Early iPhone 4 Reviews Begin to Go Live

[MacRumors]

Apple's embargo on iPhone 4 reviews has been lifted, and the big names in tech journalism have been rolling out their detailed thoughts on Apple's new device that is scheduled to officially launch on Thursday but has already made its way into the hands of a few lucky customers.

Here are a few choice snippets from some of the high-profile reviews coming out today:

Walt Mossberg / The Wall Street Journal:

I've been testing the iPhone 4 for more than a week. In both hardware and software, it is a major leap over its already-excellent predecessor, the iPhone 3GS.

It has some downsides and limitations - most important, the overwhelmed AT&T network in the U.S., which, in my tests, the new phone handled sometimes better and, unfortunately, sometimes worse than its predecessor. I'll get into that below. But, overall, Apple has delivered a big, well-designed update that, in my view, keeps it in the lead in the smartphone wars.

David Pogue / The New York Times:

Despite the strong initial, positive reaction, this must still be a nerve-racking time to be Apple; the iPhone is no longer the only worthy contender. Phones running Google's Android software are gaining rave reviews and packing in features that iPhone owners can only envy. The Android app store is ballooning, multiple phone makers are competing, and Google updates the software several times a year. Apple releases only one new model a year, so the new iPhone had better be pretty amazing to compete.

It is.

Ed Baig / USA Today:

The new iPhone 4 I've been testing for about a week and a half - along with the major refresh of the mobile operating system software at the core of recent models - demonstrates once again why Apple's handset is the one to beat, even as it faces fierce competition from phones based on Google's Android platform, among others.

Xeni Jardin / Boing Boing:

The fourth incarnation of Apple's iPhone is an incrementally improved, familiar device - not a new kind of device, as was the case with the recent introduction of iPad. Yes, the notable features with iPhone 4 - both the device and the iOS4, which came out yesterday in advance of the iPhone itself - are mostly tweaks. But what tweaks they are: Apple's focus on improvement is as much key to the quality of its products as innovation. But there's one flaw it can't completely eliminate: the unreliable quality of calls placed over AT&T, which remains the iPhone's only U.S. carrier.

Joshua Topolsky / Engadget:

We're not going to beat around the bush -- in our approximation, the iPhone 4 is the best smartphone on the market right now. The combination of gorgeous new hardware, that amazing display, upgraded cameras, and major improvements to the operating system make this an extremely formidable package. Yes, there are still pain points that we want to see Apple fix, and yes, there are some amazing alternatives to the iPhone 4 out there. But when it comes to the total package -- fit and finish in both software and hardware, performance, app selection, and all of the little details that make a device like this what it is -- we think it's the cream of the current crop.

Stay tuned over the next several days as we continue to cover the iPhone 4 launch and all of the latest developments.

Article Link: Early iPhone 4 Reviews Begin to Go Live

 

[applefreak2000]

new iphone

this iphone better be awesome like they say it is

 

[OrangeSVTguy]

I hope I get mine come Thursday

 

[cycomiko]

hurry up and release them in NZ

 

[Gooberton]

Yay!!

Cant Wait!! anyone else's staus still say prepared for shipment??

 

[tonyeck]

Looking forward to Gizmodo's review...

...wait, they did what?!

 

[ajohnson253]

It's nice knowing people are enjoying their new iPhone 4's. Sucks that I am not eligible for an upgrade. I'll most likely be paying full price for a 16GB. Trade with money on top even maybe for my 3GS.

Any of you guys in my position also?

 

[MacsBestFriend]

wheres gizmodos review?

edit:
well i guess they have something:
http://gizmodo.com/5570185/5-takes-on-apples-iphone-4?skyline=true&s=i

 

[Mac The Ripper]

cant wait hopefully at&t ships mine tomorrow its been processing since last week

 

[ldkaplan]

Are there any critical reviews?

 

[coelacanth]

I guess Gizmodo didn't get a review unit neither. I wonder what Apple will do in the future releases.

 

[bigrob66]

Embargo?

