On most phones, the display is important enough. On the iPhone, it’s paramount because it also serves to control the device, which has very few buttons or other controls.

Display quality, then, was our first order of business in our iPhone tests, which began today. Our initial findings:

Brightness and legibility. iPhone’s 3.5-in., 480 x 320-resolution display proved to be excellent in readibility even in bright sunlight, a setting that washes out many screens. In fact, this may be the most legible cell-phone screen we’ve ever tested. Most notable was how readily we could read details--the numbers of incoming and outgoing calls, and signal and battery meters, for example--even in the midday sun. One quibble, however: The chrome-like frame can produce annoying glare when you hold the iPhone at certain angles in bright sunlight.

Surface issues. The iPhone’s mirror-like surface does draw smudges. However, the smears weren’t distracting on most functions, though they were quite noticeable where the screen was dark. (Click on the image above for a larger view and you'll see what we mean.) The iPhone comes with a chamois-like cloth that effectively wipes off smudges with a light buff. And in a quick scratch test--placing the iPhone in a pocket that also held four sets of keys--the glass screen came out unscathed.

We continue to assess other aspects of screen performance, and will report on those and other tests through the coming week. Meantime, if you’re among the new iPhone owners, we invite your impressions of the device in the comments below.

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