iPhone 4

Three Very Annoying Things on My iPhone 4

Sébastien Page ∙ June 24, 2010

I've had my iPhone 4 for almost 24 hours now and passed the euphoria of the first few minutes with the device, I've actually noticed 3 very annoying details.

The yellowish screen

Remember two years ago when the iPhone 3G came out and there were many reports of screens being yellowish? It seems me and many others are having the same issue once again.

Most people are reporting yellow spots or lines on their screen. My screen is just yellowish overall. It's not preventing me from doing anything but it's annoying.

I took a screenshot of the yellow screen but when I look at it on the computer, it just looks perfect, which is a proof that the problem is not from the software, but it comes from the hardware.

The loose home button

Another annoying issue I have is with the home button that feels a little loose. See, I can put my finger on it and move the button left and right. I can even feel the looseness of the button every time I hit it.

The weird noise inside

I don't know exactly how I found this one but there is a strange noise going on inside the phone when I shake it. It's like there is a loose part in there. I had the exact same issue with my iPhone 3G two years ago.

What's next?

Well, today is the official launch day so I'm not even going to go near an Apple Store but I think I'll make an appointment with a "Genius" maybe for Monday. I know for a fact that Apple has replacement iPhones available and I'm sure they'll give me a new 4 as soon as they get the phone in their hands.

If you've received your iPhone 4, have you experienced any of these issues?

Apple Says White iPhone 4 Won’t Be Available Until Mid July

Sébastien Page ∙ Updated July 6, 2017

Those of you who are waiting for the White iPhone 4 shouldn't hold their breath. Apple just released a short statement in which it says the White iPhone won't be available until mid July.

White models of Apple’s new iPhone 4 have proven more challenging to manufacture than expected, and as a result they will not be available until the second half of July. The availability of the more popular iPhone 4 black models is not affected.

Now why is it harder to make an iPhone in white? I have no idea but it seems to me the color is not the issue here and that Apple is facing other challenges they'd rather not disclose.

At any rates, now you know that if you want a White iPhone 4, you're going to have to wait another month. Is that another "fail" to add to the list of this iPhone 4 launch?

iPhone 4 Reviews

Sébastien Page ∙ Updated March 18, 2019

Surprisingly, Apple didn't send me an iPhone 4 to review this year. I had to wait for the one I had pre-ordered, which I just received a few minutes ago. It seems I'm not the only tech blogger not having received a review version of the iPhone 4. The big loser at this game: Gizmodo, which let me remind you, had leaked all the details of the new iPhone 4 and was thus left out of receiving an iPhone 4 to review a few days ago.

A few other tech blogs and newspapers did receive their iPhone 4 review unit, and you know what? Most of the iPhone 4 reviews are pretty positive. I guess if Apple deemed me important enough to send me a free iPhone to review days before the rest of the world can get it, I might feel compelled to giving a somewhat positive review to the device as well.

Sarcasm apart, there has been 6 official reviews of the iPhone 4 published since yesterday, and yes, they're all pretty good. My favorite might be Engadget's review which I think was the most comprehensive.

I won't be doing a formal review of the iPhone 4. I will however give you my impressions in a few days, once I have played with it enough to make informed comments and remarks.

Here are 6 iPhone 4 reviews worth a look:

Engadget BGR Boing Boing Wall Street Journal NY Times USA Today

Don't read these reviews if you're still waiting for your iPhone 4. They'll make you want it even more!

Unboxing My iPhone 4

Sébastien Page ∙ June 23, 2010

I just received my iPhone 4. The FedEx guy was quite funny and said he had been delivering a lot of those iPhone 4 today. After frenetically running around the house like a crazy mofo for 2 minutes, I finally sat down and put Tina behind the camera for the long-awaited iPhone 4 unboxing.

I felt like a complete uber iDork asking my fiancee to record the whole scene of me opening a box. She laughed too and probably called me a dork as well. That's all fair.

As you can see on this video, I'm not that good at commenting live events. But who cares? I didn't want to post this but a few of you asked me to show you the video, so here it is.

The video is of a very poor quality but YouTube tells me it will get better over time. Since it was just uploaded, I guess they're still working on converting it.

I haven't played with the iPhone 4 yet. I booted it and plugged it in iTunes to start the activation process, which took about 1 minute. Painless!

I am now syncing all my music which should take a good hour.

What can I tell right off the bat? It's an absolutely beautiful device. I feel bad just thinking I'm gonna have to put it in my pocket and take the risk of scratching it. I am really now considering getting the Invisible Shiled for iPhone 4. We'll see.

If you have received your iPhone 4 today, please share your first impressions in the comments.

Ultradurable Glass of the iPhone 4 Not So Scratch Resistant After All

Sébastien Page ∙ June 23, 2010

Apple has been praising the aerospace-grade glass of the new iPhone 4 since it was introduced. According to Cupertino, the new iPhone screen is "chemically strengthened to be 20 times stiffer and 30 times harder than plastic".

