01:33
htc
If the original iPhone was the most anticipated cellphone of its time, then the Verizon iPhone 4 has to be the most demanded variant since the first launch back in 2007. A launch rumor that managed to overshadow CES 2011 despite Apple having not a square foot of presence there, for many the Verizon iPhone 4 finally promises the network strength to back up the iOS platform’s abilities. Does the CDMA smartphone live up to expectations? Check out the full SlashGear review after the cut.
The Verizon iPhone 4 may be a new model, but outwardly it’s almost identical to the AT&T version announced back in June 2010. That means the same 4.54 x 2.309 x 0.37 inch glass and metal chassis, a slimline slither of premium-feel hardware held together with a band of metal that doubles as the smartphone’s antenna (now with four sections rather than the original’s three). Physical controls are limited to a home button, a power/lock button on the top edge next to a 3.5mm headphones socket, a pair of volume buttons on the left hand side, and a ringer mute switch that has shifted down just slightly. On the bottom edge is the regular Apple dock connector.
Up front is Apple’s brilliant Retina Display, a 3.5-inch 960 x 640 IPS TFT LCD panel with a much-vaunted 800:1 contrast ratio, covered with oleophobically-treated glass. It remains the highest-resolution panel of its size on US smartphone, with the same crispness of text and clarity of color, as I’m familiar with from the AT&T iPhone 4. In fact, the general hardware experience of this Verizon version is near identical to its sibling: same 5-megapixel rear camera with 720p HD video capture, same WiFi b/g/n and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, same choice of 16GB of 32GB of flash storage inside.
The processor, too, is the same: the 1GHz Apple A4 as also found in the iPad, paired with PowerVR SGX 535 graphics. It’s a single-core chip in a market where I’m beginning to see Android devices promise dual-core, but it’s also important to note that there’s more to performance than how many cores you’ve got on hand. That comes down to iOS, after all.
Verizon CDMA vs AT&T GSM
Demand for the Verizon version of the iPhone generally comes down to one thing: dissatisfaction with AT&T’s network. Ever since Apple and AT&T signed their exclusivity agreement, the GSM carrier has struggled with iPhone load. Dropped calls and sluggish data connections have both been blamed on AT&T, marring the overall experience for many iPhone users. Several of the SlashGear team have abandoned the iPhone and crossed over to rival carriers – and, invariably, Android handsets – out of frustration, and they’re not alone.
To those users, a CDMA iPhone promises access to Verizon’s much-vaunted network, with its reputation for reliability and speed. Although AT&T argues it has boosted performance across the US – and indeed some GSM iPhone owners have no problems whatsoever with their handsets – the CDMA version is still seen by many as the magic bullet for their coverage woes.
The design of the iPhone 4 means there are compromises along with benefits this Verizon version brings, however. Apple opted not to include a 4G modem for use with Verizon’s LTE network because of the size constraints of the first-generation chipsets; it seems likely that those same constraints are the reason that the Verizon iPhone 4 is not a so-called World Phone with both CDMA and GSM connectivity. That means international travelers won’t be able to use the Verizon iPhone 4 in most countries outside of North America, where GSM is the prevalent standard. As a workaround, Verizon offers a loan program for travelers; you get free use of a handset (not, though, an iPhone 4) and only pay for service while abroad, all the time receiving calls on your regular number.
Another limitation of the CDMA version is its inability to do simultaneous voice calls and cellular data. Like the majority of Verizon’s handsets, receiving a call will automatically shut down an active data connection, meaning you can’t surf over the Verizon network – or check Twitter, or post on Facebook, or anything else that requires a mobile data connection – while you’re on that call. However, the smartphone can maintain a WiFi connection during voice calls.
Finally, for those crossing over from the AT&T iPhone 4, the slightly repositioned ringer mute switch on the Verizon version may mean that tight fitting cases such as “bumpers” no longer fit. Apple’s official bumper has been updated to suit both variants, but if you plan on using your existing cases then you might find things don’t quite line up.
