iPhone 3G S Arrives: First Impressions, Video, Speed

[MacRumors]

http://www.macrumors.com/images/macrumorsthreadlogo.gif (http://www.macrumors.com/2009/06/19/iphone-3g-s-arrives-first-impressions-video-speed/)


http://images.macrumors.com/article/2009/06/19/103055-6_500.jpg

Photo by Buckit (http://forums.macrumors.com/showpost.php?p=7879957&postcount=63)
The iPhone 3G S went on sale this morning 7 a.m. local time in the United States. First impressions by MacRumors forum members are being recorded in this thread (http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=725621). Highlights include

- "...really does seem a lot faster than my 1st gen, and a lot smoother."
- "Video recording alone makes it worth it - the quality's great."
- "One thing I have noticed in comparison to my 3G is that the screen colours are much warmer - a lot less blue."
- "The screen is great, tap all over it and you barely see any finger prints."

Overall, reactions have been very positive to the quality of the video coming out of the iPhone 3G S. One user posted this YouTube video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeqz15ohU2E) directly from the iPhone 3G S. Meanwhile, fdot posted (http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=725753) a raw QuickTime movie (.mov file - 8.5MB (http://images.appshopper.com/downloads/IMG_0004.MOV)) showing the raw quality of the video. Some more photos (http://picasaweb.google.com/jaredjanacek/IPhone3GS?feat=directlink#) taken with the iPhone 3G S have also been posted.

The iPhone 3G S is, of course, much faster than the iPhone 3G. Some users are posting (http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=725644) speed comparisons between the two models. We recorded this side-by-side video showing the web rendering speed of the iPhone 3G S and iPhone 3G when on the same Wi-Fi network.



Article Link: iPhone 3G S Arrives: First Impressions, Video, Speed (http://www.macrumors.com/2009/06/19/iphone-3g-s-arrives-first-impressions-video-speed/)

[kemble54]

I just saw Phil Schiller at the Palo Alto Apple Store this morning. He's the man!

[SydneyDev]

Wow - that's noticeably faster. A faster CPU really can make a difference to Internet speed.

[williamtcforsyt]

I just saw Phil Schiller at the Palo Alto Apple Store this morning. He's the man!

Awesome, wish we had some famous faces in the UK - those outside some O2 stores got bagels and bottles of water, oh and Metro newspaper.

I reckon jonathan Ive should come back home for iPhone launches and say hi :-)

[fastbite]

The screen of the 3G S looks rather yellow ???

[ifirth]

But I hope that video doesn't open up the whole debate about yellow versus blue screens again:rolleyes: - unless of course I just have

[emulator]

Overall, reactions have been very positive to the quality of the video coming out of the iPhone 3G S.
yes, like you would read negative opinons on an apple fan board... :)

[Yoursh]

Also picked up a 3GS this morning. Had to try the video upload myself. link (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKBHNdWMGEc) Upload took 2min over 3G.

[theheadguy]

What about voice control -- how is everyone liking it?

[belltree]

One thing I'd like to know about (but have yet to hear) the iPhone 3GS is, what exactly is the "Olephobic" chemical coating the device composed of? What is the toxicity of it and is it a 'nano' material? As people will be touching/handling the device for countless hours a day I think it is an important thing to disclose to the public.

[mattster16]

Activating and setting up my new phone as we speak! Excited to use it and see the difference (I'm coming from a 2G, so I'm sure there will be a big one).

I ended up driving behind the UPS truck that had my phone on the way to work today, it was perfect timing.

[igazza]

Hows the video?... Strange youtube resolution

[QCassidy352]

yes, like you would read negative opinons on an apple fan board... :)

are you kidding me? complaining is the primary pasttime of MR!

(my 3GS delivers by 3 pm... upgrading from 2G... sooo excited! :D)

Oh, and the increased web browsing speed on the same wifi network is very impressive. IMO the newer processor/more RAM is going to make a noticable difference across the board.

[D0rk]

UPS dropped my phone off at my office an hour ago.

I will always be amazed at Apple's ability to package a product. I've always bought my previous iPhones as refurbs from AT&T and so I get their standardized refurb phone box. This thing is sweet.

Can't activate yet, which isn't a big deal, I need to backup my phone anyways and let the activation traffic wind down from this morning.

[SpaceKitty]

What about voice control -- how is everyone liking it?

Voice control works great! I told it call a few people in my contacts and it worked everytime. Also told it to dial a number digit by digit and it worked perfectly.

Played some songs just by telling it to. Also made a playlist just like in the keynote.

It works!! :)

[Bryan605]

First Impressions:

- The thing is BLAZING compared to the 3g. Boots in less then 15 seconds!!!!
- Syncing is faster, internet is fast, app loading faster.
- The screen has the yellow warm feeling. I like blue but i can live.
- Camera quality is awesome.
- Video Record is very cool. Have to try the upload.
- Voice Commands Rock!!!
- The screen still get s prints but not as easily as the 3g.

Definitely worth the upgrade!!!

