iPhone 3G hands-on

Sorry, we don't have pictures but Apple took us into a dramatically lit back-room to check out the new iPhone 3G. Here's what you need to know:

• We did a quick data test -- at our location we went from 104Kbps on the EDGE iPhone to 215Kbps on the 3G model. 2x ain't bad, yo.
• The enable/disable 3G setting is real, and buried a few menus deep. There is no automatic switching, Apple just assumes you'll leave 3G on, and that the iPhone has the juice to support that usage.
• It's tri-band 3G, as we reported the other day. This same phone will ship worldwide.
• WiFi is still 802.11b/g, no support for n yet.
• Yes, that GPS is A-GPS, just as we mentioned.
• Geotagging photos is a thumbs-up. We were deep indoors though, so native GPS wasn't working and we couldn't get a clear idea of satellite acquisition time.
  
• The screen looks exactly the same -- maybe a tiny bit brighter, but the unit was new, so it'd be negligible.
• The camera is identical to the first -- 2 megapixels. No front-facing camera (of course).
• It's certainly thicker feeling, but they rocked it Treo-style and really tapered those edges, so it just doesn't feel that different. But because of that curved back, it'll dance around on your table a little more than your completely-flat original iPhone.
• The plastic back didn't feel too cheap. In fact, it felt pretty solid. It's very glossy, so it'll pick up fingerprints just as well as the glass up front (yay).
• It comes with a ridiculously, absurdly small power adapter. It basically looks like a tiny square with a USB port on one side, and power prongs on the other. It will power any other iDevice (iPod touch, 1st gen iPhone, etc.), and sell separately for those that want a smaller adapter.
• The dock (now sold separately) and adapter (if you want an extra) will both go for something like $29, although that price is not yet confirmed.
• No mention was made of copy/paste, MMS, etc.
• It doesn't look like this thing is going to fit in your old dock. The new dock does look smaller and more sculpted to the new iPhone's curves.
• The headphone jack is flush, as mentioned. It's still 3.5mm, so if you don't like the out of box phones (which won't stay in our ears), bring your own, no problem -- and no adapter needed!
• Yes, original iPhones are totally gone, you won't be seeing those made anymore. Long live the aluminum back!

It looks like they took an amazing device and made it significantly better. If the battery life is as good as they claim, we think this will steamroll the competition in the enterprise space. And even if it doesn't, at $199 it's going to be extremely hard for people to resist.

Update: Laptop managed to sneak a couple photos of the white one -- yep, that's what it looks like.

[iB3nji @ Jun 9th 2008 4:43PM]

Can you get directions using the GPS just like a navman or something? where it will go "turn left in x distance" etc.

[iEye @ Jun 9th 2008 4:51PM]

I hate to say it, but Apple ad gone down the crapper...

The greed has taken over...

[Dave @ Jun 9th 2008 4:54PM]

Sorry but that 3G speed is still kinda disappointing...and this is coming from a long-time ATT customer

[bob sakamano @ Jun 9th 2008 4:56PM]

any word if they raised the volume on the speakerphone?

[bob sakamano @ Jun 9th 2008 4:57PM]

any word of they raised the volume on the speakerphone?

[brian @ Jun 9th 2008 5:06PM]

still no MMS?

still no copy / paste?

still no video recording?

still no A2DP?

come on apple...

[Frankenstein Black @ Jun 9th 2008 5:04PM]

Good question. Also Apple shouldn't drag their feet on licensing Sling (even though they could be motivated to for fear of Apple TV connect completion. A 3G iPhone plus Sling equals E..P..I..C...... S..A..I..L (or SALE), See what I did there? ;^)... So lets get going already. Sling, we got your back...
http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/08/sling-announces-proof-of-concept-slingplayer-mobile-for-iphone/

[GenBanks @ Jun 9th 2008 5:06PM]

I'm sure it will support having voice directions. I have a GPS blackberry and it supports that. Even if it doesn't natively support it, here's hoping that one of those new 'applications' will come out with voice directions ^^

[Brendan Sheehan @ Jun 9th 2008 5:11PM]

"Can you get directions using the GPS"

No but look out for a hard-on of third party apps to take that position in the next 2 or 3 months.

