iPhone 4 sucks

Posted on June 18, 2010 by admin

With the incredible popularity of the iPhone, it seems nearly impossible to imagine that there could be failures or potential downsides to the latest offering by Apple – the iPhone 4. However, no product is perfect. For users, however, it will come down to a simple equation of: “Will the positives far outweigh any possible negatives?”

1. Durability.
With the introduction of the iPhone 4 came assurances from Apple that this new version was incredibly more durable than previous generations. However, recent third party tests have concluded that the iPhone 4 was not able to withstand even a short fall without sustaining an incredible amount of damage. Whether Apple addresses and corrects this issue before millions of iPhone 4’s start hitting the shelves remains to be seen.

2. The CDMA Market
Apple has yet to release market-ready CDMA version of their device; while the majority of the mobile phone markets around the world are GSM-based, they are neglecting a rather large market share in the USA and Asia. Apple enthusiasts had great hope that the release of the iPhone 4 would bring with it the announcement of a CMDA version that would do more than allow users on CDMA networks to get their hands on the popular iPhone, it would also allow iPhone users to take advantage of the stability and higher levels of customer care often offered by the CDMA providers.

3. The Network
While rumors of a CDMA version of the iPhone have been flying for several years, the Apple is still tied into an exclusivity contract for the iPhone with AT&T in the USA for another year. A CDMA version of the Apple device would open the iPhone 4 to users on the Verizon and Sprint networks, allowing for a greater market share. AT&T users have long complained about the reliability of their 3G network, so it remains to be seen if their current network offerings will provide iPhone 4 users with the blazing speeds that they are hoping for. While many mobile phone users jumped networks when the iPhone was launched, some were just not willing to leave their providers for another network with known reliability issues. If the dropped call rates and the network speeds can be readily improved upon, iPhone users will not only have an increased level of satisfaction, but it is also likely that a large number of new recruits will be making their way over to the iPhone 4.

4. The Price
Apple’s pricing structure has, historically, been set higher than other comparable products on the market. The iPhone 4 pricing is not going to vary much from the expected high price tag; this is definitely going to be something that iPhone enthusiasts will take in to consideration when they are debating upgrading their existing devices. If you are satisfied with your current iPhone, the high price tag of purchasing the iPhone 4 is certain to give you pause.

5. No Adobe Flash
A large portion of websites make use of the Adobe Flash Player; with Apple’s refusal to offer support for the Adobe line of products, they are isolating themselves and their users from many of the most popular websites that do make use of Flash. While it is more likely that the Flash-using websites will modify their content in order to be compatible to iPhone 4 users than Apple is likely to allow Flash support – this can still be an incredible inconvenience to iPhone 4 users.

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  • Edie

    This article is seriously ridiculous. Durability? Have you not read Apple’s website on the design and structure. Or at least seen the iPhone 4 video they’ve put on their website. And I’m tired of people trash talking about the networks. If you’re tired of Apple not bringing the phone to its networks, then complain to your networks about upgrading the network. (LTE?) Sprint has been on a successful track with that. All they just need to do is expand their 4G networks into more areas. (i will get back on networks in a bit.) The price? Wow, seriously. You must be a poor man thinking that $200 is today $2,000. The price is perfectly fine, where it’s at. Competitors have their price at that range, on average. And even the $99 model is unbelievable. We’re all lucky that Apple did choose to drop the price to $199. And Adobe? The company seriously needs to re-invent their software. That’s why Steve Jobs hasn’t approved of it on iPhone or iPad, yet. Have you not seen it on an Android, especially the latest software. It is slugggggishh! I’m proud that Apple didn’t allow Adobe into their devices yet. And even Steve Jobs itself said that they try to take the road with new technology and leave behind the old. Because it’ll make the products more satisfying and less of a struggle to control. Example- Adobe, very bad technology on a mobile device. Verizon- Very old standards, while the planet evolves around GSM networks. And gives you much more benefits than CDMA. These are old technologies that people will complain about very soon. One thing that I hate the most is people that automatically assume the iPhone is worthless and should just do much more, are ridiculous and have no sense of what they’re talking about. This is the phone that re-invented the phone, changed the way we think about our phones, brought this world to a competition of mobile handsets, etc. This is the phone that started everything, and it will always be remebered. Why do you think iPhone’s always come out on the news and a few ads explaining a few tricks or apps? When was the last time you’ve seen an Android feature it self on a popular t.v. ad instead of Verizon’s or HTC’s? Please do your research and don’t trash talk until the phone is out and available to the public. Cause i know you will be that very first weekend it’s out.

