By now you may have read Gizmodo's story about the leaked iPhone 4G prototype.
No, the iPhone 4G doesn't look quite as cool as the picture above, but it's a close second. Apple has been quiet as usual about device's specifications and design, except for its release date in June, 2010.
However, through a series of unfortunate events (for Apple and one of its engineers) a prototype was left in a California bar and ended up in the hands of Gizmodo. That site published extensive coverage of not just the device but also how it came to the editor, Jason Chen (short version: they paid five grand). For its part Apple sent a legal document to Gizmodo demanding that the prototype iPhone be returned -- all but admitting that the prototype is indeed the iPhone 4G to be released from Cupertino two months from now.
MoreSeeing behind the prototype curtain at Apple is a very rare event -- like getting struck by lightning in a house you bought after winning the lottery.
So let's examine the iPhone 4G from a gamer's perspective. Here are some of the important features:
Improved display. Of the leaked specifications, this is arguably the biggest for gamers. It's not known yet what the higher resolution is, but some speculation suggests a resolution of 960 x 640 pixels versus 480 x 320 pixels in older iPhone models.
If the new resolution is correct -- we know it's higher, just not how much higher -- that means the iPhone 4G screen has literally twice the amount of pixel area as the old screens. Compare that to the iPad's 1024 x 768 resolution, and the iPhone 4G isn't that far behind. That might mean, for one thing, no more iPad-only games. At a minimum it means really, really pretty pictures.
Front-facing camera for video/chat. A digital camera doesn't seem like much -- we all have them on our laptops, after all. But with the iPhone 4G, camera integration could really set the device apart from the gaming pack. Imagine multiplayer games where your friends appear in small windows -- real video and audio in real-time. Or that your avatar actually looks like you; no more selecting hair color and sculpting your nose.
Or -- taking a cue from Nintendo -- imagine that a game knows how to react to you by facial recognition, literally reading the expression on your face. If your face is scrunched in loser agony, the game becomes a little easier. If you're smiling while playing, hey, maybe that game is cool and it goes up in the rankings. If you're a woman playing Bejeweled, maybe the OS tries to upsell you on a game bought by other lady gamers. The camera feature makes it even more curious why Apple declined to add one to the iPad.
Runs iPhone OS 4.0. So Game Center is available, as is multitasking -- increasingly important in social games, where server-based communication occurs frequently in the background.
Battery is 16% larger. More game time between charges!
Sleeker, square, flat design. For something you hold in your hands for extended periods, tapered and flimsy is out, sturdy heft is in.
Separate buttons for volume up, volume down. A small but important feature for those gaming soundtracks that either blast those buds or bring music to your ears.
One thing we don't know about is the processor itself. The iPad has its own proprietary chip, and if you've played around with one you know it delivers on its promise of full-screen action with barely any delay. Perhaps the iPhone 4G will contain the same or a similar processor; Apple makes the chip, and they're making a pretty penny in profit on each iPad.
All in all, the iPhone 4G looks like a level jump over current iPhone models. If the production model has the same features as the prototype, get ready to start salivating. The physical improvements, along with Apple's increased game support in iPhone OS 4.0, make for a serious gaming machine -- which is also a phone, by the way.
Do you have a wish list for next-generation iPhone functionality? If Apple does indeed release the iPhone 4G with all these specs, will it live up to your expectations?
Source: Gizmodo