Apple iPhone 4 Pro Reviews

The Nexus 4 is the best deal around, and the iPhone 4 is three generations old. But the iPhone 4 holds its own against almost any phone on the market. If you must have an iPhone and cost is an issue, it's still a great purchase. But if you want a bargain Android that is the best deal out there, head over to Google Play.

If you want a smartphone (which, frankly, most people do), you usually have two options. You can get one on a standard carrier at a lower price, but you'll be bound by a contract. Alternatively, you can go to a prepaid carrier and pay more for the same phone. But, you won't be chained down by any two-year agreement. If you're someone who wants to go the latter route, then you can consider the iPhone 4. It's much, much more expensive than Virgin's other smartphones (currently, its third highest-priced device after the iPhone 4 and 4S is the HTC Evo V 4G for about $240), but it will deliver that unique and satisfying iOS experience. And while 3G speeds aren't that great and you'll be paying through the nose, if you want that Apple experience, this phone will deliver the goods.

If you stack them head-to-head, the iPhone 4 is not going to give a good, entry-level point-and-shoot digital camera a run for its money. The 5MP 1/3.2-inch backside-illuminated (BSI) sensor in Apple's iPhone 4 may be one of the best on the smart phone market right now but it's simply too small in size to compete with what's in a dedicated digital camera. Furthermore, while the iPhone's miniscule 3.85mm lens produced far sharper results than we expected, it's rudimentary, at best, when compared to most cameras. But you know that already. The iPhone 4 is a device that's primarily designed for making calls, surfing the Internet, and interacting with web-friendly apps. The imaging capabilities are just gravy, right? That's what we used to think until we started turning to the iPhone 4 in more and more picture-taking situations, and found out that millions of others were doing the same. Why'd this happen? We're not exactly sure. For starters, there's the vast improvement of the iPhone 4 Camera over the imager in the previous model. Then, there's how easy it was to share these nice shots on Facebook and other social networking sites. There's also an immediacy and intimacy to iPhone 4 photos, which, since the phone is with you at all times, occur spontaneously and do a great job of capturing life's candid moments. And then there are all those juicy photo apps in Apple's App store, which make the capture and sharing experience more fun than with "traditional" digital cameras. Print quality goes from surprisingly excellent at ISO 80 to pretty low at ISO 1,000, but its top ISO achieves what most pocket cameras can, which is at least a 4x6-inch print. We understand why ISO is Auto-only, but it would be nice if the next camera had more controls for ISO and white balance, at least. The gravy's found in the iPhone 4's surprisingly good HD video capture capabilities, which are as good as anything you'd find in a basic video camera, such as the now defunct but once ubiquitous Flip. So while the camera in the iPhone 4 might not equal what's possible with a good, modern pocket camera, it's pretty darn good, making the Apple iPhone 4 a Dave's Pick.

To us, the iPhone 4 feels like it packs more hardware into a smaller surface area and has a noticeably denser feeling than the iPhone 3GS. This is probably due to the removal of the backside curvature being replaced by a rectangular design aesthetic that reminds us of a Gameboy Advance SP when held in the palms. The iPhone 4 is also 25 percent thinner than the iPhone 3GS, measuring in at a mere 0.37 inches thick.

As many analysts have noted, there are some viable alternatives to the iPhone 4 that may have an almost identical feature package but a slightly different form factor (and operating system for that matter). Nevertheless, when it comes to the total package - the iPhone 4's compact hardware form factor combined with its exceptional display, snappy Cortex A8-based A4 processor and 512MB of memory provide an incredibly productive mobile computing landscape within iOS and serve all of our day-to-day purposes with ease and without complaints.

If there's one thing you can sleep easily about at night, it has to be that both smartphones will continue to receive the latest and newest updates. But it appears as though that the Apple iPhone 4 showcases its prowess in the multimedia department as it excels in taking photos and videos. And while it doesn't have the level of customization that Android offers, iOS easily provides the user with a much better app support to diversify and enhance the experience.

Sleek and well designed, the iPhone remains the best touchscreen phone that you can buy. We doubt FaceTime will be a big draw, but the excellent quality photos and videos are impressive, as are the new iOS 4 features. If you can afford it, you won't be disappointed.

When they're priced evenly, it's ultimately going to come down to which platform experience you'll want to side with. Needless to say that iOS shows its maturity and depth thanks to features like multi-tasking and copy & paste on board, but the HD7 provides for a fresh experience that's remarkably polished from the onset. Sure there are some standout features with both devices, like taking photos with the iPhone 4 or the superior calling quality of the HD7, but these two high-end smartphones will easily satisfy the needs of just about anyone out there. In any event, you really can't go wrong choosing either handsets as they establish themselves as being in the upper echelon of the smartphone market.

Regretfully, both handsets are marred with some audible static noise in the background – which is even made more prominent with the Surround's deafening earpiece. However, its louder output over the iPhone 4 makes it a bit easier to distinguish voices. And at the same time, the same thing resonates with their speakerphone performance. The iPhone 4 might be decent enough for some people, but there's no arguing it's easier on the ear with the Surround's sharp tones.

