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3GS Theory

G

gnortenjones

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jan 16, 2008
122
2
I have a theory. Let me know if this sounds plausible.

If you look at the 3GS, it's really little more than a spec bump. You do have a few more features, but most of the new features have to do with the 3.0 software, not the phone itself.

I think the reason we didn't get more of a redesign of the iphone, is that Apple knew the 3G owners would have issues upgrading to the 3Gs because of their contracts with AT&T (or whoever), which of course is going to hurt sales.

I'm beginning to suspect Apple is holding off on the "real" next gen iPhone for when the 3G's contracts expire next year.
 
Sounds like a good point to me. More people will jump all over it next year when the contracts all run out. Which is fine by me. I'll just make sure I have the extra cash lying around again. :D
 
Your theory doesn't make sense because 3GS actually added more features than 3G did over the original iPhone.

Compare 3G and GPS

vs.

Video recording/editing, better camera with auto-focus, voice control, improved battery life (at least compared to previous gen), digital compass, faster speed, Nike+, fingerprint-resistant screen, etc.

Build quality/plastic glossy back of the 3G/3GS is actually a downgrade from the original iPhone.
 
gnortenjones said:
I have a theory. Let me know if this sounds plausible.

If you look at the 3GS, it's really little more than a spec bump. You do have a few more features, but most of the new features have to do with the 3.0 software, not the phone itself.

I think the reason we didn't get more of a redesign of the iphone, is that Apple knew the 3G owners would have issues upgrading to the 3Gs because of their contracts with AT&T (or whoever), which of course is going to hurt sales.

I'm beginning to suspect Apple is holding off on the "real" next gen iPhone for when the 3G's contracts expire next year.
Click to expand...

So 2G users that didn't upgrade (after all, 3G and GPS wasn't that large a spec bump) are second fiddle to all the outstandingly-amazing-completely-loyal-never-going-to-complain-about-AT&T-or-Apple-EVER 3G users?

I mean, why else would they just toss some old scraps to the people that finished their original contract but keep all the juicy deliciousness for the people that can't?

The iPhone is on a yearly refresh cycle. Cell contracts are 2 years long. You're going to be out of phase or else out of money trying to keep up.
 
gnortenjones said:
I have a theory. Let me know if this sounds plausible.

If you look at the 3GS, it's really little more than a spec bump. You do have a few more features, but most of the new features have to do with the 3.0 software, not the phone itself.

I think the reason we didn't get more of a redesign of the iphone, is that Apple knew the 3G owners would have issues upgrading to the 3Gs because of their contracts with AT&T (or whoever), which of course is going to hurt sales.

I'm beginning to suspect Apple is holding off on the "real" next gen iPhone for when the 3G's contracts expire next year.
Click to expand...

Thats a stupid theory. Why do you think apple owes you anything. Why do you think that the only people that will buy the new iphone are those with the old one. There are a million times more potential iphone owners than there are current iphone owners. Its stupid to think that the iphone 3gs is not real.
 
What gets me is that they are still selling the 3G...when the 3Gs is out...it seems like a tactic to just try and take some custom from the Pre.
 
yeah but how radical of a design change can the next iphone really be?
maybe the difference between 1st version ipod touch and second? its not like the difference between white macbook vs unibody.

I think if you get 3gs iphone now, you will definitely be all set for 2 years...and then can get the latest iphone at that time....
 
I'm not going to have a row like I did in another thread, but if you straight compare number of changes yes the 3GS has more of them, if you compare the impact of the changes 3GS doesn't even compare.

GPS enabled (with 3.0, although works on jb too) turn by turn directions as well as numerous applications in developer apps. 3G was a huge bump over EDGE, but the 7.2 HSDPA isn't even rolled out yet. AT&T won't start until the end of the year and they'll finish in 2011, pretty much makes the 7.2 bump useless.

The rest are little bumps in features, a better camera, video (although jb can do this), Nike+ and a compass.