[Mr Maui]

I'd like to see Jon4Lakers to do his comparison to the BlackBerry Storm against the 3Gs now. Bet the browser knocks out the Storm this time in loading ... even with 2 bars versus 4 bars. ;)

[retroneo]

One thing I'd like to know about (but have yet to hear) the iPhone 3GS is, what exactly is the "Olephobic" chemical coating the device composed of? What is the toxicity of it and is it a 'nano' material? As people will be touching/handling the device for countless hours a day I think it is an important thing to disclose to the public.

It's likely a fluorocarbon like teflon. Just like your oleophobic frypan coating.

[L3X]

That's cool that it is about twice as fast on Safari.

Still, it's not worth the upgrade money for me. I will wait till next summer when my K is up. Hopefully, I can switch back to Verizon.

[gnasher729]

yes, like you would read negative opinons on an apple fan board... :)

One thing I'd like to know about (but have yet to hear) the iPhone 3GS is, what exactly is the "Olephobic" chemical coating the device composed of? What is the toxicity of it and is it a 'nano' material? As people will be touching/handling the device for countless hours a day I think it is an important thing to disclose to the public.

Emulator, does that answer your question? :rolleyes:

[Zerozal]

Hmmm... in the posted video, it would be helpful to know if the 3G was running OS 3.0 or not. One of the improvements in OS 3.0 was improved rendering speed, even on 3G (not just 3GS) hardware.

I'd like to see a 3-way comparison between the 3G running 2.x, the 3G running 3.0, and the 3GS.

[ghostface147]

The 3G S had 1 bar for signal and the 3G had no service. Too funny.

[ferrous]

It is just so funny, when I first got my iPhone 3G it was fast, much faster than the previous one... but seriously, a year later, my iPhone 3G is MUCH SLOWER than it was when I bought it! Even wipe/reinstall doesn't make it faster. I look at the new iPhones 3G at the apple store and they're snappier and faster, than my "identical" 3G.

My point is, in a year, the iPhone 3G S won't be as snappy and fast as they are now.... I wished there were more substantial updates to the iPhone, I don't feel it's worthwile the upgrade, maybe the next iPhone 4G will be a nice change, for a change... LOL.

[ghostface147]

The screen of the 3G S looks rather yellow ???

They did adjust the temperature again, so it is a bit more yellow.

[ghostface147]

It is just so funny, when I first got my iPhone 3G it was fast, much faster than the previous one... but seriously, a year later, my iPhone 3G is MUCH SLOWER than it was when I bought it! Even wipe/reinstall doesn't make it faster. I

My point is, in a year, the iPhone 3G S won't be as snappy and fast as they are now.... I wished there were more substantial updates to the iPhone, I don't feel it's worthwile the upgrade, maybe the next iPhone 4G will be a nice change, for a change... LOL.


I am wondering how much overhead each OS update adds. 3.0 is a bigger beast than 2.2.1 or below, so that may have something to do with it. Overall, I agree with your statement about overall OS response.

[arn]

The 3G S had 1 bar for signal and the 3G had no service. Too funny.

The 3G had been deactivated. So it doesn't get service anymore.

arn

[gri]

It is just so funny, when I first got my iPhone 3G it was fast, much faster than the previous one... but seriously, a year later, my iPhone 3G is MUCH SLOWER than it was when I bought it! Even wipe/reinstall doesn't make it faster. I look at the new iPhones 3G at the apple store and they're snappier and faster, than my "identical" 3G.

My point is, in a year, the iPhone 3G S won't be as snappy and fast as they are now.... I wished there were more substantial updates to the iPhone, I don't feel it's worthwile the upgrade, maybe the next iPhone 4G will be a nice change, for a change... LOL.

By than the 5G will be better... :D

[iPhoneNYC]

Are there any comments about the voice quality on the 3GS? Remember, it is indeed a phone: has signal strength or sound quality been improved? Here in the US one has to battle the devil ATT so I'm wondering if the phone itself has gotten better.

[appleluver]

I picked up my 3GS this morning from AT&T store and as soon as I got to work tested the speed to my current 3G and it is amazingly fast. I love the compass and voice control as well :D

[ferrous]

Are there any comments about the voice quality on the 3GS? Remember, it is indeed a phone: has signal strength or sound quality been improved? Here in the US one has to battle the devil ATT so I'm wondering if the phone itself has gotten better.

Yes, that's a great question. Coming from Sprint when I got 3G, I was very very disappointed with the service quality. Even now, on OS 3 my iPhone 3G drops calls, calls fail all the time, or people complain the voice quality is terrible so they can't understand me. (I'm venting now, sorry)

But I'd like to see people's opinions on the 3G S's voice/service quality. Is it good/very good/or the same i.e.: terrible.

[ryanide]

Yes, that's a great question. Coming from Sprint when I got 3G, I was very very disappointed with the service quality. Even now, on OS 3 my iPhone 3G drops calls, calls fail all the time, or people complain the voice quality is terrible so they can't understand me. (I'm venting now, sorry)

But I'd like to see people's opinions on the 3G S's voice/service quality. Is it good/very good/or the same i.e.: terrible.



