iPhone 4

[toblix]

Anyone blown away by the announcement on Monday? I'm getting one, although the choice of an iPhone over an Android isn't as clear-cut as it was a year ago. The points that tips it in Apple's favor are the incredible industrial design of the thing and the app store. Although the app count in the Android market is growing rapidly, last time I checked the level of polish was nowhere near what I'm used to on the iPhone. I'm also looking forward to seeing the new screen and playing with the gyro.

[Nachimir]

The screen being >300 pixels per inch impressed me. That's an important jump beyond the usual "Now in HD! Now even HDer!" type announcements, just because it goes to standard higher than print and potentially surpasses the resolution of human eyesight.

Nothing else about it really jazzed me, but that screen is something I hope a lot of phone manufacturers follow.

[Snooglebum]

I will continue to be sad and jealous of you people with money.

[elmuerte]

I would never hand over money for one of those Apple products.

It's just too "lock in" for me.

[toblix]

I would never hand over money for one of those Apple products.

It's just too "lock in" for me.

What phone would you pick that's less locked in?

[Brannigan]

What's a cell phone?

[elmuerte]

What phone would you pick that's less locked in?

an Android, it even allows you to store arbitrary files on it through an USB connection without installing any application.

[JonCole]

The screen being >300 pixels per inch impressed me. That's an important jump beyond the usual "Now in HD! Now even HDer!" type announcements, just because it goes to standard higher than print and potentially surpasses the resolution of human eyesight.

Nothing else about it really jazzed me, but that screen is something I hope a lot of phone manufacturers follow.

Yeah, totally agreed. There was a lot of cool stuff in there, but the pixel density was the big story. I can't wait to get a 26" monitor on my desk with >300 ppi... though it'll take a damn long time for that to be affordable.

On the topic of Apple products not being open enough for you, that's what jailbreaking is for. Apple doesn't use it as a selling point for obvious reasons, but jailbreaking takes a good phone (iPhone 3GS, probably iPhone 4) and makes it relevant among the latest Android phones.

[Kolzig]

I'm perfectly happy with my Nokia E51, but that's just me I guess.

I predict Apple to sell this gadget millions on the first second they put it to the market.

If Fujitsu, Toshiba and the others would take over the western market instead of just being in Japan, then I would be interested because those phones are years ahead of the iPhone.

But even then I would propably not buy even those, it's no use to drop more than 150 euros on a mobile phone.

[toblix]

If Fujitsu, Toshiba and the others would take over the western market instead of just being in Japan, then I would be interested because those phones are years ahead of the iPhone.

What? What phones are these?

[Coldkill]

On the topic of Apple products not being open enough for you, that's what jailbreaking is for. Apple doesn't use it as a selling point for obvious reasons, but jailbreaking takes a good phone (iPhone 3GS, probably iPhone 4) and makes it relevant among the latest Android phones.

You shouldn't have to jailbreak a phone to make it relevant, it should already be relevant .

Apple and all their products are status symbols, some of the tech in this phone was in phones a generation ago, although the screen resolution is very impressive.

[Scrobbs]

I nearly bought an ipad last week, and will prolly buy the iphone 4. Deliberately didn't upgrade to the 3GS so I could stay out of contract (had to swap the battery to keep it useable though). However, will be giving the 3G to my g/f, so will miss out on the insane prices 3G 16Gb are still fetching on ebay!

However, I've also had a severe attack of #1stworldguilt about electronic devices (c.f. foxconn etc.). I'm sure I will get over it and go back to being a good little consumer...

[Scratch]

I have had my 3GS for about a year now and even so, I will most likely be getting the new iPhone without a second thought. I wish there was some sort of a trade-in or upgrade program though that would reduce the price or something. I still have my iPhone 3G, so in the end I will have three iPhones.

[toblix]

On the topic of Apple products not being open enough for you, that's what jailbreaking is for. Apple doesn't use it as a selling point for obvious reasons, but jailbreaking takes a good phone (iPhone 3GS, probably iPhone 4) and makes it relevant among the latest Android phones.

You shouldn't have to jailbreak a phone to make it relevant, it should already be relevant .

Apple and all their products are status symbols, some of the tech in this phone was in phones a generation ago, although the screen resolution is very impressive.

What are you guys talking about? How is the iPhone not "relevant"? And how is it any more of a status symbol than other phones, other than it costing more than most of them?

[Kolzig]

What? What phones are these?

In Japan they throw around a few new line ups per year of new phones to the market.

They have three phone providers there that sell phones connected to their SIM cards, so all those phones are basically SIM card locked, which I will never support. I also hate that providers in Finland are starting to do this damn SIM card locking crap.

AU, NTT Docomo and Softbank. Softbank is the former Vodafone and it's the worst of the three, they promise a lot but always deliver less etc. but they have the funniest commercials with a dog that talks.

AU and NTT Docomo only sell Japanese phones, but Softbank has/had in their line up Samsung, LG and even Nokia phones. Nokia left from Japan last year because their mobile phones are stone age shit compared to what the Japanese companies make and nobody buys Nokia over there.

