WWDC Predictions/Opinions

then they wouldn't be able to release a bigger and better iPad next year.

 

There will be nothing that the iPhone 3gs will not be able to run that the iPhone 4 will be able to. The a8 can defiantly handle that resolution. The droid is running 854 x 480 no problem. The display on the iPhone 4 is great. I didn't say the phone sucked. All i said was it wasn't that of a significant update.

 

Erm... so somehow a new camera sensor with flash and HD recording, a new processor, wireless n, new screen, new industrial design, new battery, new antenna structure and front facing video camera is not a big update? Were you hoping it would transform into a car or something?

 

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I think the point is that's all expected, evolutionary stuff needed to simply be competitive with other new devices released since the original 3GS release (except the screen, which i really doubt anyone would deny is pretty sweet).

5MP with LED flash and 720p recording isn't particularly new or exciting, wireless N isn't particularly new or exciting, the battery and CPU aren't particularly new or exciting, and the new design is, I suppose, new, but I certainly wouldn't call it "exciting" (you might though, that's just a taste thing). I'd say the announcement overall fell right where I'd have expected it to, other than the screen (I was expecting 800x480, or a 3:2 variant thereof). A fine product, but it certainly doesn't "change everything."

And come on, who doesn't want a phone that transforms into a car?

@Jervis:

Also, yes, it's 3:2 not 4:3, mea culpa. That's still a lot narrower than the 15:9 used by competitors, though, and it still makes the ads showing movies rendering without letter-boxing misleading.

Also ITT: We tell people their subjective opinions on things like design and OS preference are "wrong."

 

Its all stuff we seen before. The new design we new was coming, the 720p video recording is coming in a lot of high end smartphones now and the cpu apparently is believed to be under clocked on the the iPhone 4. People said from their hands on it wasn't as snappy as the ipad is. And yea the screen is amazing i already stated that.

 

Engadget got around 5 hours with heavy website browsing and near constant "hotspot" mode activated on the EVO. I'm sure iPhone will still beat it handily though.

I was slightly underwhelmed, but I think the reason why was because we all pretty much knew what to expect thanks to the leak. I'm sure I would have been much more intrigued had the unveiling gone as planned. I'm not feeling the industrial design, at least in photos, but in person I'm sure it'll look nice.

I wonder how the reduced data rates will affect things like iAd's in apps and such, people might decide to not click on them to "save bandwidth."

 

Just watched the actual video of they keynote, and they are on wifi not AT&T.

 

I'm going to guess that what MacRumors described happens during the cut in the video where we can't see the screen of the iPhone. Or they just pulled it out of their asses, whatever. It's not really all that relevant to the topic either way.

Though the posted video feed is edited anyways. Notice how the iPhone 4 turns from 10:40 AM to 10:41 AM at 40:09 in the video, and then at 40:46 when we get another view of the iPhone 4's screen it says 10:42 AM. CLEARLY A HUGE CONSPIRACY GUIZE. *tinfoilhat*

 

If you noticed when wifi didn't work they switched to a backup of 2 phones on at&t and the 3gs loaded and the Iphone 4 said error cannot connect to cellular network then Steve said any suggestions and someone yelled VERIZON.

 

that doesn't mean they were trying to use 3G... maybe or maybe not, we don't know how they have their phone set up for demos... I doubt its a 100% stock phone with a release version of iOS4. It could have not even been activated to be allowed to connect to 3G and it just couldn't, or didn't get connected to the wifi... I find that most likely since it never even tried to connect it was just constant errors it couldn't see the network with no decent time outs.

 

Yea that was most likely it. At&t doesn't have it registered on its network but still it was funny. If you noticed it was missing from the keynote thats on apple.com But the video was posted online

 

I really don't think it's that great of an update either (and I've had an iPhone since the beginning, and a 3GS now), and I was kind of looking forward to upgrading. Had they done something like increased storage to 64g or more (which would have been the first smartphone to do so), then we could call it a signficant change. I realize the screen is a first, but again, does it really affect anything? Those of you using that small of screen for an e-reader, prepare for trifocals later in life!

