Apple iPhone 4 REVIEW ROUNDUP: Lavish Praise For The New iPhone

UPDATE: The official iPhone 4 reviews are in! See what critics really think about Apple's new iPhone here.

--
iPhone 4 reviews are streaming in as tech bloggers post their first reactions to Apple's new iPhone.

Steve Jobs boldly claims his new gadget will "change everything--all over again." So will it?

Although they have mixed feelings about the phone's glass exterior, reviewers have thus far heaped praise on Apple's "totally new animal," which has been called "so thin it's kind of mind-boggling," "elegant," and even "sexy."

The iPhone 4 won't hit stores until June 24th--and we can expect a slew of new reviews then--but in the meantime, here's an early look at what techies are saying about Apple's new iPhone.

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CNET

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iPhone 4 is the "biggest upgrade since the iPhone 3G," remarks CNET reviewer Kent German:

On the whole, this iPhone 4 has us more excited than we were last year when the the 3GS was born. The new features, particularly those in the new operating system, are long overdue and we welcome any efforts to improve call quality (remember that it is a phone, after all).

While German was mostly pleased with the device, he did have some doubts about the phone's exterior:

It is shiny and beautiful, but the glass attracts smudges by the ton and durability remains a concern. Jobs said that glass better resists scratches, but we hope that the iPhone 4 will take a few drops to the floor without cracking. On the upside, it feels solid in the hand.

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iPhone 4 is the "biggest upgrade since the iPhone 3G," remarks CNET reviewer Kent German:

On the whole, this iPhone 4 has us more excited than we were last year when the the 3GS was born. The new features, particularly those in the new operating system, are long overdue and we welcome any efforts to improve call quality (remember that it is a phone, after all).

While German was mostly pleased with the device, he did have some doubts about the phone's exterior:

It is shiny and beautiful, but the glass attracts smudges by the ton and durability remains a concern. Jobs said that glass better resists scratches, but we hope that the iPhone 4 will take a few drops to the floor without cracking. On the upside, it feels solid in the hand.

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Comments

[mgray34]

06:21 PM on 06/24/2010

Wow you guys, all I wanted is a review. I beamed into a war between Apple and Microsoft; Cell Phone Users vs. Non Cell Phone Users; Android vs. IPhone...lol I just want to know if the damn thing works decent enough to switch from my Blackberry. I love the idea of the face time feature. Has anyone tested it? If so, what are your thoughts?

[facepalm12]

01:57 PM on 06/24/2010

Whoops, looks like Apple fudged up.

http://gizmodo.com/5571171/iphone-4-loses-reception-when-you-hold-it-by-the-antenna-band

[jb6789]

01:40 PM on 06/24/2010

I really like the iPhone 4's design but I'm concerned about four things which are gaining attention in various and reputable technology blogs. 1) The exterior antenna's tuning is altered by human touch so that the signal strength can go down from 5 bars to 0 bars when holding the phone in one hand. This has been shown in numerous videos, with both 3G and GSM signals. 2) The beautiful Retina display seems to exhibit yellow blotches and/or bands with some phones. 3) A couple of videos demonstrate that the glass surfaces of the iPhone 4 can be fractured if dropped from a waist high level onto a hard surface. Since the screen is laminated to the glass surface, a broken front face would be prohibitively expensive. Drops are not likely covered by warranty.
One thing is for sure, given all of these supposed issues...I would play it safe and get the ugly rubber bumper made by Apple. Yes, it does not look good and it makes the phone unpleasantly thick...but better safe than sorry IMO.

[Susan Murray]

07:05 PM on 06/17/2010

Leave it to the HP reviewer to interject a "But..." into the review. I think this site's entire purpose in life is just to complain about everything.

[Samuel Graham]

08:50 AM on 06/13/2010

LOVE my iPhone. I've had the 3G for 1 1/2 years and it's held up nicely even though I work in construction. I've found that some people who don't like their iPhone also don't own a Macbook. You really need a Macbook to fully utilize the iPhone. They work in tandem very well.

[Cheesedog]

11:46 AM on 06/13/2010

We got the mother-in-law a 3G and she digs it, but she has no other computer of any kind... and doesn't need one. I need to update the OS with my computer once in awhile, but she gets along fine that way...