By sheer number the 3GS bump is larger, by usefulness and impact on usage the 3G is larger.
 
how the heck is this just a spec bump??????

From 2G to 3G, it was all the same hardware, just added a 3G chip.

3G to 3GS, we've got new camera, new GPS, compass, new screeen, better 3G chip to do 7.2M, more ram, more memory, faster CPU, video recording, and a few more apps. If anything 2G to 3G was a spec bump. Just because the case looks the exact same doesn't mean it's the same device.

I'm sick and tired of people saying this is just a spec bump and not a "real upgrade". Give me a break.
 
gnortenjones said:
I have a theory. Let me know if this sounds plausible.

If you look at the 3GS, it's really little more than a spec bump. You do have a few more features, but most of the new features have to do with the 3.0 software, not the phone itself.

I think the reason we didn't get more of a redesign of the iphone, is that Apple knew the 3G owners would have issues upgrading to the 3Gs because of their contracts with AT&T (or whoever), which of course is going to hurt sales.

I'm beginning to suspect Apple is holding off on the "real" next gen iPhone for when the 3G's contracts expire next year.
Click to expand...

This is exactly what was said last year when the 3G was released. It's become pretty clear that the yearly iPhone release is gong to be an evolutionary upgrade and not a revolutionary one. Most likely due to the requisite 2-year contracts to get a subsidy. Stack the 3GS against the original and you'll see a pretty big difference.
 
It all come down to personal choice. Not everyone wants a new phone every year. If you do then be ready to pay. Thats all. Apple is the only company that can get away with what they do, because they have that fanatical fan base that others dont. Which other company can release a phone missing features that every other phone has, and yet set record sales figures, none. I mean, voice dialing, MMS, copy and paste in 2009? The original iphone could have had all these, but thats not how apple works. There will never be a "complete iphone". There will only be gradual minor upgrades.
 
williamgallas10 said:
It all come down to personal choice. Not everyone wants a new phone every year. If you do then be ready to pay. Thats all. Apple is the only company that can get away with what they do, because they have that fanatical fan base that others dont. Which other company can release a phone missing features that every other phone has, and yet set record sales figures, none. I mean, voice dialing, MMS, copy and paste in 2009? The original iphone could have had all these, but thats not how apple works. There will never be a "complete iphone". There will only be gradual minor upgrades.
Click to expand...

I've said this from day one. The iPhone may not have the most features, but the ones it does have are implemented the best.
 
Razeus said:
how the heck is this just a spec bump??????

From 2G to 3G, it was all the same hardware, just added a 3G chip.

3G to 3GS, we've got new camera, new GPS, compass, new screeen, better 3G chip to do 7.2M, more ram, more memory, faster CPU, video recording, and a few more apps. If anything 2G to 3G was a spec bump. Just because the case looks the exact same doesn't mean it's the same device.

I'm sick and tired of people saying this is just a spec bump and not a "real upgrade". Give me a break.
Click to expand...

I agree. I think it is also evident by the iphone internal (?) naming.

original iPhone = iPhone1,1
iPhone3G = iPhone1,2
iPhone3Gs = iPhone2,1

and of course in 3.0 they found the reference to an iPhone3,1 - which i'd bet is a 2010 model apple is working on.. maybe improving/changing the exterior, OLED screen, front facing camera.. enough changes to warrant model number to iPhone3,1.. could be what all these black matte/bezel shots we saw were.. just a temporary casing thats not too flashy to test out new hardware
 
Drumjim85 said:
I've said this from day one. The iPhone may not have the most features, but the ones it does have are implemented the best.
Click to expand...

Exactly. They didn't put video on the original or 3G because the camera sucks. It doesn't auto focus or have macro capabilities and produces video with a crappy frame rate. They wait until they can release something the way they want it to be implemented. The video demo is leaps and bounds beyond what the current iPhones are capable of.

