Everything You Wanted to Know About the Apple iPhone

Everything You Wanted to Know About the Apple iPhone

All the whirlwind buzz that's been surrounding this device can be very confusing, but we here at LoveToKnow are here to help. This article is meant to demystify this hot new cell phone, describing each of its main features in simple terms. Keep reading to see why you might want to consider buying this phone when it launches in mid 2007.

Unique Touchscreen Interface

You'll notice that unlike the current Apple iPod Video and iPod Nano, the iPhone does not have a "click wheel". Instead, it's large 3.5-inch color display is a touchscreen, but what really sets it apart is that it supports "multi-touch", meaning that it can register multiple "touches" simultaneously, allowing you to tap two icons at the same time. An example of this feature would be in the photo viewer. Using two fingers, you can pinch in the sides, so to speak, causing your view to "zoom out." Alternatively, you can place two fingers near the center of the display and gradually expand them toward the edges to zoom in. The iPhone is the first mainstream consumer electronic device to have this kind of interface.

The menu system is designed to be as intuitive as possible, just as the click wheel revolutionized the MP3 player market. You tap (with your finger) directly on the icon you wish to access, be it text messaging, taking pictures with the built-in camera, or the Maps feature, for example. This would be similar to some PDA phones like the Palm Treo.

Widescreen iPod

The iPhone is what is known as a "convergence device", meaning that it boasts the functionality of several separate devices all in one machine. Just as most cell phones have cameras these days, more and more are gaining MP3 playback as well, turning the mobile phone into a mobile music player. The most popular portable MP3 player on the market -- by a very significant margin -- is the iPod. With the iPhone, you get all that music and video playing capability and then some, as this phone has the largest color display ever seen on an Apple handheld. This is particularly useful for watching movies, as when you turn the iPhone on its side, it allows you to watch those videos in a 16:9 widescreen aspect.

"Revolutionary" Cell Phone

You have probably noticed that the iPhone does not have a traditional keypad of any kind. How do you go about sending text messages, checking your voicemail, and making phone calls? Well, it's all done via the touchscreen. You can pull up a virtual keypad, so to speak, giving the appearance of an actual set of digits. Tap with your finger and then tap on the virtual "send" button. For text messages, you can use the on-screen QWERTY keyboard with predictive text. Accessing your voice messages on the iPhone is also a unique experience, as it comes with something called "Visual Voicemail", letting you access whichever message you'd like rather than listening to them in sequential order.

Handheld Internet Device

The Apple iPhone runs on a version of Mac OS X, the same operating system that is used on Apple laptops (MacBooks, etc.). As such, it comes with a whole suite of fun applications, including the Safari web browser and a "rich HTML email client." What this means is that you can quickly and easily access the internet on this phone, but bear in mind that there are data charges involved. Moreover, because the iPhone does not have any 3G, the transfer rate (meaning how quickly web pages will load and so on) can be quite slow. Luckily, it also has WiFi, meaning that you can gain internet access whenever you are in a WiFi "hotspot." Of course, you can also get on the world wide web while at home (or at work) if your home is equipped with a wireless network.

Other Fun Features

Here is a quick summary of some of the other key specifications and features found on the Apple iPhone.

• 2.0 megapixel camera
• A photo management application
• Quad-band GSM with EDGE
• Google maps
• Bluetooth 2.0+EDR
• Accelerometer that detects whether you are orienting the phone vertically (as shown above) or horizontally
• Proximity sensor that turns off the display when it is close to your face (indicating that you are on a call)
• Ambient light sensor that automatically adjusts the screen's brightness to ensure the greatest visibility

To our knowledge, the iPhone is not a smartphone in the strictest sense of the world because third party applications apparently cannot be installed on it.

Where Can I Get the Apple iPhone?

If you are in the United States, the Apple iPhone is expected to launch in June 2007, exclusively from Cingular Wireless, which may have completed its transition to the AT&T brand by that time. It is uncertain whether Apple's cell phone will be unlockable, so we're not sure if you can use it with other GSM providers like T-Mobile.

Although not confirmed by Apple itself, Rogers Wireless has said that it will have the iPhone as part of its lineup by either Q4 2007 or Q1 2008. A launch in Europe is planned for late 2007, with Asia following suit in 2008.

How Much Will It Cost?

Pricing has not been announced for outside of the United States, but if you're looking to get the iPhone from Cingular, the pricing is as follows (based on a new two-year service agreement):

• 4GB model for $499
• 8GB model for $599

The two models are functionally identical with the exception of the amount of on-board storage. You'll notice that the iPhone does not have any memory expansion. Moreover, pricing has not yet been announced for an outright purchase.

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