I'll be honest, if not for about 70g of AAC music and apps, I would be heavily leaning toward the new 4g Sprint HTC phone (since, amazingly enough, I have 4g service in my town of 120k) as there is nothing with this new revision screaming update, update, update. Now, outside of double storage, if they could get it on Sprints 4g network and enable it as a hotspot with no additional cost...I'm there!!!!

 

To add to the 64GB argument...what other PHONE options do you have. Sure the iPod touch has a 64GB capacity, but even on Android phones (which all use microSD) you cannot buy a microSD card bigger than 16GB today. 32GB SDHC are currently only available in full size SD cards (go ahead and check amazon, newegg, etc). So as far as phone storage goes, 32GB already beats out any other phone's capacity.

And regarding a removable storage argument: sure you can carry around multiple microSD cards...but IMHO that's a moot point b/c who would actually do that on a regular basis?

 

SanDisk makes one, though it's hard to find and crazy expensive right now.

Still, part of the point is removable storage makes it possible to transfer files to and from computers without the much bulkier charging cable. They also don't necessarily lose all their data if the phone is damaged, and do give you effectively limitless storage potential. I'm not sure it can reasonably argued that microSD cards are much of an encumbrance, anyways.

 

Ok, so for that price you can buy another phone/ipod. Also if you add it to the cart, "INSTOCK NO".

And I'm definitely a fan of microSD...I'm not arguing they are an encumbrance, just that they are not currently available in the capacity to match what is being offered by Apple yet.

 

Not sure if you were agreeing or disagreeing with me (that 64g in iPhone 4g would have made it a bigger update and more of draw for us 3GS 32g users to update our phones). Based on what you said above, it would certainly have made Apple the first to offer it in a smart phone (64g), and thus made this a bigger update that what it currently is.

I wholeheartedly agree in not wanting to carry around multiple microSD cards...that has "lost another one" written all over it...

 

In a roundabout way I'm agreeing 64GB would have obviously been a better update However, I can see from Apple's viewpoint why they didn't make the leap to 64GB for this year's update simply b/c they don't have to to remain competitive. Apple is the king of keeping customers coming back for more (myself included ) by intentionally holding back specs

 

64Gb will come next year....which will be much like the 3G to 3GS upgrade, just a spec bump.

Flash memory is still just too cost prohibitive and supply constrained for apple to be able to buy enough of it to put in the millions of phones they will sell.
a

ps I'm pretty happy with the new 4G specs, and if the upgrade price is right will get one in a few weeks

 

Yeah, you just have to carry around a SD card reader instead.


Also, not going to 64gb probably also had to do with space. There is probably no room for the extra chips.

 

The myth about the Iphone 4 retina display
Does the iPhone 4 Really Have a "Retina Display"? - PCWorld

 

not a myth. if you hold it at ~18" it IS a "retina" display, and the article clearly points it out. in fact, as the article points out, a display is "retina" depending on how far away from the eye it's being held. it's not a specific, exact calculation in that way. it's relative to distance.

Jobs said that at the distance a typical user will view the phone, the pixels will not be perceived. He's right. I hold my phone at about 14" from my face, on average. I won't see pixels. I couldn't really see them on the lower-resolution Motorola Droid, and that device has thousands less pixels. literally.

considering your average user doesn't have 20/20 vision (I do), he can safely say that the display will be "retina". Especially for those holding the phone.

In summary: understanding the concept of "retina display" means understanding the relative nature of it. Apple picked the "average user's using distance" and decided that would be the distance to which they would tune their display to make it exceed "retina" display measurements. they accomplished their goal, as the phone exceeds 320dpi.

the iPhone 4 has the best display on a phone, and one that reaches "retina" levels if held at normal viewing distances. haters gonna hate. PC World apparently needed some of this iPhone traffic, so this is their way of generating some attention of their own. seems kinda desperate, considering their very own article contradicts their conclusion, given how Jobs himself presented it in the speech.

 

Maybe I'm blind (with my contacts I have better than 20/20 vision ), but I seem to typically hold my iPhone 8"-9" from my face...no "retina display" for me

 

You must have really short arms or something as that is not comfortable for me in the slightest.

 

Retina display is just a dumb marketing term. 326 ppi vs like 265 (Moto Droid Nov. 09) on similar phones is only a 23% difference in distance for that same "Retina Effect" they claim.

