Electronics
Apple iPhone 3GS
Introduction
How does the new Apple iPhone 3GS compare with its predecessor, and is it worth upgrading?
The latest iPhone promises to be faster and smarter, so we’ve taken a closer look. We’ve reviewed the software and hardware enhancements over the previous 3G model, and looked at the pricing options.
Note: this report is a review only – for full test results see our Mobile phones report.
Improvements at a glance
Visually the new iPhone 3GS is almost identical to the previous model and offers the same basic features. These include an integrated iPod, dedicated internet access, email, camera and mobile phone. To pick the difference, you have to check the back of the phone carefully – the writing is silver, not grey.
The only noticeable physical change on the front of the phone becomes apparent when you use it – fewer finger marks. You’ll still get them, but in our experience there’s less of a mess unless you’re particularly heavy-handed. The 3GS has a special oil-resistant coating (called oleophobic – literally, ‘oil fearing’) on the glass to help resist smudgy fingerprints, a welcome innovation for a touch screen phone.
Hardware enhancements
Improvements include:
- 3 megapixel camera with autofocus, tap-to-focus (for specific areas, with automatic exposure adjustment) and automatic macro (close-up) focusing and low-light mode.
- Video recording, with the ability to trim the start and finish points. Photos and video clips can be sent directly via email or posted to YouTube or MobileMe.
- Voice control for hands-free voice dialling and operation of iPod functions such as music selection.
- Digital compass (works in conjunction with GPS function to orient your maps correctly). Note that GPS turn-by-turn navigation isn’t standard but TomTom, for example, has announced this as part of an upcoming in-car navigation kit for the iPhone.
Software enhancements
The iPhone 3GS includes the recently released iPhone OS 3.0 and 3.1 software, which Apple claims has over 100 new features including:
- Spotlight search, for finding almost any information on the phone quickly.
- Cut, copy and paste of words, pictures and web content.
- Stereo bluetooth.
- Voice Memos turns the iPhone into an audio recorder for memos, meetings and so on.
- Landscape keyboard (on-screen) for easier email, web browsing and note taking.
- MMS (multimedia messaging).
- Direct downloading of music, audiobooks and optimised video content from the iTunes Store, for rental or purchase.
- Internet Tethering (connects your computer to the internet via the iPhone). Access to this feature may involve an extra charge.
- Remote phone location and wiping of data.
Hardware features
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.
Software features
Much that is new to the iPhone 3GS takes place at software level – and current iPhone users can get most of this functionality via a free update from Apple to OS 3.0 and OS 3.1.
There’s a faster web browser and MMS (multimedia messaging) support which initially takes a little while to be activated, but then works as advertised.
The search function has also improved. Previously limited to the Contacts application, you can now perform searches across Calendar, Mail and Notes applications – and overall, it works well.
We found the cut-and-paste functionality, which enables you to copy text to and from emails, for example, easy and intuitive to use. There’s also push notification within applications, which means you can automatically be sent messages, such as invitations from other gamers to play a multiplayer game.
Other features include a compass that rotates the maps view to align a map to the direction you’re facing, and voice control that lets you speak the names of songs or playlists to play and people to call. There’s also a new Voice Memo application, which is easy to use and allows you to record and trim audio clips then send them via email, MMS or sync them with your Mac or Windows PC.
For gaming fans, you can now play games peer-to-peer over wireless networks, and support has been added for connecting and controlling third-party devices that plug into the iPhone.
Disability features
The iPhone 3GS has new features to help those with disabilities. For the visually impaired there’s VoiceOver, which speaks the content onscreen, a White on Black feature to make screen text easier to see, plus a universal Zoom feature that can magnify the whole screen.
The Mono Audio feature makes it easier for those with hearing loss in one ear to use earphones.
Lost your phone?
If you sign up to Apple’s MobileMe service, a nifty feature called Find My iPhone will track down a lost iPhone 3GS and show it on a map on your PC. Alternatively, you can remotely send a message to its screen (asking for its return, perhaps?) or play a sound (even if it’s set to silent). As a last resort, it even lets you wipe its memory of data remotely.
The MobileMe integration also lets users access Apple’s iDisk online storage anywhere and share files with others. You can publish photos and video taken with the iPhone directly to a MobileMe online gallery.
Extra applications
As with the previous iPhone, you can download and use applications from Apple’s App Store – so far, over one billion applications have been downloaded from a selection of around 50,000 titles.
Pricing and plans
Vodafone
16 GB model
|
Plan |
Handset price ($) | Talk time (mins) | Texts | Data (MB) | Monthly cost ($) | 2 year cost including handset ($) |
| Handset only | 1179 | |||||
| iPhone 40 | 699 | 20 | 100 | 250 | 40 | 1659 |
| iPhone 60 | 649 | 60 | 200 | 250 | 60 | 2089 |
| iPhone 80 | 399 | 120 | 600 | 250 | 80 | 2319 |
| iPhone 130 | 199 | 250 | 600 | 500 | 130 | 3319 |
| iPhone 250 | 99 | 600 | 600 | 1024 | 250 | 6099 |
32 GB model
| Plan | Handset price ($) | Talk time (mins) | Texts | Data (MB) | Monthly cost | 2 year cost including handset ($) |
| Handset only | 1379 | |||||
| iPhone 40 | 899 | 20 | 100 | 250 | 40 | 1859 |
| iPhone 60 | 849 | 60 | 200 | 250 | 60 | 2289 |
| iPhone 80 | 599 | 120 | 600 | 250 | 80 | 2519 |
| iPhone 130 | 399 | 250 | 600 | 500 | 130 | 3519 |
| iPhone 250 | 299 | 600 | 600 | 1024 | 250 | 6299 |
Note: Prices as at end of December 2009. There are significant differences in excess usage charges for these plans. More expensive plans incur lower excess usage charges.
Apple
| Model | Handset price ($) |
| iPhone 3GS 16GB | 1149 |
| iPhone 3GS 32GB | 1349 |
Apple is keeping the 8GB version of the second-generation 3G model available, to encourage entry-level users (around $950).
Our verdict
The iPhone 3GS is an evolution rather than a revolution. It provides a much-needed hardware upgrade to bring it back in line with, or ahead of, the competition. The extra speed is welcome (particularly for web browsing and games), as are the new video capabilities and multimedia messaging.
Existing iPhone 3G users will find it less compelling to upgrade, as they can get most of the software features via the iPhone OS 3.1 update. But for new smartphone buyers the 3GS should be among the top contenders.
The iPhone 3GS comes with a USB cable, earphones (with remote and microphone) and, unlike the iPod Touch, a USB power adapter.
More information
To see how the iPhone 3GS performed compared with other phones in our tests, see our Mobile phones test report.