After much speculation Apple have finally announced the forthcoming launch of the Apple iPhone, and it does not disappoint. The Apple iPhone is not only a mobile phone, it is an iPod as well as an internet communications device. While the phone will not be released to the market until June 2007, it is sure to be a big hit and very quickly become a major force in the mobile phone industry.

Visual Voicemail - An industry first, Visual Voicemail allows you to go directly to any of your messages without listening to the prior messages. So you can quickly select the messages that are most important to you.

The Apple iPhone handset is a very sleek candy bar design, and will be available in a multitude of different colourings. The dimensions of the phone are 115 mm x 61 mm x 11.6 mm and it weighs in at 136 grams - which is more than acceptable bearing in mind the increased functionality of the handset. The phone is controlled by a very useful touch sensitive screen, and electronic marker - with software present to interpret handwriting.

Photos - iPhone features a 2-megapixel camera and a photo management application that goes far beyond anything on a phone today. Sync photos from your PC or Mac, and you’re ready to browse or email them with the flick of a finger.

The display screen is larger than normal and measures some 3.5 inches in diameter, offering improved pixel resolution of 320 x 480 pixels. The focus of the screen is even impressive in direct sunlight, which is a factor that has effected many of the best phones in the sector. The Apple iPhone covers the majority of network options available including GSM 850, GSM 900, GSM 1800 and GSM 1900 although they have stopped short of the latest 3G connectivity and opted for 2.5 EDGE software.

SMS - iPhone includes an SMS application with a predictive QWERTY soft keyboard that prevents and corrects mistakes, making it easier and more efficient to use than the small plastic keyboards on many smartphones.

The phone offers an array of data transfer options including Bluetooth, WLAN as well as the basic MMS and email systems. The phone also contains a Safari Web browser which offers excellent support for the online options available. Some of the more unique functions include visual voice mail alert, which lists voice mail messages which you can select on screen (without phoning a separate number), proximity sensor, light sensor as well as Google Maps.

The Apple iPhone also has a top of the range inbuilt camera which supports both still pictures and video functionality. As you would expect from Apple, the music services are expected to be the best on the market although until a working handset is available for review this has yet to be confirmed.

Receiving and making a call - With iPhone, making a call is as simple as touching a name or number. In addition, you can easily construct a favorites list for your most frequently made calls, and quickly merge calls together to create conference calls.

At first glance the Apple iPhone looks as though it will live up to all of the hype of the last few months, although with the first release scheduled for June 2007 (in the US), there is time for small refinements before the phone is placed on the market.

As entertainment, the internet and mobile technology continue the natural integration process, Apple have stolen something of a march on their competitors with the Apple iPhone.

Labels: iPhone

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