Conclusion: We like it

This iPhone raises the bar over not just earlier iPhones but all smartphones, with its incredibly sharp Retina Display, a sleek new design, and a front-facing camera. Although it lacks its successor's personal assistant, Siri, and packs a slower processor than the 4S, the iPhone 4 remains a great choice if you want the iPhone experience at half the price of the newer model. And if you're worried about the "death grip" issue (which, in fairness, has since been solved in the 4S), a case should significantly help with reception issues — and protect your investment.

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Critic reviews

8.1
11 reviews
  • Reception and call quality
    7.0
  • Display
    9.1
  • Battery life
    8.0
  • Camera
    8.0
  • Ease of use
    8.3
  • Design and form factor
    9.0
  • Portability (size / weight)
    8.0
  • Media support
    8.3
  • Durability
    6.8
  • Ecosystem (apps, accessories, etc.)
    9.6

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User reviews

8.9
631 reviews
9.0
Engadget Jun 22, 2010

We're not going to beat around the bush -- in our approximation, the iPhone 4 is the best smartphone on the market right now. The combination of gorgeous new hardware, that amazing display, upgraded cameras, and major improvements to the operating system make this an extremely formidable package.

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9.0
Engadget Feb 2, 2011

It's not the next generation Apple device, it's not a LTE experiment, and it isn't a revolution in mobile computing. What it is, however, is a big chance to give a large portion of America's smartphone users a crack at a phone they've likely been lusting after for some time. It's also an opportunity...

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8.0
AllThingsD Jun 22, 2010

The iPhone 4 is a dramatic redesign. It manages to pack a radically sharper screen; a second, front-facing camera; a larger battery; a better rear camera with flash; and a faster processor into a body that is 24% thinner, a bit narrower, and retains the same length and weight as its predecessor’s....

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8.0
CNET Jun 23, 2010

With iPhone 4, Apple again shows that it's a powerful player in the smartphone wars. It won't be for everyone, and AT&T remains a sticking point, but the handset's striking design, loaded feature set, and satisfying performance make it the best iPhone yet.

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8.0
New York Times Jun 22, 2010

Apple’s new iPhone, its fourth in four years, reaches stores on Thursday. Ordinarily, this is where you’d expect to find a review of it. But honestly — what’s the point?

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7.0
Ars Technica Jun 28, 2010

Whether you'll want to buy an iPhone 4 depends on which of those factors means the most to you. During our time testing the device, numerous peers of ours who had no intention of getting an iPhone 4 began reconsidering it after seeing the screen—this was definitely the main reason why people...

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9.0
Pocket-Lint Jun 29, 2010

Apple has made its play with the iPhone 4 which we expect to be its handset for the next few years. Other manufacturers will respond in kind, but gaining the strength of the Apple ecosystem is no mean feat. While there is space to improve the iPhone, you don't necessarily feel you are missing out....

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8.0
Boing Boing Jun 22, 2010

The fourth incarnation of Apple's iPhone is an incrementally improved, familiar device—not a new kind of device, as was the case with the recent introduction of iPad. Yes, the notable features with iPhone 4—both the device and the iOS4, which came out yesterday in advance of the iPhone...

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8.0
iLounge Jun 25, 2010

Pros: The most museum-quality phone design yet from Apple, packing the most powerful iPhone hardware in history into the smallest and sleekest enclosure. Cons: Smudge, scratch, and shatter issues await users who avoid cases. Antenna reception is more noticeably reduced under some conditions than on...

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8.0
USA Today Jun 23, 2010

Pro. FaceTime video calling. Handsome thin design. Better battery life. High-definition video recording. Supersharp display. Multitasking, folders and other enhancements through iOS 4. Generally good voice quality. Con. Battery can't be removed. Memory can't be expanded. No support for Adobe Flash...

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8.0
aaron

It's no secret that the iPhone 4 has a bad spot on the antenna that will affect the signal when touched. I've noticed that data transfer speeds drop significantly whenever I cover that spot with my hand. Apple clearly messed up here, and although they claim it's a problem that...

9.0
JasonTsay

The iPhone 4, even well over a year after its debut, is a remarkable piece of hardware that has no trouble running the latest version of iOS. Sure, there's faster hardware out there but the smooth user experience in iOS even on the single core A4 processor is still top notch. Obviously, page load...

9.0
dave

iPhone 4 is easily the best iPhone to date. While the grip / finger of death is real, I've not noticed it to be a problem during my everyday use. I've dropped less calls using this phone in the past few weeks than I otherwise would have with my iPhone 3GS.

9.0
AboKevin

Apple has done it again with the iPhone 4. This beautiful piece of hardware is probably the best smart phone out there with its amazing retina display and now fully mature iOS 4, with its app store ecosyst. Being what some might call a Microsoft fanboy, I nonetheless have to admit that when it...

8.0
jstg

Compared to my 3G the iPhone 4 is superb. The "Death Grip" hasn't been much of an issue for me but I live in a well covered area. Only area I'm terribly concerned with is the durability. I'd be deathly afraid if I ever dropped this phone. The front and back seem too...

9.0
jham2088

The minute I opened my iPhone 4 I knew I was going to be satisfied with my upgrade from my 3GS. However, this satisfaction is degraded due to the antenna issues that I discovered while using AT&T's 3G network that weekend. Don't get me wrong, this is a great phone. That same weekend I...

10
rob335

This is what I think is one of the best iPhones, but it does have some flaws, like all of the gaps between all of the antennae, which if you hold the iPhone 4 like you would any other phone, the signal drops (significantly on some, and not by much on others). It is perfect when paired with iOS 4...

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