The biggest mobile phone launch ever is finally over. The crazy queues are starting to die down and people are now sat at home delighted with their new purchase, or sat crying into their coffee and wishing they’d set their alarm to go off a bit earlier.
Whether you waited patiently in line on launch day or managed to successfully order one online on the 15th, you’ll no doubt be itching to play around with some of the new features of iPhone 4 and iOS4. The overall look and feel of using the phone hasn’t really changed that much from the iPhone 3GS, but new additions, such as the retina display, gyroscope and improved camera are all worth checking out.
If you didn’t quite manage to get your hands on one just yet, don’t worry, more stock will be available soon. While you’re waiting, have a read on what youv’e got to look forward to.
New Features
A lot of the new features in iOS4 and iPhone 4 rely on third party apps, so you’re not necessarily going to be able to use them all straight out of the box.
Camera – The camera on iPhone 4 has been bumped up to 5 megapixels and has seen a number of under the hood changes too. It launches faster and is quicker to take a photo. Video recording has also been improved. You can now record video in High Definition (720p) and then edit and share your videos straight from the phone. If you’re into making your own movies, the iMovie app for iPhone 4 is well worth the £2.99 price tag.
Gyroscope – When Steve Jobs announced the Gyroscope in iPhone4, I wasn’t really sure what the point of it was. His demo went some way to explain it, but it’s still better to see it in action than to watch a demo. In a nutshell it can track how your handset moves in more ways than a standard accelerometer can. Not many apps have been updated to support the gyroscope yet, but Real Racing (iTunes link) and Eliminate: Gun Range (iTunes link) both support it.
Multitasking
For most people, this is what iPhone 4 and iOS4 is all about – the ability to switch between apps without losing what you’re working on. I’ve found that it works well, but takes some getting used to – especially if you’re a long time iPhone user. Like the gyroscope, not all apps will support multitasking straight away as they will need to be updated by their developers.
There are 2 kinds of multitasking app, those that continue to work in the background while you’re doing something else, and those that will remember exactly where you are the next time you launch the app (Fast App Switching).
You’ve probably noticed that there have been a lot of updates to the App store over the last week, some of these updates are bug fixes, but most are now adding support for either the high resolution display, multitasking or both.
A few stand out apps that now support multitasking or ‘fast app switching’ and are worth taking a look at are:
MotionX GPS – This is a GPS tracking app that’s perfect for those who enjoy cycling, walking or running. It records your GPS position while you’re out and about and then displays your route on a map so that you can track where you’ve been. Until now, if a call came in or you received a message, the app would close and you’d lose data. With iOS4 it now continues to record data in the background even if you’re using your phone for other things.
Trapster – This app is a handy one to have for when you’re driving. It warns you of upcoming speed cameras, mobile police cameras and other places that police might be hiding and waiting to catch unsuspecting motorists. The app will now continue to work in the background even if you’re not in it. As with all GPS apps, it can be a little power hungry, so I’d suggest that you manually close the app when you get to your destination.
Twitter – I’m only just starting to really get my head around twitter, but I know that there are a lot of people out there who spend a lot of time on it. This official twitter app for iPhone now lets you leave it running in the background. It won’t receive tweets in the background, but will continue to post your message after you’ve left it, and when you switch back to it, you’ll be taken to the same place you were at when you quit. Graphics have also been re-created to work with the high resolution retina display.
Enhance your iPhone 4
In addition to getting the latest and greatest Apps on your phone, you’ll also want to splash out on a few new iPhone 4 accessories, especially if you’re suffering with the strange left handed signal loss that seems to be affecting most phones. (If you are affected by this, read our four quick tips to improve iPhone 4 signal.) More accessories will be reviewed shortly, but in the mean time here area a few iPhone 4 Accessories that you should definately take a look at:
iPhone 4 Cases – I’ve written a few posts on iPhone 4 cases already but that was before we all found out that a case is now a necessity rather than an optional accessory, unless of course you enjoy losing signal. At the time of writing this post there are just under 200 iPhone cases available. That’s a lot of cases, so no matter whether you’re after a leather iPhone 4 case or a silicone bumper to help with signal loss, you’ll find one to suit your needs.
iPhone 4 Armband – If you enjoy listening to your music while you’re working out, you’ll know how annoying it can be to have your iPhone or MP3 Player bouncing around in your pocket. The best way to listen to hold your phone during exercise is with an iPhone 4 Armband. They hold your phone securely but keep it accessible. Featurewise they’re all pretty similar, they’re all made from a breathable, waterproof material, allow you to use the screen and have access for your headphones. Some iPhone 4 Armbands will include cord tidy’s and reflective strips to improve visibility at night.
iPhone 4 Dock – It’s the easiest way to keep your phone up to date – leave the dock plugged into your computer and sit your iPhone 4 in it when ever you’re working. There are a number of styles to chose from – everything from simple sync and charge docks right through to powerful speaker docks. iPhone 4 is a different shape to older models and won’t work with most existing iPhone 3GS Docks.
iPhone 4 Car Holder – Planning on using your iPhone 4 for Sat Nav? Then you’ll need one of these. The range is a little limited at the moment, but iPhone 4 specific models have been promised by Brodit and other top manufacturers and should be here in the next few weeks.
iPhone 4 Car Charger – The battery in iPhone 4 has been improved and it now looks as though you’ll get almost 2 days use out of a single charge – unless of course you’re using GPS. Using any app that relies on GPS data is still a massive drain on the battery, so if you’re using your iPhone in the car, get a car charger. You’ll thank me later.
iPhone 4 Headphones – The headphones in the box with iPhone 4 are a slight improvement over those that came with my iPhone 3G 2 years ago, but that’s only because they now have a volume control built in. They sound ok, but aren’t the best fit in the world, so if you’re serious about your music, you’ll want to invest in a new, more powerful set of headphones.
In the next few day’s I’ll be comparing some of the best iPhone 4 accessories and will publish the results in a separate posts. If there are any iPhone 4 accessories that you want me to test or any questions on compatibility, let us know in the comments.