Apparent Next-Generation iPhone Gets a Thorough Hands-On

[stoplis]

Shame on the person who didn't hand this in at the bar when he/she found it! 'Tut-tut'. The person who lost it has probably been taken outside and shot, and for those that said they could/would never accidentally lose it don't forget about a year ago MI5 left a briefcase full of secrets on a train by accident.

 

[LagunaSol]

I assume that you don't have one of the about to be orphaned 1G IPhones....

Your quote button appears to be malfunctioning.

And there's a difference between fragmentation and obsolescence.

Fragmentation, of course, is the crapload of disparate Android devices running different OS versions (not by user choice) and UI "treatments" that kill any sense of platform coalescence.

Obsolescence, on the other hand, is every WinMo device created to date (including yours) after Microsoft brings down the Windows 7 Phone Series hammer of doom.

 

[brian4610]

The seams in the phone, could the be to test out different configurations? Different batteries, cameras, etc....the end product could be more of what we're used too?

 

[Augure]

No, because that is how it is for EVERY APPLE RELEASE. Look at the comments about the previous iPhone ("ew, plastic!" "ew chrome!" "it looks like a cheap toy!" "it doesn't have x, y, and z? no way i'm buying it.") and then look at the sales. You don't even have to look at the iPhone - look at the Macbook release ("ew, plastic!" "wtf kind of name is Macbook - that is so un-Apple!" "this design is a step backwards!") or any other product.

A bunch of people complaining on the internet don't mean a damn thing, sorry.

I followed all the release, and a few people complained about the Macbook Unibody as well as the 3GS. Users complained about iTunes LP being lame, and it failed, lots of people complained about the iPad and I can assure you that once all the fake hype and propaganda as passed, they won't sell more. And I'm not just talking about Macrumors:

Story's been spreading out of the fanboy/girl world, FWIW.
http://scitech.blogs.cnn.com/2010/04/19/next-generation-iphone-found-in-a-bar-blog-says/?hpt=T2

No, where you're right is that the only actualy opinion that means something is when casual users in real life think this sucks, it was the case for the LP, it's the case for the iPad, if this is the design of the 4G, it's gonna be the same and trust me, sell won't remain on middle/long term.

Plus the iPhone is not a new product anymore, and lot's of people are gettin either bored when they have it, either not interested because of...the design

plus

Not a big fan of this design. I was really hoping for something more like this, which is what I think that the final design will be closer to.

http://cdn.gadgetvenue.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Apple-iPhone-4g.jpg

No **** ?

 

[John Dillinger]

It gives the competition a two month head start to copy it. Two months in technology is significant, very significant.

Every now and then people are coming up with this stuff....

Get them scrambling to copy what exactly? Its still basically an iphone which has been on the market for like 4 years now apart from minor tweaks nothing has changed.

Thy've had 4+ years they are not interested. Competition is interested in the software not the hardware and that is caught up/catching up rapidly.

The iPhone hardware has already been beat and playing catch up.

In a sad state of the times HTC has put out something that is more 'Apple- like' than this latest design that is supposedly supposed to get competitors scrambling i.e HTC Legend

P.S HTC has released/revealed like 4 phones already with more to come and we're in April. Obviously Apple is the one who has been given time to respond as they havent even officially revealed anything to the market.

How many new phone designs will Apple have put out by June 2011??

Really would be good if they could drop the one size fits all approach with the iphone, i mean... we surely dont all want the same design? At least one that appeals more to females v males. Theyre established enough now think they should start targeting slightly different markets, as evidenced by half who want the round iphone vs those preferring the more square version...

 

[Augure]

Here's my take as a designer (graphic, not industrial):

I feel this iteration is a return to class, after the cheap plastic successor of the original, classy, iPhone. Now that the chrome bezel has been ditched, the iPhone finally looks like a member of the Apple family -- specifically, the MBP, the new iMac and the iPad, all of which are squarish and based around the contrast between aluminum and glossy black, not roundish and plastic and framed with chrome. The chrome is a leftover from retired iPod models and inconsistent with *all* current offerings from Apple, and furthermore it's scratch prone and a finger grease magnet -- good riddance I say.

As for ergonomic considerations, the curved back served no such purpose anyway because you held the 3G/3GS by it's thin, sharp-ish and slippery edges. Now there will be a flat aluminum surface where those edges used to be, which provides for much better grip, and thanks to the flush and flat back, the damn thing will finally lay flat on a table top instead of rocking and spinning.

You a designer my ass, this is no random if I agree with mciarlo, and with my friend designer as well (Publicis, Universal and Seesmic...)

