustrating, indeed.
Safari browser
Though it won't be the first cell phone to support a full HTML Web browser, the iPhone will be the first cell phone to feature
Safari. Also, the browser will be the integration point for third-party apps, as Jobs announced two weeks ago at his WWDC keynote.
Surf the Web by touch.
(Credit: Apple.com)
Visual voice mail
At the iPhone announcement, Jobs was eager to point out its visual voice mail feature, which will allow you to choose from a list and go directly to the voice mail you want to hear. The iPhone is the first cell phone we've seen to come integrated with such an application, but alternatives do exist. For example, an application called SimulSays does just about the same thing, but you must download it for use. Also, at the time of this writing, it's available only for the RIM BlackBerry Pearl and the BlackBerry 8800.
Camera
The iPhone's 2-megapixel camera is just above average as U.S. camera phones go. The Samsung SCH-A990 tops the Apple handset with a 3.2-megapixel resolution, and more powerful cameras are available unlocked. For example, the Nokia N95 and the recently announced Sony Ericsson K850 both offer 5-megapixel shooters.
There's a camera lens but no flash.
(Credit: Apple.com)
Battery life
Yes, the iPhone has a longer rated talk time than many other smart phones, but in our CNET lab tests, we've had quite a few devices give us that much juice or more. The Cingular 8525, the I-mate Jaq, and Nokia's N95, E61, and E62 each had eight hours of talk time battery life; the RIM BlackBerry Curve and the Sony Ericsson P990i went for 8.5 hours; the T-Mobile Wing offered 9 hours; and the Nokia N73 lasted 9.5 hours.
Yet the iPhone could surpass all of the above. And if it could do so with such a large display--high-resolution displays are notorious battery hogs--then that would be impressive. It's also important to note that few people use one application constantly. Actual battery life will depend on how often you switch between applications.
Wi-Fi and 3G
Wi-Fi isn't terribly common on cell phones, so we're glad to see it here. Current Wi-Fi phones include the Cingular 8525, the T-Mobile Wing, and the Sprint Mogul And as we all know, the iPhone won't support 3G networks.
A sensor rotates the display orientation automatically.
(Credit: Apple.com)
Sensors
Thanks to the handset's accelerometer, the display's orientation will adjust automatically when you flip the iPhone on its side. At the moment, most cell phones require you to either press a button to make such a switch, such as on the HTC Touch, or slide the phone's face, as with the Helio Ocean. So it's true that the iPhone will save you a step. Yet Sony Ericsson recently announced the W910, which will feature a "shake control." You'll be able to manipulate the phone's functions by moving the handset itself. Skip music tracks by flicking the W910 to the right or left, shuffle your playlists by shaking it back and forth, and move the handset around to play games.
Also, a proximity sensor will turn off the display automatically when you lift the iPhone to your ear for a conversation--we don't see that in other handsets--and an ambient light sensor will adjust the display's brightness for various lighting situations. That's still rare in cell phones--the Rim BlackBerry Curve offers it, for example, but the iPhone won't be the only one.
Kent German is a senior editor for cell phone reviews at CNET. When he's not testing the newest handsets on the market, he's blogging about cell phone news for Crave. In his On Call column, he answers reader questions and gives his take on the rapidly changing mobile industry. E-mail Kent.
phones go. The Samsung SCH-A990 tops the Apple handset with a 3.2-
megapixel resolution and more powerful cameras are available unlocked. For
example, the Nokia N95 and the recently-announced Sony Ericsson K850
both offer a 5-megapixel shooter."
I will wait and look at the QUALITY of the camera. Resolution means nothing
without quality. I have seen shots from the cameras mentioned here, and the
only real difference is the size, not the quality. None are good enough for
more than a 4x6 or 5x7 photo.
2. I am a Verizon customer for a reason... network service and price. Why would I pay an early termination fee to join an inferior network?
3. This cellphone is overpriced just like the first iPod was. A lot of people say this replaces several devices such as your mp3 player, cell phone and pda. Although it may have these functions, it doesn't fully replace the pda or mp3 player due to it having a maximum 8gb's of storage and having to use Apple proprietary software where as pda's have a limitless library of software available.
4. Why has Apple decided yet again to engineer a portable device that does not have a user accessable battery? The biggest problem with an portable device, especially cellphones, is the battery which never outlives the device(unless you have an iPod which may only function for a year or less)
5. Why is there no insurance available for this $600 device?
6. From the looks of it, I'm going to wager that this thing is pretty fragile. Between scratches on the pretty face and being dropped on the concrete like I see so many people do to their phones, I doubt this unit will hold up very well.
