iPhone in depth: the Ars review

iPhone
Manufacturer: Apple (product page)
System requirements: Macintosh computer running Mac OS X 10.4.10 or later, USB 2.0 port, iTunes 7.3; Windows PC running Windows Vista or Windows XP SP2, USB 2.0 port, iTunes 7.3
Price: US$499 (4GB), US$599 (8GB)

Some think that the hype surrounding the Apple iPhone started in January of 2007, but that's not true. The hype started many years ago, perhaps before creating such a device was even a twinkle in Steve Jobs' eye. After so many years of rumors about the mythical iPhone, so many fake (or scrapped?) mockups, so many fake (or scrapped) names, and a brief experiment with the now-failed Motorola ROKR, Apple finally went ahead and launched the device that Apple fans have been craving since the beginning of time—or at least since Steve Jobs returned to Apple in 1997 and killed off the Newton.

And of course, to do something simultaneously predictable and shocking, the company called the device by its long-rumored, but never-quite-accepted nickname, the "iPhone."

The iPhone is now out and promises to revolutionize the way we use our phones forever. You don't have to love it; you don't even have to like it. You will, however, be witness to a great upheaval in the mobile communications business because of it. 

Steve Jobs recently declared during an internal company meeting that he believes all phones will, some day, work the same way as the iPhone and that those who worked at Apple during the iPhone launch will be able to tell their grandchildren about it. It appears as if Jobs truly believes in this product as a long-term revolutionary device, even if he does acknowledge that it does come with various flaws today.

Outline of the review

Our iPhone review is rather large because we unleashed three (and a half) reviewers on it, all coming from different backgrounds. We pooled our thoughts together, had a few fistfights and a squabble or two ("Keyboard sucks!" "Does not!"), and now present to you our full review. Check out the outline beforehand, or just jump on in.

Introduction

Unboxing
Size Comparison

Activation
Syncing
General usage

Restoring
Settings
Screen Sensor
Accelerometer

The Keyboard
EDGE
Safari on the iPhone
E-mail
SMS
Google Maps
YouTube
Other widgets
iPhone as a phone

Making calls
Call quality
Visual Voicemail
Volume concerns

iPod use
Miscellaneous

Camera
Photos
Bluetooth
Calendar
Notes
Software

State of the Hacks

iPhone without AT&T
iPhone files system
No Apple TV here

Stress Testing
Autopsy
Conclusion

Meet the iPhone

The iPhone currently comes in two flash-based storage flavors: 4GB and 8GB. They are WiFi-, Bluetooth-, and USB-enabled. Contrary to initial reports and speculation about the device, current iterations of the iPhone do not include a GPS unit, although there are still rumors that such a thing may be incorporated into future versions. The box is smallish—not as small as the boxes that Apple now uses for full-size, fifth-generation iPods, but about the same size as one would expect when purchasing a cell phone of this size—with a matte black finish, similar to that of the MacBook Pro and true to Apple's current packaging style.

Inside the box is the iPhone and a packet with the iPhone booklet and a soft wipe cloth. Underneath, there is a standard iPod/iPhone USB connection cable, a tiny AC adapter brick, a dock, and the iPhone headphones.

For the longtime iPod owners in the house, this is a familiar scene, but this many accessories may or may not continue to come included in the box as future iPhone generations get released. As one commenter aptly observed in the discussion about Infinite Loop's iPhone unboxing photos, "Look at all those accessories. I can't wait for the 3rd or so generation iPhone that comes with a phone and a cable."

Like a tall iPod...

The iPhone's size is best described as a regular-sized, video iPod, but taller. In fact, the width is exactly the same as an iPod at 2.4 inches and barely thicker than an iPod: the iPhone is 0.46 inches thick while the iPod is 0.43 inches. Height-wise, the iPhone is 4.5 inches tall, and an iPod is 4.1 inches tall. Physically, they are very similar, and we find the iPhone to be comfortable in the hand and in the front pocket of our pants.

Curiously, the video iPod and the iPhone weigh the same at 4.8 ounces each, despite the iPhone being flash-based and the iPod containing a hard drive.

Some readers have complained that the iPhone is too heavy. The Motorola Q—a Windows SmartPhone that's popular in the business world—weighs in at 4.0 ounces, while the BlackBerry Pearl is 3.2 ounces. The BlackBerry 7130e, which is rather close in size to the iPhone, weighs 4.7 ounces. In short, the iPhone's weight is in the right neighborhood, and no one on our review team found it cumbersome or irritating.

Compared to a BlackBerry Pearl (2 inches wide, 0.6 inches thick, and 4.2 inches tall), an iPhone is slightly taller by 0.3 inches, slightly wider by 0.4 inches, and slightly thinner by 0.14 inches. Notice the significant difference in screen real estate between the two (which helps to explain the difference in weight as well, as the iPhone's glass screen is quite large).

Compared to a Motorola RAZR V3 (2.09 inches wide, 0.54 inches thick, and 3.86 inches tall while closed), the iPhone is a fair bit larger.

The iPhone isn't the world's smallest phone, but its sleek design and particularly its thickness make this an easy phone to pocket.

Now let's get up close and personal with the iPhone.