A Series of Tubes

Today, Apple released the newest iPhone, the iPhone 3GS. The S apparently stands for “speed”, because the big feature of the new device is how fast it is. Both the network speeds and actual hardware speeds have been drastically improved over older generations, at least according to Apple. Other features include a magnetic sensor (for compass features), voice control over music and phone features, and an improved camera (3.2 megapixels, with autofocus and video recording/editing). All of this is packaged in a phone that is exactly the same in physical appearance as the previous generation, the iPhone 3G.

I went and checked out the device today, to see if it really lives up to Apple’s claims of improved speed. Long story short: it does. Doing a side-by-side test of launching Photos.app on my iPod and the 3GS, the app finished loading in about 2 seconds for the newer device while my iPod lagged behind by about 15 seconds. That kind of speed jump is really impressive. I never really noticed a problem with speed on my iPod, but seeing how fast it could be made me a bit envious. The 3.2 megapixel camera is nice, but on the iPhone screen it’s not really possible to see the difference between 2 and 3.2 megapixels, so no real change there. Video editing on the device is very cool, if a bit limited (only timeline cropping is really available, no effects or re-sequencing). I could see the practical application of that feature.

Things I forgot to test include voice control and the autofocusing camera, but I did notice the difference in screen texture. Apparently Apple is using a new coating technique on the 3GS that makes the screen “oleophobic”, so it resists fingerprints and smudges. While this extreme is certainly not reached, the screen definitely seems less easily smudged, and smoother to the touch. I could still leave a fingerprint on it, but not as easily as on my iPod’s screen.

As for the physical design of the device, Apple has taken a surprising turn by not updating the aesthetics at all. The size, shape, and colors of the phone remain identical to the previous generation, and the weight has increased by .1 ounce. This seriously disappoints me, as I never really liked the design of the iPhone 3G in the first place. The same goes for the second generation iPod Touch, I just don’t like the super-glossy rounded backs of the devices. A physical keyboard would also be nice, but that’s never going to happen, so it doesn’t matter.

All-in-all, I’d say this is a good upgrade to the iPhone. The 3GS starts at $199 for 16gb (or $299 for 32 gb), while the previous generation 3G has been dropped to $99.

UPDATE: Apparently, Apple changed the official name from iPhone 3G S to just iPhone 3GS. They took out the space. Whatever.