I'm really not looking forward to another 2 years of limited cell service and having to forward my calls to my landline while at home... :eek:

[ghostface147]

The 3G had been deactivated. So it doesn't get service anymore.

arn

Ah dammit.....I didn't even think about that. Sorry.

[troller]

Right now I try to buy it without this ****** contract ******** in Switzerland. Seems to be impossible.... WTF :mad:

[daddywags214]

I've just upgraded from the 2G and the difference in speed is quite surprising. The interface, the rotation, and of course, web browsing. Very happy with my upgrade; worth every penny.

[Rhalliwell1]

From my experience the iPhone is a lot faster, video is better than i expected, image quality could still do with some work -- flash is needed i think. Voice control? seamless. cannot fault it. As for the compass it works well but i don't know if it is worth the home screen space. Personally i feel Apple should have left it up to the developers to create a little compass app instead of shipping it with one. Because of complications with my tariff i don't as yet have 3G connectivity so i cannot test tethering and i think for similar reasons i don't have MMS support. Cut/Copy/Paste as described in the video. (http://www.apple.com/uk/iphone/guidedtour/)

[skuban]

Hmmm... in the posted video, it would be helpful to know if the 3G was running OS 3.0 or not. One of the improvements in OS 3.0 was improved rendering speed, even on 3G (not just 3GS) hardware.

I'd like to see a 3-way comparison between the 3G running 2.x, the 3G running 3.0, and the 3GS.

I agree it'd be nice to see both the HW & SW speed improvements (or at least know if we're seeing one or both in the video)

Scott

[conraddon]

Just got it, 3 things that are noticeable the second you get your greedy little hands on it. 1.) Apps, internet load so much faster than 3G, I didn't really think i'd see a difference. But you do and its there. 2.) The new screen, feels so much nicer, less greasy build up? oh that sounds gross, but finger prints etc are less noticeable. 3.) Voice Control is awesome, there is no set up or anything just grab and go, so far i've made all my calls this way. WORKS GREAT.... pretty happy.:)

[peterlobl]

wowza!

had my 3g stolen last year... withdrawal maximum, got a touch to tide me over... very svelte, seemed rather quick...

but this 3GS ---- thickness seemed odd at first, then it's like holding a warm, familiar hand... mmmmmm (the sound of a grown manchild melting..)

seriously --- like video is great, apps run really really quickly, integration and syncing was simple!!

if u wanna hear a complaint, well, call quality (on the streets of philly) aint the best... but it's no worse than i remember... tho to me, my little $10 LG can't be beat for that...

waiting for the itablet next

[iGary]

Got my two phones via UPS at 10:00 a.m.

Just activated the first one in no time at all, almost done syncing all my media. Very smooth activation; I was surprised.

[applecultvictim]

I am wondering how much overhead each OS update adds. 3.0 is a bigger beast than 2.2.1 or below, so that may have something to do with it. Overall, I agree with your statement about overall OS response.

If they haven't adjusted it and done the test for both with 3.0 then it's no good take it down. :rolleyes: Mine is noticeable faster with safari, my 3g that is, than it used to be.


Plus it's rather stupid to the test safari, test another app instead between the phones and between app switching that's the test.

[stagi]

updating mine right now, review coming soon to my blog :)

[Hawkeye411]

Is it just me or is the ringer volume louder on the 3G S?

[Dagless]

Wow at the speed difference! A definite improvement... Can't wait for mine now.

[analytical44]

wowza!

but this 3GS ---- thickness seemed odd at first, then it's like holding a warm, familiar hand... mmmmmm (the sound of a grown manchild melting..)

waiting for the itablet next

Haha, that made me laugh. And you're from Philly, you get extra cool points.

The phone is amazing though. I don't see how anyone could think that the jump from the original to the 3G can even compare with the jump from the 3G to the 3GS. It's so much faster! I didn't even notice a bump in the speed between the 1st and 2nd gens, really they seemed like the exact same phone except one had GPS.

With this new beast you can feel the difference in everything that you do. I've always been one who wants technology to respond almost immediately after I ask it to do something. While the 3G was great, the lag and hanging could get so frustrating (especially when trying to respond to a text received when the phone was locked). The 3GS seemingly has completely eliminated this (and similar) problems. While I agree it will slow down a bit after putting all of your media/information on it and beating it up with daily use for a few months but it's that much quicker than the 3G that I don't think I'll be complaining. 3Gers, you will not regret the upgrade.

[zachattack936]

I made my own speed test video of the New York Times loading on wifi between the iPhone 3G and 3GS.. See link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuKh5LE8mFQ

[blindzero]

Are there any comments about the voice quality on the 3GS? Remember, it is indeed a phone: has signal strength or sound quality been improved? Here in the US one has to battle the devil ATT so I'm wondering if the phone itself has gotten better.

its by no means scientific but i just called someone and they said "my god, you don't sound underwater anymore". sounds like a positive.

im in US on AT&T and coming from iPhone 1st Gen.

