Apple iPhone finally makes debut

IT'S FINALLY HERE, the Apple iPhone has been announced, photographed, documented, and published.

Here it is in all its glory.

It combines the multi-touch touchscreen interface we've all heard whispers of for over a year now, with a fully fledged widescreen video iPod.

The device comes with either 4GB or 8GB of flash-based storage and will sell for an introductory price of $499 and $599, respectively. Expect it in June 2007 within the US, and a tentative 'end of 2007' for us Europeans - a long wait for those of us who are already drooling.

The phone has been confirmed as a Cingular Wireless exclusive in the US and it will be interesting to see who picks it up in the UK.

The phone features a rich HTML email client and in-built Safari web browser - which Apple purports as being the most advanced browser on portable device. We imagine Opera may have something to say about that.

This is all running on the 'OSX' operating system, presumably a very cut-down, thin client version, built for the device's proprietary hardware.

The iPhone OS allows for the use of widgets which are the same applications found on OSX's Dashboard.

Steve Jobs was recorded using the Google maps widget which looks like an exact copy of Google maps on the web.

Expect up to five hours phone talk time and around 16 hours of audio playback - but knowing manufacturers battery life specs, you should take this with a pinch of salt.

A range of accessories have also been announced including stereo headphones, headphones with a microphone, and a Bluetooth headset.

Here's a quick rundown of the currently known specs:

Specification overview

• Screen: 3.5-inches, 320 x 480 @ 160 PPI
• Storage: 4GB or 8GB
• GSM: Quad-band (MHz: 850, 900, 1800, 1900)
• Wireless: Wi-Fi (802.11b/g) + EDGE + Bluetooth 2.0
• Camera: 2.0 megapixels
• Battery: Up to 5 hours Talk / Video / Browsing; Up to 16 hours Audio playback
• Dimensions: 4.5 x 2.4 x 0.46 inches / 115 x 61 x 11.6mm
• Weight: 4.8 ounces / 135 grams

Many, many industry analysts have speculated on what Apple would eventually produce to push into the crowded mobile phone market. The final product might possibly be the most perfect culmination of all the speculation, desires, and needs of every Apple fan and Apple speculator over the last several years. µ

L'Inq
Apple iPhone site
Apple keynote