Apple premieres iPhone 3GS
updated 03:05 pm EDT, Mon June 8, 2009
Apple intros iPhone 3GS
Presenting at the 2009 WWDC keynote, Apple has announced the iPhone 3GS. Said to use the same exterior design as the 3G, the interior is nevertheless described as "entirely new," able to load apps two to three times faster, and render websites as much as three times faster. OpenGL ES 2.0 rendering is present for games, and the phone's HSDPA reception is now rated at 7.2Mbps instead of 3.6Mbps.
A new three-megapixel camera with autofocus is present, which should also have better ISO sensitivity, as well as macro capabilities. Video capture has been confirmed, rated at 30fps in 640x480 resolution with audio. Videos can be shared via e-mail, MMS, MobileMe and YouTube.
A new voice-dialing function is enabled by holding the Home button, which pops up the voice control and enables "call" or "dial" commands. The control scheme can also be used to play iPod audio, by speaking an artist or playlist name, or saying "play more songs like this" to spawn a Genius playlist. Asking "what's playing now" will read out current track info.
Other features include a magnetometer with a compass app, and hardware support for Nike+, as well as data encryption including iTunes backups. Battery life has been raised to nine hours for Wi-Fi, 10 hours for video, 30 for music, 12 hours for GSM calling and 5 hours for 3G data.
A 16GB model will cost $199, while a 32GB phone will be $299. Black and white colors will be options for each; the iPhone 3G is expected to remain available in 8GB form for $99. The 3GS ships June 19th in regions including the US, Canada, France and Germany.
Meh
06/08, 03:14pm reply
I'll be the first here to say that this update is average. Couldn't change the look of it at all? Black matte finish would have been great. Waste of an afternoon updating engadget livefeed.
luckyday
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Apr 2008
Camera / Video
06/08, 03:16pm reply
That's rad. 3mp camera really is the minimum for general photo quality shots. With the added video, ready to sell off the digital camera -- which we love for video snippets. A standard digital camera may win, still, for flash / exposure settings . . . but one device less in the pocket for basic use is good enough.
JEB
Junior Member
Joined: May 2001
not impressed
06/08, 03:22pm (2 replies) reply
I was expecting better things from apple esp with the pre being launched and being raved about. Faster speeds, better camera, video...it's all great but it's not impressive. Most of these other phones already had these things.
publicmenace69
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: May 2009
call or dial?
06/08, 03:24pm (1 reply) reply
What does Voice Control and other software features like Nike have to do with the new model? It should've been all included in the 3.0 release and available for all iPhone users. Another marketing twist to sell more units.
maxk
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jun 2008
booooo
06/08, 03:28pm (1 reply) reply
All they did was introduce a few features that all the other phones have... like voice control, video, 3.0 mp camera. They didn't add anything revolutionary.
A compass? That's what they add? Why not through in a thermometer too?
luckyday
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Apr 2008
Compass
06/08, 03:38pm reply
A compass is actually quite important in some regards - it's backup to the GPS, useful when the signal isn't clear.
Roger@MacNN
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jan 2008
Curious....
06/08, 03:40pm (1 reply) reply
What exactly were people expecting here? A physical keyboard? Removable battery? Not going to happen. The one thing I could see them adding that they didn't was maybe a front facing camera - but how exactly would that have been implemented over AT&T?
The faster processor and 32GB are what I really wanted - and I'm pleased to see it at $299 - it would not have been out of the realm of Apple's update history to have left the 16GB at $299 and offer the 32GB@$399, and I'd bet that if the economy was not dragging right now that exactly what they would have done.
We are all so spoiled with the rate of tech these days we just can't be impressed anymore. Step back for a moment - the iPhone is incredible - ah, but I guess it was just so last week.....
slider
Mac Elite
Joined: Oct 1999
Which begs the ??
06/08, 04:00pm reply
If the iPhone now has what other phones already had, do those phones now have what the iPhone has had?
Accelerometer, large LCD screen, true web browsing, visual voicemail, 50K d/loadble apps, zoom/pinch/swipe navg, advanced game play, iPod-quality music player, and now movie/TV purchases, compass, video editing.
Not some, mind you, but all these features? Please tell which brand matches the iPhone now.
pairof9s
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jan 2008
expectations
06/08, 04:07pm reply
Well, I'm pretty sure Constable Odo was expecting a video camera with Video Conferencing capabilities.
Damn, I wish MacNN would post up those screenshots and specifications. It sounds like a great feature that will destroy the Pre.
testudo
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Aug 2001
hahaha
06/08, 04:11pm (4 replies) reply
i love how all the negative comments towards the new iphone has reulted in negative feedback. I mean seriously are u people that obsessed with apple and the iphone?? I'm even gonna purchase the 3GS but lets seriously take a look at these features they added...they havent added anything new that a current phone does not have...except for 32gb of storage.
publicmenace69
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: May 2009