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Reviews of Apple's latest smart device - the iPhone 4, which was revealed late on Monday (7th June) - are already appearing throughout the mainstream and tech-focused media.
The new iPhone, which launches in the UK, US, France, Germany and Japan on 24th June, at $199 (£137), is the first of Apple's phone range to include access to the iBookstore, meaning users can download e-books directly to the device.
Much of the focus within reviews has been on the special 'Retina display' feature, which improves the crispness of pictures and text - Apple's blurb states "Retina display's pixel density is so high, your eye is unable to distinguish individual pixles" - in theory making reading a more pleasurable experience.
And so far, there appears to be universal approval of the new function - although none have compared the phone to dedicated devices using e-ink. At the Financial Times, Chris Nuttall describes the phone overall as "much improved", http://blogs.ft.com/techblog/2010/06/iphone-4-maintains-apple-lead-early... target="_blank">noting in particular the "new sharpness" on the screen. "Apple has come under pressure of late from superior features appearing in its smartphone rivals, but, with the iPhone 4, it seems likely to maintain its leadership and appeal to consumers," he said.
At the Daily Telegraph, reviewer http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/apple/7811667/Apple-iPhone-4-in-de... target="_blank">Claudine Beaumont was even more effusive, saying the launch "can't come soon enough" and forecasting "it will change the smartphone landscape". She added: "[T]he more I think about it, the more impressed I am that Apple has been able to create such a pin-sharp display without using an OLED screen. The pictures really don't do the screen justice; it has a crispness and depth of colour that far surpasses any other smartphone screen I've seen. Text is no longer slightly blurred around the edges, icons leap out on the screen, while photos look incredible."
http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/han... target="_blank">Susie Ochs writing at TechRadar agreed: "The iPhone 3GS was only different on the inside compared to its predecessor, but iPhone 4 is a totally new animal."
In an in-depth review, she also highlighted the Retina display as a major new function. "Everything looks sharp and crisp on this, especially text," she said. "You can really zoom in close and not see any jagged edges whatsoever, making reading a more comfortable experience."