Apple CEO Steve Jobs on Monday unveiled the next iPhone, available on June 24, and called it "the biggest leap" the company has taken with the best-selling device since the first iPhone was launched in 2007. The iPhone 4 has.
An "all new design," Jobs said, introducing it to 5,200 developers at a conference here. The device has a thinner body, with more antennas for improved reception on both Wi-Fi and 3G wireless networks, a second video camera on the front that will permit video calling and an extra slot for a second noise-canceling microphone.
"This is one of the most beautiful devices we've ever made," Jobs said, comparing it to a classic German Leica camera. CLOSER LOOK: IPhone 4 is thinner, faster, prettier The phone will be priced at $199 for a 16 GB model with a two-year AT&T contract, or $299 for 32 GB. A new operating system — dubbed iOS4 — will be out June 21st.
One of the highlights of the phone is a much sharper display, which Jobs said has four times more pixels than the current iPhone. iPhone 4 is powered by the same A4 chip that Apple uses for the iPad, which Jobs says will make it faster and provide improved battery life.
The camera has been upgraded with more pixels, for a sharper image, and 720p high-definition video recording.
Apple is bringing its iMovie video software to the iPhone, for video editing on the fly — at a cost of $4.99. The program comes with titles and transitions, and a way to entirely produce, record and export the finished video from the phone.
In introducing the video-calling feature, called "FaceTime," Jobs talked about watching the Jetsons,Star Trek and other futuristic shows as a kid, and how cool it is to be able to make video calls. "The idea of communicating this way, we've just had to wait an awfully long time for it to become real," said Jony Ivie, Apple's head designer, who demonstrated the feature on stage with Jobs.
The video feature works only on Wi-Fi for now, and is only available between owners of the new iPhone 4.
At the opening presentation of its software developers conference, Apple introduced three new apps for the iPhone, highlighted by an app from Netflix, which will allow for viewing of entertainment directly on the phone. Netflix subscribers can tap into the same instant viewing library of movies and TV shows that can currently be seen on the computer or iPad.
The popular Farmville game from Facebook is also coming to the iPhone, along with music game Guitar Hero for $2.99.
The Apple Worldwide Developers Conference is attended by software programmers, the folks who build apps for the iPhone and iPad. The developers sell their apps in the Apple App Store, where Apple keeps 30% of the revenues.
Since opening the store, Apple announced that it has paid out over $1 billion in earnings to developers.
Jobs said combined sales of iPhone, iPad and the iPad Touch will surpass 100 million devices this month.
Jobs said some 8,500 apps are now available exclusively for the iPad, up from the 2,000 at launch. Some 35 million iPad apps have been downloaded, or 17 per machine, Jobs said.
The iBook store — Apple's vehicle for selling ebooks — got a couple of upgrades: iPad users can now read PDF files, via the iBook store. And the iBook store and app is now available for the iPhone and iPod Touch. On July 1st, Apple will begin putting ads in its apps, and Jobs said Apple has already sold $60 million worth of ads for the second half of the year.