iPhone 3G announced

In a keynote speech today, Steve Jobs announced the next version of the iPhone, complete with 3G networking, better battery life, a slimmer profile, and global positioning system support.

The phone features a black plastic back, solid metal buttons, the same 3.5-inch LCD display, and a headphone jack mounted flush with the enclosure (which should make third-party headphone vendors happy).

With GPS, the iPhone can be tracked across a Google map as a pulsating blue dot. The iPhone can still derive location data from cell phone towers and WiFi networks.

In terms of battery life, the iPhone 3G offers five hours of 3G talk time, 5 - 6 hours of browsing time, seven hours of video time, or 300 hours of standby time.

The new iPhone will be available in 70 countries over the next several months via a variety of carriers, including Canada, Mexico, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, and many others.

The iPhone 3G will start $199 for an 8GB model. The 16GB model will sell for $299, and is available in a black or white backing. It will be available in all countries starting July 11.