Filed under: Hardware, WWDC, iPhone
iPhone 3G S: Built for speed
Apple announced the new iPhone 3G S today, featuring faster processor speed, built-in video capture and editing, voice dialing and voice command, built-in compass, and of course it will be running iPhone 3.0. There's a much better camera in the iPhone 3G S as well. Here are the details:
Price (new): 16GB -- US$199, 32GB -- US$299
Capacity: 16GB or 32GB
Case color: Black or White
Dimensions: 4.5 inches x 2.4 inches x 0.48 inches (115.5 mm x 62.1 mm x 12.3 mm), 4.8 oz. (135 gms)
Camera / Video:
- 3 megapixels
- Autofocus
- Tap to focus
- Video recording, VGA up to 30 fps with audio
- Photo and video geotagging
- iPhone and third-party application integration
- UMTS/HSDPA (850, 1900, 2100 MHz)
- GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
- Wi-Fi (802.11b/g)
- Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
- Assisted GPS
- Digital compass
- Wi-Fi
- Cellular
- Built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery
- Charging via USB to computer system or power adapter
- Talk Time: 3G - Up to 5 hours, 2G - Up to 12 hours
- Standby time: Up to 300 hours
- Internet use: Up to 5 hours on 3G, Up to 9 hours on Wi-Fi
- Video playback: Up to 10 hours
- Audio playback: Up to 30 hours
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
pardthemonster said 4:25PM on 6-08-2009
Don't forget the Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating
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B said 11:54PM on 6-08-2009
Or their lack of flash (camera-flash).
jared.plew said 4:27PM on 6-08-2009
Looks like AT&T screwed the US on the thethering option.
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Love iPhones said 4:27PM on 6-08-2009
YEA, I CAN'T WAIT TILL JUNE 19th.
I have been practicing with the new iPhone 3GS over at http://tiny.cc/onlineiphone cause the new features take a little getting used to.
So I am ready!
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nate said 4:29PM on 6-08-2009
Why are they more expensive for current AT&T customers who want to upgrade? That makes no sense.
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russ_schroeder said 4:37PM on 6-08-2009
Because AT&T is subsidizing the discounted cost of the iPhone and recouping (and then some..) through you committing to monthly service plans for 2 years. By allowing you to purchase another subsidized iPhone before that 2 years is up, you are reducing the length of your contract (vs. waiting the full 2 years and then committing to another 2 years when you buy another iPhone) and thus reducing their profit. This has been common practice in mobile industry for many years.
Ever try to upgrade any other handset before your contract was up? In those cases carrier would charge you full retail price for new unit, usually 2-3 times the subsized cost, or more. Fact is AT&T is actually doing you a favor if you want to upgrade your iPhone before your contract is up by charging you less than full retail price of iPhone ($299/$399 vs. likely $599-$699).
Certainly not trying to defend AT&T, just relaying the facts.
Jack Chance said 5:23PM on 6-08-2009
If ATT were smart they would let existing customers add 2 years to their existing contract. E.g. If i signed up a year ago, i could signed on for another two years, for a total of 3 more years. But there might be a federal law or something limiting the time that people are allowed to sell their souls to a telco.
Alternatively, you could sell your existing iPhone on ebay. Someone who wants an iPhone without signing onto ATT might pay a lot and totally cover your new iPhone3GS or at least cover the extra $200 you had to put out as an ineligible user.
Mistress said 5:37PM on 6-08-2009
So, what if you have an upgrade available say in August? Are you eligible for the lower prices?
rayhaag said 5:48PM on 6-08-2009
Here is how AT & T is screwing us again. As they say I'm a valued AT&T customer trying to purchase my 3rd Iphone and we have to put up with this kind of pricing. Apple needs to get rid of AT&T before they loose all their current customers.
As a valued AT&T customer, AT&T can offer you an early iPhone upgrade with a new 2-yr commitment and an $18 upgrade fee. You may qualify for a standard iPhone upgrade on 12/12/2009.