The Japanese mobile phone companies are not exactly in the best shape from what I've heard, for example Mitsubishi completely stopped developing mobile phones because they were losing too much money. It has something to do with the development costs being way too high, because they need to have something new with every line up really fast.

I have heard that this year or the next NTT Docomo was supposed to expand to North America, and so bringing their Japanese phones also to the US and Canada. I don't know what is the current status of that because it's risky business to go fighting on the home turf of RDF Jobs, Blackberry and Motorola. They will get butchered even if they would have better phones, marketing would need to invest tons and tons of money.

[toblix]

But how are they years ahead of the iPhone?

[Nachimir]

I wish there was some sort of a trade-in or upgrade program though that would reduce the price or something. I still have my iPhone 3G, so in the end I will have three iPhones.

It's called ebay

[Kolzig]

But how are they years ahead of the iPhone?

Of the current situation I don't actually know that much, the last time I saw the situation myself was March 2009, the last time I was in Japan.

They have been to my knowledge very much the first to push the use of touch screen, high resolution screens, mobile tv and e-mailing on mobile phones instead of text messaging.

One of my wife's Japanese friends actually has an iPhone 3G or 3GS, she showed me that when she visited us in January. She told us that she uses an iPhone because it was cheaper than other options, but doesn't like the phone much, because of many restrictions and it doesn't work as well as her previous phones.

My wife's old clamshell type phone Fujitsu f905i (I think that was the name) came out 2,5 years ago or so. I have no idea what the phones are like now over there, but that phone is dynamite. We don't use it anymore because it's sim locked and so on, but that mobile phone blew my mind.

One thing that I absolutely like about Steve's iPhone, the user interface is really nicely done, I have not seen anyone do that better on a mobile phone with a touch screen.

[JonCole]

You shouldn't have to jailbreak a phone to make it relevant, it should already be relevant .

Apple and all their products are status symbols, some of the tech in this phone was in phones a generation ago, although the screen resolution is very impressive.

Take what I said however you want, my point remains the same. If you want more functionality out of an iPhone, jailbreaking is a viable and smart way to do it. And the truth is, it's a much better phone once you do it.

[elmuerte]

But why would I buy a phone for which I would need to break the law before it becomes more useful? (yeah, stupid laws make it illegal to jailbreak). Also, there the chance that due to the jailbreak that Apple will lock me out of the phone at some point.

Nah, I'm very happy with Android and see no reason to buy Apple hardware.

[Thompson]

I have an iPhone that I have not and never will jailbreak and i'm more than happy with it. You're all a bunch of whining babies.

[Coldkill]

What are you guys talking about? How is the iPhone not "relevant"? And how is it any more of a status symbol than other phones, other than it costing more than most of them?

The iPhone is a phone, so that makes it as relevant as a phone is in the modern world (so fairly relevant). But competitors phones can be more open, as an example, Windows based phones can install applications from anywhere without the need to go through a manufacturer controlled shop. The fact that you can install whatever you want and use the phone as an external hard drive make it more relevant than that iPhone. Sure the iPhone can have those features, but you have to jailbreak it. I say you shouldn't have to, it should be as relevant as competitor's phones without ballsing about with the OS.

Apple's entire brand is based on that status symbol of the hip, young, up to date person who's cool and gets all the girls, the Mac ads are a prime example of this. That is how Apple market themselves, it's no secret. That makes any Apple branded product a status symbol.

Take what I said however you want, my point remains the same. If you want more functionality out of an iPhone, jailbreaking is a viable and smart way to do it. And the truth is, it's a much better phone once you do it.

Ok that's great. But it should already be a great phone without the need of jailbreaking it. If I went and bought a brand new car, I shouldn't have to then modify it to make it act as well as other cars in it's class.

[toblix]

The iPhone is a phone, so that makes it as relevant as a phone is in the modern world (so fairly relevant). But competitors phones can be more open, as an example, Windows based phones can install applications from anywhere without the need to go through a manufacturer controlled shop. The fact that you can install whatever you want and use the phone as an external hard drive make it more relevant than that iPhone. Sure the iPhone can have those features, but you have to jailbreak it. I say you shouldn't have to, it should be as relevant as competitor's phones without ballsing about with the OS.

Is it basically what everyone's saying, only with "relevant" instead of "open" or "good" or whatever? I don't get it, maybe it's a language thing.

Apple's entire brand is based on that status symbol of the hip, young, up to date person who's cool and gets all the girls, the Mac ads are a prime example of this. That is how Apple market themselves, it's no secret. That makes any Apple branded product a status symbol.

That's just describing all product marketing ever in the history of the entire universe. What, Sony Ericsson's ads are just lists of technical specifications?

[elmuerte]

I have an iPhone that I have not and never will jailbreak and i'm more than happy with it. You're all a bunch of whining babies.

That's exactly what Steve Jobs wants.

[Thompson]

Speaking of iPhones, i've been working on a mock-up GUI for a touch screen device (COULD be used without touch but less effectively).

I'll try and put up a picture soon, it's certainly not complete.

Edited June 11, 2010 by Thompson