Apple Announces iPhone 4 with Retina Display, HD Video Recording, More

As expected at today's WWDC keynote event, Steve Jobs announced the next iPhone model, dubbed iPhone 4. The iPhone 4 features a new design relative to previous models and is identical to the model obtained by Gizmodo earlier this year, over which a search warrant was issued and criminal charges are being considered.

The new iPhone will have Apple's own A4 chip and a larger battery that will offer 40% more talk time than the previous model. It will also be capable of HSDPA/HSUPA speeds of 7.2Mbps down and 5.8Mbs up. Surprisingly, the iPhone will not see a storage bump in this generation, maxing out at 32GB like the current iPhone 3GS.

Other new additions include 802.11n Wi-Fi, a gyroscope to detect motion on 6 axes, as well as an LED flash to supplement the new 5-megapixel auto-focus lens. The updated camera will have 5x digital zoom and will record 720p HD video at 30 frames per second. Videos captured can be edited on the device using the new iMovie for iPhone.

The new iPhone 4 will also have a secondary microphone on the top for noise cancellation, as well as a front-facing camera for video calls. It will also use the smaller micro SIM, making use of the smaller SIM standard like the iPad.

Size-wise, it will be just 9.33mm thick, which is 24% thinner than the current iPhone 3GS. It will have a glass front and back with a stainless steel band that wraps around all sides. This band is used as part of the antenna system for the GSM, UMTS, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth radios.

iPhone 4 will also have a Retina Display, a new display technology that packs in 326 pixels per inch, compared to the current iPhone's 163 ppi. Noting that the detection limit of the human eye is 300 ppi, Jobs described that the iPhone 4's display will "comfortably" exceed this and that text will be seen as a "fine printed book." The new iPhone's display will be the same 3.5-inch size of the current iPhone 3GS but with a resolution of 940 x 640 pixels and an 800:1 contrast ratio and the same IPS technology used in the iPad's display.

The new iPhone 4 model will go on sale on June 24 in the U.S., France, Germany, Japan, and the United Kingdom. In the U.S., it will cost $199 for the 16GB model and $299 for the 32GB model with a new 2-year contract. iPhone 4 will be available in 88 countries by the end of September.

AT&T will be offering an early upgrade special for current iPhone users in the U.S., allowing the lower upgrade pricing up to 6 months earlier than the company normally does.

An 8 GB iPhone 3GS will also be available and will be priced at $99 in the U.S. with a new 2-year contract.

GeekWebGuides users are already planning meetups using our iPhone 4 Meetup forum.