[cduran01 @ Jun 9th 2008 5:11PM]

@brian

Forget about A2DP, its never gonna happen with the iPhone or any "i" product. Think of the money Apple makes from officially licensed iPhone accessories, A2DP would completely bypass that.

[Blaine Oliver @ Jun 9th 2008 5:11PM]

The real question is, with a hairdryer, will it melt?

[Ace b @ Jun 9th 2008 5:22PM]

@brian

isnt bluetooth 2.0 stereo bluetooth or is that bluetooth 2.1?

[Zeraw @ Jun 9th 2008 5:25PM]

With iPhone at 200$, all other iPods are overpriced. Why would you buy a Nano if you could have, for the same price, a multi-touch phone with gps, 3g etc. ? Or why would you buy a Touch if you could have an iPhone for 100$ less ?


R.I.P. Apple inc. 1976 - 2008

[Phoenix @ Jun 9th 2008 5:32PM]

@ace b

A2DP is stereo. Not 2.0 or 2.1 or anything. You need 2.0 (I believe) but A2DP needs to be supported in itself

[JuggleNuts @ Jun 9th 2008 5:33PM]

@Zeraw:

I don't know, maybe because a normal iPod doesn't require a 2-year service contract?

[Johan S @ Jun 9th 2008 5:33PM]

Zeraw, the Touch is still cheaper, because you don't have to sign up for AT&T's data plan .. which has been increased to $30. That means over $700 over 2 years.

[rpflo @ Jun 10th 2008 1:04AM]

Because iPod's don't have monthly bills from AT&T dummy.

[Ace b @ Jun 9th 2008 5:52PM]

@Phoenix

So it's not a hardware thing?

like potentially we could just get an update?

[Richard Lai @ Jun 9th 2008 7:24PM]

@cduran01: in that case Apple might as well change the connector for the handsfree (well, like the iPhone 2G).

[Nate the Prophet @ Jun 10th 2008 2:33AM]

Brian, most of those are software issues--an easy fix with future updates.

But I do with the camera was better. I was really hoping for 5MP and video, so that I could really use it as a pocket camera. Then this would really have done everything I need on one device.

[Justin Bell @ Jun 11th 2008 2:00AM]

@Nate the Prophet

You could shove a 10mp sensor in there and it wouldn't make a difference. A lens that small is going to give a crap quality image. Even 2mp is overkill. All these makers upgrading their phone cameras with higher mp sensors are only doing it for marketing reasons. If you want to get 5mp worth of actual image data, you need a bigger/better lens. I'm glad Apple hasn't gone down this silly path.

[Coy @ Jun 9th 2008 4:43PM]

First woo! And according to apple site, GPS will have turn by turn direction

[Coy @ Jun 9th 2008 4:46PM]

I take that back. It says Get directions.
Get directions to wherever from wherever. View turn-by-turn directions OR (emphasis added by me) watch your progress with live GPS tracking. So it looks like no turn by turn.

[Eric @ Jun 9th 2008 5:06PM]

Fail.
And shutup.

[Michael Kottman @ Jun 9th 2008 5:00PM]

looks like a project for an iphone dev team

[Jason @ Jun 9th 2008 5:37PM]

Tomtom already has a great app for winmo... maybe an iPhone version will be in the works?

[Coy @ Jun 9th 2008 5:53PM]

Easy Eric. Calm down there boy. A little aggressive for a comment I corrected within 60 seconds huh?

[retro77 @ Jun 9th 2008 5:57PM]

Ya not bad if 60 seconds is the new 3 minutes....

[Chris Macdonald @ Jun 9th 2008 4:44PM]

A new era begins.

[Mark Anderson @ Jun 9th 2008 4:47PM]

A new era of what? Features that have been on other phones for over a year?

[Chris Macdonald @ Jun 9th 2008 4:49PM]

2 minutes later that comment already says low ranked... that HAS to be a record!

