The big improvements are all ‘under the hood’, including storage capacities of 16GB and 32GB, up from the 8GB and 16GB of the previous 3G model - enough for most digital music collections, downloaded applications, and plenty of videos.
The iPhone 3GS sports a modest camera upgrade. Frustratingly, it still lacks a flash or zoom. Although it’s been updated from 2 megapixels (MP) to 3MP, it’s still basic compared with phones offering 5MP digital cameras complete with flash and optical zoom.
The camera has a handy feature that allows you to touch the screen and autofocus on the selected object or person. It can record video, but the quality isn’t great. However, you can perform light editing on the iPhone and upload your clip to video-sharing sites such as YouTube.
There’s also a decent speed boost which Apple claims is up to twice as fast as the previous model (the S in the name stands for speed).
Our hands-on experience with the iPhone 3GS seems to bear this out. Some applications load noticeably faster and give quicker response to touch input; web browsing has less lag and graphics-intensive games run more smoothly. This is all thanks to a new, faster processor and combined 3D acceleration.
Read what our members have to say close
To save money on essentials and make buying decisions easy, you can't go past Consumer. We're proud to have over 65,000 members all enjoying our independent information online or in Consumer magazine.
Here's what some of them say...
"Just wanted to let you know that I find your site excellent! Easy to find my way around, everything at my fingertips - just a click away.
I only took out a 3 month membership as I wasn't sure but it is actually really easy to use and if I want it on paper I can print the
reports. Thanks again".
Denise Watkinson - Waitakere
"My mother (74) got a renewal letter from her insurance company for her car insurance, wanting $570. After reading
your article on car insurance, I contacted one of the companies you recommended, who quoted her $318 for the same
level of cover. I just wanted to stay thank you very much for your article, as it has saved my mother a substantial amount of money".
Adrian Lane - Kapiti Coast
"I've been a member to the magazine since 1997 and enjoy reading it a lot. I've found lots of helpful information on different issues...
Thank you for being so helpful".
Peter Kovalenko - Porirua
"I have been a member of the Consumer NZ for 20 or more years and have enjoyed much reliable advice.
I turn to their tests before making significant purchases".
Lyndal Print – Auckland
Join Consumer now and make your decisions easy on a huge range of products and services
- Over 500 reports, plus interactive tools and calculators
- Independent advice from NZ's trusted source of information
- Join over 65,000 members who help us get all NZers a fairer deal
from just $28
Previous: Improvements at a glance
