A better camera, overpriced memory upgrade and a compass aren't really cutting it for us.
For those of us without Apple tattoos, the reaction to Apple’s new iPhone 3G S, announced on Monday, seems to look pretty unanimous.
“That’s it?”
After building feature wish lists for months, furiously posting rumors in forums, and even mocking up Photoshopped prototypes of the new iPhone, Mac fans were today rewarded with… a slightly better iPhone 3G. If the leap from first-gen iPhone to second could be considered a baby step, consider this one a fetal heart murmur, because Apple clearly had no idea how to shine up the product it launched a year ago.
Sadly, the biggest news came with the new phone’s 3.2-megapixel camera with autofocus and video recording capabilities, which are both features the 3G model should have had at launch, when plenty of other high-quality smartphones did. Heck, Samsung was rocking 3.2 megapixels back in 2006, about the same time most users were discovering more pixels didn’t really equate to better pictures anyway. Better late than never, I suppose, but you know Apple’s crunched for innovation when it’s bragging about features that competitors have quite literally offered for years. And where’s the flash?
The iPhone 3G S has a 3.2 megapixel camera and video editing
Of course, Apple has tried to dress up this ho-hum hardware with in-phone video editing, but the utility of this feature seems pretty questionable. I’m still not sure why I would put myself through the masochistic task of video editing on a tiny 3.5-inch screen rather than a laptop, or furthermore, why I would attempt to push those clips upstream to YouTube over a pipe as tiny as a 3G modem. But I guess if you can’t wait 30 minutes to get a clip of your friend hitting his groin in a skateboarding accident onto the Internet, the 3G S is a must-have.
About the only thing I’m ready to concede might be a real step forward this thing is the faster processor. As an iPhone 3G owner, I’ve definitely run up against the speed limits of the existing phone quite a bit –especially when I seem to be in a hurry. But like a lot of processor upgrades, I’ll believe the speed when I witness it myself. Apple claims the new phone performs “up to two times faster” than the old one, but if you cut behind the marketing speak, that could just as well mean it autocorrects your type in two milliseconds instead of four.
The iPhone 3G S’ processor is supposed to be 2X faster
An additional 16GB of internal memory may look enticing for movie buffs and music collectors still clinging to their high-capacity iPods, but Apple has once again closed the door for easy expansion by including no microSD slot. The logic is baffling, until you consider that the company still manages to charge another $100 for 16GB of memory at the same time a 16GB microSD card runs for $45. Cha-ching.
And that finally brings us to the compass, which is almost too pitiful to even pick on. Congratulations, Apple: You’ve managed to mimic a second-century navigation device in the year 2009. I’m sure it will get a lot of use in a smartphone that can already locate your position with almost pinpoint accuracy and put you on map that uses satellite imagery. (And don’t you urban hipsters even pretend you’re going to use this thing on your next remote hiking trip to bring you back to civilization.)
The iPhone 3G S has a build-in digital compass
To close on a positive note, Apple couldn’t quite muster the audacity to charge any more money for the new version, so those of you who have been holding out for months to buy new phones can at least miserably purchase your new ones at the same price. Just remember: no colors, no keyboards, no bigger screens. But it has a compass.
Showing 38 comments
RSSthey are steeling money from ppl
this really happened,, so be careful
Clearly just an Apple fanboy blinded by marketing...
@ Paul Snyder
Apple has only ever popularised innovations that other companies thought of first.Name me one feature on the iPhone that hadn't been created by someone else first. Apple may be slicker and better looking, but truly innovative? No. Popular? Yes.
1)Flash player support
2)Quick back option without going to home screen while switching between apps.
3)File browsing and storing
4)Option to attach images, file etc from email app itself.
5)Multiple signature options
6)Manual rotate gesture option
7)Notes app should be more powerful word process (fonts, text size etc)
8)All Grouping of contacts for test message e.g. friend and family groups.
9)App for grouping key social networking sites(for posting universal photos, text to all social networking sites together.
10) Auto spell check in safari browser (like mozilla) when adding text in twitter, facebook leaving comments at blog etc.
11)Build in Flash in camera for night photo shot
12) Front facing camera for video Chat
13) Use cover flow for using multitasking third party apps (limit to 5 apps, not to drain the battery life)
14)Thin quick time player app to run video downloaded from web.
15)Group notification alert or not attended tasks(missed MMS, SMS, PHONE, Chat message, meeting, event etc)on single screen.