[fabian9]

They did adjust the temperature again, so it is a bit more yellow.

wow i wonder what it'll look like compared to the 1st gen, as the 3G was already "warmer" than the 1st gen color wise...

[DELLsFan]

Voice control works great! I told it call a few people in my contacts and it worked everytime. Also told it to dial a number digit by digit and it worked perfectly.

Played some songs just by telling it to. Also made a playlist just like in the keynote.

It works!! :)

Now has anyone been able to use third party bluetooth devices to activate the voice control? Does VC allow my Jawbone, Motorola T505, or BlueAnt Supertooth Light to activate VC so that the iPhone can be finally toted as a hands free device in my car? :confused:

[Mr Maui]

To those who have received the new 3Gs phones ... Can someone make and receive some calls and provide feedback regarding the call service and quality of the 3Gs versus the 3G, including feedback from the recipients of the calls. Thanks.

[cRuNcHiE]

Anyone know ofthe 3gs supports 5ghz 802.11n wifi? My 3g only supports 2.4ghz 802.11n which means I have to setup a separate AP for it

[trustbyte]

Right now I try to buy it without this ****** contract ******** in Switzerland. Seems to be impossible.... WTF :mad:

Here you go, in Italy

http://iphone.vodafone.it/offerta_ricaricabile.html

F$$K thats expensive. Punks try to sell the old one to the same price, 499E and the new one almost the price of a second hand car..

Hold your horses guys, in a month or two the price will drop..

[applecultvictim]

Here you go, in Italy

http://iphone.vodafone.it/offerta_ricaricabile.html

F$$K thats expensive. Punks try to sell the old one to the same price, 499E and the new one almost the price of a second hand car..

Hold your horses guys, in a month or two the price will drop..

Same here in Greece, they should be wipped in the .... the greedy bastards.

[HFU]

Does anyone know if the 3G unit on the left was running iPhone OS 3.0?

This has been mentioned when Apple launched first gen iPhone, and mentioned again one year ago when 3G got released, and now...

Apple please include LCD Color Profile setting for future iPhone OS update!!!

Some people preferred more yellow (warm) color screen, others preferred more blue screen. We need options!

[Carlos E]

Anyone know ofthe 3gs supports 5ghz 802.11n wifi? My 3g only supports 2.4ghz 802.11n which means I have to setup a separate AP for it
It does not. I have a 5Ghz N network and my iPhone 3GS doesn't see it.

[Carlos E]

To those who have received the new 3Gs phones ... Can someone make and receive some calls and provide feedback regarding the call service and quality of the 3Gs versus the 3G, including feedback from the recipients of the calls. Thanks.
I moved from a first gen edge iPhone to the iPhone 3GS and the signal strength and call quality is much higher. I friend of mine used to complain about getting static talking to me at home and he said the call with the new phone was loud and clear. The over all volume on the phone is louder. Ringer, speaker phone, bluetooth.

[chr1s60]

Wow, that rendering speed is very impressive. I can't wait to get mine next week!

[applecultvictim]

Some people preferred more yellow (warm) color screen, others preferred more blue screen. We need options!

never hurts to ask for it, but apple being apple we might have to wait...:rolleyes:

[chelsel]

Can you surf the net and be on a call at the same time? The 1st gen EDGE phone won't let me do that... supposedly 3G lets you, any confirmation?

Cliff.

[applecultvictim]

Wow, that rendering speed is very impressive. I can't wait to get mine next week!

Get 3.0 os on your old 3g if you have it, rendering is impressive there too. Not much to tell from the vid, bad comparison....

[paulvdb]

http://iphone.vodafone.it/offerta_ricaricabile.html

WOW!, that's expensive. I thought $299 for a phone was a lot.

[chr1s60]

Get 3.0 os on your old 3g if you have it, rendering is impressive there too. Not much to tell from the vid, bad comparison....

I have been running 3.0 since last week and did notice a nice speed improvement, but if both of those phones in the video are on 3.0, that is a nice improvement in rendering.

[taeclee99]

does tethering work on the 3g/s? if so what tethering method did you use?

website profile install or itunes profile install?

[twoodcc]

wow. that video looked very good for a cell phone. makes me want one

[freiheit]

SD video camera, huh? I predict HD video camera will be a feature of the 4th generation iPhone.

Now if only they'd add this kind of stuff to the iPod Touch for those of us who can't justify a $60+ per month cellphone plan.

[11800506]

I'm impressed with the video! It has pretty god quality especially for a cell phone camera. Also, it's good news to hear that it's so much quicker feeling. My 1G iPod touch definitely feels like it's slowing down and isn't quite as smooth as it should be.

[ghostface147]

Just picked up mine from Memorial City Mall in Houston....the speed difference is noticeable. However when I do a side by side, since my company supports all smartphones, the accelerometer is faster on the Storm and Pre. I still think the Storm sucks and that the Pre is too young at the moment.

