Travel Tech: First Take On iPhone 4

Bad news:  When Apple’s new iPhone 4 becomes available for presale on June 15th I won’t be in line to get one.  My contract with AT&T for my iPhone 3GS still has another year to run and breaking it to get the new model would break the bank for me.
 
Good news:  I’ll still have unlimited data usage for my 3GS and will be able to enjoy many features of the new phone when Apple makes the free upgrade to its new operating system available to us “old iPhone” 3G and 3GS users on June 21st.

Here’s my first take from a traveler and travel writer’s perspective on the good, the bad, and the unknown about the iPhone 4 and the new operating system.  (*)Indicates features that should work on older iPhones upgraded to the new operating system:

The Good

*App folders:  Being able to “file” my iPhone apps in specific folders will allow me to more quickly find apps I would only use when traveling out of town.

*Multitasking: Being able to switch between apps without “restarting” them is a big plus.

*Improved e-mail:  Now I can choose to pull e-mail from my multiple accounts into a single in-box.

*E-books:  The iBooks e-book reader will handle PDF files.  You can add bookmarks and notes in the margin and synch them to versions of the book you have on an iPhone, iPod, or iPad, allowing you to start reading a book on one device and continue reading on another.  (It’s not clear how the new e-reader will work with e-books you’ve already downloaded to a 3G phone before installing the new operating system, or with e-books purchased from sources other than Apple).

*Digital zoom for camera:  The new operating system will add a 5x digital zoom feature making even the older “3G” iPhones better “on the road cameras.”

Better still camera:  The 5 MP iPhone 4 with built-in “LED flash” makes it a better still camera than earlier iPhones (the 3GS has a 3 MP camera and no flash).  Whether the picture quality will be on a par with point and shoot digital cameras remains to be seen.

Better video camera:  The iPhone 4 shoots in HD and 30 frames per second.  The optional $4.99 iMovie app allows editing video on the iPhone.

Front facing camera:  Trying to take a “self-portrait” with the rear-facing camera on my iPhone 3GS was nearly impossible.  The iPhone 4 has an additional camera on the front, so if one has a “steady aim,” taking “I Was Here!” travel shots should be feasible.

*Spell checking:  A built-in spell checker will work with Mail, Notes, and at least some other apps.

Better display:  Steve Jobs said that the new iPhone 4 display provides images sharper than the human eye can see.  (Is an iPhone for bald eagles due out soon?).  Sharper is better, even for us bipedal creatures.  The glass for the iPhone 4 screen is supposed to be less likely to smash to smithereens when you drop the phone (trust me, you will drop it), but I’d be inclined to buy a snap-on case like the iFrogz I have my my 3GS phone.

Slimmer design:  My 3GS is so slim that it slips comfortably into the front pocket of my pants where it’s easier to retrieve for use than if I stowed it in a holster attached to my belt.  The iPhone 4 will be slimmer yet.

*Bing searches:  Google will remain the default search engine on the iPhone, but Bing searches will now be possible, too.

*Wireless keyboard support:  Accurate typing on the iPhone’s built-in virtual keyboard is challenging.  Being able to connect the phone to a separate keyboard will make drafting longer e-mails, blog posts, or other written documents much easier.  (Such optional keyboards have been available for Palm PDAs and at least some Blackberry models ).

Prices on 3G iPhones:  If you can’t afford a new iPhone 4, you can buy an 8GB 3GS model for $99 (plus the voice/data plan).
 
Upgrading for existing iPhone owners:  Yahoo! News reports that existing iPhone owners can upgrade to the new iPhone 4 as early as six months before their contract with AT&T is scheduled to end.

The Bad

 

*Bluetooth file transfers:  It doesn’t look like either the iPhone 4 or the new operating system will permit transfer of files between the iPhone and a computer without synching the devices using iTunes.  Drag and drop would be a much better file transfer option.

No SB port, no SD card slot:  I don’t find a true USB port or SD Card slot on the iPhone 4 so transferring photos from my digital camera to the iPhone would still require me to first download the photos from the camera to a computer and then synch the photos to the iPhone using iTunes.

*Phone carriers:  Sorry, as yet there is no carrier other than AT&T that offering iPhone service.

The Unknown

 

*Netflix movies:  Sometime later this summer Netflix will release a free app allowing its customers to stream movies to their iPhones over Wi-Fi or 3G networks.  (Presumably this will work with iPhone 3G models as well as the new iPhone 4).  How well the streaming works will no doubt depend on signal strength at your viewing location.
 
“Old iPhone” users like myself with unlimited data plans can be coach-potato movie watchers for as long as we can stay awake; those with new, limited data plans from AT&T might find going to the movie theaters cheaper.

Video calling:  You can make free video calls over Wi-Fi from one iPhone 4 to another iPhone 4 using Apple’s “Face Time” service.  Calls to other phones (and presumably to computers) won’t be possible.  Popular Skype video calling is not yet available for the iPhone 4.

Data plan pricing:  AT&T says that 98% of existing iPhone customers would be fine under the new $15, $200/MB month data plan.  David Pogue, tech writer for the New York Times, thinks AT&T’s new data plans could save money for both new and existing customers.  It isn’t clear which of the new iPhone 4 or new operating system features might markedly increase data use on AT&T’s network and ultimately lead to higher data plan costs for iPhone users.

Battery life:  Battery life for the new iPhone 4 has received much hype, but Apple’s Web site says that new phone will only provide 2 hours more “talk time” and 1 hour more of “Internet time” which strikes me as only a rather minimal improvement.
 
I find that if even if I set my 3GS to go into standby mode after 5 minutes of inactivity the battery runs down to less than 50% within about 4-6 hours, depending on how often and for how long I use data apps on the phone.  Sometimes I can squeeze a bit more life out of the battery if I shut off “Location Services”,  3G networking, Bluetooth, Wi-FI, and “push” e-mail, but doing so is a nuisance and markedly diminishes the utility of the phone when I’m traveling away from home.   As with the data plan, it’s not clear which new features might draw down battery power even faster.

Buying a supplemental battery (some are fitted inside of cases for the iPhone) may help you get longer “active” use of the phone.  Keeping your iPhone plugged into a charger while driving will probably remain a good idea, and charging the iPhone overnight when you’re traveling will continue to be necessary.

The Bottom Line

 

Apple and AT&T continue to challenge the other players in Smartphone business to match the innovative iPhone.  Six months from now my AT&T contract will have six months to run.  Maybe Santa will bring me a new iPhone 4 for Christmas.  In the meantime, I’ll download the new iPhone operating system for my “old” 3GS and keep using it to tell Tales Told From The Road.

(Click here to Read “iPhone 4:  What’s it mean for travelers?” by San Francisco Chronicle Travel Editor Spud Hilton).