I never really posted a lot of iPhone experience posts. It's hard because I never had a major significant event that involved this. It's actually composed of thousands of little moments that made using this phone very satisfying.
Before getting into this, I'd like to say that I first got this phone with iOS 5 on it and it is locked to work with Globe SIMs. I upgraded to iOS 6 as soon as it came out and some opinions have changed since then. Android has also affected stuff I experienced with this phone since it has grown to be a formidable rival to Apple's platform. So here we go.
The iPhone 4, as Steve Jobs wants it to, "just works". Sure it may be almost 3 years old and two successors already exist after it that are better than this, but I never once complained about its overall usability. Even in 2013 where flagship phones already come out as early as February like the HTC One, the Xperia Z, and the Galaxy S4, I was never swayed from using this phone.
APPS
Apps in particular are one of the reasons why I never swayed away to an Android phone. There are games which are non-existent on competing mobile platforms like The Walking Dead or Infinity Blade. Even though popular apps like Flipboard and Path are already on Android, Tweetbot is still only on iOS. Here is my latest home screen, which right off the bat has a lot of apps. Three of the apps on this page of my home screen are iOS only. I know it's not much, but developers usually innovate in user interfaces of third-party apps. Until there is major shakeup with iOS devices that would sway them away, iOS is THE platform to develop for FIRST.
I can't really say that I have favorite apps because I like each one for different reasons. I use Messenger, Twitter, Instagram, Flipboard, and The Verge more often though. My experience with each app vary though. There are times when it would slow down or crash but not all the time. Maybe that's because some of these apps are already taking advantage of the iPhone 5's power. I was getting concerned with how apps are storing stuff on my phone. Is there any way that we could remove just the data of the app but not the app itself? I found this pretty annoying when I have limited amount of space left because Facebook and Instagram store way too much data.
BATTERY LIFE
Battery life decreases over time in every phone. The iPhone 4 is no exception, but it decreases slowly. After almost a year having it, it still lasts for at least a day. Apps and games are the ones that kill this easily. The more graphics-intensive the app is, the faster my battery goes down. Cellular data clearly does not help the situation. There were times where I had to set my phone on Airplane Mode so that it doesn't consume battery while the screen was off. I just wish that Apple would just have a bigger battery on future phones.
iOS
Since I've been through three iterations of iOS, the mobile operating system that powers the iPhone, iPad, and the iPod touch, I could definitely say that Apple needs to change it up a bit. Not that it doesn't work at all because it's still as functional as it can be. There are just some parts at which I already got annoyed and wishing that Apple would implement an easier way to do such things. For example, the Settings app (shown in the right) is still clunky and there are things that could be integrated into a shortcut menu where you can toggle stuff on or off. My favorite feature of the OS though is Do Not Disturb. Even though glitches came to it when 2013 struck, it works like a charm. I can set a schedule as to the times that it will go on and off. When it's on, it really works. The only way I'll know when they're there is when I turn the screen on. Despite that, it's best for Apple to change the user interface and functionality of iOS. I'm sure it'll never be the same after Jony Ive will now be in charge of Human Interface. Having high hopes for iOS 7!
FINAL THOUGHTS
All in all, I love having the iPhone 4. The design is still good despite the glass back, and there are still reasons for me to stick with it except that I want my phone to be faster. I've always wanted the latest and greatest and although this isn't it, I would still love to keep it. iOS needs to change (especially in UI) but they should maintain the quality of apps that are churning out in the App Store. If Apple still rests on their laurels, Samsung might just win this war altogether. As for my next phone? Well, you'll figure it out. Maybe you will, even before Path to Five is over. :)
Before getting into this, I'd like to say that I first got this phone with iOS 5 on it and it is locked to work with Globe SIMs. I upgraded to iOS 6 as soon as it came out and some opinions have changed since then. Android has also affected stuff I experienced with this phone since it has grown to be a formidable rival to Apple's platform. So here we go.
The iPhone 4, as Steve Jobs wants it to, "just works". Sure it may be almost 3 years old and two successors already exist after it that are better than this, but I never once complained about its overall usability. Even in 2013 where flagship phones already come out as early as February like the HTC One, the Xperia Z, and the Galaxy S4, I was never swayed from using this phone.
Apps in particular are one of the reasons why I never swayed away to an Android phone. There are games which are non-existent on competing mobile platforms like The Walking Dead or Infinity Blade. Even though popular apps like Flipboard and Path are already on Android, Tweetbot is still only on iOS. Here is my latest home screen, which right off the bat has a lot of apps. Three of the apps on this page of my home screen are iOS only. I know it's not much, but developers usually innovate in user interfaces of third-party apps. Until there is major shakeup with iOS devices that would sway them away, iOS is THE platform to develop for FIRST.
I can't really say that I have favorite apps because I like each one for different reasons. I use Messenger, Twitter, Instagram, Flipboard, and The Verge more often though. My experience with each app vary though. There are times when it would slow down or crash but not all the time. Maybe that's because some of these apps are already taking advantage of the iPhone 5's power. I was getting concerned with how apps are storing stuff on my phone. Is there any way that we could remove just the data of the app but not the app itself? I found this pretty annoying when I have limited amount of space left because Facebook and Instagram store way too much data.
BATTERY LIFE
Battery life decreases over time in every phone. The iPhone 4 is no exception, but it decreases slowly. After almost a year having it, it still lasts for at least a day. Apps and games are the ones that kill this easily. The more graphics-intensive the app is, the faster my battery goes down. Cellular data clearly does not help the situation. There were times where I had to set my phone on Airplane Mode so that it doesn't consume battery while the screen was off. I just wish that Apple would just have a bigger battery on future phones.
Since I've been through three iterations of iOS, the mobile operating system that powers the iPhone, iPad, and the iPod touch, I could definitely say that Apple needs to change it up a bit. Not that it doesn't work at all because it's still as functional as it can be. There are just some parts at which I already got annoyed and wishing that Apple would implement an easier way to do such things. For example, the Settings app (shown in the right) is still clunky and there are things that could be integrated into a shortcut menu where you can toggle stuff on or off. My favorite feature of the OS though is Do Not Disturb. Even though glitches came to it when 2013 struck, it works like a charm. I can set a schedule as to the times that it will go on and off. When it's on, it really works. The only way I'll know when they're there is when I turn the screen on. Despite that, it's best for Apple to change the user interface and functionality of iOS. I'm sure it'll never be the same after Jony Ive will now be in charge of Human Interface. Having high hopes for iOS 7!
FINAL THOUGHTS
All in all, I love having the iPhone 4. The design is still good despite the glass back, and there are still reasons for me to stick with it except that I want my phone to be faster. I've always wanted the latest and greatest and although this isn't it, I would still love to keep it. iOS needs to change (especially in UI) but they should maintain the quality of apps that are churning out in the App Store. If Apple still rests on their laurels, Samsung might just win this war altogether. As for my next phone? Well, you'll figure it out. Maybe you will, even before Path to Five is over. :)
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