Newest iPhone Adds a 2nd Camera

By MIGUEL HELFT and JENNA WORTHAM
NYT

SAN FRANCISCO — Seeking to fend off intensifying competition from Google and others in the smartphone business, Apple on Monday unveiled a new version of the iPhone that includes a front-facing camera for video chats.

The new phone, the iPhone 4, is faster and thinner than previous models, with a crisper display and a more angular look. It has a 5-megapixel camera and can shoot and edit high-definition video.

“This is our new baby,” said Steven P. Jobs, Apple’s chief executive, as he unveiled the phone during the company’s annual conference for software developers here. “I hope you love it as much as we do.”

Analysts said the new phone comes at an opportune moment for Apple. While previous versions of the device continue to sell briskly, buyers have been faced with an increasingly large array of attractive smartphones. Some phones powered by Google’s Android software match and in some cases exceed the capabilities and speed of the iPhone 3GS, the most recent model.

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