This looks like a classy member of the Apple family:
http://cdn.gadgetvenue.com/wp-conten...-iPhone-4g.jpg

But in fact we agree on the aspect and criteria you speak about. The result is just unfortunetely not sexy and even ugly as f)uck.

 

[oHai]

No: http://twitter.com/gruber

Gruber's probably just jealous they didn't leak it to him.

 

[Niko03]

I have mixed feelings. I like the flat back, that's a huge improvement imho. Still no SD slot or removable battery. At this point I think it's safe to say I may just get a droid.

SD slot? What for?

And no removable battery is a deal breaker?
I've had my 3G for close to two years now. I've never had a situation where not having a removable battery was an issue.

 

[Anuba]

You a designer my ass, this is no random if I agree with mciarlo, and with my friend designer as well (Publicis, Universal and Seesmic...)

This looks like a classy member of the Apple family:
http://cdn.gadgetvenue.com/wp-conten...-iPhone-4g.jpg

But in fact we agree on the aspect and criteria you speak about. The result is just unfortunetely not sexy and even ugly as f)uck.

The MR poll results are in...

69% say it's better.
25% say it's worse.
7% say it's as good/bad as the last one.

69% is damn high for a new Apple product, especially on MR where negativity runs rampant every time Apple introduces something. Sorry -- it's a hit.

 

[kdarling]

What amazes me is that Gizmodo has stopped posting new stories since 10:00 after the publication of the iPhone story. I wonder what's going on? This hasn't happened before...

Their server has gotten hammered because of the story. They even had to turn off commenting.

 

[Carniphage]

But as working in the art industry where I meet and know a lot of designer, I can tell that this is ugly. And I do not need to tell you the exact criteria and theories: when at least half people's first reaction is to say "it's ugly as ish", whether on boards or really life about the most important upcoming Apple product, it means that something is wrong.

But if that was a viable criteria for design, we could have committees of focus groups designing everything.

Real design has to put aside that nonsense and plough directly into the place where form and purpose dictate design.

Parroting out the opinions of some other people is not a critique of design.
If you are work in the art industry you should know that.

C.

 

[Mad Mac Maniac]

Im working a conference right now so i dont have time to read the posts... but.. If this was true, would Apple Legal be all over this and force this photos to be taken down?

Probably already has been stated but Apple saying that is automatic proof that it's authentic...

I think it's the real deal. prototype. It may end up looking vastly different when put in production, or identical, but I don't think the finalizations will be done till May.

Specs are nice. I couldn't really ask for much more.

My 2 cents on the design is this. I think it is nice. Compact, simple, pronounced. nothing flashy. But mainly, I like change. If Apple had made this the style for 2 years and now was switching it to the 3g/3gs curviness, I would probably dig that too. Just keeps a fresh look to the design.

Not sure how I feel about the smaller screen size though... I haven't seen any reports indicating exactly how much smaller it is...

 

[Augure]

Some good points made on the french Gizmodo:

1. The final inside content will be the same, the case here is just a regular and throwed out to make the whole stand still and work. But the final design will be changed

2. A Belgium leak of the iPad was said to be a fake when in fact it was the real iPad being shown, and on it we could see the exact same iphone 4G...except that the final iPad design changed

 

[DaHarder]

SD slot? What for?

And no removable battery is a deal breaker?
I've had my 3G for close to two years now. I've never had a situation where not having a removable battery was an issue.

Some consumers demand a higher degree of user customization/flexibility in their smartphones e.g. user expandable memory and batteries.

Your being 'less demanding' is of no relevance to them or their personal requirements.

 

[Jimmy James]

I have to say this update seems like a small one. I feel almost no pull to upgrade from my 3GS.

If the leak is true it will include the following:

-The first substantially new case design
-New hardware features and updates
-OS overhaul (although you can also run that on the 3GS)
-Expected memory and performance increases

Yeah. Small update. What else could they possibly change?

 

[DaHarder]

Some good points made on the french Gizmodo:

1. The final inside content will be the same, the case here is just a regular and throwed out to make the whole stand still and work. But the final design will be changed

2. A Belgium leak of the iPad was said to be a fake when in fact it was the real iPad being shown, and on it we could see the exact same iphone 4G...except that the final iPad design changed

The iPad design Did Not change one iota from the aforementioned picture, it was merely encased on an enclosure that obscured its entire front surface.

 

[jaw04005]

From a pure journalism/media perspective, this is big. What will Apple do? Gizmodo says they will publish a story telling how they got (err bought) the iPhone.

Gawker’s Media Chief confirms they paid for iPhone prototype.

