Apple has barely put a foot wrong since the launch of the iPhone two years ago. This new incarnation adds a thinner, slicker design, 3G and GPS. Thanks to Apple’s blanket ad campaign, it’s probably safe to assume that most people know just how good the iPhone’s interface is. Two years on, it’s still streets ahead of the competition for ease of use and simplicity. The addition of downloadable applications was a masterstroke, and there are thousands of these available.
However, it isn’t perfect. There is no cut and paste function, and if you’re using it to the full, particularly on 3G, battery life is poor – you’ll be lucky to get a day’s use out of it. It’s also not a brilliant day-to-day phone – the lack of MMS (multimedia message service) and ability to forward contacts via Bluetooth, for instance, can be frustrating. Whether this will be fixed in a new version of the phone, set for release in the summer, remains to be seen.
As an entertainment device, the iPhone is stunning. Video is sharp and you can download podcasts to your handset without having to use a PC. It’s not perfect, but of today’s crop of smartphones, it’s still the benchmark.
Pros Iconic design and still the best interface on the market
Cons Phone capabilities are still lacking, battery life is terrible
Free on contract