Nokia N8 has very compelling extra features, but with the the Retina Display and the fast A4 chipset, the iPhone 4 already has some of the best hardware out there. On top of that, it is all crammed in the thinnest smartphone on the market, made of designer-grade materials. It also allows you to run some of the slickest programs ever made for a phone. And it is exactly the software, i.e. the overall people-friendly experience that matters most, and that's where Nokia has to play catch up now.

Unveiled at WWDC 2010, the new Apple iPhone 4 gets hardware updates such as a 5-megapixel camera, LED flash, 720p video recording, 3.5-inch screen with resolutions at 960 x 640 pixels and a faster Apple A4 1GHz processor.

The upgraded materials give it a more luxurious look and weight, but those straight edges (which now incorporate the antenna) actually make it less comfortable in the hand. There have been lots of tech updates, too. The screen resolution has been doubled to 960 x 640, and the camera on the rear has been upgraded to 5 megapixels and now has a surprisingly effective LED flash. There’s also now a camera on the front for video calling, as well as an all-round faster processor.

Most of what works on the iPhone 4 does so unbelievably well. The user experience is amazing, from the quality of the screen and the speed and responsiveness of the handset performance, to the camera features and outstanding battery life. I am one of the lucky users who hasn’t experienced a lot of software problems (except when I first got my phone, which was resolved when I restored it as a new handset. Since then, I’ve had no big software issues). Over the past three weeks, I found that re-learning a different hand grip was a small compromise to make in order to enjoy everything else that comes with this device.

The iPhone 4 is a combination of style and function. Sleek glass panels give it an elegant look, while the multi-band antenna improves call clarity and rigidity. But the new handset doesn't add as the revolutionary upgrades we've come to expect from Apple.

The iPhone 4 is a tremendous improvement over the previous phones from Apple. Battery life alone is enough to sell a brand new notebook, there's no reason the same shouldn't apply for a smartphone. Being able to deliver real world battery life use of between 5.5 and 10 hours on a single charge is quite impressive. And if you aren't using the phone nonstop? Expect even longer battery life.

I'm pleased with the iPhone 4. It's hard to write complaints when Apple just keeps making the phone better and better.

Apple is in trouble. When the original iPhone was launched, Steve Jobs said it was five years ahead of the competition. Now, while the competition is eagerly catching up to Apple in all of the iPhone’s best features, Apple seems unwilling or unable to move quickly to catch up to the social networking features on Android, WebOS and even BlackBerry devices.

We would be lying if we told you we don’t like iPhone 4. Quite the opposite, the iPhone 4 has a way to impress.

Some say the iPhone 4 is the best iPhone yet. I'm not so sure. It ought to be, and on paper it certainly is, but in the flesh it isn't. This is Apple's third iPhone design, yet it feels in some ways like its first. Fixes may come, but for now this is a phone that forces its users to like or lump its quirks.

The iPhone 4 is an excellent smartphone, the best one in fact. This is quite a step up from the iPhone 3GS, thanks to the display and the many improvements in the OS. If you don't have an iPhone but want to get one, I would recommend the iPhone 4 over older models, despite the antenna issue. If you are thinking of saving $100 by going with the 3GS, take a good look at the total cost of ownership over 2-years. You might realize that $100 is not that much of a stretch if you consider that you will be using the device *everyday*. Instead, cut down on yourStarbucks consumption to make up for it. The pricing of the iPhone 4 is very comparable to other smartphones, so I don't think that pricing should be a decisive factor. Instead, the design, user interface, app library and responsiveness will determine if it works for you or not. If you are afraid of the "death grip" issue (read above), wait until a permanent solution is found, but going straight to a 3GS would be a mistake.

The combination of gorgeous new hardware, that amazing display, upgraded cameras, and major improvements to the operating system make this an extremely formidable package. Yes, there are still pain points that we want to see Apple fix, and yes, there are some amazing alternatives to the iPhone 4 out there. But when it comes to the total package - fit and finish in both software and hardware, performance, app selection, and all of the little details that make a device like this what it is - we think it's the cream of the current crop.

The iPhone 4 is an impressive device, there's just no two ways about it. The hardware design isn't drastically different, but Apple's subtle changes are significant in terms of impact.

The iPhone 3GS brought only minor upgrades and the v3 firmware still lacked multitasking capabilities and other essentials. Apple stepped up to the plate and delivered the iPhone 4 and iOS 4, bringing the anticipated functionality and several new features that can't be found on any other smartphone. The 960x640 display raises the bar for high-end displays, making the iPhone 4 the best choice for reading Web content or other text.

The iPhone 4 is, in many ways, the best iPhone Apple has ever made. It’s faster than the 3GS, yes, but it’s the screen that is the biggest leap forward in quality. And the rear-facing camera has taken a big step forward from the 3GS, offering quite high-quality stills and Flip-class HD video. With the addition of iMovie, you’ve got an entire home video studio in your hand.

