If God carries a smartphone, it�s an iPhone 4. Or so you might think with all the
breathless hype that seems to have been even more overtorqued around the
launch of 4. Maybe it�s the fact that the lost prototype triggered a response
typically only seen in certain Central American republics, or that it arrives in an
era of smartphone and tablet fever, but whatever the reason, we�re gonna� cut
against the grain. Top 5 reasons to pass on the iPhone 4.
#5: No 4G. In spite of some numerical similarity, the iPhone 4 does not run on
4G networks. That would be just theoretically important if it weren�t for Sprint�s
Evo 4G which does. And Verizon and AT&T will light up their 4G nets and
phones in the months ahead. Then the world will be reminded 3G isn�t really
broadband, but that�s all you iPhone 4 will do.
#4 Goodbye unlimited data. AT&T no longer writes new contracts with
unlimited flat rate data. So if you change carriers to buy an iPhone 4 you�ll
paying some sort of tiered pricing for data with all the complication and vigilance
against overage charges that go with that.
#3 Verizon. Yeah, I know, an iPhone on Verizon has been just around the corner
as long and Lindsay Lohan�s sobriety. But we really, really think the iPhone is
coming to Verizon in less than a year and that�s almost too good to imagine.
#2 The flip side of #3: Two more years of AT&T and the new higher $325 early
term fee. I know AT&T works fine for many of you, but they didn�t become the
butt of all wireless jokes by accident. Sure, maybe AT&T is handling several
times more wireless data than anyone else and it still isn�t my problem. Fix the
network. But the time for that passed years ago � now it�s time to spend your
wireless dollars ethically.
Before we get to the #1 reason you can yawn at the Apple fanboys, let�s take a
quick peek at the two smartphones CNET thinks are as good better than what
they carry: The HTC Droid Incredible on Verizon and the Evo 4G on Sprint.
OK, at #1, the top reason you don�t need to rush out and get an iPhone 4: Apple
lied. All this �world changing� stuff is just a crock. Most of us who do this for a
living came away from the iPhone 4�s rollout asking, is that it? Sure, 2 cameras,
lush display, video calling, multitasking, HD video and an A4 CPU are all tasty
upgrades, but I�d venture to say at least half of those are playing catch up with
competitors, and the rest don�t change the playing field. There are too many
other great smartphones out there.
So you can relax, let God and the fanboys work out the bugs on iPhone 4 while
you wait to see what plays out with 4G networks, whatever HTC and RIM have
up their sleeves, and maybe even iPhone on Verizon.
And if you want the good news, make sure you check out my other Top 5 here on
CNETTV.com: 5 reasons to Rush Out and Get the iPhone 4. I�m B.C., talk to
you next time on another CNET Top 5.
