You nominated. You voted. You complained. You voted again. And now the final tally for the 2010 Gizmodo Gadget awards is in, and in a close fought race, only one gadget takes home the prize for best gadget of 2010. And that gadget is…
The Apple iPhone 4!
The inaugural battle for ultimate gadget here on Giz AU was closer than expected, with the iPhone 4 earning 32.37% of the vote, narrowly beating out the iPad in second position on 31.05% of the vote.
It was a huge year for the iPhone 4, that began with someone leaving a prototype model in a bar and our US cousins buying the phone and dismantling it for the world to see. Yet despite the news of the phone getting out before Apple wanted, it still went on to sell by the truckload, even after there were some issues discovered with the antenna arrangement in the new phone.
But the combination of the retina display, the gyroscope and the faster processor inside has meant that it got the nod from the most discerning audience of all – you guys.
It’s been a massive year for Apple, with the iPad, iPhone 4, refreshed Apple TV and Macbook Air and the latest versions of iWork and iLife all hitting shelves. Will they be able to continue the momentum in 2011? We’ll find out, soon enough…
David Anderton
Monday, December 20, 2010 at 12:32 PMwow a phone that struggled to work as a phone is the gadget of the year….
Joel
Monday, December 20, 2010 at 12:48 PMYou still haven’t actually tried an iPhone 4 have you..
Roland
Monday, December 20, 2010 at 12:53 PMand a well deserved winner… queue Apple haters in 5, 4, 3, ….
T
Monday, December 20, 2010 at 1:20 PMThe iphone was a single device. Android and Blackberry have to split their votes among dozens of different handsets.
It won gadget of the year for the same reason people buy it. You dont have to think. One OS, one model.. For all people say they want choice, they dont.
DJ Bouche
Monday, December 20, 2010 at 1:25 PMConsidering that this was a non-issue outside of the terrible AT&T network in the U.S. that is quite an ignorant, mis-informed and a biased comment showing that while you will acknowledge and take to faith these negative-touting “reports” (which largely amplify the voice of US consumers, who BTW are locked exclusively to this failure of a network) while ignoring any actual positive feedback, quickly dismissing them.
I question why I am even bothering with this reply but I suspect it is out of boredom. I thank you for your insight on your well-informed opinion. Enjoy your product-bashing whatever product it may be, if it makes you feel superior-minded, or whatever you think it achieves.
T
Monday, December 20, 2010 at 2:04 PM“I question why I am even bothering with this reply”
I think it’s pretty clear from your tone its because you’re a bit of a fanboy. Take a deep knee bend dude. He’s not attacking your family. It’s just a phone.
And the antenna had nothing to do with AT&T. Mine suffered from deathgrip. I got it replaced.
Also, your username makes from an awesome spoonerism.
Steve
Monday, December 20, 2010 at 2:51 PMI’m using an iPhone 4 now and it takes a special kind to deny the problem entirely. I didn’t believe it either until I was dropping 3G on-the-go (Sydney), so it’s not a US-only issue. It’s not a major problem, but it does indeed exist. It’s up to consumers to decide if they can live with that or not.
David Mills
Monday, December 20, 2010 at 12:47 PMIt never struggled to be a phone for me.
Art Nau
Monday, December 20, 2010 at 12:53 PMu cant even imagine how hard help desks from TelCo lol at you giz
Steve_b
Monday, December 20, 2010 at 12:54 PMlol @ the haters.
Out of all the iPhones apple has made, the iP4 is the best.
Saying that, im selling mine and going to an Android cause apple is just too damn popular… That, and I need a wifi network from my handset.
Nicholas Ong
Monday, December 20, 2010 at 11:51 PMIs 4 a larger number than 3? How about 2 or 1? Why numbeer it 4 ? Because its meant to be an improvement from the previous models and continous improvement it will simply make it the best iphone.
Wok
Monday, December 20, 2010 at 1:09 PMMeh, the first iPhone I had no intention of getting.
Andrew
Monday, December 20, 2010 at 1:35 PMas long as your with Telstra… otherwise dont bother to try and make/complete a phone call! its ghreat for games however!
Tim Barham
Monday, December 20, 2010 at 10:48 PMAs long as you’re with Telstra? Um, no. The iPhone 4 is actually the best phone to use with other telcos like Optus because it has the best reception (seriously – I’ve used a bunch of handsets on Optus, including every previous iPhone, and the iPhone 4 is the best of the bunch). Apart from its one well-known flaw, which is a real issue despite what some people would have us believe, the iPhone 4 has excellent reception.
Elephant Fresh
Monday, December 20, 2010 at 1:59 PMI fully support apple hate, but to claim that the iP4 is not the gadget of the year would be goddamn stupid. Whatever its faults may be, the thing has sold a gajillion units, created a whole new vernacular (there’s an app for that) AND brought the fight to Nintendo over mobile gaming like none before it. Steve Jobs is a giant douche bag, and his company is selling a lifestyle that I find laughable and cliched, but the brilliance of the iPhone is obvious to see.
scomac
Monday, December 20, 2010 at 3:14 PMWhether it’s a great phone or not (I have a 3GS and didn’t see the need to update yet) I really think the iPad was the more revolutionary device that has impacted the tech world in general.
StevoTheDevo
Monday, December 20, 2010 at 4:15 PMAgreed..
As much as I can’t see a spot for one in my life, I can for my parents.
Android tablets haven’t “got” it yet.. probably largely because Android is still exclusively a Phone OS.
Ekfud
Monday, December 20, 2010 at 3:37 PMThis is where the danger of reporting ‘most popular device in a user survey’ = ‘gadget of the year’. I’d argue any device carrying a version 4 logo has probably been around the block already. The iPad has more reason to be in as the revolutionary device, but the extra 1.32% of people voting iPhone gave it the win.
Damo
Monday, December 20, 2010 at 4:52 PMIt’s a fair point but I think Giz readers are likely to be better placed to vote than the general public – one step down from a panel of experts!
BetterThanBozo
Monday, December 20, 2010 at 9:54 PMI’ve been a iPhone skeptic for a while, but the company gave me one and I have to say that I’m impressed at its ease of use. It works well as a phone (no drop-outs), the apps I’ve installed seem to work well and from a business perspective it’s kept in in the loop on emails and my calendar. So from a simple business perspective, it works well. Supplied headphones are crap though – no depth or bass.
As for gadget of the year – no. It’s an improvement on last year’s iPhone, but it hasn’t changed anyone’s game. I would say the iPad is the game changer – look at every manufacturer trying to build a tablet now. Even if it isn’t that great, you can’t deny the impact it’s had on the overall tech industry.
glennc
Tuesday, December 21, 2010 at 9:11 AMwhat a surprise
Anthony Tam
Tuesday, December 21, 2010 at 2:52 PMiPad. When everyone else failed only Apple delivered, and if you remember Apple weren’t even sure it would be a huge hit when it first launched when they considered lowering the price of the iPad if sales did not pick up.
The iPhone on the other hand, well it’s just another version of something revolutionary already. It may have been the gadget of the year but I’m sure this is more to do with people’s contracts expiring from the 3G.
matt
Thursday, December 23, 2010 at 12:30 PMthank god. as far as phone hardware goes, the iphone 4 is pretty awesome (stupid design decisions aside)
and its 10 times more practical and useful than the stupid iPad!
I don’t care how ‘revolutionary’ the ipad is its just a laptop missing half the body, and half the functionality… and frankly, I’m not addicted to the net enough to spend $700 on something just for it.