Apple iPhone 3GS review: Same clothes, new feel

30 June 2009
The Apple iPhone 3GS is probably not the next revolutionary iPhone as you might have expected it. But the performance boost, the sharper camera with video and the purportedly improved battery life certainly...

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  • J
  • Jobs' New Liver
  • 2An
  • 10 Jul 2009

[deleted post]Why would I be interested to play an early '90s PC game that I've long finished already, you're so behind the times fruitcake. If I wanna play cutting-edge 3D games while on the go, I have a PSP; that would kick the cr*p out of any fruity barely-smartphone that, after 3 years, is still a solution looking for a problem.

    • ?
    • Anonymous
    • P%n
    • 10 Jul 2009

    HUH?!?, 10 Jul 2009And why is that important? How many languages do you speak/... moreDoes Apple get the recognition it deserves for the cost and environmental savings of not designing, making and printing dozen's of keyboard layouts?

    No you whiners are too close-minded and wrapped up in your own little world to see the benefits that 40+ virtual keyboards bring.

    On small box (smaller than the 3G mode, one AC charger/USB adapter, one set of headphones and worldwide exactly the same model.

      • H
      • HUH?!?
      • 2An
      • 10 Jul 2009

      And why is that important? How many languages do you speak/write personally? Man, so after all this time those non-English speaking/writing people in the world were suffering badly because they were forced to use a hardware keypad with their phones??? Wow, amazing. =P

        • ?
        • Anonymous
        • 2CE
        • 10 Jul 2009

        Anonymous, 10 Jul 2009Juust a quick note from my iPhone which os fast for doing t... moreThis phone was built with "changeable" buttons in mind, thus the touchscreen in place of buttons.

          • M
          • Megadoomer
          • iIR
          • 10 Jul 2009

          Clueless Yankee, 09 Jul 2009So can anyone answer me what exactly is facilitated by a to... moreWell done, you managed to copy and paste 5 differant things with 5 differant names, you truely are "D4 M4N"

            • ?
            • Anonymous
            • vaa
            • 10 Jul 2009

            Gill Bates, 09 Jul 2009The iPhone is for people who can't operate electronic gadge... moreJuust a quick note from my iPhone which os fast for doing text of any sort, I just used typing genius to vet my speed up, Ive been a bit busy playig Doom on it, ID software make some really good games, it's good to see that developers like John Carnack recognize the most powerful gaming phone on earth.

            So why don't you use your little girly hands to play a java version of Bejewelled and leave the serious FPS games to real men on their iPhones.

            Wooh, is the keybawd to big faw yore poor wittle pinkies, go and have a cry with your dolls gathered around your Barbie teaset!

              • C
              • Clueless Yankee
              • RKp
              • 09 Jul 2009

              So can anyone answer me what exactly is facilitated by a touchscreen UI, aside from the initial funkiness feeling? Is there any smartphone function that can be executed better, let alone faster, on a purely touchscreen phone? Everything is just slower and/or less reliable on a TS phone, compared to one with a real keymat. There was no problem with hardware buttons and keyboards, why remove it at all?

                • M
                • Mr. Jobs' New Liver
                • RKp
                • 09 Jul 2009

                Given the usual marketing overhype, this outcome should be considered a flop in Apple standards. When would people realize that a purely touchscreen UI is a "solution looking for a problem". Imagine the howls of protest if the controller for the PSP, PS3, XBox360 or Wii were all purely through a touchscreen, with no tactile feedback like one would get from a physical keypad, and there's not even haptic or force feedback like in the other better-designed touchscreen phones (any Samsung TS phone or N97/5800XM). The simple fact of the matter is that for the most basic & useful smartphone functions, a hardware keypad or button would be the fastest & most reliable way of accessing it. Making everything executable by touch only (and you have to look at the screen to do it, you can't type or press without looking at it unlike in a phone with a hardware keypad/keyboard) sacrifices utility & speed on the altar of gimmickry & fancy visuals.

                This is the fundamental defect of Apple's design philosophy with regard to smartphones, and that's why I was never fooled by the hype, even with the help of the easily-dazzled media. But then again, given Apple's target market and the state of mobile technology in its home market, it is somehow unsurprising. It's the same way with their computers: part of the overprice you are paying for it is the cost of the marketing campaign and the not-so-subtle media manipulation.

