Accidental iOS 4
Accidentally created iOS 4’s iconic droplet wallpaper while evading an oncoming storm.
I have many favourite iOS wallpapers, from the Blue Nebula of iOS 7 to the iconic clownfish Lock Screen of the original iPhone. Still, the most impactful and iconic wallpaper is the raindrop background that debuted with the launch of iOS 4.
To others, it might be a couple of droplets on tinted background, but for me, what made this an image that I'll never forget was that it was the first photo I saw on a Retina Display when I first unboxed my iPhone 4. That was the first Apple product to ship with a Retina Display, a display that, at 326 PPI, offered 4x the resolution of previous iPhone panels. The build quality of that iPhone, coupled with a display that made discernible pixels disappear, made the iPhone 4 one of the most special & precious pieces of tech I've ever owned. It felt and looked remarkable.
iOS 4’s droplet wallpaper (left) compared with my Accidental iOS 4 wallpaper (right).
But enough gushing about the iPhone 4. In a bid to evade an oncoming hailstorm, I pulled my car over onto a side road and let the borders of a thunderstorm pass by. And when the storm had passed, I looked through the moonroof to see the droplets that had collected and snapped a photo with my iPhone 14 Pro. Back home, I threw it into Photomator, gussied it up a bit, and slapped a gradient overlay to recreate my own version of the iOS 4 droplet wallpaper. I liked it enough that I also wanted to share the wallpaper with you.
Pay mind that this wallpaper was shot on an iPhone, through a tinted moonroof, on a dark cloudy day. So the quality might be wanting, but it looks fantastic on an iPhone, great on an iPad & 13-inch MacBook Air, and respectable on larger panels. Enjoy.
Download
SUPPORT
I’m a one-person operation, working in healthcare by day & running this site as a passion project in my off time.
If you enjoy my work (the articles, the wallpapers, my general demeanour… anything really), consider leaving a tip & supporting the site. Your support is incredibly appreciated & goes a long way to keep this site and the works I produce ad-free & free of charge.
