The inaugural iPhone 4

Posted on: 18 June 2010

Last month Apple announced the new iPhone, excitingly named the iPhone 4. I’ve always been aware and mildly interested in the iPhone phenomenon but I’ve never had the desire to jump feet first onto the bandwagon. The usability of the device has always seemed so different to anything I’ve owned in the past, most likely because I’ve never laid down more than £100 on a phone. But I figured it’s a piece of technology that will, in most cases, become second-nature in a short space of time.

Up until now I’ve never had a big enough reason to push me into dropping the cash on an iPhone; but last weekend I was careless enough to lose my trusty, long-standing Samsung G600. I naively persuaded my conscience that this was fate telling me to succumb to Apple’s inhuman marketing magic, and buy an iPhone 4.

There’s one niggle I have though, and I know I’m not alone in this. One of the biggest features of the new iPhone that Apple seem to be pushing is FaceTime: Apple’s take on video calling. That’s all well and good, but is it really necessary? Is there really any need to see the person you’re talking to? Isn’t that the joy of telephone conversation? The absence of appearance anxiety and self consciousness . The only time you’re going to be able to appreciate a video chat is when you’re comfortable, composed and in a happy mood, i.e. at home. NOT, as Apple suggests, when you’re out and about with only your phone to hand. With all that said, hypocritically I’m very interested to see how well it actually works.

In addition to the numerous exciting features Apple have packed into this new device, they’ve managed to make the hottest gadget of the past decade even better looking. Personally, I love the look of this new iPhone, way more than the previous models.

The only thing left to decide, is white or black, 16 or 32GB, and contract or SIMplicity. This could take some time.