We all had a fairly good idea of what to expect with the new iPhone. Indeed, the leaked photographs turned out to be pretty accurate. But the reality, hearing the announcement this morning from Steve Jobs, is a masterstroke for Apple. I tend not to get excited about such things, but I can't wait to get my hands on this new, 24% thinner, stainless-steel-and-glass device with its front and rear cameras and sleek, squarer lines. And that's before I start salivating over the new quad-density "retina display" screen with its 960×640 resolution. According to Steve, the IPS screen technology is "quite a bit better than OLED."
The price, too, is spot on at $299 for the 32GB model and $199 for the 16GB. With the new operating system, iOS 4, offering multi-tasking, folders and lots more, these new phones will walk off the shelves worldwide. They will be available in the US, France, Germany, Japan and the UK from June 24 with pre-orders starting tomorrow.
The existing 16GB 3GS will continue to be available for the time being at an attractive $99, offering a way into the iPhone experience (complete with iOS 4) at a bargain price. All of this will dramatically extend Apple's lead in the smartphone business worldwide.