[manu chao]

Same here in Greece, they should be wipped in the .... the greedy bastards.
You are aware that you are referring to Apple with that? Apple is charging these prices:
http://store.apple.com/it/browse/home/shop_iphone/family/iphone?mco=MTE2OTU

[Zerozal]

Can you surf the net and be on a call at the same time? The 1st gen EDGE phone won't let me do that... supposedly 3G lets you, any confirmation?

Cliff.

Yes, that is a feature of the 3G network; you can talk and surf at the same time.

[ppdix]

Hotter than my MacBook Air. :rolleyes:

[ghostface147]

Yes, that is a feature of the 3G network; you can talk and surf at the same time.


Correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't CDMA/EVDO not allow that? Another reason why it's a dead end technology......

[TrailingZee]

One thing I'd like to know about (but have yet to hear) the iPhone 3GS is, what exactly is the "Olephobic" chemical coating the device composed of? What is the toxicity of it and is it a 'nano' material? As people will be touching/handling the device for countless hours a day I think it is an important thing to disclose to the public.

Much more than you'd want to know regarding oleophobic coatings can be found here: <http://www.freepatentsonline.com/EP1555249.html>

[vivithemage]

Yeah, the thing is pretty damn quick. I was able to play with a co-workers 3GS....much quicker then my 3G.

[julianewus]

I dont use facebook much on my phone, but i had it on my 3g, and have it on my s as well, and the s had it up as soon as i clicked on it, and it took the regular 3g about 10 seconds. ITS SOOOOOO FAST!!!! NO LAG AT ALL!!!!

[chris975d]

Is it just me or is the ringer volume louder on the 3G S?

I've noticed this as well. In fact, on mine, it's A LOT louder. At only about 75-80% of max volume, the speaker starts cracking/distorting a bit when playing ringtones, music, or games. It does seem much louder, at least on my unit. I was going to ask this myself on here.

[tivoboy]

Correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't CDMA/EVDO not allow that? Another reason why it's a dead end technology......

YEs, I believe CDMA/EVDO Rev A does this.

[Mr Maui]

Can anyone out in the Appleverse with a new 3G-S provide call quality/service feedback yet, including feedback from callers on the other end of the calls? I've still seen zero information on this.

[nws0291]

I'm new to ATT and I was on Sprint before. ATT is about as fast or slightly faster here in Fort Lauderdale. Full bar 3G coverage.

Speed test
Down: 1542Kbp/s average 1695Kbps/s highest
Up: 232Kbp/s average 232Kbp/s highest

[auburnfan24]

I'm new to ATT and I was on Sprint before. ATT is about as fast or slightly faster here in Fort Lauderdale. Full bar 3G coverage.

Speed test
Down: 1542Kbp/s average 1695Kbps/s highest
Up: 232Kbp/s average 232Kbp/s highest


Check it out! This is inside my office...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v75/auburnfan/st.jpg

[nws0291]

Just picked up mine from Memorial City Mall in Houston....the speed difference is noticeable. However when I do a side by side, since my company supports all smartphones, the accelerometer is faster on the Storm and Pre. I still think the Storm sucks and that the Pre is too young at the moment.

The Pre accelerometer is much better. Like you I also feel the Pre is not ready yet. I think it will be a VERY good phone in 6 months to a year with some software updates.

[stagi]

I put a few images from the 3GS and video on my blog for anyone who wants to see camera samples:

http://wedclix.com/blog

-- Mark

[nws0291]

Check it out! This is inside my office...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v75/auburnfan/st.jpg

Same for me. Sitting in my office. What general area of the country are you located? I used the Xtreme Labs speedtest.

Forgive me but I am new to the iPhone but how do you do screen captures?

[Whorehay]

power+home button

[PolySciSurfer]

Bummer, they STILL didn't fix the ATT issue. :rolleyes:

When it comes to T-Mobile or Verizon, I'm sold! :D :apple:

[Romanesq]

SD video camera, huh? I predict HD video camera will be a feature of the 4th generation iPhone.

Now if only they'd add this kind of stuff to the iPod Touch for those of us who can't justify a $60+ per month cellphone plan.

The current hardware has been confirmed as capable to do 720p. Question is only if Apple will want to do it. It will take up a lot more space in recording.

[casmith07]

I got mine today on my lunch break and I love it - I'm refraining from setting up my contacts yet because I want to do it with my address book on my MacBook Pro.

I'm so glad I made the switch. This phone rocks face!!!:D

[blindzero]

Can anyone out in the Appleverse with a new 3G-S provide call quality/service feedback yet, including feedback from callers on the other end of the calls? I've still seen zero information on this.

I posted earlier, but compared to 1st Gen iPhone, everyone that I called today noticed a huge improvement and remarked about it even when I didn't tell them I got the 3GS. Maybe 3G was already a lot better, not sure.

[aricher]

Having owned all previous iPhones on respective launch days I can say this is the best yet! Everything is MUCH faster than the 3G, it's like buttah!