  • Joe D

    I won’t be getting an iPhone any time soon – which might sound odd, considering I’m a die-hard Mac user… but the reasons are different than what you’ve listed here. I’ll get to that in a minute, first let me respond to your 5 areas of concern with this latest phone from Apple. Durability: I was surprised when I first heard the new iPhone 4 was going to have both a front AND back made of glass. I’ve already seen the little video from Apple, and read up about the type of “chemically strengthened” glass they are utilizing. I wouldn’t say this construction makes the phone MORE prone to breaking, but I don’t think anybody should be fooled into thinking this type of glass is as effective as shrugging off knocks and sharp impacts like a shell made of ABS plastic. Glass of any type is also not immune to scratching, so owners of these things will probably want to invest in a case of some type. That’s probably one of the best investments you can make, no matter what model of phone you have.
    CDMA Network: People have been romancing this idea for years, since the first model came out – the short version is, I highly doubt this will EVER happen. It has less to do with opening up the marketplace for other carrier subscribers, and more with Apple not wanting to introduce a “dumbed-down” iPhone, and tarnishing the image of the damn thing. In Apple’s eyes, the iPhone is the pinnacle mobile communications and internet multitasking wunderdevice… someone observing another person using one should immediately feel giddy and left in a state of awe, which naturally makes them want to go out and buy one. A CDMA iPhone wouldn’t be as trendy, because CDMA can’t do both data and voice at the same time, at least not until the proposed SVDO becomes available – whenever that might happen. With carriers like Verizon moving onward to 4G networks in the coming future, the iPhone will likely bypass CDMA entirely. The good news is, if the other North America carriers have replaced their aging networks with nationwide 4G, you can probably expect Apple to go into talks with other service providers besides AT&T at that point… AT&T is shouldering the burden of the iPhone consumers Massive Bandwidth Usage alone at this point, and it’s showing. Badly. Which brings me to – The Network:
    It’s no secret that AT&T’s network is struggling under the huge amount of strain imposed by the super-popular iPhone. The company has already threatened to impose even more restrictions on what they refer to as “High Bandwidth Users” – aka: Data Hogs. The problem is, the iPhone is designed from its core to be a heavy data-usage device. Snappy internet, bajillions of apps and iTunes downloads, GPS, voice, and now with improved “Video Calling”. Wowee. It’s no wonder AT&T is known for dropped calls, laggy browsing and other things that have made a lot of other people who’ve been contemplating getting an iPhone, instead stay with their current provider. It has to be said, this is in NO WAY any fault of Apple or the iPhone – this is entirely something AT&T is to blame for, but still – it’s something to consider when discussing the pros and cons of the iPhone, considering it only HAS the sole cellular provider to work with here. Again, if Verizon and other carriers begin offering network capacity that looks inticing to Apple, considering all the complaints against AT&T and the limitations of their current technology, I wouldn’t be surprised if Apple announced talks with another provider.
    The Price: I’m really not seeing this as a major hit against the iPhone. We can debate all we want about the WHY’s of what some people might consider to be a slightly higher price point…(We get this in Mac-Land too – it usually boils down to the defense that Apple develops and manufactures a lot of its own hardware, chipsets, software, etc and although they pass along some of the cost, you get a wonderfully pleasing machine that’s tightly integrated across all components)… the bottom line is, people don’t seem to mind PAYING for it, as iPhone sales have been “pretty good” I gather from the published numbers.
    No Adobe Flash: One word as to why Apple won’t allow Flash: “Control”.
    Apple’s complete dominance over everything iPhone is legendary. It’s also the reason why I won’t buy an iPhone – but let’s get back to Flash for a second… The Adobe Flash application was orginally a way to provide fairly simplistic web animations, but has evolved over the years into a true multi-media platform that can run applications on it’s own. What this means, is Adobe Flash could provide another door for application developers to install their creations on the iPhone… all they’d have to do place them on a web page, and they would have circumvented the process of submittal through the apps store. This scares the piss out of Apple, because it could allow the distribution of videos, music and other content without the need for the iTunes Store.
    All about the money. It IS inconveniant – and shows you just how LITTLE Apple cares about YOU the consumer, and how much they DO care about emptying your wallet, if you own an iPhone/iPod/iPad.
    Which dismays me dearly – it’s more important to lock everyone into the iTunes/Apps store, and lock out all other possible competition, than it is to give people internet content? Instead they choose to hobble any web page with Flash, and use a weak-ass excuse that the Adobe Program is “unstable”? Are you KIDDING me? I’m sure that’s why 95% of the web pages that have interactive content, use Flash… because it’s SO “Unstable” and “Sluggish”. I mean, really.
    I love the Mac – I’ve been using them for years, but I have to say – this absolute CONTROL Apple is exercising over their iPhone / iPod product line is sickening already. The day Apple announces all their computers will no longer accept Adobe Flash, you can only upload music onto your machine from iTunes, You’ll have to pay extra money for adaptors for USB and Firewire, And if you open the case to replace, upgrade, change anything or decide to use any other program other than what came with (or is sold from Apple for) your Mac, you’ve just voided your warranty — that’s the day I tell Apple to suck it, and go back to using a PC.