Here are my add-on thoughts:
- Active-Sync is a must for business users if they wish to compete with blackberry.
- A phone doesn't have to do everything. A great example of this was when I used to own a Pocket PC phone. It pretty much did everything and I found out quickly that I hate dialing numbers on a touch sensitive screen. The Motorola Q was my next phone and I love it. Small.. keypad.. and no touch screen.
~~ken OS X =)
unreleased product.
I would think that the iPhone will be as durable as an iPod Nano, which is
pretty durable. No, you won't be able to use it to drive nails, but I bet Apple
has considered this issue and it will be able to withstand some minor abuse.
Some have said that the storage isn't enough, and yet Apple's best selling
iPod, the Nano, tops out at 8 GB. How many songs can someone listen to in a
day?
Others complain about the EDGE data service. I would love to see 3G as well,
but I have used 3G PDAs and smartphones, and I couldn't really see the speed
difference. They were all slow. WiFi is become more prevalent every day.
As far as the battery issue goes, I have never had to replace a phone battery.
I have asked several co-workers and friends about this very issue, among
others, and none have ever had to replace batteries either.
When it comes down to it, no one knows how the iPhone will do. No one
knows how durable it is. We'll just have to wait...
~ken OS X
only function for a year or two?!?! My wife and I have 6 iPods, Jason. We each
have an original. Those have been running for 5 years. We each have a nano
that is used 4-5 times a week during long runs. Both still ticking after a few
years. We both have a video that we use on international flights. Both working
fine, thank you. Perhaps you have a bit of buil-in bias against Apple
products???
Oh, and anyone that drops a $600 piece of electronic equipment on the
concrete DESERVES to lose it. How many times do you drop your laptop?
People are dumb, Jason. There's no insurance against that.
As an aside, I am curious to see how CNET reviews the iPhone. The Prada phone, which at least to my initial cursory lookover is woefully outclassed by the iPhone; yet received a 7.7. 3 hours of battery life? Not even a "virtual" qwerty keyboard?? $800!? I just get the impression the media has hyped(yes....you guys don't have to write the stories), the iPhone to unprecedented levels, and it will be subjected to far greater scrutiny than any device ever reviewed...
For a given sensor technology, cramming more pixels into an already dense sensor would result in more noise. Hence, a smaller pixel count may yield a better image in some cases.
One can make a beautiful 4x6 from a good 2 megapixels file. Depending on the subject matter (portrait for instance), a 2 megapixels file may be enough for a 8x10.
Images quality depends on lense, image sensor, software (focus, image processing), not counting the photographer's skill. So please stop using pixel count to measure image quality.
NO ONE ever said that the Apple iPhone was perfect. You would point out a feature, say that some other phones had something similar and pass on. Were they better or worse than the iPhone on those features??
Over and over I saw this "The iPhone is not cool cause I can find some phone somewhere that has something that sort of is like it" attitude. And then at the end you failed to point out how many phones combine all these features in an easy to use application. "OH yea, and it all just works together".
Now I do not want to read iPhone fanboy articles, but telling me that a tire made in 1945 and a tire made today are the same cause both are round, shows a large lack of understanding of the subject matter. (radial, multi steel and polomer belts, high wear at high speeds functioning.) Yea, a tire is a tire cause they are both round.
en
Fortune 500 corporation with global operations. The name of my company
has been deleted from this message.
Text follows:
---
Dear Colleagues:
Many of you may have seen the extensive promotions for the new Apple
iPhone, which will be launched by AT&T this week. This notice is being sent
to everyone in advance of the launch so that [the corporation's] employees
can make informed buying decisions. The iPhone offers many consumer
benefits, but it has been designed mainly for the consumer market and would
not work within a corporate computing environment. Because the design of
the iPhone is not compatible with our computing network, it cannot be
supported.
---
Text ends.
I take issue with the following -- "it has been designed mainly for the
consumer market and would not work within a corporate computing
environment." Does anybody else think this is high-handed (and erroneous)?
Later, he goes on to say that "the design of the iPhone is not compatible with
our computing network," which is more likely, but still...
Cheers,
Doc
Drevanator
- No big deal
-
by dutchman300
June 30, 2007 12:38 PM PDT
- Big whoop. A camera on a cell phone is the most usless thing that there is. I do not need the internet on my phone. I understand that in certain business applications all this "stuff" might be usefull. For the average person all they need is a phone that works and can pick up weak signals and does not drop calls. I am still looking for one of those. The article talks about talk time. After having 7 cell phones in the past 15 years I have NEVER had more than 1.5 hours of talk time.
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