[tbealmear]

Can anyone out in the Appleverse with a new 3G-S provide call quality/service feedback yet, including feedback from callers on the other end of the calls? I've still seen zero information on this.

I called my mother earlier. Call quality was great. My previous iPhone 2g was very good too, just waaay to quiet. Very clear. Not too loud, not to quiet. Would be nice if it went a little louder, but thats just so you have some play room.

[planethitsradio]

I am very happy with my 3GS.. speed is faster, and tethering works, yay!
Only took 4 freakin hours in the store. Rogers systems decided to crap out today and not let existing users do upgrades, :(

[tbealmear]

I cannot believe how much faster this thing is from my 2g iPhone. Games, applications, web pages, switching between screens (like in the menus) is just blazing fast. Side by side comparisons are fun to do! Also, I can finally hear when I get an email! The speaker/earpiece is much louder. I am not sure tho if it is any louder/quieter from the 3G phones. Amazing device!

[Redneck1089]

I am very happy with my 3GS.. speed is faster, and tethering works, yay!
Only took 4 freakin hours in the store. Rogers systems decided to crap out today and not let existing users do upgrades, :(

Ha! Last year the same thing happened, only it was for much longer than four hours. I hate Rogers so much...

[BobVB]

Now has anyone been able to use third party bluetooth devices to activate the voice control?

My Motorola BT doesn't activate Voice Control, the only time it picks up is after dialing is complete.

[Mr Maui]

I called my mother earlier. Call quality was great. My previous iPhone 2g was very good too, just waaay to quiet. Very clear. Not too loud, not to quiet. Would be nice if it went a little louder, but thats just so you have some play room.

I've spoken to some people who said their 3G phones had a hollow or echoing sound on the recipient's end and I am just trying to find out if that has been improved on the new 3Gs from the 3G (2nd Gen). I had already assumed it had improved from the original 1st Gen.

I called my mother earlier. Call quality was great. My previous iPhone 2g was very good too, just waaay to quiet. Very clear. Not too loud, not to quiet. Would be nice if it went a little louder, but thats just so you have some play room.

By 2g did you mean the 2nd generation Original 3G iPhone?

[auburnfan24]

Same for me. Sitting in my office. What general area of the country are you located? I used the Xtreme Labs speedtest.

Forgive me but I am new to the iPhone but how do you do screen captures?

southeast around birmingham. i am very impressed with the speeds so far. this is from the speestest app in the app store (free)

[DELLsFan]

My Motorola BT doesn't activate Voice Control, the only time it picks up is after dialing is complete.

:eek:

WTF?

Is it that difficult to enable a feature that every other friggin cell phone has? Voice activation isn't new. Those of us who travel rely on it to avoid not only tickets - but accidents from distracted driving. What's the difference between pressing my button on my Blueant speaker or BT earpiece to activate "voice control" and the iPhone's home button? Apparently, about a foot or so - since Apple doesn't care to play nice with third party hardware! :mad:

[MacUser4_20]

Holy Blazing FAST Batman!!

http://www.sfbavw.net/albums/Sale/SPEEDTEST.jpg

[BobVB]

:eek:
Is it that difficult to enable a feature that every other friggin cell phone has? Voice activation isn't new.

Yes it seems to send something other than what all our 'hook click' BT headsets do. Who knows if BT can even send the signal that will activate VC?

[Carlos E]

So if I'm upgrading from a 2G iPhone... do I swap the SIM card, or do I just transfer via iTunes?
I just swapped my SIM from my gen 1 edge prepaid iPhone into the 3GS. It said connect to iTunes. I plugged it in and it activated. I have a working prepaid 3GS. :-D !!!

[Carlos E]

Can anyone out in the Appleverse with a new 3G-S provide call quality/service feedback yet, including feedback from callers on the other end of the calls? I've still seen zero information on this.
I posted this earlier:

I moved from a first gen edge iPhone to the iPhone 3GS and the signal strength and call quality is much higher. I friend of mine used to complain about getting static talking to me at home and he said the call with the new phone was loud and clear. The over all volume on the phone is louder. Ringer, speaker phone, bluetooth

[julianewus]

anyone notice that the speakers are louder??

[Carlos E]

anyone notice that the speakers are louder??
Yes

[frjonah]

No, not World of Warcraft, lol!

Just got my first ever iPhone today and it's great (other than no 3g in Asheville yet). What a wonderful, intuitive device.

Call quality so far has been remakably good according to my listeners. So far, only good things to say... no activation problems whatsoever.

[BohoTrash]

Wow, the video footage is actually quite impressive. Personally I am happy with my 3G and OS3 but I must admit that if the video quality on 3GS really is that good I am mildly envious. I still plan to hold out for iPhone 4 but, crikey, if my 3G ever has an accident and 'needs' replacing I will definitely have to find the means to fund this new baby! :)

[JuBe]

Although it may be a little tedious, if the compass app shows the coordinates, you could take screen shots after you take pictures with a camera incapable of geo-caching, I guess you could use it as a last resort.