The same goes for Voice, and copy & paste and all the other "missing" features. What the 3GS has isn't just regular voice dialing, it's a lot more. Copy & paste on the iPhone is by far the best implementation I have ever used.

Of course they are a business and don't necessarily want to "blow their load" on any one device, saving features for later releases. But, imo, that motivation falls behind creating a "better" way of implementing them.
 
williamgallas10 said:
It all come down to personal choice. Not everyone wants a new phone every year. If you do then be ready to pay. Thats all. Apple is the only company that can get away with what they do, because they have that fanatical fan base that others dont. Which other company can release a phone missing features that every other phone has, and yet set record sales figures, none. I mean, voice dialing, MMS, copy and paste in 2009? The original iphone could have had all these, but thats not how apple works. There will never be a "complete iphone". There will only be gradual minor upgrades.
Click to expand...

So every single besides the iphone has all the features that were left out of the previous iphones? :rolleyes:
 
williamgallas10 said:
Thats a stupid theory. Why do you think apple owes you anything. Why do you think that the only people that will buy the new iphone are those with the old one. There are a million times more potential iphone owners than there are current iphone owners. Its stupid to think that the iphone 3gs is not real.
Click to expand...

Wow. I think you're reading A LOT into my post. Where did I even imply that I think Apple owes me anything? Just for the record, I had no intention of replacing my 3G with the 3GS even if they DID offer subsidized pricing. I was just theorizing that Apple might be timing their release schedule (for the immediate future anyhow) to optimize sales.

So how about turning it down a notch.

<pedant>There are not a million times more potential iphon owners than there are current iphone owners. There aren't even that many people on the planet.</pedant>
 
so you really wanted something like this picture?

just so its a outside appearance change?

what else can the design be besides thinner and matte and multi-color?
 

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The way i see it is that Apple is catering for 2 people upgrade wise.

The first lot of people are people that bought the first iPhone. They can now upgrade to the iPhone 3Gs. Which whilst not be that much different from the 3G it is certainly a big upgrade for an original iPhone.

The second lot is people who bought the 3G. There update comes in one years time from now when the 4th iPhone comes out. Which will be a big change from the 3G.

I'm not sure i explained it very well but basically there are 2 iPhone life cycles of two years each but they overlap each other.

Of course theres all people that will upgrade regardless of there "product cycle".

This probably sounds stupid in writing but in my head its clear.:D
 
Nope I see what you're saying and it makes sense.

i.e original to 3G = small bump

3G to 3GS = medium bump

original to 3GS = big bump

3G to 4G(or whatever it's gonna be called) = big bump

3GS to 4G = small/medium bump

Every year is a small/medium increase over the previous, yet a large increase over the 2 year old model.
 
I like my iPhone 3G but it's getting pretty beat up and it's cracking. Does that qualify for an upgrade?

Also, the 3G does MORE than it ever did now with 3.0. Even more than the original iPhone.

I don't care about video recording
I don't care about a better camera
I don't care about a compas
I DO care about 32GB (that would be the only thing that is worth upgrading for)

The extra speed boost would be a bonus too, but I wouldn't upgrade just for that.

I just thought of something: What if there are surprise hardware-specific features that the iPhone 3G S has but doesn't yet have the software to do it?... sort of like how the iPhone 3G can send MMS and have stereo bluetooth with 3.0? Makes you wonder a little bit.
 
I'm a little befuddled what people want. There's only so much that can be added every year without significantly affecting the form/weight and battery. Not to mention costs in a real crappy economy. The iPhone is an evolution on the bleeding edge within the confines of it's size/weight and market price points.

In this regards, the G3S seems a much bigger leap from the G3 than the G3 was from the G2.
 
the real jump was the introduction of the iphone 2g! If youre looking for that same awe factor in a new iphone, it will never compare to the first one. Just be happy that apple works to refine their products making them the best they can be, all things considered... You cant re-invent sliced bread.
 
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