Email: tlainc@hotmail.com
Everyone expected a million things from them and if they had given people even half of the things they were expecting they would have to ask for a heck of a lot more money and with the economy the way it is and AT&T being the carrier I'm pretty sure even if they did have everything you wouldn't want to purchase a phone for 1000 dollars.
It doesn't have a bigger screen? Seriously it has one of the biggest already it doesn't need a bigger screen. And the compass feature I think is actually quite cool. And face it people we are buying the app store and the name when you purchase the Iphone if you don't like it don't buy it, but please shut up and quit whining about how you didn't get everything you ever wanted.
-Link
It's a World Wide DEVELOPER Conference. Not a geek hardware fest... The BIG THING, as you may have noticed, was the iPhone OS 3.0. Not the iPhone 3GS! The spent most of the time talking about the iPhone OS 3.0 and it's a Developer Conference so I don't now why you are disappointed.
Are you referring to voice dialing? Phones in 1995 had that feature....
I would agree on the minor updates from the current 3G to this 3G S but like I said youre missing the point and here is why.
2G users were reluctant to upgrade to 3G since they would one) have to cancel contract get new one 2) it was in my opinion not offering anymore than gps assistance and worste battery life and 3)Software updates gave 2G customers the same access to apps
A typical contract with ATT and most every other provider is 2-3 years so for us 2G customers the update for 3GS is worth it! in another year when the 3G customer contracts are up expect a worth while update for you!
What else did you leave out in your review?
http://www.apple.com/iphone/how-to/#basics.voice-c...
Features that were lacking were ( every thing else is taken care of thru the Application Store )
1. Video recorder (even denied support for third party ones)
2. Generic Flash Player with browser.
I am hoping a s/w update will enable the features in current 3G iPhones
I switch phones quite often and have used Nokia, Samsung, Sony Ericsson and iPhone 2G, iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS (by next week-end).
From few comments, I think their perspective of a mobile device is just "PHONE". They can very well use Nokia 3310, the best phone Nokia ever made. U can make calls and SMS too.
Apple never promised that they would deliver something out of box on June 8th. It was all rumors which in the first we should not believe.
For "Anything but apple" - If you don't want to buy iPhone, thats your call. But dude, grow up. As far as your so called competitors with better phones.... Apple started the game and they are following. Touch screen was not their innovation anyway.
Not to mention all of that and it enabled them to hit the $99 price point with 3G.
How can anyone be disappointed with that? That's a bunch of improvements for the iPhone.
Not to mention all of that and it enabled them to hit the $99 price point with 3G.
How can anyone be disappointed with that? That's a bunch of improvements for the iPhone.
I purchased the iPhone 1 on the day is was released, and upgraded to the iphone 2 (3G) on the day that was released too. Again, I've always defended the iphone when people criticise it puny camera, or lack of some basic abilities (MMS!).
But even I have to say that this 'new phone' is a total let down. First off.. it's an upgrade at best.. certainly not a new phone.. secondly, if I want to upgrade my existing iphone 3G I have to either a) wait for my current contract to expire, or b) buy myself out of my current contract (!!) and PAY to enter in to a new one. And for what - a phone that looks EXACTLY THE SAME - is SLIGHTLY faster and has video??
Its a joke. Are we beginning to see the start of what Apple is like without Steve Jobs at the helm? I hope not.
DVD, HDMI-less on launch, optional hard drives, optional wifi can be associated with no front faceing camera, only a 3.2MP camera, only now getting MMS and copy/paste. Both products tout they are cutting edge but that statement is true only if you are living in 2005. Time to look for a better phone.
The MS bashing at the event was pretty classless too. MS has some great products and some not so great products but bashing them at a conference like that is pretty classless. I expected better from Apple.
oh well... don't say I didn't try and keep an open mind! N97 FTW!
In addition, i expect from the new processor faster reaction speeds when I have to lookup a train connection at the station in a hurry and i hope for a less crashing Safari.
Iphone has a very long way to go with their I-Phones still.
think about it.
Rather then sulking up to Apple because your so ignorant on recent mobile technology.
I will never buy the Iphone 3g s. It is overpriced and it is 'yesterdays' mobile. Even Nokia, RIM and Samsung have superior mobile phones out last year then this I-Phone. I think you should open your eyes to the media hype from Apple and realise your just following a 'trend'.
great review btw. *thumbs up*