[ryanide]

Holy Blazing FAST Batman!!

http://www.sfbavw.net/albums/Sale/SPEEDTEST.jpg

thought that would be a given???

[ggt]

I'm not happy with mine, I'm taking it back to the o2 store tomorrow and hopefully get it replaced.

The bezel is really sharp all the way around at the point it meets the plastic back. It feels really uncomfortable to hold. My 3G was totally flush.

Maybe I'm just unlucky, has anyone else got build quality issues?

[iJesus]

Is it just me or does anyone else that voice control is the best new feature? It really has a lot of potential; and for me, it has now become more important of a buying point than video.

I am definitely loving this new iPhone 3G S.

[archurban]

comparing internet speed is stupid because it depends on how faster you can use service. it could be worse or better.

[gcmexico]

I must say I'm loving the new 3GS...I've had all 3 but this one is sweetest...video recording is easy and looks pretty nice...glad I upgraded again..oh and that I had it mailed to me...7hr in one line last year is enough for a life time!:D

[jlewis2k1]

After seeing images of speed results... I wanted to see what my iPod Touch was capable of and here are the results. I know this thread is about 3GS but why not show what I got?

[macshill]

After seeing images of speed results... I wanted to see what my iPod Touch was capable of and here are the results. I know this thread is about 3GS but why not show what I got?

Thank you for doing that. I'm glad you did. Only having ONE of the two devices. Hint: I'm NOT bouncing off the walls here, unlike you guys. :p

[DMann]

yes, like you would read negative opinons on an apple fan board... :) You'd be surprised - quite the opposite is the norm, especially after product releases.

are you kidding me? complaining is the primary pasttime of MR!

(my 3GS delivers by 3 pm... upgrading from 2G... sooo excited! :D)

Oh, and the increased web browsing speed on the same wifi network is very impressive. IMO the newer processor/more RAM is going to make a noticable difference across the board.And it does - Apps which took 7 seconds to open in the 3G now open in less than 2 - the GS is amazingly responsive across the board.

It is just so funny, when I first got my iPhone 3G it was fast, much faster than the previous one... but seriously, a year later, my iPhone 3G is MUCH SLOWER than it was when I bought it! Even wipe/reinstall doesn't make it faster. I look at the new iPhones 3G at the apple store and they're snappier and faster, than my "identical" 3G.

My point is, in a year, the iPhone 3G S won't be as snappy and fast as they are now.... I wished there were more substantial updates to the iPhone, I don't feel it's worthwile the upgrade, maybe the next iPhone 4G will be a nice change, for a change... LOL. Speed is restored once you remove the pages of extra third party apps, as well as clearing the cache with either a reset, or firmware upgrade. With the new processor and extra RAM in the 3GS, i do not imagine that the heaviest load of apps would dampen the speed of this beast.

[ggt]

That might be the most retarded thing I have read all day

Care to explain yourself? You seem to have a problem with me expecting a product without build defects after paying £440 for it.

Actually don't bother, by the looks of things your just a troll.

[macshill]

Flip Has Little Chance In An iPhone World
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/20/AR2009062000285.html

I'm far from being a "fanboy", but I have to totally agree w/ this article. You have the iPhone. It does video. It does video BETTER than the Flip in many ways. Why carry it (The Flip?)? :apple:

[Galley]

I moved from the original iPhone, and I would have to say that overall performance is 2-5x greater. :)

[Habakuk]

- "The screen is great, tap all over it and you barely see any finger prints."

There are some postings in German-language forums telling that the new coating is not as slithery and smooth especially on the touchscreen than the previous models. And it's not "easier to clean" as claimed by Apple.

Speed ("S"!) on typing (or sliding of fingertips in some games or other apps) will be retarded.

[yegon]

Interesting video, confirms everything I've read elsewhere - nice hardware, essential purchase if you're new to the iPhone or possibly still have the 2G.... but for me certainly not worth the price of an upgrade from a 3G as I'm not bothered about the better camera, video and compass.

Since updating my 3G to 3.0 I've noticed slightly longer transitions/loading of apps, but they're generally swifter when they are loaded.

2010, iPhone IV, 64GB, yes please!

[RockTheGlobe]

Are there any comments about the voice quality on the 3GS? Remember, it is indeed a phone: has signal strength or sound quality been improved? Here in the US one has to battle the devil ATT so I'm wondering if the phone itself has gotten better.

Coming from Verizon (I know, friends have told me what to expect), the call quality is not as good... people on the other end of the call sound metallic and hollow. I've already had my first few dropped calls.

My other issue is that my fiancee's new 16GB 3GS has at least 2 bars of better reception than I do with the new 32GB 3GS. I've put the phones side by side (as well as put them in the exact same position for comparison), and her phone gets a much better signal than mine... sometimes hers is the only one that even gets a signal while mine reads "No Service." Tempted to bring mine back to AT&T and exchange it to see if it's a problem with my specific iPhone... or is anyone else experiencing reception differences between the 16 & 32 for some unknown reason?

