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iPhone 4 through the ages: From 'antennagate' to iOS 7 (pictures)

From its announcement in 2010 to iOS 7 and eventual discontinuation, we look back at the iPhone 4's history.

Luke Westaway
Luke Westaway is a senior editor at CNET and writer/ presenter of Adventures in Tech, a thrilling gadget show produced in our London office. Luke's focus is on keeping you in the loop with a mix of video, features, expert opinion and analysis.
Luke Westaway
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1 of 36 Luke Westaway/CNET

Apple iPhone 4

The iPhone 4 is the best iPhone ever! That's what the latest episode of CNET's Adventures in Tech has to say, anyway.

Hit the link below to check out our new iPhone-wrangling video feature, and click through these photos to see Apple's fourth smartphone through the ages, including its unveiling, its launch, the "antennagate" scandal, and iOS 7.

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2 of 36 James Martin/CNET

Steve Jobs and iPhone 4

The iPhone 4 entered officialdom on June 7, 2010, announced by none other than then-CEO Steve Jobs.

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3 of 36 James Martin/CNET

Inside the iPhone 4

Jobs offers a glimpse inside the iPhone 4. As you can see, it's mostly battery.

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4 of 36 James Martin/CNET

FaceTime

Behold, the first public FaceTime call, between Steve Jobs and designer Jony Ive. This momentous chat was every bit as awkward and stilted as every video call.

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5 of 36 James Martin/CNET

iPhone timeline

Apple called the iPhone 4 the "biggest leap since the original iPhone," and we wholeheartedly agree.

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6 of 36 James Martin/CNET

Slim lines

The iPhone 4 was just 9.3mm thick. That's not too slender by today's standards, but back in 2010 we were impressed.

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7 of 36 James Martin/CNET

Retina Display

The iPhone 4's Retina Display still looks incredible today and was miles ahead of the competition.

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8 of 36 Paul Sakuma

In black and white

The iPhone 4 came in black and white -- though the white version faced several serious delays.

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9 of 36 James Martin/CNET

Stainless steel border

The iPhone 4 introduced us to an all new metal-and-glass design.

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10 of 36 James Martin/CNET

Antenna issues

Apple's engineers wrapped the Wi-Fi and cellular antennae around the exterior, a move that would lead to the "antennagate" scandal later.

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11 of 36 James Martin/CNET

Improved camera

A 5-megapixel camera on the back produced some very impressive smartphone snaps.

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12 of 36 James Martin/CNET

Lines for the iPhone 4

Hype surrounding the iPhone 4's launch was immense. As usual, dedicated fans queued outside Apple stores to get their mitts on the new device.

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13 of 36 James Martin/CNET

Space for sale

Of course, those looking to make a little cash could always sell their space in line.

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14 of 36 James Martin/CNET

Willing to wait

It doesn't look too comfortable, but such is the lure of a glossy new Apple gadget.

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15 of 36 James Martin/CNET

iPhone 4 in hand

News teams are on hand to greet happy shoppers.

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16 of 36 James Martin/CNET

In person or online?

Would you ever consider queueing up for a new gadget? Let us know in the comments.

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17 of 36 Josh Lowensohn/CNET

'Antennagate'

Shortly after launch however, owners noticed that gripping the iPhone 4's metal frame could cause signal to drop -- an issue that was dubbed "antennagate." After a spell of silence, Apple called a press conference to announce, "We're not perfect."

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18 of 36 Josh Lowensohn/CNET

iPhone 4 signal bars

Jobs said that getting signal loss from holding the phone was "not unique" to the iPhone 4. To prove that rival smartphones were also vulnerable, we were shown signal dropping on a BlackBerry, and some other mobiles too.

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Apple's anechoic chambers

Inside one of Apple's 17 anechoic chambers, where it tests its phones' antenna reception. With all this testing kit, how come the iPhone 4's antenna woes weren't spotted earlier, eh?

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20 of 36 Josh Lowensohn/CNET

Antenna woes

Apple said that according to the data from its AppleCare support centers, fewer than one percent of all iPhone 4 users had called about the iPhone 4's antenna or reception.

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21 of 36 Josh Lowensohn/CNET

Free cases

To remedy the problem, Apple offered everyone a free case or bumper.

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22 of 36 Josh Lowensohn/CNET

White iPhone 4

At the "antennagate" conference, Jobs said Apple was still planning to ship the white iPhone 4 by the end of July 2010. In the end, it wouldn't go on sale until the next year.

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23 of 36 Josh Lowensohn/CNET

iPhone 4 'crisis' over

Apple head honchos hold up their iPhone 4 devices, showing that they personally don't use cases. "Antennagate" was a PR crisis for Apple, but it didn't hurt the iPhone 4's popularity long-term.

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24 of 36 CNET

iPhone 4 on Verizon

In January 2011 we got our first look at the iPhone 4 on Verizon.

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25 of 36 Kent German/CNET

Price drop

With the launch of the iPhone 4S, the price of the iPhone 4 was dropped, making it more accessible to those shopping on a budget. The launch of the iPhone 5 would see yet another price drop for Apple's fourth smartphone.

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26 of 36 Luke Westaway/CNET

iPhone 4 today

Welcome to December 2013, when the iPhone 4 has been formally discontinued, but is kept alive through Apple's iOS 7 software. Click through for gorgeous snaps of the iPhone 4 as we know it today.

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27 of 36 Luke Westaway/CNET

iOS 7

iOS 7 brings plenty more colour to Apple's venerable mobile.

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28 of 36 Luke Westaway/CNET

3.5-inch screen

The 3.5-inch iPhone 4 looks tiny compared to modern mobiles, which have all ballooned in size.

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29 of 36 Luke Westaway/CNET

Clean and svelte

The iPhone has become much thinner, and a whole lot lighter since the days of the iPhone 4. Still, this three-year-old phone isn't exactly bulky.

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30 of 36 Luke Westaway/CNET

Exterior-antenna design

Bridging this tiny gap on the bottom-left of the phone caused signal to drop, making the iPhone 4 particularly unfriendly for left-handed folks.

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31 of 36 Luke Westaway/CNET

Micro-SIM card

The iPhone 4 uses a micro-SIM card. Today the even smaller nano SIM us used in the iPhone 5, 5C, and 5S.

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32 of 36 Luke Westaway/CNET

Front-facing camera

Here's the first iPhone's first front-facing camera, perfect for sultry selfies, or the odd Skype call.

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33 of 36 Luke Westaway/CNET

Side buttons

The keys along the left side of the phone were moved slightly for the iPhone 4S, which meant many cases wouldn't work on both.

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34 of 36 Luke Westaway/CNET

Headphone

The headphone socket has now been moved to the bottom of the iPhone. Years of use mean this iPhone is looking a little worse for wear. But hey, the odd scratch gives it a little character.

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35 of 36 Luke Westaway/CNET

iPhone 4 charger port

This chunky 30-pin charger port has been swapped out for the Lightning connector, which is much smaller, but sadly makes all your old cables obsolete.

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36 of 36 Luke Westaway/CNET

iPhone 4, we salute you

iPhone 4, we salute you. To hear why this is the best smart phone Apple's ever built, click the link below.

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