Apple's big day has come yet again and the release of the iPhone 4 is all over the internet. The big tech blogs have all had a play with the new toy and had their say. Generally the response is more lukewarm than with previous releases, like the iPad.

This may be because this release has been foreshadowed by numerous leaks. Gizmodo, which famously got its hands on an iPhone "found" in a Silicon Valley bar, called the iPhone "re-revealed".

The other factor is for the first time in many years Apple is catching up, despite its tagline: "This changes everything. Again.” For example, the new iPhone comes with video-calling (branded as FaceTime and limited to between iPhones on WiFi) but, as many commentators are saying, video calling has been around for years. Though never marketed as slickly as Apple. 

And last week HTC released the Evo 4G (it's sold out in the US), featuring almost everything the iPhone comes with, some things it doesn't (such as a USB port) and running Google's latest Android release Froyo. It even comes with its own built-in kickstand.

The first few iPhones were released when they were essentially the only players in that market (although Nokia still dominates the total mobile phone market). But Google and others have been catching up and now Apple's product is just one of many from which consumers can choose.

Even the iPad has been quickly followed by other tablet devices. Asus, HP and others have released tablets in the last few weeks that, like the HTC to the iPhone, offer some functions the iPad has and some it doesn't. 

It all comes down to choice. There are many phones that can run the new Android releases and soon Windows will release its new mobile operating system (OS) on a large number of phones. Both systems have many apps developed for them, but nowhere near as many as Apple. If you want the Apple OS though, you need an Apple phone. So while Apple has many more apps, if you buy them you won't be able to use them on any other phone.

Not that the iPhone 4 is a bad device. From all reviews it seems to be as good as the previous models. But the question of it being the best is no longer cut and dried.

All these developments are moot for now in Godzone. Apple's iPad won’t be released here until some time next month and, although no official statement has been made, the iPhone 4 will probably arrive later. HTC hasn't got any New Zealand release date for its Evo yet (and it has run into a few technical issues recently too). So you have time to take a good look over the competition before deciding.

Update: Tech-blogger and Qantas Media Award nominee, Ben Gracewood, has just put up a very nice review of the new Windows Mobile phones.

 Hadyn Green - Technical Writer

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