Apple iPhone 4 32GB review

There are a few other tweaks that we appreciated. One is that mail messages can now be grouped in threads, just like Gmail. This makes it far easier to keep a track of an entire conversation. There are also two microphones - one on the front and one at the bottom. Together, they provide effective noise cancelling.

We found that call quality was better than on the 3G and 3GS, and we didn't have any noticeable problems with signal dropout when holding the phone at the bottom and therefore bridging the different antenna sections together. We expect most people will use their iPhone 4 in a case, so this shouldn't be a problem.

UPDATE 5/7/2010: With a few extra days' testing, we can confirm that both our test phones exhibit the widely-reported drop in number of signal bars displayed. This occurs when holding the device in the left hand at the bottom of the phone. However, as we reported last week, Apple claims this is primarily an issue with the number of bars shown, not the signal itself.

We've made calls in strong and weak signal areas and haven't experienced any dropout or terminated calls when holding the handset in this way. We're still waiting for cases to arrive to assess whether they alleviate or even eliminate the issue. We'll also report back after Apple releases its promised software update that supposedly fixes the problem.

Apple has packed ever more sensors into the iPhone 4. As well as the accelerometer, there's a three-axis gyroscope, a proximity sensor and the ambient light sensor. It's a phenomenal amount of stuff given the compact dimensions.

There are some minor annoyances, including the fact that Apple still refuses to install a memory card slot. There's only room for a MicroSIM, which is incredibly annoying if you want to use an existing contract, as you'll have to get a new SIM or be brave enough to cut your existing SIM down.

The other problem is the price. The iPhone 4 is considerably more expensive than Android-based phones, both SIM-free and on contract. You won't be able to get a free one on O2 unless you're willing to have the 16GB model and spend £60 per month. Currently the white version isn't available in the UK either. If you want the 32GB version, it'll cost you £279 plus either £30 for 24 months or £35 for 18 months. Whichever provider or package you opt for, there's no doubt that the iPhone 4 is expensive. However, if you want the best, this is it.

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