Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Tuesday, 09 June 2009 06:14
Opinion and Analysis
Page 1 of 3
The rumour mongers had many things right in their educated guesses for
what any new iPhone 3G successor might bring to the table, but while
they had plenty of things wrong, too, the iPhone 3G S is still a worthy
upgrade to the world’s best smart phone. Apple also introduced OS X
10.6, with a US $29 upgrade plan, and cheaper MacBooks, including the
re-emergence of the Firewire 800 port on the 13-inch model.
Quaintly harking back 23 years to the release of the Apple II GS comes the brand new Apple iPhone 3 GS – or rather, the 3G S, with “S” not standing for sexy, smooth, seductive or sharp – but speed.
Apple is promising its new 3G S model is around “twice as fast” as the existing iPhone 3G – but Apple haven’t yet detailed just how much RAM and what processor is inside the 3G S, despite having an otherwise detailed “
tech specs” page (click the tech specs link) up at Apple’s site, we’ll just have to take Apple’s word on that – for now, until someone does a “teardown” of a 3G S and reveals exactly what processor and RAM is built-in.
However, given that the existing iPhone 3G is being pushed to the limit by some of the latest apps on the App Store, any iPhone speed boost is definitely welcome.
Worryingly, Apple’s CEO, Steve Jobs, who is currently on “medical leave”, did not front up to the WWDC keynote, not even to make a cameo appearance. This is despite a new iPhone,
cheaper new MacBooks, OS X 10.6 and a US $29 OS X 10.6 upgrade plan for those on OS X 10.5.
Is Steve really ok, or has the new dawn of a Steve-free Apple truly begun? No-one but Steve and his inner circle truly knows, but so far, a largely Steve-free Apple (on the surface) has done a pretty good job, although Jobs was probably still quite active in the background.
So, what else does the new iPhone offer? Let’s compare what’s real to the rumours that swirled so intensely before this morning’s iPhone 3G S announcement:
Rumour: a larger 32GB (but not, strangely, a 64GB) storage option
Truth: The rumour of a 32GB storage option came true, but it looks like we’ll have to wait for a future iPod Touch 3.0 to offer 64GB of storage, and perhaps the same in any 2010 iPhone 4.0 model.
Rumour: a front facing video camera for iChat and 3G video calls
Truth: No front facing video camera was included, sadly – Apple won’t let the iPhone do video calls, something that has been around since 2003 even on “dumb” video phones, while video conferencing a la iChat (also possible for years on PCs) is also a la AWOL on the new iPhone. Sad, really.
Rumour: potential new names: iPhone Video, iPhone 3GS
Truth: The name “iPhone 3G S” was being bandied around hours before the WWDC launch, and proved correct, but the iPhone Video name ended up being a no no.
Rumour: a faster processor, possibly from new processor subsidiary PA Semi
Truth: We still don’t know whether Apple used one of its own processors in the 2009 iPhone 3G S, or didn’t, but while we’ll find out soon, Apple says its 3G S is “twice as fast” as the iPhone 3G predecessor.
There are plenty more rumours that came true – and didn’t,
so please read on to page 2!
