High Demand For The New iPhone 4

The new Apple iPhone sale began yesterday with thousands of shoppers queuing outside stores for hours, all over the world, long before they were opened. Described earlier this month by Steve Jobs as “the biggest leap since the original iPhone”, the latest Apple smartphone comes in a smaller and lighter package than previous versions. It also has stainless steel body that Apple says will act as a sort of antenna in order to make reception of mobile signals better. Other features include better display, larger battery that gives users about 40% more talk time, 6 hours browsing time and an improved built-in camera that produces better picture quality even when taken in low light.

FaceTime Video Calls

Perhaps, one of the most exciting attributes of the iPhone 4, is the use of FaceTime video technology. According to Apple, FaceTime video calling “sets a new standard for mobile communication” with a new Retina display which produces the highest resolution ever displayed in a phone – about 4x the resolution of the previous iPhone 3GS. With FaceTime, users can take part in video chats by making use of the two cameras (a 5 mega-pixel rear-facing camera with an LED flash and a front-facing VGA camera) on the new iPhone and record or view HD videos.

Physical Structure

Some of the physical features of the new iPhone includes an oil-resistant glass screen that prevents the display from smearing and a stainless steel band that runs around its centre. Apart from making the device stronger, the steel band will also form part of its cellular and Wi-Fi antenna. Furthermore, the standard 4.0 operating system makes it possible for users to multi-task with third party apps and organise their numerous apps into different folders.

Although it is not yet known how successful iPhone 4 will eventually become, judging by the success of its predecessor – the iPhone 3GS – which was launched a year ago and sold over a million units in its first weekend, one can expect the device to be very popular. Already over 3 million iPads have been sold in less than three months and Apple says that over 600,000 pre-orders of iPhone 4 have already been made setting the pace for a possible surge in demand. There are already concerns in countries such as the United States, France, Germany, Japan and the United Kingdom over possible shortages.

Talking Point

Are you excited about the iPhone 4?