Who knew, the now iconic Steve Jobs iPhone announcement is one that will change the smartphone landscape forever.
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, is among those who ridiculed the phone when it was announced.
Fast forward 5 years later, and we are now on the fifth version of the phone, the iPhone 4S.
I have been using this phone for more than a month now, it's my first smartphone experience and I'm pleasantly surprised.
I love Apple's packaging. So minimalistic yet so well thought out. You will never forget unboxing an Apple product, ever.
The phone's industrial design is amazing. Honestly even now, I think only the Nokia Lumia 800 and the upcoming Sony Xperia P can match it in terms of design.
I choose not to use any screen protector or bumper. I trust Apple's engineering on this one. But I understand why many would though, it is a very expensive phone.
Many were disappointed Apple chose to keep the phone's design. But to quote Johny Ive, "Our goals are very simple - to design and make better products. If we can’t make something that is better, we won’t do it.". Sir Johny Ive is Apple's lead product designer.
His product design is the best in the industry, hands down.
It's no secret that Johny Ive is heavily inspired by legendary German designer, Dieter Rams. Rams design is like Apple, so simplistic yet full of function.
The calculator app is a direct homage to Rams' ET44 calculator.
The phone's ergonomic is not the best though. It is not particularly comfortable to hold especially for long periods of time. The tapered design of the iPhone 3GS did better in this aspect.
Next to the Samsung Galaxy SII, another fantastic phone.
The Galaxy SII in my opinion, has the perfect screensize for a smartphone.
Apple's trademark white earphone.
It's quite long.
Here's Siri. Contrary to what many think, Siri is not an AI. So don't expect it to answer thorough or tough questions. What it is however, is a perfect assistant.
Setting an alarm is a breeze. As is calling someone, just say it to Siri and she will call it for you.
The camera is stellar. At 8MP and an aperture of F2.4, it can beat most Point and Shoot cameras in the market today.
Notice the nice shallow depth of field effect.
HDR off. This was taken on my way back from class.
HDR on. This is a bad shot, notice the ghosting effect on the upper right corner. Though I do recommend turning HDR on all the time.
So, black or white?
White iPhones seem more prominent nowadays. I think white iPhones look great - it looks youthful, pure and modern.
But in the end I chose black. It's hard to tell why, but fom a design standpoint I find a black iPhone more elegant and more "Apple like". I'm sure the late Steve Jobs thinks so too., if we were to look at his fashion sense
But does it matter? This truly is the best iPhone yet.