Less clear is how the Verizon model will impact Apple’s upgrade cycle for the iPhone, which has settled into a yearly refresh. It’s still six months away from the predicted “iPhone 5″, assuming Apple keeps to form, but whether that will be a GSM-only model (with a CDMA version to follow) or, perhaps more unlikely, a refresh of both the CDMA and GSM handsets simultaneously is unclear. Alternatively, Apple might delay the cycle altogether, giving the Verizon model more time to flourish.
As with any mobile device, I’d always recommend buying a handset because it does what you need it to today, not because of what’s believed to be coming later. It’s the nature of the industry that today’s new handsets are superseded tomorrow; there’s no global “right time” to buy a device. If, like many on the SlashGear team – and many thousands of other would-be users – the iPhone 4′s functionality caters to your needs, but the AT&T network doesn’t, then the Verizon version addresses that.
The iPhone 4 originally launched running iOS 4.0, a significant update to the platform that added multitasking support along with background processes, conversation views in the messaging apps, homescreen folders and other improvements. Incremental updates since than have brought us to iOS 4.2.1 on the GSM version, though the CDMA model will launch with iOS 4.2.6 with some small UI changes and the Personal Hotspot feature in the settings. You still get the AirPlay wireless audio streaming and AirPrint wireless printer functionality of iOS 4.2, along with Game Center access and HDR photography from iOS 4.1.
Migrating from an AT&T iPhone 4 to the Verizon version was as straightforward as upgrading from a 3GS had been. I plugged the CDMA iPhone into iTunes and all our music, videos, apps and other data was automatically carried across. From there it was iOS as usual, and while the iPhone 4 may not have a dual-core processor, it’s tough finding a place to fault the smoothness of the overall experience. Apple’s multitasking methods – which freeze a snapshot of each running app, leaving only certain core APIs still running – still prompt arguments over whether it’s “true multitasking” or otherwise, but the end result is a system that seldom feels sluggish and allows you to quickly pick up where you left off moving between apps.
The only significant difference in software is the Personal Hotspot feature, which allows users to turn the iPhone 4 into a MiFi-style mobile hotspot. Up to five WiFi-connected clients can access the smartphone’s EVDO Rev.A data connection at any one time, though it’s worth noting that Verizon will charge extra for tethering use. To save battery power, the Personal Hotspot automatically powers down after five minutes of inactivity or no connections.
The Verizon iPhone 4 may be a new model, but outwardly it’s almost identical to the AT&T version announced back in June 2010. That means the same 4.54 x 2.309 x 0.37 inch glass and metal chassis, a slimline slither of premium-feel hardware held together with a band of metal that doubles as the smartphone’s antenna (now with four sections rather than the original’s three). Physical controls are limited to a home button, a power/lock button on the top edge next to a 3.5mm headphones socket, a pair of volume buttons on the left hand side, and a ringer mute switch that has shifted down just slightly. On the bottom edge is the regular Apple dock connector.
Up front is Apple’s brilliant Retina Display, a 3.5-inch 960 x 640 IPS TFT LCD panel with a much-vaunted 800:1 contrast ratio, covered with oleophobically-treated glass. It remains the highest-resolution panel of its size on US smartphone, with the same crispness of text and clarity of color, as I’m familiar with from the AT&T iPhone 4. In fact, the general hardware experience of this Verizon version is near identical to its sibling: same 5-megapixel rear camera with 720p HD video capture, same WiFi b/g/n and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, same choice of 16GB of 32GB of flash storage inside.
The processor, too, is the same: the 1GHz Apple A4 as also found in the iPad, paired with PowerVR SGX 535 graphics. It’s a single-core chip in a market where I’m beginning to see Android devices promise dual-core, but it’s also important to note that there’s more to performance than how many cores you’ve got on hand. That comes down to iOS, after all.
Verizon CDMA vs AT&T GSM
Demand for the Verizon version of the iPhone generally comes down to one thing: dissatisfaction with AT&T’s network. Ever since Apple and AT&T signed their exclusivity agreement, the GSM carrier has struggled with iPhone load. Dropped calls and sluggish data connections have both been blamed on AT&T, marring the overall experience for many iPhone users. Several of the SlashGear team have abandoned the iPhone and crossed over to rival carriers – and, invariably, Android handsets – out of frustration, and they’re not alone.