* $299.00* — 8GB iPhone 3G (black)
* $399.00* — 16GB iPhone 3G S (black or white)
* $499.00* — 32GB iPhone 3G S (black or white)
AT&T
Well...the Palm Pre is looking much better!
miles said 4:32PM on 6-08-2009
seems iPhone OS 3.0 is already available in the UK according to apple.com/uk
http://skitch.com/mattiles/bukr9/picture-2
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Bryan T said 4:30PM on 6-08-2009
Looks like 3G adopters are screwed and won't get a subsidized rate.
The unsubsidized rate? 599 (16gb) and 699 (32gb)...ouch.
Luckily im a first day iphone owner, so i'm eligible for upgrade.
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Peter said 4:33PM on 6-08-2009
Looks like AT&T continues to screw over its existing customers - several iPhone 3G customers I spoke to, even day 1 adopters like myself, can't get upgrade pricing until 12/21. Fail, AT&T. Fail.
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russ_schroeder said 4:40PM on 6-08-2009
I'd double check that. My wife is eligible for an upgrade at new customer prices and she's only had an iPhone 2G (hand-me-down from myself) since last July. In fact, she only signed up for her original 2 year contract using a Samsung Blackjack II in March 2008.
Ben Y said 4:57PM on 6-08-2009
Russ, your wife doesn't have an existing AT&T 3G contract. She has a 2G contract. So she's eligible. So would anyone who has no 3G contract.
But anyone who has a 3G contract is, apparently, not eligible for the subsidized pricing ($199/$299).
Basically AT&T is being whiny little bitches about the 3GS coming out only a year after the 3G, and not having recouped the entire initial 3G subsidy on this one year of service.
Apparently the 2G to 3G/3GS subsidy was some sort of one-time deal with Apple.
My expectation is this whole ugly mess will get cleared up in the next month, after customers vent to AT&T and Apple and they look at the initial sales of the device. Both sides are going to have to give a little.
Of course, I'm just reading between the lines . . .
Nathan said 10:50PM on 6-08-2009
Peter said 4:33PM on 6-08-2009
"Looks like AT&T continues to screw over its existing customers - several iPhone 3G customers I spoke to, even day 1 adopters like myself, can't get upgrade pricing until 12/21. Fail, AT&T. Fail. "
More like fail every wireless company out there. I don't see why everyone is upset about this. Verizon won't give you upgrade pricing after a year, and I doubt if Sprint and T-Mobile would either. Yeah, it is lame, but it's not just AT&T. You could always buy your phone at full price and never have a contract, so you could switch carriers at will, but not many people do this.
The reason you could upgrade the original iPhone to the 3G with a discount is because the original iPhone was sold unsubsidized.
I bought my iPhone on launch day back in '07 and still have it, so I am eligible. I was mulling a Pre, but photos of it in the real world make it look cheap, and I have found that as much as I thought I wanted a physical keyboard, the portrait version on phones like the Pre are too small for my fingers. Questionable wireless coverage by Sprint basically in addition to all of that basically took Pre off of my list.
Berklie said 4:34PM on 6-08-2009
Concerning video: will original (Edge) iPhones be able to use this feature with the 3.0 upgrade? Or, is it only for the new "speedier" iPhone 3GS and it'll be disabled for the previous two models?
Thanks
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CCrosby said 4:52PM on 6-08-2009
Seeing as how the video capability is a hardware upgrade, you need the new hardware (3GS) to have it. The 3.0 upgrade is just the OS and for original iPhone users (like myself) we get 'almost' all of the full upgrade (save MMS) - for the full 3.0 breakdown, refer here:
http://www.apple.com/iphone/softwareupdate/
philpoccia said 4:52PM on 6-08-2009
I want a new iPhone but I am not paying out the ass for it.
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Ryan said 4:53PM on 6-08-2009
I agree that ATT is not being kind to existing customers. My "New Every 2" is not up until next year, and so thru both ATT and Apple websites I am ineligible for the upgrade pricing. But what i find funny, is the fact that the 16GB is 599 without upgrade eligibility, when you can:
Cancel your contract - $175 max
New contract with activation fee - about $35
iPhone 3GS 16GB - $199
So you are looking at 400 dollars...deal with some hassle and save yourself 200 bucks? I must be missing something (and I am sure I am). But I plan on putting this to the test.
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Ben Y said 4:59PM on 6-08-2009
Read the fine print. Canceling your iPhone 3G contract involves returning the phone, doesn't it? At least that was my recollection.