[DivaDebulicious]

03:41 PM on 06/12/2010

I'm 42 and LOVE technology. I watch people my age and most older who just don't want to know, don't want to bother. But I love that I was on a cruise & started singing "On A Boat" and was able to punch a few buttons, and get that ringtone & song. When my phone went off, everyone laughed! Got on the snorkel trip, started the song and everyone sang it and laughed. I love music and I'll hear a song in a restaurant or whatever, and download & listen. Huge difference from having to go to the mall and find it in a record store just to buy the whole album. I like the iPhone.

[ladybug7]

04:13 PM on 06/24/2010

I got you beat. I'm 60 and love my e-toys. I was on a cruise last month and also sang "On a Boat" but no one knew what I was talking about (funny). Got my new phone yesterday and also coming off 3G. Major changes. I love the new camera and the compass. I also like the folders that group apps together. Fewer pages (I was up to 5). I grouped all my foreign language dictionaries in a folder.

[DivaDebulicious]

03:35 PM on 06/12/2010

Hubby said to wait one more generation for a new iPhone - and here it is! Woo! Just as I was getting a little annoyed at memory & funciton on my 3G. Yay!

[candyer jk]

10:39 PM on 06/11/2010

HAHA, That's amazed ! I want to buy a iPhone 4 as a birthday gift for my sister. Well I think she should like the white.
Just I find some "iphone 4 in HD", OK ,share to all : http://www.aneesoft.com/tutorials/iphone/iphone-4g-hd-is-coming.html

[meriane]

09:46 PM on 06/11/2010

Look what greatness the competition can bring to the table? I mean, because of this so called 'thinnest smartphone' of Apple. Android will not push theirselves to the limits. And that's great. Unbiased take about iPhone 4. http://2su.de/twG6

[DingoBuzzy]

07:58 PM on 06/10/2010

Steve Jobs is wonderful at making inferior technology look advanced. Now that Apple has majority market share, do these Mac-Heads really think hackers won't shift their focus to Apple's Operating systems?

It's not any safer than Microsoft is, there just wasn't a lot of prestige in taking Apple down because it wasn't the top dog. It's the same reason there's not a lot of malware for Opera... why bother if you're not taking down "the man?"

But now, Apple is tech's top-dog for the first time since hacking became so common. Apple users are in for an entirely different experience than they're used to.

The frustration is going to be glorious... millions of fanboys, all realizing that their OS is just as vulnerable as anyone else's:

http://uneasysilence.com/os-x-proven-hacked-and-running-on-an-ordinary-pc/

http://www.zdnet.co.uk/news/desktop-hardware/2006/03/07/mac-hacking-competition-winner-mocks-apple-security-39256036/

[supamausi]

02:32 PM on 06/11/2010

Climb down from of the giant PC tower you've built with computer gizzards from swap meets you bought from other ubernerds, and run to an Apple store and run your tongue over the glass on a new iPhone.

[DingoBuzzy]

06:19 PM on 06/11/2010

This is exactly what I think of when I think of Mac fans... people who don't know a thing about computers, have money to blow on decade-old technology, and hate people who know what they don't.

Your ignorance is not your greatest strength. Knowing how to assemble a computer is something you could learn over one or two weekends. I'm a friggin producer and I know how to build a computer.

If you weren't so lazy, you'd know how, too.

[Cheesedog]

10:52 PM on 06/09/2010

The comments here surprise me. I had no idea anyone cared so much about cell phones. That anyone actually gives a crap which phone I buy is amazing to me. Even more amazing is all the furious anger directed at the iPhone.

I had no idea that people hated the iPhone and Apple so much.

It's really made me think.

Yep, I'm gonna pre-order the iPhone 4...

[Susan Murray]

07:39 PM on 06/10/2010

People are alway jealous of market leaders. People used to hate Microsoft when they made products that mattered.

[DingoBuzzy]

06:20 PM on 06/11/2010

Your comment is deemed redundant. It will now be deleted.

[Alien Nation]

12:31 PM on 06/09/2010

Over priced and over hyped. Does nothing to improve communication. Simply a diversion from the utility that cellphone is. Some people will throw their hard earned dollars down surely. However a fool and his money soon part ways.

I'll stick to not owning an annoying cellphone.

[Cheesedog]

11:09 PM on 06/09/2010

Not necessary. It's still possible to annoy people with a PC.

[Alien Nation]

10:02 AM on 06/10/2010

Yeh but how many people carry their PC around and let it ring for 45 seconds with the most annoying music coming out of the crappiest speakers on earth?

