Buyers finally get their hands on Apple's iPhone 4

Published on Friday 25 June 2010 00:10

IT IS the most sophisticated mobile phone yet, boasts the clearest display and unsurprisingly prompted thousands to queue overnight to get their hands on one.

• The iPhone 4, right, next to its predecessor

Apple unleashed its iPhone 4 on the public at 7am yesterday, with the first buyer in Scotland paying 599 for the privilege.

The slimmer, more powerful smartphone than its groundbreaking predecessor will enable users to access several applications at the same time, while cameras on both sides permit face-to-face video calls.

It also offers the ability to record and view high-definition video and features an oil-resistant glass screen to stop grubby fingers smearing the display.

However, the launch of such cutting-edge technology was not without its glitches: there were complaints that holding the phone normally affected reception, problems with its new operating system and supply shortages.

Apple said a record 600,000 advance orders in one day had been taken for the device, which chief executive Steve Jobs described as "really cool engineering" when he unveiled it this month. An estimated one million were sold yesterday.

Mr Jobs said it represented "the biggest leap since the original iPhone".

He said: "FaceTime video calling sets a new standard for mobile communication, and our new Retina display is the highest resolution display ever in a phone, with text looking like it does on a fine printed page. We have been dreaming about both of these breakthroughs for decades."

Scott Docherty, a 20-year-old student, was the first to buy one in Glasgow after queuing for 12 hours outside the Apple Store in Buchanan Street.

He said: "I've had an iPhone since they first came out and I really love the device. I wanted to make sure I got this one straight away as otherwise I would be waiting until July. The new phone is quite cool. It has all sorts of extras and I really like the new design."

However, not so lucky was Alex Lee, 27, who had flown from Dubai and queued for 32 hours to be at the front of a 500-strong queue at the Regent Street branch in London.

He failed to be the first to buy one because he was not among those who had pre-ordered, who were allowed into the shop first when it opened.

Despite that disappointment, Mr Lee expressed delight at the purchase. He said: "It's so thin, maybe five or six credit cards thick – it's amazing. Absolutely worth it, every second of it."

However, Apple's decision to house the antenna in the stainless steel casing rather than inside the phone has caused reported reception problems.

Concerns have also been raised about its new iOS 4 operating system when it is used to upgrade existing handsets. Apple said it was not aware of the problems.

There were also reports of supply shortages in various countries.

Despite these glitches, Ernest Doku, from the review site Omio.com, said he thought the handset would live up to the hype.

He said: "The design team at Apple has truly surpassed itself with the iPhone 4 – a super slim version of the 3GS with a whole lot more oomph under the bonnet. On visual design alone, it's time to trade in the 3GS."