The highly anticipated 2.0 iPhone brings a mixed bag of improvements and omissions.
First the good stuff. The new iPhone 3G comes with a $300.00 price drop, 3G speeds, real GPS, all wrapped up in a form factor Apple fans have come to love. The new iPhone now supports Microsoft Outlook Exchange, making it a potentially formidable contender for what has long been RIM’s home turf. Additional features that will show up at launch or soon after include iWork document support, the ability to view Powerpoint attachments, bulk move and delete and other less important features.
Strangely though, you still cannot send an MMS with the new 3G iPhone. My brother owns an iPhone and has confessed his frustration when I send him a text/picture that requires him to do a variety of acrobatics in order to view the picture. Also, the new model does not have removable memory, and while the price reduction is welcomed, it does come at a sacrifice: the former shiny aluminum back on the prior model has been replaced with a plastic one and the dock is now sold separately for $49.99.
Apple promises a 3G talk and internet time of five hours and plans to open an application store where iPhone customers can purchase a wide array of third party applications, which will go a long way to building additional value into the phone.
If you held off on buying an iPhone because of its speed limitations, now may be a good time to take a second look. It’s faster, less expensive and overall more feature rich.
What the Critics Are Saying...
- GSMArena team, GSMArenaWe've had our fair share of the first-gen iPhone but, honestly, we weren't caught in the excitement last year until we saw it live. It was only after it arrived in our office that we really appreciated its sleek design and groundbreaking user interface.Now a year later, the excitement grew on us wee...
- Cosmin Vasile, SoftpediaApple managed to successfully update their first-generation smartphone and increase their income in the handset market. I was pleasantly surprised by the iPhone 3G and would definitely use one as a secondary phone. It looks and feels like the perfect phone, even though it misses some features that e...
- Mathew Honan, WiredThere's much to love about Apple's new burner: GPS, 3G, Exchange support and an upgraded OS with hundreds of downloadable apps. Yet the camera still stinks, there's no cut and paste, and - because Apple didn't make voice-dialing a priority - it's completely unsafe to use an iPhone while driving. The...
- Aaron Baker, MobileBurnThough the iPhone 3G still has flaws and lacks some crucial features, it offers significant improvements that make it worth the upgrade. The faster 3G browsing experience and the GPS support are nice. The application store, which is available on the original iPhone as well, is the cherry on top. Hop...
- John Biggs, TechCrunchSo, should you buy it? If you’re looking to upgrade your phone and are out of contract, wait until next month. By the ides of August the hype should have died down, the back orders should have shipped (there’s apparently a 21-day wait time now) and most of the bugs should be addressed. It’s a great...
Prices (Where to Buy)
Common Questions
We've got you covered! Download a free PDF copy of the Apple iPhone 3G user manual here.
Apple backs up the iPhone 3G with a 1 Year parts & labour warranty.
If your iPhone 3G has problems and is still within its warranty period, you could contact Apple support or the retailer you purchased the phone from. You'll find Apple's contact information here. If your phone is off warranty and needs repair for a physical problem such as a broken screen or bad battery, you should visit an authorized service centre or a local phone repair shop. You can also connect with others in The Informr Community Forum to find and share answers to questions.
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Resources
Manuals / User Guides
- Apple iPhone 3G Manual (PDF)
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