3G iPhone: What it means - a look at the hardware

K. Here I am. Had the original and thought it was fine; overpriced I thought so I sold it to my brother and got the new 3G cheaper. Drove 2 hours to an Apple Store in Denver to get it (live in the mountains, so basically took a day off work). NOW, I'm totally bumming cause I VERY RARELY have the bars to make or receive a phone call, it's slow (as far as I'm concerned) to load YouTube movies, MLB plays, and when it does, they freeze? I've restored the phone. Reset the Network Settings.. pretty much done everything I could to get it running...

I'm not sure if its this new network, being here in the mountains, or if it's the phone? Anyone?

(AND, $35 more a month for the service? Seriously... did I make a very wrong decision?)

I have an iphone and I like the dock . I'll be buying the 3G and I'm not pleased that the dock will cost $ 40.00 more.

The 3G iphone will NOT cost you less than the old iphone. It will cost you more !
It's a marketing scam that's brilliant . Here's how it works.

" The service plan will cost $10 a month more, meaning an additional $240 over the life of the mandatory two-year contract with at&t .
Consumers with the currant generation iPhone pay $20 a month for unlimited Internet and e-mail use, and can send up to 200 text messages as part of the plan.
However, those that buy the new 3G iPhone , will pay $30 a month for unlimited Internet and e-mail. It's not clear yet whether text messaging will be part of that cost, or add -on. "

Also, we get fleeced out of another $40 because apple is screwing us out of the Dock . So do you still think the iPhone is less expensive ????

I hope enlightening people will at least make apple reconsider adding the dock back.

New iPhone or just an update?
I say update. Same processor, same camera etc....
2.0 software does not make 2.0 iPhone.
I'll wait 1 more year to upgrade. That said, GREAT job Apple.
I love my iPhone and can't wait for the App Store to open!

The fact that it lacks a dock is not a big deal. I rarely use it; I just plug the phone directly to the USB port on my computer. What I would like is an HDMI out or a 30 pin connector to HDMI cable. That would be pretty awesome! No more fiddling with composite or component cables!

Over here in 'Brit' land o2 is offering the iphone as pay as you go, so no contracts. Haven't seen any pricing yet but probably around the £130 mark. This has made my mind up about getting one, I don't use the phone much and was considering an ipod touch but I may as well get a phone/gps too. You can get a free iphone if you sign a contract from o2 too.

Play with your people Apple!.. till M$ gets their copying done on a fully multitouch UI and Browser OR better till HTC releases a Android version of a thinner TouchPro.

MMS omission is ok - as emailing pics are a viable alternative. But I always thought Apple stood for cutting-edge media capabilities - what is it with this 2mpx camera which does not have the Hardware capabilities to take video at >15fps , even with a third party app?. Where is the goodness of Aluminum, Glass, OLED?!

I'm still just a little pissed at the discontinuation of the included dock! Just like the ipod, it started with coming with accesories out the eyeballs, and now they come with nothing. pretty soon they wont even come with headphones! Although i can put that extra $200 towards it...

I'm happy and disappointed at the same time if that's possible. I'm happy with the software updates and think the 3G did address nearly all the features wanted by the majority of consumers, but I will wait to replace my 8GB Iphone until there is a 32GB version, which I suspect will come along before the end of the year. It just amazes me that Apple didn't incorporate a second flash chip into the design a la iPod Touch.

Speaking of which I'd predict the Ipod Touch will price drop on July 11th, it's still in stock and on sale unlike the iPhone so why drop the price now?

To those confused about the pricing please refer to the dozens of comments regarding the subscription pricing aspect of the iPhone vs. the iPod Touch. Owning an iPhone for 2 years costs at minimum about US$2k, owning a iPod Touch for 2 years costs $300 + $20 for a software update.

As has become the norm, the marketing people have convinced the masses that the iPhone is ONLY $199, so cheap ANYONE could own one :) Not quiet... anyone that can afford a cell phone contract to being with can probably now afford one.

Here's why I'm unhappy with Apple ditching the recessed plug: it's a better design. Otherwise it's easy to shear off the plug. Bad for $100 Etymotics, bad for the phone itself.

Sure, we had to sprinkle a half-dozen adapters all over -- upstairs bath, upstairs bedroom, two cars, stereo, biking setups et al. (we're NPR podcast junkies.)

But better design is better design. I was hoping the rest of the 3.5mm miniplug industry would follow suit.

A lot of the features that everyone is clamoring for will likely show up as apps available for the store when it opens. I suspect that we will get our video capability, voice notes and dialing, MMS capability, etc. for 3rd party apps. Of course we have to wait until the store opens but I wouldn't be surprised if Apple didn't include them to help feed the developer community. Now as for the the other stuff, feel free to vent, gripe, whine....nothing is perfect and it never will be. BTW, I'm an owner of a 16GB iPhone that will pony up for the new one depending on the app store. If nothing really takes great advantage of the new features, then I can wait--as should everyone else that can live without GPS and 3.5G speed.