                  • D
                  • Dra. Vicki "Cougar"
                  • RKp
                  • 09 Jul 2009

                  Dra. Vicki "Cougar" Belo: OMFGAWD. The 3.0 update added 3 IQ points to all the Apple fankids like moi!!11elevenoneone I'm surely gonna pay MOAR to Apple for the privilege of getting the awesome 3Gs, and to spend even MOAR on the App Store to buy features that are standard on real smartphones from other brands.

                    • A
                    • Andrew Tan Gwapo
                    • RKp
                    • 09 Jul 2009

                    Does this firmware update add a hardware keyboard, a camera flash, add Flash & Java, add haptic feedback or help make typing messages faster without the annoying "predictive text input" getting in the way? Most importantly, does this update cure the fanboyism affliction of the phone's owners? :P

                      • G
                      • Gill Bates
                      • RKp
                      • 09 Jul 2009

                      The iPhone is for people who can't operate electronic gadgets with more than one hardware button and for certain nationalities where SMS text messaging is unheard of, unlike in the rest of the world. It has long been proven that hardware keypads are the fastest & easiest way to create text messages and to make phone calls. If you wanna get a fancy gizmo, get an iPod Touch, or better yet, a PSP.

                        • ?
                        • Anonymous
                        • P%n
                        • 09 Jul 2009

                        Anonymous, 06 Jul 2009OMG!!!! U really think N97 has NO light level adjustment... moreThe N97 does not have touch to adjust light level settings like the iPhone 3GS...

                        ...you seem to be lacking in comprehension skills.

                          • ?
                          • Anonymous
                          • S4L
                          • 06 Jul 2009

                          Anonymous, 04 Jul 2009Here we go again with video call. Do you know how much vid... more"Degustibus non disputandum est": You like to browse with a small little display, I find it stupid and authistic. I like to see my childrens when I am away from home for a business trip, you find it useless. Choice and taste are not reprehensible, but, Professor X, could you please explain me why all the competitors brands are including video call capabilities in their devices?

                            • ?
                            • Anonymous
                            • EqV
                            • 06 Jul 2009

                            Anonymous, 05 Jul 2009You said:- "All the improvements on the iphone camera ar... moreOMG!!!!

                            U really think N97 has NO light level adjustment settings? u think this is some kind of crap company phone?

                              • ?
                              • Anonymous
                              • EqV
                              • 06 Jul 2009

                              apt.pupil, 04 Jul 2009meet my fren m3gi, the guy who work as 'repairer' in 'nokia... morefunny as i think he was stating 'eye doctor' to make it fit better in the sentence, and as u have proven, not everyone knows what the PROPER and correct term is

                                • ?
                                • Anonymous
                                • P%n
                                • 05 Jul 2009

                                Flames, 04 Jul 2009Stop making excuses for Apple. Nothing has stopped it from ... moreYou said:-

                                "All the improvements on the iphone camera are already on the N97 and the N97 even offers more settings."

                                Where is the touch to focus and adjust light levels function on the N97?

                                I guess you are wrong, fanboi.

                                  • ?
                                  • Anonymous
                                  • m5m
                                  • 05 Jul 2009

                                  the review seems biased

                                    • ?
                                    • Anonymous
                                    • tAV
                                    • 05 Jul 2009

                                    Flames, 05 Jul 2009Geez, it seems as if they come off a conveyor belt around t... moreIn no way am I saying the camera is good on the 3G S. You lashed out at gsmarena for praising the 3G S's camera when they didn't like the N97s camera features even though the latter was better. Obviously the camera on the N97 is superior, it's no comparison. My point that I have been trying to get across is that gsmarena's praise of the 3G S's camera was due to the significant upgrade it was from the previous model, which was what they were comparing it with. The N97's one is still practically the same in specs compared the N96 and N95. Also I would like to add that you are not buying a 3G S just for it's camera.

                                      • ?
                                      • Anonymous
                                      • 3J1
                                      • 05 Jul 2009

                                      For the love of god!

                                      ha ha ha ha ha


                                      what a joke

                                      http://www.trustedreviews.com/mobile-phones/news/2009/07/03/Apple-Admits-iPhone-3GS-Overheats/p1

                                      funny how GSM Arena didnt mention this? ..........figures!

                                        • D
                                        • Davis
                                        • 3J1
                                        • 05 Jul 2009

                                        Flames speaks complete sense, Apple make me sick, the i-phone 3GS is nothing special, i tried one in the shop and i thought "yeah, not bad" - but still got lame camera, no bluetooth file transfer, poor call quality, mono speaker, average audio quality with headphones, (not enough volume on maximum)
                                        no flash in the web browser, no multitasking, - anyway, enough bashing, let the fanboys buy it, who gives a crap