"Apple's embargo on iPhone 4 reviews has been lifted"

Are review "embargoes" standard industry practice? It seems strange to me that a company is telling the press when they can and cannot review a product.

 

[cmhsam]

If Apple Corporate can break release date why cant ones who reserved iphones for pickup in store walk in today and grab their phones from the local apple stores? Wish I could share in the experience. Thursday seems so far away now.

 

[ozarkchoir]

Did you watch Walt Mossberg's video review...

Yep he's got himself a white one...

 

[smithrh]

"Apple's embargo on iPhone 4 reviews has been lifted"

Are review "embargoes" standard industry practice? It seems strange to me that a company is telling the press when they can and cannot review a product.

Yes, embargoes have been going on for ages, it's nothing new at all.

You want the story? Fine, we'll let you have a device but the embargo date is...

 

[bigrob66]

It's nice knowing people are enjoying their new iPhone 4's. Sucks that I am not eligible for an upgrade. I'll most likely be paying full price for a 16GB. Trade with money on top even maybe for my 3GS.

Any of you guys in my position also?

I have a 3GS and am eligible for the upgrade, but then I got mine on the day they were released. I would think you should be eligible one year after you got yours as well.

iOS 4 is great on my 3GS so I'm not in any hurry to upgrade - I also want to see if AT&T can get it together in San Francisco before I commit to another two years :-/

 

[chim9999]

O.t.

I got one of the emails saying I'd get my phone tomorrow. It's been in Memphis all day. Tracking now says:

In transit
MEMPHIS, TN

Does that mean it's left Memphis?

Simpletracking.com says:
6/22/2010 4:28:00 PM MEMPHIS, TN, US Held at Sort Facility

Thanks!

--------------------
It IS on it's way!!
6/22/2010 7:02:00 PM MEMPHIS, TN, US Left FedEx Sort Facility

Going over to the FedEx facility in the morning and pick it up!!

 

[bigrob66]

Yes, embargoes have been going on for ages, it's nothing new at all.

You want the story? Fine, we'll let you have a device but the embargo date is...

Ah, they get the device early. Makes perfect sense. Should have thought of that. Thanks!

 

[jacollins]

Are review "embargoes" standard industry practice? It seems strange to me that a company is telling the press when they can and cannot review a product.

Embargoes are standard practice. It's the reporter's choice of whether or not to accept it. Not all reporters will accept embargoes, and they don't get pre-release review units to report on.

 

[Agent OrangeZ]

My last scan was 3pm yesterday in Anchorage, AK. I got the 23rd Delivery email... I better get it tomorrow! Hopefully before work at 1pm!

 

[3282868]

It's nice knowing people are enjoying their new iPhone 4's. Sucks that I am not eligible for an upgrade. I'll most likely be paying full price for a 16GB. Trade with money on top even maybe for my 3GS.

Any of you guys in my position also?

Yup. Bought a 3GS in June, but had it stolen in August. AT&T sold me a new one for $399 as they claimed they wanted to keep me as a client when I stated I may leave for Verizon, it would have been cheaper and better service. No where was I informed that it would reset my 2 year contract and eligibility, even when I asked. Of course AT&T won't budge after dealing with them for two weeks. Fact is, they have a popular phone that is raking in billions for them, they don't care about their customers, they care about their monopoly.

 

[skottichan]

Nooooooo!!!


According to my tracking number, mine's sitting at the UPS facility here in town. I don't wanna wait till tomorrow to get it.

 

[ndocds]

i have a feeling people who ordered black ones are gonna be disappointed.
apple is clearly making the white one if walt already has one.
im willing to bet lunch day it'll be out.
and kinda squashes the rumors of a verizon white one.. thats clearly an iphone 4 on at&t

 

[iphoneCDN]

I love reading the angry comments from Android users on all ove these reviews. Is it me or did Windows users buy Android handsets suddenly?!

 

[Shanpdx]

Battery life !

38 hours of occasional usage, not bad, that is almost two days...

if the iPhone last for 3 days for occasional usage then it is damn good

happy camper to upgrade from 3G to iPhone 4, have to wait until ATT calls me to pick up at the store