To those users, a CDMA iPhone promises access to Verizon’s much-vaunted network, with its reputation for reliability and speed. Although AT&T argues it has boosted performance across the US – and indeed some GSM iPhone owners have no problems whatsoever with their handsets – the CDMA version is still seen by many as the magic bullet for their coverage woes.
The design of the iPhone 4 means there are compromises along with benefits this Verizon version brings, however. Apple opted not to include a 4G modem for use with Verizon’s LTE network because of the size constraints of the first-generation chipsets; it seems likely that those same constraints are the reason that the Verizon iPhone 4 is not a so-called World Phone with both CDMA and GSM connectivity. That means international travelers won’t be able to use the Verizon iPhone 4 in most countries outside of North America, where GSM is the prevalent standard. As a workaround, Verizon offers a loan program for travelers; you get free use of a handset (not, though, an iPhone 4) and only pay for service while abroad, all the time receiving calls on your regular number.
Another limitation of the CDMA version is its inability to do simultaneous voice calls and cellular data. Like the majority of Verizon’s handsets, receiving a call will automatically shut down an active data connection, meaning you can’t surf over the Verizon network – or check Twitter, or post on Facebook, or anything else that requires a mobile data connection – while you’re on that call. However, the smartphone can maintain a WiFi connection during voice calls.
Finally, for those crossing over from the AT&T iPhone 4, the slightly repositioned ringer mute switch on the Verizon version may mean that tight fitting cases such as “bumpers” no longer fit. Apple’s official bumper has been updated to suit both variants, but if you plan on using your existing cases then you might find things don’t quite line up.
Less clear is how the Verizon model will impact Apple’s upgrade cycle for the iPhone, which has settled into a yearly refresh. It’s still six months away from the predicted “iPhone 5″, assuming Apple keeps to form, but whether that will be a GSM-only model (with a CDMA version to follow) or, perhaps more unlikely, a refresh of both the CDMA and GSM handsets simultaneously is unclear. Alternatively, Apple might delay the cycle altogether, giving the Verizon model more time to flourish.
As with any mobile device, I’d always recommend buying a handset because it does what you need it to today, not because of what’s believed to be coming later. It’s the nature of the industry that today’s new handsets are superseded tomorrow; there’s no global “right time” to buy a device. If, like many on the SlashGear team – and many thousands of other would-be users – the iPhone 4′s functionality caters to your needs, but the AT&T network doesn’t, then the Verizon version addresses that.
The iPhone 4 originally launched running iOS 4.0, a significant update to the platform that added multitasking support along with background processes, conversation views in the messaging apps, homescreen folders and other improvements. Incremental updates since than have brought us to iOS 4.2.1 on the GSM version, though the CDMA model will launch with iOS 4.2.6 with some small UI changes and the Personal Hotspot feature in the settings. You still get the AirPlay wireless audio streaming and AirPrint wireless printer functionality of iOS 4.2, along with Game Center access and HDR photography from iOS 4.1.
Migrating from an AT&T iPhone 4 to the Verizon version was as straightforward as upgrading from a 3GS had been. I plugged the CDMA iPhone into iTunes and all our music, videos, apps and other data was automatically carried across. From there it was iOS as usual, and while the iPhone 4 may not have a dual-core processor, it’s tough finding a place to fault the smoothness of the overall experience. Apple’s multitasking methods – which freeze a snapshot of each running app, leaving only certain core APIs still running – still prompt arguments over whether it’s “true multitasking” or otherwise, but the end result is a system that seldom feels sluggish and allows you to quickly pick up where you left off moving between apps.
The only significant difference in software is the Personal Hotspot feature, which allows users to turn the iPhone 4 into a MiFi-style mobile hotspot. Up to five WiFi-connected clients can access the smartphone’s EVDO Rev.A data connection at any one time, though it’s worth noting that Verizon will charge extra for tethering use. To save battery power, the Personal Hotspot automatically powers down after five minutes of inactivity or no connections.
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