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Found Footage: Four generations of iPhone compared

by Dave Caolo Jul 27th 2010 at 12:30PM

Here's a fun video of four generations of the iPhone -- original, 3G, 3GS, and 4 -- performing the same tasks simultaneously. From launching intensive apps like Plants vs. Zombies and Google Earth to shutting down and booting up, the differences in task durations are often significant.

As you'd expect, the iPhone 4 out-performed its peers on most tasks. For example, it had Plants vs. Zombies ready to play in 8.5 seconds, while the original iPhone took 26 seconds to reach the same point. Likewise, the iPhone 4 had Google Earth ready to go in 21.4 seconds while the original took just over 37 seconds.

Now, don't think the iPhone 4 won every contest, because it didn't. The original iPhone was the first to complete the shutdown process at 8.2 seconds, while the 3GS was the first to successfully boot up at 26.4 seconds.

You can watch the video after the break.

Four Generations of the iPhone from Chris Pinnock on Vimeo.



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Here's a fun video of four generations of the iPhone -- original, 3G, 3GS, and 4 -- performing the same tasks simultaneously. From...
 

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35 Comments

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Donna

Iphone really made a big break... i'm still for the 1st version of iphone. I have been using this device called adapter http://www.microsimdiscount.com to use only one sim for both iphone and ipad.

August 07 2010 at 12:39 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
chris

inaccurate test.

4 has 02 uk
3gs no sim
3g no sim
2g no service

the all have a different amount of apps installed and different OS versions.

The only way to make this really accurate is to remove as many variables as possible. Granted you cant get them all on the exact same OS, but at least have them with the same settings (how about airplane mode?), with the same number of apps installed.

July 28 2010 at 7:42 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Edward Drewery

p - that seems slow.. did you restore? Lot of apps?

July 28 2010 at 12:24 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Dom

YES, BECAUSE IT IS ALL ABOUT THE SHUTDOWN PROCESS. No, not really. How about overall performance and start-up? Again, another pointless article, which was, ultimately, a waste of time. HOWEVER, my computer had shutdown in record time after visiting this site!

July 28 2010 at 12:23 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Mxsix

Jumped from a 3G to the 4. It's like a whole new world!

July 27 2010 at 7:55 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Mxsix's comment
Jimothy

Me too! It's a new fantastic point of view.

July 28 2010 at 3:46 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jimothy

The soundtrack makes me want to slit my wrists. Good god, what is that crap?

July 27 2010 at 3:22 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
DA360

I agree with some the startup/shutdown comparison wasn't very accurate but the rest of the video was a pretty good comparison of showing how the generations have come along.

Also, they also should of did a hard-boot comparison (hold in lock and home for 10 sec., then powering on). My iPhone 4 will do a hard reboot within 40 or so seconds, it took my old 3GS more than a minute and a half to do that.

July 27 2010 at 3:12 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Mystic

Don't the amount of apps and other user data on the device affect shutdown and startup times? I noticed that these all seem to have different apps from each other.

July 27 2010 at 2:21 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Mystic's comment
Rdnymllnsktr

Yes. That's what I mentioned in my comments. The video is great (except for the music), until the shutdown/startup comparison.

July 27 2010 at 3:05 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jay

What's with the grocery store music?

July 27 2010 at 2:04 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Randy

Oh my god this music is horrible.. it doesnt fit the video, and makes me want to listen to Nickleback.

July 27 2010 at 1:47 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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