Gdgt editor Ryan Block just posted this picture to his Twitter account. Seems that "30 times harder than plastic" is not scratch-resistant enough though. It looks like this Invisible Shield for iPhone 4 might be a good solution after all...

How to Make Sure You Are Ready for the iPhone 4

Sébastien Page ∙ June 23, 2010

The official launch day for the iPhone 4 is tomorrow. However, according to Apple, some of us will start receiving our iPhone 4 today. If you haven't pre-ordered, you're going to have to get the line at your local AT&T or Apple Store. No matter when and how you get your new iPhone 4, you have to make sure you are ready for it.

Here are a few things you can do to make sure you are prepared for the iPhone 4.

Update to iTunes 9.2

In order to get your iPhone 4 going, you have to update iTunes to the latest version, which is iTunes 9.2. Downloading the update and installing can take a few minutes. You should do it now so you don't have to do it later.

Sync and backup your iPhone

If you already have an iPhone, make sure you sync it with iTunes to backup all the settings and data. When your new iPhone 4 comes in, plug it in iTunes and sync your old backup. All your settings should be imported to your iPhone 4.

Learn about the new iOS 4

The iPhone 4 will come with the new iOS 4 pre-installed. Make sure you read about this latest firmware now so you know how to use it when your iPhone 4 arrives. Check out the ultimate guides to iOS 4 and make sure you're up to speed on your iPhone 4 operating system and what it can do.

Get help in the forum

Something you're not sure about? Ask in our iPhone forum. It's full of great iPhone lovers that are ready to help.

Check back here often

iPhone Download Blog is always up to date with the latest iPhone news. Check back here often for current information about everything iPhone. Even better, you can subscribe to the RSS feed, become a fan on Facebook, or follow me on Twitter.

Anything else I am missing? If you have tips and tricks about being prepared for the iPhone 4, please feel free to leave a comment.

AT&T Sends Text Messages to iPhone 4 Owners With Activation Details

Sébastien Page ∙ Updated June 13, 2016

After emailing customers to let them know their orders had shipped, AT&T is now texting new iPhone 4 owners to give them more details about their new device's activation.

The text message contains a link to AT&T's website which provides more information about the activation process, being yet another indication that some orders might indeed ship a day ahead of schedule.

Under the overload of activation requests the last couple years, some users had reported not being able to activate their new iPhone for up to 48 hours. Maybe Apple decided to ship these iPhone 4 earlier to some of us in order to ease the load on AT&T's servers on Thursday, when the iPhone 4 is officially hitting the shelves.

I haven't received such a text message myself but I'm curious to see who among you got one. Let us know by leaving a comment below.

[via RWW]

iPhone 4 to Be Delivered One Day Early?

Sébastien Page ∙ June 22, 2010

If you pre-ordered your iPhone 4 with Apple and opted for the delivery, you probably received an email alerting you that your iPhone will deliver on June 23rd, which is a day ahead of schedule.

The email reads:

Subject: Apple Store - Your iPhone will deliver on June 23rd From: donotreply@apple.com Date: Tue, 22 Jun 2010 00:11:30 -0500

Dear Apple Store Customer,

You recently received a Shipment Notification email from Apple advising you that your iPhone has shipped.

This email is to confirm that your delivery will occur on June 23rd. Although Apple and FedEx tracking information may currently indicate a later date, you can check the FedEx website the morning of the June 23rd to track your package to your doorstep.

In the event that you will not be available to accept delivery on June 23rd, it may be more convenient to use our pre-sign delivery option by visiting our Order Status website at http://www.apple.com/orderstatus.

Sincerely,

The Apple Store Team

So, will our iPhone really arrive on the 23rd? I doubt it. I think this is just a big mistake from Apple, and someone in Cupertino might have gotten fired for this.

Last year, my UPS tracking showed my 3GS was going to arrive a day early too but the phone eventually got held for an additional day and was finally delivered on the scheduled date.

Did you get one of these emails? Do you think your iPhone will arrive on the 23rd?

AT&T Starts Shipping iPhone 4

Sébastien Page ∙ June 22, 2010

Apple has reportedly started shipping iPhone 4 orders for a few days. Most people who ordered via Apple probably received emails letting them know their iPhone is on the way.

Now AT&T has been emailing people who ordered via the carrier to notify them their iPhone is coming.

My Word With Friends buddy Rahmoore sent me a screenshot of the email he received from AT&T. If you ordered with AT&T as well, check out your email inbox!

The Speaker Quality of the iPhone 4

Cody Lee ∙ Updated March 18, 2019

After sifting through article after article of early iPhone 4 reviews, I still have one large question unanswered. We all know about the new high res display that Apple has touted around, and 3rd party reports have verified its beauty.

But what I'm desperately wondering is if the audio quality has been improved. Speaker phone quality as well as general media volume is very inadequate for such a premier device.

