Launch: Steve Jobs announces the new iPhone 4 as he delivers the opening keynote address at the 2010 Apple World Wide Developers conference We’ve all been there - just when you really want your laptop to work, it's suddenly as much use as a rather large paperweight.
But the embarrassment goes up by a factor of ten when you're Apple boss Steve Jobs unveiling his company's 'most beautiful' gadget - the fourth-generation iPhone.
Last night's presentation in San Francisco suffered several embarrassing breaks when the Apple technology in the room failed.
Mr Jobs had problems connecting via wi-fi to the internet to demonstrate how much sharper website images will appear on the new screen. The problem occurred again when he tried to demonstrate how the iPhone 4's video calling will work. Or not, as the case may be.
It is thought the problem was caused by journalists using wi-fi to post details of Apple's announcement on the internet.
The iPhone 4 is thinner, more powerful and lighter than any of its previous incarnations.
Coated in glass front and back, the iPhone 4 has a high definition screen and will give new life to a handset that has achieved 50million sales in three years despite its high cost.
Jobs said the new-look device was the 'biggest leap' it had taken since the launch of the first iPhone.
'This is one of the most beautiful designs you've ever seen,' said Jobs. 'This is beyond a doubt one of the most precise and beautiful things we've ever made.'
The fourth generation iPhone will allow users to multi-task, operating a series of applications at the same time, which is something rival devices already have.
It also has a powerful 5 mega-pixel camera with built-in LED flash and is able to record high definition video.
And it has a front-facing video camera which enables users to video-conference for the first time on an iPhone. This feature will be known as FaceTime, said Jobs.
Improved: Applications can be run at the same time and it has a powerful 5 mega-pixel camera with built-in LED flashJobs also announced that the new iPhone's resolution is far superior to any other smartphone screen currently available.
Unveiling the gadget's so-called 'retinal display' of 326 pixels per inch (ppi) Jobs said this was better than the magic number of 300 ppi.
Above 300 pixels per inch the naked eye is unable to differentiate between digital screens or a printed book. The technology will be crucial if Apple hopes to dominate the eBook market.iPhone 4 also has a much longer battery life, overcoming complaints that earlier versions burn through the power supply too quickly.
Other extras include a gyroscope which, when coupled with the existing accelerometer and compass, gives it six-axis motion sensing.
And in a warning to Google, Jobs also announced that Microsoft's Bing and Yahoo will both now come as search options on the iPhone as well.
Jobs also announced the introduction of iBooks for the iPhone which will synch across all Apple devices including the iPad and the iPod Touch.
Another innovation is the introduction of iAds, specially designed adverts that will tie in with apps.
iPhone users will also be able to play hugely popular social media game Farmville, which is played by 35million people worldwide via Facebook.
The developers have written a version of the game which does not require Adobe's Flash, which Apple refuses to carry.
Apple faces a major challenge to its dominance from a raft of new smart phones from rival manufacturers that are powered by the Android software system developed by Google.
Historically, Apple has thrown up a wall of steel around its new products, keeping all details secret until the official announcement. However, that has failed on this occasion.
An Apple executive apparently left a disguised example of the latest iPhone in a bar in Redwood City, California, where it was found and passed on to the gadget website Gizmodo.
Gizmodo said the new design is sleeker, flatter and squarer than the iPhone 3GS that it will replace.
Apple's fury at the website's decision to publicise its findings has seen its staff banned from the San Francisco event.
Sale pitch: Jobs described the redesign as 'one of the most beautiful things you have ever seen'
Overload: Jobs has trouble connecting to Wi-Fi for his demonstration because the audience is full of technology bloggersThe arrival of the new iPhone is expected to lead to Apple discontinuing supply of the original 3G version, while the price of the 3GS is expected to come down.
Currently, the UK's biggest mobile network, Orange, offers a 16GB iPhone 3GS for £189 for those who take out a £25 a month contract for two years. That is a total cost comes to £789.
The same phone can be bought for £450 for those who want a pay as you go deal.
Analyst at technology research firm Gartner, Carolina Milanesi, said: 'The iPhone 4.0 will keep it (Apple) ahead of the game.
'Is it as easy as last year to stay ahead? No. I think Android has made huge progress.'
Hoping to stay ahead of the competition: Jobs shows off the iPhone 4.0 and puts it through its pacesRodman & Renshaw analyst, Ashok Kumar, said: 'Android is the only real contender to the throne.'
He said other rival smartphone manufacturers including Nokia, the BlackBerry company RIM and Microsoft are struggling to land a blow on the iPhone.
Samsung has just released two new premium smartphones powered by the Android system, the ‘Wave’ and the ‘Galaxy S’.
Like the latest iPhone, The Wave, has what it calls a hyper definition screen giving superb image quality.
Samsung claims the technology built into The Wave provides superfast download speed and the quickest access to the internet over WiFi to date.
Historically, Apple has scored because of the tens of thousands of applications - Apps - available from its download store, including iTunes, games, maps, videos and many more. However, the Android Apps store is beginning to catch up.
source: dailymail