Apple iPhone 3GS
If last years iPhone was the “iPhone we’ve all been waiting for” then what’s this? Well I suppose it’s the next iPhone we’ve all been waiting for. However this time the wait was most definitely not worth it.
We’re used to Apple blowing our minds with a fantastic upgrade to a current line up or revolutionising the market with something completely different. The 3GS is neither. They didn’t even bother to make any physical changes apart from making the writing on the back a bright silver instead of matte.
However it’s not all bad with the 3GS so have a read an form your own deccisions.
Un-boxed:
In the box we see no real change. The usual suspects are all there only this time the mains charger is a lot smaller! The headphones included also have volume control on them which is a welcome addition.
It’s not just the mains charger that got smaller but the box itself. The iPhone 3GS comes in a tiny little box, I know it’s nothing major but it’s cute!
Construction and Build:
If you’ve seen an iPhone 3g then just picture that with some shinier writing on the back. This is one of the biggest disappointments with the 3GS. I know the 3G looked great and I suppose there’s no use changing something that’s working but how is anyone meant to know that’s a new 3GS you’re carrying about? Also if you’ve owned the 3G since release like myself then like me you’re probably pretty bored of the design by now.
UI and OS:
There’s not a huge difference in software. 3.0 launches a little while ago and this is what the iPhone 3GS will come loaded with. For those of you who haven’t heard about 3.0 then here’s a quick overview of what it brings to the phone.
- MMS
- Text forwarding
- Internet tethering
- Shake to Shuffle
- Support for YouTube accounts
- Copy and paste
- Peer to peer Bluetooth connection
- Create iTunes account from Phone
- Safari password autfill
- Landscape keyboard
- Detailed call log
- Push notifications
These are just a few of the updates. Apple claim to have brought over 100 new features to the iPhone via 3.0 so the list could go on forever. However there are still a few disappointments, a major one being the lack of Flash player for safari.
Camera:
The video camera is a welcome addition to the iPhone if you’ve not already given in to temptation and jailroken your device. The recording quality of 30 fps is superb and definitely worth taking notice of.
However the 3.2 mega pixel camera doesn’t boost the iPhone into camera phone status just yet. Sure it’s a nice upgrade but it’s just not enough to rival other manufacturers. The tap to focus is a lovely addition and it’s great to see auto focus finally included so those pictures will hopefully no longer be a horrible blur.
Other Features:
Well it’s twice the speed so when it comes to apps it should be able to handle more. Problem is my current iPhone handles apps just fine. The speed would be exceptionally handy if the iPhone was capable of multitasking. It’s not though so the extra speed counts for very little.
There’s a 25% battery improvement. Once again this just isn’t a big enough step forward. My iPhone lasts less than 24 hours so the tiny 25% improvement still wont get me through 2 days. So once again a nice thought but in the end it’s pointless.
Conclusion:
If you’re new to the iPhone market and don’t currently own one then the 3GS is a worth while purchase. If however like myself you have an iPhone 3G then don’t waste your money. Its expensive and most definitely not worth it. There are a few nice and tempting features but it just looks like this year Apple couldn’t think of anything to do with their flagship device.
I was one of those who sat watching live updates from Apples WWDC when the iPhone 3GS was announced and found myself in awe when they released the specs. The hype had taken me and this was the ultimate phone. However after a few days of thinking about it and comparing to what else was on the market or coming shortly I realised just how poor Apples upgrade was. Not to mention the huge cost involved.
So stick with your previous model and avoid the disappointment. Not long to wait until Apple bring out a real upgrade.
Advantages:
- A faster 600MHz CPU and double the RAM at 256MB
- Noticeably faster performance
- Faster network speeds of HSDPA 7.2Mbps
- 3.2 megapixel auto focus camera with VGA@30fps video recording
- Double the storage space - 3GS is selling in 16GB and 32GB versions
- Digital compass with automatic map orientation in Maps app
- Better audio quality
- Better battery life
- Voice Control, speaker independent.
- Built-in support for Nike+ jogging system
- TV-out outputs 480p instead 480i resolution
- Text-to-speech feature called VoiceOver is included in the new Accessibility menu
- System-wide Screen Zoom is also included in the Accessibility menu
Disadvantages
- No design change
- 3 megapixel camera with limited features
- There's still no flash or hardware shutter key for the camera
- iPhone 2G battery life is still better
- No videocalls functionality
- No FM radio
- No stereo speakers