Bad marketing jargon aside, the iPhone 4 display is really nice, and more important than resolution is viewing angle, color, contrast. But I wish they made it bigger, physically. Its still only 3.5 inches, and after being introduced to my friends EVO, wow that thing is big, in a good way. I was really temped to look into Sprint to get that phone. They could of made the iPhone like 4inches and the same resolution, the ppi would still be very high, you couldn't notice the difference.

But I guess it just comes down to personal preference. A lot of people like the big screens (sort of like between a phone and an iPad) but Apple was actually touting the iPhone's small-ness so I guess a lot of people do value a compact phone even if it had a little screen, personal preference I guess. I do wish Apple had more choices but I guess they want to keep their phone line simple.

iPhone 4 was pretty much what people thought it would be, and now the iPhone's hardware and software is up to standards. Really the most crippling thing is AT&Ts capped data plans. Wow I use 3-4GB/month on Verizon so AT&T just doesn't have a plan for me.

BUT WHERE IS MAC??!

 

Even my $600 12" Averatec piece of crap had a 3-in1 card reader, and that was what, over 5 years ago? Every notebook, pre-built desktop, and netbook on the planet has an SD card reader, as do most phones and MP3 players, and add-in readers for desktops are like $10. Who in their right mind would release a computer these days without an SD card reader?

...you see what I did there.

But seriously, I guess it's just one of those performance/conveniences versus experience via total vertical integration tradeoffs. If it doesn't bother you, then it doesn't bother you.

 

I'm still undecided whether to pick this up or that Droid Evo.

95% of what the iPhone is + a few more features + wide open.

pretty good battery life, bigger screen, $35 cheaper for similar "unlimited" plans, monthly.

will be hard for AT&T to keep me. the only reason it's not an easy switch decision for me is because my phone has a built-in iPod dock and I'm used to using it after 3 years. it becomes non-functional if I buy anything but an iPhone.

sigh.

 

Wow, your iPhone has a built-in iPod dock? Where can I get that model? I'm sure you meant car or stereo?

I also took a look at Sprint, would have took a chance but their map shows no 3G type coverage near my house. We don't have a landline, so no coverage at home is a deal-breaker for us...both VZW & AT&T have near perfect 3G coverage (I live in North NJ)

 

Sprint can roam on Verizon can't it? I wouldn't care too much about data at home given the prevalence of wifi at home. I'm not too up to date on CDMA technologies but wikipedia mentions what networks are available via the sharing agreements.

4G in Atlanta so just waiting to see how good my company's discount on Sprint is.

 

Yeah, Sprint & VZW are both CDMA but I dunno about their roaming agreements...if any. And I don't know anyone with Sprint, so I have no first hand experience seeing how the signals are. And I shouldn't say "no coverage", Sprint has us blanketed for voice but no high speed data.

I'm in the iPhone camp right now, and to be honest...AT&T 3G coverage is pretty darn good here. It is definitely more spotty than VZW (small gaps where I know there is VZW service) but I have no speed issues. My wife has a BB and AT&T has the best options for those phones too IMHO (she has a Bold 9800). So for now we don't have any real gripes with AT&T.

 

I just wish they'd release the micro cell where I am. I'd drop one of my phone lines and long distance (gotta keep 1 line for 911).

 

IIRC, the Microcell is now generally available: AT&T 3G MicroCell starting nationwide roll-out in mid-April -- Engadget

 

Too bad that wasn't true. I've been checking every other day and it keeps saying it isn't in my area yet. Although I just checked again and now it is showing available. I'll be stopping by ATT this afternoon, they better have one in stock. $20 unlimited calling (when on microcell) here I come.

 

I like the microcell idea, but it irks me that it's $20/month?!?! My bro-in-law got a VZW one since signal isn't great at their house. He argued it for free (normally $250) b/c VZW really screwed up his billing, but at least there's no monthly fee considering it's using your broadband that you are also paying for!

 

You can use the microcell without the $20 per month fee, you just won't have the unlimited. I'm currently waiting for the system to finish setting itself up. It also gives your address if you call 911 while using it so maybe I can drop both phone lines.