Less than one year after the release of the original iPhone, Apple have performed their usual stunt and released a brand new version.
There were four main complaints against the original iPhone. These were:
- No 3G
- No GPS
- No MMS
- No Copy and Paste
With the iPhone 3G, Apple have remedied two of these problems. The most obvious of these is the inclusion of 3G and HSDPA (High Speed Data Packet Access – lets just say its mega fast, allowing up to 7.2Mb mobile broadband). These technologies allow the iPhone to browse the internet at blistering speeds, and even download videos such as the now famous, 6-minute-long ‘Evolution of Dance’ from Youtube in under 20 seconds!
The second new inclusion is that of GPS. The location information from this can be used in many ways. The first is with Google Maps, which can now ‘lock-on’ to your current position, and then tell you how close you are to your search. Futhermore, the camera application can now geo-tag pictures – telling you exactly where you were when you took the picture. Other uses include social networking applications, which show you how close your friends are, and how close you are to their homes, etc.
Apple made another major change this time round, the price. In a massive drop from the £269 price of the original 8GB phone, the most you will now pay for an iPhone is £159 (excluding contract) – and thats for a 16GB device.
So, what exactly do you get for this new, lower price? Surprisingly, quite a lot:
- 3.5″ Touchscreen
- 8 or 16GB of Memory
- GPRS, 3G, Wi-Fi connectivity
- GPS
- Bluetooth (Voice only)
- Loudspeaker
- iPod
- 2 megapixel camera
- iTunes, App Store
- e-mail, internet browsing
and much more…
One new feature we have yet to mention is the App Store. This has been introduced in the iPhone 2.0 software and allows you to purchase and download applications for the iPhone wirelessly. The best bit is, if the App is less than 10 Megabytes in size, you can download it whilst on the move, even without a Wi-fi connection. Popular apps include:
- iPint (FREE!)
- Facebook (FREE!)
- WordPress (FREE!)
- Palringo (Instant Messaging Software. Includes: Aim, Yahoo!, MSN) (FREE!)
- Phit (Game produced by Armor Games) (£1.59)
Many more are available, from games to learning aids, and music to utilities.
So the pros include a clear, responsive screen; quick and easy 3G connection; GPS; good sound quality when making calls; and a brilliant spellcheck on the software keyboard.
But as with all phones, there are the downsides.
The phone only houses a 2.0 Megapixel camera, which produces pictures which, while they are of a good quality when viewed on the iPhone screen, will degrade quickly if enlarged. And with no MMS or Bluetooth File Transfer, you can only really share the pictures via e-mail or facebook.
Furthermore, some apps are US only. This is no more noticeable than with the eBay application. Although advertised throughout the UK site as a Top App for some time, it transpires that the App is only availabe in the USA, which has lead to some major dissappointment.
The extreme shine on the back, as well as looking brilliant, does a lot to attract scratches and marks. Within weeks of owning the phone, we have noticed an accummulation of small scratches. Though they do not affect the functionality of the phone, it can be a frustration on such an asthetically pleasing device.
One major reported problem seems to be with the 3G reception of the phone. Although we have not experienced any difficulties that match the description, it is reported that the phone can drop out of 3G signal with no warning, and will say there is no 3G signal where other phones are fast to connect. We are unsure if this is a problem only in other countires, or if many are finding this true in the UK as well. (If you experience this, please let us know).
Overall the iPhone 3G continues Apple’s tradition of bringing a different and refreshing approach to a standard product, but with the bugs that are currently present only time can tell if the iPhone will prove itself. Apple hopes that all major bugs will be removed with the release of iPhone 2.1 software in September. We will keep you posted on any changes or improvements as the iPhone evolves.
Score: 4/5
2 Comments
Very interesting article, I was unsure of the differences between this version and the previous, now I know that Apple isn’t just repackaging the same thing as something different.
I liked how you clearly pointed out exactly what is different, so novices like me aren’t overwhelmed by plain information that can be hard to understand.
I hope I’m not the only one that is still asking the question, “What the heck is 3G!?”, you explained HSDPA next to 3G, so I’m assuming they’re similar, but I’m not completely sure.
Overall, great information, thanks
Thanks for the feedback Joe! Bitcolumns aim to provide reviews which are informative and appeal not just to techno-whizzes – but which are also straight-forward and easy to understand even for the most ‘techno-illiterate’ people – such as myself! – so its great to hear how we can improve.
In response to your comment about the iPhone 3G, heres a quick explaination for all our readers on that ambiguous term, ’3G’:
’3G’ stands for ‘Third Generation’ technology – which is basically new technology that allows greatly increased performance to digital wireless devices. Its main advantage is provision of fast Internet and e-mail access via mobile networks across the globe.
Hope that helps!