[aristotle]

YEs, I believe CDMA/EVDO Rev A does this.
That really does not matter anymore since Verizon is currently testing LTE so by the 2011 timeframe, you should seem AT&T, MetroPCS and Verizon on LTE in the US and Rogers/Fido, Telus and Bell in Canada on HSPA (3G) by 2010.
http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2008/07/21/tech-cellphones.html

With that migration and the death of the upgrade to CDMA, CDMA is pretty much a dead man walking.

[stagi]

Flip Has Little Chance In An iPhone World
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/20/AR2009062000285.html

I'm far from being a "fanboy", but I have to totally agree w/ this article. You have the iPhone. It does video. It does video BETTER than the Flip in many ways. Why carry it (The Flip?)? :apple:
True! Now I won't carry my canon P&S camera as much since the iPhone camera is decent and can take video. I was going to get a flip awhile back but held out for the iPhone

[iMacoo7]

This is my speed test from my 3G iphone.... I still got the speed when it comes to the network. Going to still wait a week to get the new 3GS ,I want to read as many reviews as possible as well as seeing if any sort of problems start to arise like the 3G had last year (Cracking in the housing on the back of some 3G iphones). After a week and its died down a bit then ill go ahead and take the plunge. I think a week is a long enough time span to sort out any kind of hardware problems that might be going on with the new iphone.

[vansouza]

My iPhone 3G never got my home correct; even though I am only a few feet from my street it would get the street in the back of the house. My new iPhone 3G S now pegs not only the street but the exact address.

Very happy here.

[Jimmy James]

It is just so funny, when I first got my iPhone 3G it was fast, much faster than the previous one... but seriously, a year later, my iPhone 3G is MUCH SLOWER than it was when I bought it! Even wipe/reinstall doesn't make it faster. I look at the new iPhones 3G at the apple store and they're snappier and faster, than my "identical" 3G.

My point is, in a year, the iPhone 3G S won't be as snappy and fast as they are now.... I wished there were more substantial updates to the iPhone, I don't feel it's worthwile the upgrade, maybe the next iPhone 4G will be a nice change, for a change... LOL.

The new phone appears to have double the speed.

If both the 3G and 3GS slow down as they get filled with apps, then double the speed becomes doubly important!

[brownieguy19]

I'm not happy with mine, I'm taking it back to the o2 store tomorrow and hopefully get it replaced.

The bezel is really sharp all the way around at the point it meets the plastic back. It feels really uncomfortable to hold. My 3G was totally flush.

Maybe I'm just unlucky, has anyone else got build quality issues?

I got a build quality issue. The bezel on the right side of my screen is pretty rough/sharp. Took it back to the store today and they said it's not always flush and it's within the range of error. Lame. I'm going to call apple care and just have then send me a new one. I feel the same way, spend $200 for a rough bezel, sorry Apple you can give me a new one until I'm happy.

Also, while in GPS mode on the way to the apple store, the "beam" had me pointed due North. Compass built into the car? South. Really strange. The Genius tested it in the store and it has to be within 15 degrees of their demo unit.

[iMacoo7]

The new phone appears to have double the speed.

If both the 3G and 3GS slow down as they get filled with apps, then double the speed becomes doubly important!

+1 all the way. I disagree with the other person about the speed of the iphone after a year. My 3G is still as fast as when I first received it.
The more apps the slower the iphone.... simple...
Lessen the apps to increase the speed.
If you have only 1 or 2 pages of apps, the performance isnt affected one bit. once you start to exceed and hit 4-5 pages then you start to see a little bit of creapitis come allong...

[Bryan605]

So I had to go get mine replaced.

Issues: GPS was not locating and yellow screen.

The screen is not suppose to be yellow. Go look at the units in the apple store they are white not yellow.

Also my GOS would never find my location.

Got it replaced and it works awesome now.

[neutrino23]

I couldnt' wait so picked one up today. Really awesome.

Even the box is cool. The cover of the box has a picture of the iPhone. The home button is slightly indented so that it feels like the real phone. When you open the box it has a really snug fit so that it opens slowly and smoothly. Feels nice. No detail is too small for Apple. Gotta love it.

[AlohaTiger]

I like that I can select my bluetooth headset as an audio source for the voice memos. But it sucks that I can't select it as a source for video. The video camera app seems to use the iPhone mic, unless you have the earbuds plugged in--then it uses the earbud mic.

I hope they patch this, because it would be great to mic somebody in a video using a bluetooth headset.

[efengle]

Upgraded to 32GB iPhone 3G S on Friday from iPhone 8GB (original EDGE).

If anyone went this same route with models, please comment on differences in battery life.

I am noticing a significant difference (worse) with the 3G S. I know it is 3G and that uses more power than EDGE, but I think it is pretty significant.

[Syonidism]

just got mine 2 days ago. (it was released aug 28th in Turkey) and I LOVE IT!

i cant believe i resisted buying an iphone :D such a silly mistake i have made. and oh boy is the gen 2,1 sooooo much better :D

sorry yall who have older generations but i have to say....Waow

I literally did a barrelroll when i opened it up :D