When it comes to the iPhone 4 there may well be more minuses than you might expect. For example, the artificial hampering of the tethering and the Bluetooth functions just make no sense – meaning that tasks that are second nature to most phone users are out of reach to the iPhone 4 user. The phone can run incredibly hot as well, even when filming a video. The top left of the back is hot to touch under intensive use – and on several occasions when using satnav the phone has actually overheated and shut down. It is a shame that there is no option to kill a running app straight away, having to minimise it and then access the “running task” bar is an annoyance – and the redesign has created signal issues as well as an incompatibility with many existing accessories.

The iPhone 4 is impressive, it is a huge improvement over the iPhone 3GS, in terms of design and functions, the new iOS 4 is a great improvement over the iOS 3 with a range of new features and some interesting applications.

Out of the box, though, the iPhone 4 is one of the most polished, appealing smartphones on the market today. By boosting the camera, upgrading the screen and generally tightening up the whole user experience, Apple has neatly answered most of the complaints from previous models together with addressing some – like the Retina Display – we didn’t even know we had. The antenna issue is frustrating, certainly, but unlikely to be a deal-breaker, and the improvement in battery life is more than welcome; moreover, there’s something inherent in the iPhone 4 that goes beyond “just another” phone and demands you engage with it.

I'm scared. Not of dropping calls because I'm holding it wrong-I don't make a lot of them, and when I do, they're not so critical that I can't call someone back. Plus, I have a Batphone landline and work at home. I'm scared for data. I can never hold the phone naturally because I'm afraid I'm getting a quarter of the speeds I was getting before. Like a parent with a child too lazy or too difficult to live up to his potential, I'm frustrated and confused and sad. You love it too much, and you can't give it up, but something's wrong. So like most, I focus on the good qualities. The speed, the camera, the screen. So what if he throws a tantrum when I hold him wrong? He's my boy.

With a revamped design, a sparkling new display, a speedy processor, and additional features, the iPhone 4 is the biggest upgrade to Apple's smartphone since the iPhone 3G. It's also the showcase handset for Apple's newest operating system, iOS 4, which adds a selection of long-overdue features, plus a selection of smaller tweaks that we weren't expecting.

The Apple iPhone 4 offers the best combination of design, performance and software on the smartphone market right now, and it backs this up with the best selection of apps on any smartphone platform too. It has better battery life than its main rival too. The only big fly in the ointment is the price; but for those who can afford it and want the very best, it’s worth it.

The question really isn’t whether the iPhone 4 is the best smart phone on AT&T’s network. The real question is how the iPhone 4 stacks up against the likes of superphones on other networks like the Evo 4G and Motorola Droid X. Apple’s device easily has the best industrial design, and we would argue it has the best camera and camcorder of any cell phone we’ve tested. It’s also more reliable than its predecessor, and its Retina display and FaceTime app really push the envelope. The iPhone also beats the competition when it comes to app selection and quality, as well as accessories.

The iPhone 4 isn't just a new piece of hardware, it's the next vehicle for the world of iOS 4 and the App Store. But those hardware changes are welcomed. The inclusion of a higher-spec screen is the most significant step, combined with a faster processor, meaning it can capture and playback HD content from the new 5-megapixel camera.

We can always find a bunch of drawbacks to exploit. However, over the years we've come to believe that it is fairly easy to point out the exact disadvantages of the iPhone. And, in a way, we believe this is because everything else found under the hood works like a dream. From dialing a contact, through web browsing, to playing a 3D game - there's hardly a phone on the market that does all that in an easier and more seamless way. It all comes down to personal preference.

Ultimately, though, while our reflections on price - and this review in general - may have a slightly dour tone this is largely because the iPhone 4 looked to be something truly amazing and has only proven to be a solid improvement. But, be under no illusion, the iPhone 4 is still far and away the best smartphone on the market. It's build quality puts others to shame, it has a style all of its own, its operating system is still the easiest and slickest to use, its app store is unsurpassed, and it has some class leading features.

The iPhone 4’s cool factor alone will grab your attention, but unless you’re a current AT&T customer sans iPhone, we would say hold on to your 3G S for a bit. Apple iOS 4 is a major upgrade, but it brought improvements to the 3G S as well, mitigating functional differences and perhaps lowering the reasons to upgrade. If you’re a Verizon, Sprint or even T-Mobile customer, you have plenty of worthwhile iPhone 4-like choices.

Apple's iPhone 4 adds a gorgeous screen, terrific camera and faster processor to add to Apple's awesome app experience, but voice calling still isn't this phone's priority.

From our early look at the Apple iPhone 4, this handset appears to be a must-have for anyone with an original iPhone or iPhone 3G (the former won't get the iOS 4 upgrade at all, while the 3G won't support some features). And people who have an iPhone 3GS will find this a worthy upgrade, too. Unlike the previous jump, from the iPhone 3G to the 3GS - which focused on slight performance improvements - the Apple iPhone 4 bolsters the hardware's digital imaging capabilities and its display, making it a comprehensive and measurable upgrade over its predecessor.