Sometimes it’s just too easy to get caught up in the ongoing spec war currently underway in the Android community. Talks of quad-core processors and 15-megapixel cameras with 3D recording and playback sound great on paper, but at Electricpig we prefer to evaluate technology based on real-world performance. With the iPhone 5 reportedly on the back burner for late 2011 or early 2012, here’s your top five reasons Apple will survive without a refresh to the iPhone 4 this year.
Apps
Apple’s App Store was first on the scene, quickly becoming the standard for all future mobile operating systems to follow. With more than 400,000 apps curated by the Cupertino camp, the overall quality and volume is both impressive and the industry benchmark. Whether or not you agree with the high commissions, the App Store has proven to be a profitable domain and plenty of developers are making it the focus of their business.
While it is true Google enjoys more Android device activations per day, the number of devices alone does not guarantee a profitable venture. Users must be willing to spend and this my friends is where the App Store excels. As a developer, being able to reach a target audience flush with funds ready and willing to buy is leverage. Leverage which results in most apps coming to iOS first and Android second.
Display
The Retina Display is nearly 10 months old and only recently has the competition been able to come close to matching its quality. In pure sharpness, the display’s 960-by-640-pixel resolution exceeds even the qHD (960-by-540-pixel resolution) display on the latest crop of Android smartphones. Even more impressive is the pixel density (326 pixels per inch) achieved by using a 3.5-inch display.
Resolution and pixel density are important, but let’s not forget the viewing angles and visibility in direct sunlight. Try taking the HTC Incredible on a run this summer and then do the same with the iPhone 4 and you tell me which you prefer. It is quite rare to find a piece of technology which holds a crown for 10 months, but that is exactly what the Retina Display brings to the table.
Battery life
Even the most incredible hardware on the planet falls prey to the simple fact that mobile phones live and die based on battery life. If there’s one thing we’ve learned from our experience with 4G WiMax and the EVO 4G it’s that there’s no such thing as a battery too big for our liking. As ifixit.com’s teardown of the iPhone 4 revealed, there’s a 3.7V 1420 mAh Li-Polymer battery under the glass, providing up to 7 hours of 3G talktime or 14 hours on 2G.
In terms of mAh, 1420 is relatively small compared to the 1930 mAh Li-Polymer battery on the Motorola Atrix or the 3500 mAh extended on our EVO 4G. Ultimately, real-world battery life boils down to the operating system and how well you (and your OS) manage running applications. On Android this requires active moderation with an App Killer whereas iPhone 4 owners can take a passive approach, yet achieve similar or often better results. One of the first things you’ll notice when moving from Android to iOS is how much longer your phone lasts.
Camera
Last month the iPhone 4 became the most popular camera on Flickr, beating out the Nikon D90, Canon EOS Rebel XSi, 5D Mark II and T1i. The 5-megapixel sensor might not sound impressive on paper, but as any photo enthusiasts knows — the power of fine optics is in the sensor, not the megapixels. We’re sure marketing departments are shaking in their boots knowing we’ve exposed the evil lie keeping much of the point-and-shoot market afloat, but at Electricpig we’re here to trim the fat.
If you need more proof confirming the iPhone 4’s prowess as top-notch replacement for your point-and-shoot, simply head over to a photo sharing site and browse images and video taken with the smartphone. The Nokia N8 is without a doubt the best camera phone we’ve seen to date, but the iPhone 4 remains a close second. As the saying goes, the proof is in the pudding.
iOS 5
In the world of iOS, updates are plentiful and widely available — all countries, all carriers, worldwide and on the same day. This is Android’s biggest hurdle and for me personally, Apple’s major selling point. When you spend a considerable amount of money on a new smartphone, updates should be expected in a timely fashion. While some may argue that rooting your smartphone and installing an unofficial ROM gets the job done, this is not a prerequisite for success. In fact, it’s ridiculous and we deserve better.
Later this year Apple will release iOS 5. Early reports indicate that future updates (iOS 5.x +) will be delivered over-the-air (OTA), but that is a big “if”. We expect to see major integration with OS X Lion (also scheduled for a summer release), cloud-based features, and a ‘music locker’ service. The security in buying into iOS is that most of the upcoming features will be unveiled in an official capacity next month at WWDC 2011. Knowing an update is coming is one thing, but a formal announcement with confirmed features and a release date is on an entirely new level.
Wrap up
As owners of the Nexus One and Nexus S will note, a fresh build of Android can bring a world of change to device performance. It is not uncommon for an iPhone owner to skip an upgrade because they too will soon be enjoying many of the same features included in the hardware refresh. Without a doubt, software updates make a good device great. This in itself is reason alone why many will be perfectly happy continuing to use their iPhone 4, even if Apple releases an iPhone 4S or iPhone 5 in 2011.
Overall when you look at the collection of applications, quality of the display, battery life, camera and upcoming iOS 5 update, life with an iPhone 4 will only get better. Sure, a dual-core processor would be nice, assuming battery life remains strong, but establishing needs and wants is essential for a healthy gadget addiction.