I wondered if maybe I had just been spoiled by my work phone, a Motorola Droid, but in my quest for an answer I actually came across several different forum threads on various Mac and gadget blogs where users have had the same complaints. As a device used to watch and listen to your media and share funny YouTube videos with your friends on the go, headphones are not always readily available.

I noticed how bad the speaker quality was when I tried to watch a funny YouTube video with a few co-workers out to lunch one day, and you couldn't hear a word on full volume, and there was very little background noise.

The exact same video on my Motorola Droid however was easy to hear at 2/3 volume. I also enjoy listening to music sometimes without headphones, when I'm playing Madden on my Xbox or watching Sport Center late at night. With my current 3G iPhone, it's just not possible.

So although it certainly wasn't mentioned in Steve Job's keynote, and has yet to be commented on in early iPhone 4 reviews, I still have my fingers crossed that there will be an improvement to the external speaker quality. But judging by the picture of the tiny speaker port above, I shouldn't hold my breath.

Currently, speakerphone is also a joke, whether in the car, or sitting at my desk, it's almost impossible to hear the other caller with any type of background noise. It would be nice to have speaker quality reflecting the technical advances in the rest of the device.

But when attempting to make a lot of advanced technology fit inside such a small, thin casing, something's gotta give right? Chances are the speaker port is kept so small to not intrude on the aesthetics of the phone.

Either way looks like the jury's out on this one until June 24, when the first real hands on reviews will start pouring in. Seems though if you were dreaming of higher quality audio in your new iPhone 4, chances are your going to be disappointed.

How to Make Sure Your iPhone is Ready for iOS 4

Sébastien Page ∙ June 20, 2010

iOS 4 will be released in just a few hours and depending on your setup, there are a few steps you should take to ensure that you and your iPhone are ready for the latest software update.

1. Make sure YOU are ready

If you jailbreak/unlock your iPhone, you have to understand there won't be a jailbreak or unlock out at least for a few days. If you rely on your jailbreak/unlock, don't update to iOS 4 yet.

2. Make sure your device is compatible

The iPhone 2G and the first iPod Touch won't be getting the iOS 4 update. The iPhone 3G and iPod Touch 2G will only get a "partial" update as not all the features of iOS 4 will be able to run on these two devices (ie. multitasking) because they aren't powerful enough. The iPhone 3GS and iPod Touch 3G will get the full update.

3. Update iTunes to 9.2

In order to download and install iOS 4, you will need to have the latest version of iTunes.

4. Sync and backup your iPhone

Before hitting the "update" button, make sure to sync and backup your iPhone. If something goes wrong, you'll always be able to revert back to your old settings.

5. Make sure you know what your jailbreak apps are

Before updating to a newer OS, I always take screenshots of what apps are installed on Cydia, as well as all my sources. Taking screenshots is much quicker than writing down the name of all your apps and sources.

6. Keep your App Store apps in order

Just like I do for jailbreak apps, I take a screenshot of every page of apps on my springboard. This allows me to remember in what order these apps are installed. Once my iPhone is updated, I make sure the apps on the first page of the springboard are in the same order as prior to the update.

7. Restore, don't update!

This one can be a bit controversial. Usually people prefer "updating" their iPhone rather than "restoring" in order to keep all the settings in place. It's fine if you run a stock OS. However, if your iPhone is jailbroken, I suggest you restore and set up as a new phone. Sure you will have to set up your iPhone all over again, but it's a good way to make sure the upgrade to iOS 4 doesn't bring unwanted parts of your jailbreak.

8. Seek help in the forum

If you have any problem during or after the update, you can find help in our iPhone forum. Simply create a new thread there and the community will be here to help.

9. Check back here again

If you're a jailbreaker, make sure to check back iDB on a regular basis to find out when the new jailbreak is available. For up-to-date information, subscribe to the RSS feed, become a fan on Facebook, or follow me on Twitter.

Any other tip, feel free to share by leaving a comment below.

[Credit image TiPb]

Apple Cancels Some iPhone 4 Orders

Sébastien Page ∙ June 20, 2010

While some iPhone 4 orders are being shipped, others are reportedly being canceled. Apple has indeed sent the following emails to some people who had pre-ordered via the online Apple Store.

Dear Customer,

We were unable to complete the authorization process for your iPhone order. As a result, we had to cancel your iPhone order. To complete the purchase of your iPhone, please visit an Apple Retail Store or an AT&T company-owned retail store.

To locate an Apple Retail Store near you, please visit http://www.apple.com/retail/storelist/.

We apologize for this inconvenience.

Sincerely,

Apple Online Store Team

We're not sure why these orders are being cancelled but the word around town goes that it might be due a to a failure to authorize or people clicking the "submit" button several times.

If your order has been canceled by Apple or AT&T, please let us know in the comments.

[via TiPb]