iPhone Review @ BBC

The Beeb weigh in with an iPhone review timed for the UK launch of Apple's hyped handset. As reviews go it's a fairly light-weight affair, but it does focus on the good points and bad points of the phone without getting bogged down in too much detail, unlike some other reviews we've seen (I'm looking at you, ars technica).

First disappointment - it's a 2G not a 3G device, a serious compromise in our opinion, since the iPhone is selling itself heavily on its web capability. What use is Safari over 2G? Limited, we say. The problem is balanced by good wifi support, so as long as you're in a major connurbation and have access to wifi you should be fine.

Other cons according to the BBC's iPhone review include the lack of IM and VOIP support, lack of wireless sync, and the measly 2 megapixel camera.

But then they get onto the upside, and as ever it's the iPhone's interface and wow factor that win the reviewer over. He had the iPhone for 2 weeks prior to launch, and found it a real draw when used in public - the first time people see an iPhone being used can result in a near religious experience - or so the marketing men tell us.

They conclude by looking to the future - this iPhone may not be perfect, but future generations of the phone are guaranteed to improve and will force the competition in the market to raise their game too - good news for everyone, whether they intend to buy and iPhone or not.

Read the full BBC Apple iPhone Review

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