4th release of the iPhone
Apple has unveiled a redesign of its popular iPhone handset.
The revamped gadget has a stainless steel case, two cameras, improved display and is 24% thinner than the most recent version.
Apple boss Steve Jobs said the redesign was the “biggest leap” it had taken since the launch of the first iPhone.
The new iPhone now includes two cameras – one on the front and one on the back – and allows people to video-chat, although only when it is connected to wi-fi. It also supports high-definition video.
Other extras added to the phone include a gyroscope which, when coupled with the existing accelerometer and compass, gives it six-axis motion sensing. This allows people to control games and apps by waving the handset.
The 4th release of the iPhone includes an update to the iPhone’s operating system, which is now called iOS. This operating system update gives the iPhone ability to have more than one application running at a time, which is handy for all those iPhone apps.
Another change adds Bing as a search choice on the phone, although Google remains the default option.
A leading market research firm believes that the iPhone now has around 15% of the smartphone market, behind Blackberry and market-leader Symbian with Google’s Android operating system has around 10% followed by Microsoft’s Window’s mobile with around 7% market share.
Despite Apple’s position in the smartphone market, analysts warn of stiffer competition especially from Google. The rise of Google Android over the last two years has been huge and is allowing manufacturers to create appealing alternatives to the iPhone at cheaper prices.
