On the bottom edge of the iPhone, Apple has parked three important components, none of which you'll ever have to bother with: the speakerphone speaker, the microphone, and the 30-pin connector that charges and syncs the iPhone with your computer.
Tip
There's only one payoff for knowing what's down here: The speakerphone isn't very loud, because it's aimed straight out of the iPhone's edge, away from you. If you cup your hand around the bottom edge, you can redirect the sound toward your face, for an immediate boost in volume and quality.
On the back of the iPhone, the camera lens (The Camera) appears in the upper-left corner. The rest of the back is mostly textured aluminum—all except the bottom, which is black plastic. That's where the antenna is. Cellphone signals have a hard time going through metal, which is why this one piece is made of plastic. Fortunately for people who fear cellphone radiation, the antenna is as far from your brain as it can be.
Note
You may have noticed one standard cellphone feature that's not here: the battery compartment door.
The battery isn't user-replaceable. It's rechargeable, of course—it charges whenever it's in the white dock—but after 300 or 400 charges, it will start to hold less juice. Eventually, you'll have to pay Apple to install a new battery (Warranty and Repair). (Apple says that the added bulk of a protective plastic battery compartment, a removable door and latch, and battery retaining springs would have meant a much smaller battery—or a much thicker iPhone.).
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