iPhone 3G S versus iPhone 3G versus iPhone
Don't own an iPhone at all and want to know if the iPhone 3G S is a good buy? Check out this guide.
So you've got an old iPhone and you want to know if it's worth upgrading to the iPhone 3G S?
Has Apple gone the extra mile or is it a bit of a lacklustre update.
Read our specs comparison of the three major iPhone models to find out if it's worth the upgrade.
| Feature | iPhone 3G S | iPhone 3G | iPhone |
| Size | 115.5 x 62.1 x 12.3mm | 115.5 x 62.1 x 12.3mm | 115 x 61 x 11.6mm |
| Weight | 135g | 133g | 135g |
| Capacity | 16GB / 32GB | 8GB* / 16GB | 4GB* / 8GB* |
| Screen Resolution | 480 x 320 pixels @ 163ppi | ||
| Operating System | iPhone OS 3.0 | iPhone OS 3.0 (free upgrade) | iPhone OS 3.0 (free upgrade, feature limited) |
| Speed | Claims 2x as fast as iPhone 3G | ||
| Connectivity | 3G, 2G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | 3G, 2G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | 2G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
| Navigation | A-GPS and digital compass | A-GPS | Wireless-based triangulation system |
| Battery Life: Talk time | 5 hrs (3G) 12 hrs (2G) | 5 hrs (3G) 10 hrs (2G) | 8 hrs |
| Battery Life: Standby time | 300 hrs | 300 hrs | 250 hrs |
| Battery Life: Audio playback | 30 hrs | 24 hrs | 24 hrs |
| Battery Life: Video playback | 10 hrs | 7 hrs | 7 hrs |
| Battery Life: Internet usage (wi-fi) | 9 hrs | 6 hrs | 6 hrs |
| Camera | 3MP | 2MP | 2MP |
| Camera features | Auto-focus (tap to focus), video recording VGA at 30fps, photo/video geotagging, iPhone and third-party application integration | photo geotagging, iPhone and third-party application integration | |
| Visual Voicemail | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Video formats | H.264 | H.264 | H.264 |
| Audio formats | AAC, Protected AAC, MP3, MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3, and 4), Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV | ||
| SMS | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| MMS | Yes, including video | Yes | No |
| Can use third-party hardware | Yes | Yes, with OS 3.0 | Generally no |
| Sensors | Accelerometer, Proximity sensor, Ambient light sensor | ||
| Connections | Dock, speakers, standard 3.5mm audio jack, microphone, SIM tray | Dock, speakers, recessed 3.5mm audio jack, microphone, SIM tray | |
| Price ($) | 16GB $199 32GB $299 subject to new 2-year AT&T contract otherwise 16GB $599 32GB $699 | 8GB model $99 with new 2-year AT&T contract otherwise $499 | Discontinued, was 8GB $399 16GB $499 |
| Price (£) | 16GB/32GB from free on 18 month / 24 month O2 contract Full pricing or 16GB £440.40 / 32GB £538.30 on PAYG | From free on selected O2 tariffs or £342.50 on PAYG | Discontinued |
So, is it worth upgrading?
I'll be doing a much more in-depth comparison later on today, but I'm sceptical as to how much of an improvement you'll get from upgrading from iPhone 3G to iPhone 3G S.
The speed boost sounds good on paper, but it will be a while before we see how this translates into real use performance, so for now I'll reserve judgement on just how good this is.
The camera upgrade is negligible, particularly when you consider how good other cameraphones are. No-one would seriously get an iPhone for its camera capabilities -- nice though "tap to focus" may be it's still operating on a 3MP lens, and not a named one at that.
Do you really need a digital compass or voice activated commands? You decide. For me, it's not enough to make me want to upgrade from the 3G, but if I had an original iPhone I'd definitely consider moving over.
The most exciting additions will come from OS 3.0, and that's available to everyone. Not everything will work on the first generation or iPhone 3G, but it will offer many of the features we've been waiting for without the hardware upgrade.
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