iPhone 3G is finally official, starts at $199, available July 11th
By Paul Miller 
posted June 9th 2008 3:48PM
posted June 9th 2008 3:48PM
Battery life isn't getting put out to pasture though, with 300 hours of standby, 8-10 hours of 2G talk, 5 hours of 3G talk, 7 hours of video and 24 hours of audio. GPS is also a go. Apple is using A-GPS, which supplements regular satellite GPS data with info from cellular towers for faster location. (WiFi data is also worked into the mix, which should give users a pretty solid lock on where the heck they are on this planet.) Unfortunately, as expected there's no front-facing cam, and while its edges are thinner than before it's still about a millimeter thicker at the center (12.3mm over 11.6mm before). Apple hopes to launch in 70 countries this year, with the black 8GB going for $199 and 16GB for $299 in black or white. (Both price points require a contract, of course.) Apple will be hitting the 22 biggest markets, including the US, on July 11th. More info after the break.
Update: Just bought an iPhone? Listen up: "Customers who purchased a 2.5G iPhone on or after May 27 and want to swap it out for a new iPhone will be able to do so without incurring an additional handset charge for the new device. They will of course need to turn in their 2.5G iPhone." And for the rest of you, AT&T says there's no way to buy it without agreeing to a contract. So sorry. More details here.
We've got our hands-on impressions right here.
Get the full roundup of iPhone 3G coverage here!
Our full iPhone 3G review can be found here!
Other tidbits:
- It's a teensy bit thicker. 4.5 by 2.4 by 0.48 inches (115.5 by 62.1 by 12.3 mm), and weighs 4.7 ounces (133 grams).
- Radios galore: Wi-Fi (802.11b/g), UMTS / HSDPA (850, 1900, 2100MHz), GSM / EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900MHz), Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR
- A SIM ejector comes in the box, at last. That would be a paper clip.
- There's no dock included, just a USB power adapter and dock connector.
- On AT&T unlimited iPhone 3G data plans for consumers will be available for $30 a month, on top of voice plans starting at $39.99 a month. Unlimited 3G data for business users will be $45 a month, on top of voice. There's a minimum two-year agreement, but we're not positive what that'll look like for those currently enslaved to an AT&T contract -- you could be looking at a solid four years of time if you just took the plunge.
- Apple's new MobileMe service will be coming with the iPhone 2.0 software, bringing push email and contacts for all.
- Apple's official page is here, and you can watch the new ad here.
- Available on July 11th in: Australia, Austria, Belgium (French), Belgium (Dutch), Canada (English), Canada (French), Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland (French), Switzerland (German), UK, USA
- The rest of these are slated to get the phone this year: Argentina, Botswana, Brazil, Cameroon, C. African Republic, Chile, Colombia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Greece, Honduras, Hungary, India, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Macau, Madagascar, Mali, Malta, Mauritius, Nicaragua, Niger, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Senegal, Singapore, Qatar, Slovakia, South Africa, Turkey, Uruguay.
- On the chatting front, developers will be able to ping a centralized push server with their apps, to keep down battery usage and app overload on phones.
- No mention has been made of MMS, video recording or built-in iChat. What gives, Apple?
- Yes, it's in the FCC.
no mention of copy/paste
no mention of email search
disappointed.
No 32GB version = LAME
I guess it is going to be a while before my wife get's her birthday present.
Probably a mid-year upgrade, just like the 16GB was. Makes too much sense, keeps the product fresh.
Also lame? No VIDEO.
As per the UK site, so this is it, better GPS, 3g and thats really it (i know there are a few others diffs), but the camera is the same, screen is the same...etc, am I correct?
Sign me up
http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/wa/RSLID?nnmm=browse&mco=NzY2ODIz&node=home/shop_iphone/family/iphone
there it is on the SITE !!!! apple !!!
Massive let down. a) No flash. b) No stereo Bluetooth (vital to reduce cable mess.) c) No decent video recording. d) No front camera. e) No 32G version. f) No larger on screen QWERTY keyboard for faster typing. What on Earth is wrong with Apple? Keeping my N95 8G that I had planned to flog to buy a 3G iPhone if it was really that different from the 2G iPhone. Anyone else feel this way? In particular here in the UK where our expectations are high(er) than Stateside?
They're also only selling it for $199, so chill.
i feel exactly the same.. i have the n95 8gb, wanted to sell it on ebay after 3g announcement.. but i won't.... i really wanted to have 5Mp or 8Mp camera, that shoots video (hd or at least dvd quality), 16Gb or 32GB options.. front facing for vision use on rogers in canada...
it;s all just software....
Chris
Apple is not aiming to make huge steps on an already-successful product. They're taking baby steps and drawing out the hype as long as it can last. The point is, this new iPhone is an updated version of last year's top product, and it will sell. They've successful brought the price point to a very convincing value - this is a "must have" product, not a "must need."