[Eddie @ Jun 9th 2008 5:00PM]

A new era of "omg thats an iPhone2!lol copy" comments :)

[N95 user @ Jun 9th 2008 6:10PM]

My N95 still has more features than this and with it having 3.5G i doubt that iPhone loads pages faster, dont get me wrong the Phone is nice if you like shiny phones that you must upgrade every 12 months to the next model because your fanboyitus says you must.

the only thing i see the iphone has over the N95 is the fact it has 3.5" touch screen. anything else?

[jeeves @ Jun 9th 2008 5:37PM]

And now the anti-apple fanboys are out in force.
Yes this phone will still have its flaws. That being said, this device gives smartphone functionality combined with an 8GB video ipod combined with an unmatched UI, for $200. Now is the time to get off your apple-hating high horse and acknowledge that while this may not be the phone for you, its a damn good one and one hell of a value

[Das Gluten @ Jun 9th 2008 6:54PM]

I've never owned an iPod other than a shuffle and I'm about due for a new phone so for any person in my situation, this could be the perfect phone for me. While it may be missing some features, it's still giving me more than I've ever had. Even thinking about it price wise, I'd rather buy an iPhone for $300 (I'd have to get the 16GB) than pay $400 for a 16GB iPod touch AND pay for a new phone. It's worth the money to simplify, especially if I'm getting more functionality out of it.

[CJ @ Jun 9th 2008 9:03PM]

@ Jeeves

Er... you do realise that it's 299 with a contract, right? You need to sign up in-store now, so no jailbreaking as soon as you get home.

Now I don't like Apple fanboys as much as the next person, I don't like MS fanboys, Sony fanboys, Nintendo fanboys, or any other kind of fanboy for that matter. But you're coming off as a bigger fanboy than any of them.

[DanB91 @ Jun 11th 2008 8:20PM]

@CJ

The iPhone is $200 and while you cannot unlock it without signing up for a service contract first, you can jailbreak it.

Just letting you know.

[ryujo @ Jun 13th 2008 6:24PM]

@N95 user
The big touchscreen, 8 Gb etc etc have been mentioned a lot of times.
Let's just say one more thing: BATTERY LIFE.

I love N95, I really do. But after a couple of hours it says "Sorry honey, I'm sooo tired"...and dies.

[Brad Sanders @ Jun 9th 2008 4:45PM]

Yes, I saw the headphone jack is now flush, but do you still need an adapter to use a normal pair of headphones?

[Kaiser-Machead @ Jun 9th 2008 4:48PM]

It's the same size jack. All signs point to no.

[Splunkster @ Jun 9th 2008 4:50PM]

No. You only needed an adapter before because it was recessed. Now that it is flush, it is a non-issune.

[Deed @ Jun 9th 2008 5:00PM]

Oh come on now.

"The headphone jack is flush, as mentioned. It's still 3.5mm, so if you don't like the out of box phones (which won't stay in our ears), bring your own, no problem -- and no adapter needed!"

At least read the whole article before posting, lawl.

[Splunkster @ Jun 9th 2008 5:11PM]

They changed the article after this guy made his comment regarding the adapter.

[CraigJ @ Jun 9th 2008 5:43PM]

Actually, since there are 4 connectors in there and not 3, I'm not sure there won't be sound issues. I remember hearing that on the original iPhone that there was some buzzing if by some chance you had a pair that fit.

Besides, what are you going to do if the phone rings? you'll have to unplug the headphones, which is fine, I guess. That's why I got the v-moda ones. A little pricey, but they sound great and have the built in microphone and control button...

[Dirtylicious @ Jun 9th 2008 4:45PM]

Does the new plastic back feel cheap?

[richardlam_ @ Jun 9th 2008 4:48PM]

NT IN THE HOUSE!!!

Will dirty be able to ban people from the new iPhone?

[uhit235 @ Jun 9th 2008 5:07PM]

For God's sake, just read the article.

[boss-hogg @ Jun 9th 2008 6:57PM]

So.... is 200k still EDGE data rates?? because I get at least 500k on my nokia n78 with 3.5 At&t service.

[oki @ Jul 12th 2008 4:13PM]

wow you guys low ranking for a question? it doesnt.. feel real nice actually

[Mark @ Jun 9th 2008 4:45PM]

What happens if my 8 gig iPhone 1.x breaks? I have AppleCare. Do I get a G3 8 giger?