[Susan Murray]

07:44 PM on 06/10/2010

Ok, call me and my iPhone (soon to be upgraded) a fool.

You should do yourself a favor when you get a few moments. Go to your local Apple store and hold and play with an iPhone for a few minutes. If you keep an open mind, you just might understand the big deal. Even if you don't agree and get one yourself, you'll at least know why some of us are so excited.

[Alien Nation]

10:38 AM on 06/11/2010

I work as a software engineer - I have seen more than about a million people with their head dipped down playing with their iPhone.

Do you think I'd spend $500 on a cellphone and $80 a month of service just to let people call and bug me when I'm out doing stuff? Or send email or watch youtube videos?

How about give me the phone and pay me to carry it around and then the device might be useful to me. Otherwise its a waste of money and an annoyance to everyone around me.

[norkas]

08:54 AM on 06/09/2010

I am trying to sell my new application to Apple PLEASE help me bloggers.

It is a security device called DON,T TOUCH.

It is simple, lets say you leave your phone somewhere or a friend wants to use it. With a simple device in your pocket and one click 800 voltage of electricity will buckle the LOWLIFE ANIMALS knees and bring them to the floor.

Sure it seems harsh but no one will ever touch your phone again but yourself. If you leave it somewhere DON,T. TOUCH will track the idiot who picked it up and passed out to the hospital.

Please help me my fellow bloggers i know Apple can use this application and so can you.

[mike72]

06:12 AM on 06/09/2010

Stop Apple from exploitation in China! Demand our jobs back to USA for reasonable cost to build.

Each iPhone is built for $11 in Chinese factories exploiting the Chinese workers working 12 hours straight each day earning less than $1 per hour. Apple turns around and sell it for $700!

PROFIT DRIPPING IN BL00D!

Shake your iPhone. Shake it hard enough and you will see bl00d coming out.

[themasterspeaks]

07:18 AM on 06/09/2010

you would think STEVEO AND GOREO would take a trip to CHINA
AND
SEE FOR THEMSELVES THE l6 hour days and 3 minutes lunches and 3 tier bunk beds and curfew and monitored trips to the toilets.........................FREE PUBLICITY
to try and
win back the MILLIONS WHO NOW SEE APPLE as NOTHING BUT

A MODERN VERSION OF ANCIENT SLAVE EGYPT; THE exodus to ANDROID
GROWS
and grows and grows. Meanwhile STEVO AND GOREO sit on their BOARD OF DIRECTORS
AND IGNORE
.....................................................THE SLAVERY IN CHINA.................................................

[Louisknyc]

10:30 AM on 06/09/2010

I can't wait for my new iPhone.

Exodus to malware-infected, battery-drained, application-challenged Android???? Haha. I think not.

[Cheesedog]

11:11 PM on 06/09/2010

Dude!
You've lapsed into the........................THING again.

You were doing so well with this new identity, too...

[philou01]

09:34 AM on 06/09/2010

So, these "exploited" chinese workers make what, 250$ a month or more? That's quite a lot in these parts of the world!

And the fact that Apple sells it for 700$ makes quite a few stockholders very very happy, in the States or elswhere.

You might want to get all worked up about "profit dripping in blood" over arm merchants instead...

[Louisknyc]

10:32 AM on 06/09/2010

..or apply it unformly amongst ALL Foxconn clients..not just Apple. But, of course, that wouldn't serve their goal of bashing Apple.

[themasterspeaks]

04:07 AM on 06/09/2010

The Androids are coming with Froyo to liberate the people of the planet from STEVEORAMA
GOBLYGUK ---- the truth is APPLE IS NOW RETRO TECH, THE BACKWARDS LOOKING COMPANY, THE ITUNES TENTACLE, the BILLION DOLLAR APPS MAFIOSO OF CUPERTINO

[supamausi]

05:06 AM on 06/09/2010

Stop yelling and get a hug from someone.

[themasterspeaks]

07:13 AM on 06/09/2010

it has been my experience the bigest hugers are the least loyal. hugs are not a good measure of anything. they can often be a prelude to betrayal. as for yelling. small
letters are purely a print convention. why limit YOURSELF SUPRA?
i heard THE CITY OF CUPERTINO IS PUTTING UP A GREAT WALL AND A MOAT
TO KEEP THE ANDROIDS OUT. CUPERTINO MAFIOSO ALA APPLE

[Susan Murray]

07:57 PM on 06/10/2010

Can I get a little of whatever you're smoking?