-C
put a sling client on there... sling is demoing one today and why the hell do you need more than 8 Gigs... 16 Gigs becomes overkill? with a sling client movies, music, DVR/Tivo, cable etc all streamed from home.. no storage on the phone necessary... dump a few movies and/or music playlist, podcasts on there for the plane ride and you're good to go... take some photos.. upload them and view them online (mobile.me)... need to be thinking forwards not backwards... lots of storage on the device is going to be a thing of the past with 3G speeds you can stream to the device.
I think I will stick with my WinMo 6 AT&T Tilt. It can already do everything presented in the SDK. Can even get free GPS. Wahoo!
How does one get free GPS? My friend has that phone and has to pay for his.
All I have to see is lol to the 1st gen iPhone sellers on Ebay. They will have to cut their price to at lest $150 because of no 3g.
I just wish it had an SD slot!
now all i need my iphone to do is be able to ... disappear me!!!
lol
and a wsvga screen. Well, an 800x480 will do. If not, I'm going to have an xperia-nce
BUT WILL IT CUT & PASTE?
They didn't talk about the camera.. or the phone being able to do video...i have the N95 8Gb, i love the iphone... but no video... ? wtf...
Because, it appears, that it can't. Which makes sense. It leaves them with a firm upgrade path to next year.
Full spec of UK Apple site:
http://store.apple.com/uk/browse/home/shop_iphone/family/iphone?mco=MTE2NTQ
Heh. Good to see iphone in modern world too with GPS, 3G and all.
Price aint bad at all thought. That back plastics sounds a bit strange
Any word on what plan prices will look like for AT&T?
WELCOME TO FINLAND iPHONE!!!! We're waiting for U!
Hi mate, Yes Scandinavia is apparently in the top 22 list (?)
Can't wait to see what TeliaSonera has for us, or if I have to buy it in the UK.
WUHUUU!!!
So how many megapixels is the camera (5 I hope) and where is the bloody flash??
Camera 2.0 megapixels
That is from their store site.
Yes, because one phone, sold by one carrier in each region, are going to kill off all of the competition. Obviously all other cell carriers are going to go out of business and At&t is only going to sell the iphone. Meanwhile, people who prefer a phone with an actual keypad are going to switch back to land lines. It is the end of the cellphone age. You either embrace Apple and At&t or you give up on wireless. Hurray for no choice! Hurray for conformity and vendor lockin!
And the Apple Store is already up with the new iPhone out.
as a microsoft fanboy and shareholder, i can say that this is the tipping point. im giving up on my 3.5 years of wm smartphones and joining the darkside. $199 for 8gb is almost too good, especially without contract. if the xperia1 actually is as awesome as it looks i can always switch but im sick and tired of stuff not working.
any word on the camera? same thing?
I'm pretty sure you're going to have to sign up for a 2 year contract to get that price.
http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/wa/RSLID?nnmm=browse&mco=NzY2ODIz&node=home/shop_iphone/family/iphone
Go check out the 3G iPhone on Apples site :-) !!!!!!
YEAHWOOOO. ok finaly somthing beautiful to sink my teeth into. nice it comes put next months, gives me some time to save up some cash, and it appears that they fixed all the issues with the first one, now if we can get all the programs from installer on to app store and then get video capture support, ill be happy
No GPS navigation software announcements, especially Apple-friendly named programs, like iGO 8?
Google maps.
Didn't know the Google Maps in this one offers spoken turn-by-turn directions so you can use this in the car like one of those dedicated GPS navigator.
perhaps in the app store
I think I will be just happy with the first generation iPhone for another year. Sure, 3G and A-GPS would be nice. But they aren't necessary and don't add a lot to what I have.
See you next year - will upgrade then! :) Unless it's just a design refresh.
shame its not 32GB
Wow...a presentation on 3G versus EDGE
"I'm Steve Jobs and I am presenting a revolutionary item that will chaneg the way man moves around the world...I present...the iWheel...see how it does not contain any sharp edges, allowing it to be used to roll heavy objects across distances with minimal friction"
@Ed,
I could not agree more. This is a real disappointment to those who has a preference towards Apple products. To those persons, they feel that Apple is company of innovation. However, there is NOTHING NEW in this product.
This is so far behind HTC and Nokia.
Clearly Apple is filled with timidity towards the launch of the Android based products. Android really will be innovative.
But Kudos to Apple for trying to launch this as a bargain basement product. I think though that the $200 with a 2 year contract is gonna be a bit of a sting.
We'll see.
Where are Apple stocks now.
Too many people are going to have one if its $199 and $299. It's the next Razr. I cant buy it now
Where is the A2DP bluetooth profile? I need my wireless headphones!
the US apple store is up
2 MEGAPIXEL Camera? Plastic? Apple can't ever get it right.
So over-hyped. I still want one though.
One and a half hours of dull demos before showing us.....a 'new' phone with features that other smart phones have had for well over a year.
Same overly-large size ("thinner sides" - wooo), crappy, non-flash camera, non-user-replaceable battery, no forward facing camera...
Thrilling!
GOD im sad.
Iphone needs 32Gb!
needs no cheapo lookin black plastic! (this is gonna be a big down point!)
im out for another year :( :( :(
if the plastic cuts down on lost signals, I'm all for it.
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