"Does Gizmodo pay for exclusives? Too right! For background on web checkbook journalism, here's All Things D: http://www.bit.ly/cNdOaG "

"@kensweet Yes, we're proud practitioners of checkbook journalism. Anything for the story!”

"A few clueless geeks believe "real journalists" wait for Steve Jobs or his publicists to make an announcement. Screw that."

http://twitter.com/nicknotned

 

[JMW3215]

It looks Great!....BUT

This supposed "iPhone 4G" looks good to me. I appreciate the addition of flash, a forward facing camera, and the new design change.
However I do hope that they change a few things before the release. I do not like the fact that there is a huge crease on the sides of the device for the replacable battery, it just seems to take away from the sexyness of the device when nice shiny smooth surface is interupted by an obvious crease. Also, i dont like the two seperate volume controls. i was a much bigger fan of the volume rocker on the last iphone.
I am also VERY VERY suprised that apple added a user replacable battery. It is very unlike apple to have Macbooks, iPods, and a new iPad without a replacable battery, but to suddenly have an iPhone that has one.
"this is assuming that this is a real prototype."

 

[boncellis]

Assuming this is the real deal, this whole story made me feel slightly less incompetent at my job. Thank you, whoever lost this thing.

 

[DaHarder]

But if that was a viable criteria for design, we could have committees of focus groups designing everything.

Real design has to put aside that nonsense and plough directly into the place where form and purpose dictate design.

Parroting out the opinions of some other people is not a critique of design.
If you are work in the art industry you should know that.

C.

Score: Carniphage =1 Augure =-1

 

[Anuba]

SD slot? What for?

And no removable battery is a deal breaker?
I've had my 3G for close to two years now. I've never had a situation where not having a removable battery was an issue.

While I wouldn't take a removable battery over slimmer/lighter design, I have to say my experience differs from yours.

I owned maybe a dozen phones between 1994 and 2008. They all had removable batteries and I never got anywhere near needing this feature.
The first ever phone I owned with a non-removable battery was the iPhone 3G, and it's also the only phone on which I've managed to run out of juice far away from any recharging opportunity.

The problem isn't that the battery stinks, the problem is that the power source is so ludicrously disproportionate to everything you can do with an iPhone. You check some mail, surf a little, make a couple of calls and texts, listen to music while playing a game on the train to work, pull up some Google maps, and whammo, the battery is 50% down before lunch. It's like owning an electric Humvee, one charge takes you about 30 miles, and only if you switch off the stereo, the headlights, the LCD screens and the GPS, otherwise you're screwed after 3 miles.

 

[Carniphage]

I love the new design. It borrows from the iPad, iMac, iPod classic and even the Macbook Pro's to a degree. I can understand the plastic backing, they probably did it to prevent reception issues. My only confusion was the two button volume controls, unless, like mentioned, you use them to take pictures or for some other function.

Did you really want something that looks like a 3GS but with the rumored new features? This is the 4th generation of the iPhone, they had to change it.

It looks classy and elegant. I hate the chrome 'border' around the glass of my 3G and plastic slippery back.

I'm definitely all over this (I skipped the 3GS last year).

Me too. Although I think the back is glass/ceramic and not plastic. Which would make it much less prone to scratching.

Glad to see the end of Chrome trim and very glad to see the end of plastic.

Can anyone think of another phone that is 100% plastic free?

C.

 

[LagunaSol]

I owned maybe a dozen phones between 1994 and 2008. They all had removable batteries and I never got anywhere near needing this feature.

The removable battery on my Sony Ericsson T610 was an essential feature - since I had to remove it several times a day to reboot the stupid, locked-up phone!

My loathing for that particular device is boundless.

 

[JoeMoomin]

Well I must say I like it a lot! Sleek design, love the simplicity and it really does outdate the 3GS when sat next to it.

Whether it's real or not, I'm looking forward to the new release.

 

[Augure]

The MR poll results are in...

69% say it's better.
25% say it's worse.
7% say it's as good/bad as the last one.

69% is damn high for a new Apple product, especially on MR where negativity runs rampant every time Apple introduces something. Sorry -- it's a hit.

That's why I have no compassion for humans and I'll be glad to participate to certain agenda like some friends do...

I voted "little better", because it is, compared to the 3GS. Once again I know how to read. But that doesn't mean that it's not ugly as **** and that people won't understand where is the advance in design.

In fact, I just wish Apple could make good product for smart/demanding people, and f*ck the ass out of stupid consumer like most of companies do because of the people who would buy any of the BS they're sold.

I know something about this from various experiences with top marketer and executive in very well known compagnies, who don't give a ish about quality or innovation or design, because they think that people are stupid enough to buy any BS with some good marketing, communication, manipulation, like this poll.