iPhone and iPhone 3G comparison shot arrives, only one can emerge victorious

Our money is on the one with more G's, but that's just us. The folks at iLounge managed to nab a comparison shot of the original iPhone next to its 3G successor, and while the differences aren't anything you couldn't have guessed, it's still nice to see the two in the flesh -- at least we think they're in the flesh, this could be just a shot of the iPhone 3G's rear case, which has been floating around iLounge of late.

[Fusion Fuzo @ Jun 24th 2008 11:10AM]

Original iPhone all the way.

That new plastic one looks way too much like a Palm Centro yuck!

[Zak @ Jun 24th 2008 11:17AM]

What are you talking about? It looks exactly like the first iPhone, the only difference is that the back is all black instead of just a black band at the bottom. It has to be plastic because of the addition of 3G and GPS, those signals don't pass through metal which is why the first iPhone has the plastic band at the bottom - for the antennas.

[JimReaper @ Jun 24th 2008 11:19AM]

I didnt think the back of the first iPhone was actually metal though?

[Zak @ Jun 24th 2008 11:28AM]

Yeah it's aluminum except the plastic band at the bottom.

[fanman @ Jun 24th 2008 11:46AM]

But look! The back of the new one says "5mp video camera with autofocus"!

Oh wait...

[yode @ Jun 24th 2008 12:50PM]

wtf are you talking about, it looks nothing like a palm centro.
http://blog.treonauts.com/PalmCentroReview02.jpg

[tyler @ Jun 24th 2008 4:41PM]

@ yode:

Why sure it does! It's black and has four rounded corners..

[JimReaper @ Jun 24th 2008 11:10AM]

I prefer the original aesthetically, but im biased :D

[GreezyG @ Jun 24th 2008 11:13AM]

I agree I prefer the aluminum look. But it was so slick that I kept it in a case. I am looking forward to getting my hands on a 3G.

[Wii60 @ Jun 24th 2008 1:03PM]

I prefer the aluminum backing, but the glossy stuff looks better in these pictures. That's because they do look sexier out of the box. But a few fingerprints and glaring blemishes later, that aluminum looks much better.

No doubt apple was thinking the same thing, so we'd be all eager to buy the next phone when ours look all beaten up.

[NG @ Jun 24th 2008 1:19PM]

Yea, it's like downgrading a MBP to MB

[adrian @ Jun 24th 2008 1:30PM]

With a plastic back on the 3G version, I wonder if over time the phone will start twisting and flexing, and possibly cause problems for users in the future.

[salut @ Jun 24th 2008 4:57PM]

I'm sure Apple did everything they can from a design point of view to keep the aluminum rear case, but I think the loss in 3G, GPS and signal speeds were simply not worth it.

Lets hope the pictures of the Black aren't doing it justice.

[Juice @ Jun 24th 2008 11:10AM]

Black is much better. Hopefully more grippy too.

[rock99rock @ Jun 24th 2008 11:38AM]

I agree, but i wish it weren't glossy. That looks so scratch/fingerprint prone, but i guess that wont matter once a case is on it. Still, the metal finish was a nice look on the previous (still present) version.

[Ryan Trevisol @ Jun 24th 2008 11:52AM]

True, it won't matter much once it's in a case, but I think the 3G version will look better in a clear acrylic case. One thing I could never stand with the original iphone was how busy and crappy it looked from the back in a clear acrylic case. The black 3G one will lend itself to making an acrylic case more invisible, I think.

Doesn't really matter, though, as I'm going with a black Griffin Wave for mine.

[Juice @ Jun 24th 2008 11:13AM]

It looks like it's still going to rip the hair out of your head though. It's that bezel...

[JimReaper @ Jun 24th 2008 11:20AM]

Can't say I have ever had that experience

[Tony @ Jun 24th 2008 11:45AM]

You're doing it wrong.

[sorensilk @ Jun 24th 2008 11:16AM]

I think the old one looks a little classier but I like them both. One thing I can't argue with is what's inside the new one.

[PS3guy @ Jun 24th 2008 11:18AM]

Plastic look so cheap I prefer the old iphone better

[Pochi @ Jun 24th 2008 11:18AM]

Wow now that I see them side by side, it's like they're two TOTALLY DIFFERENT PRODUCTS... without this careful analysis, I would never have realized that one was black and one was not.

[Shiznit @ Jun 24th 2008 11:21AM]

So is the iTouch going to drop in price or what?

[ryan @ Jun 24th 2008 11:27AM]

No, the new iPhone is subsidized. You end up paying a ton since you have a contract. The touch isn't so naturally its going to cost more initially

[ryan @ Jun 24th 2008 11:26AM]

Plastic = better signal. Old iPhone's didn't have a great record for call quality. Hopefully this new design cures that

[WITHOUT A NAME @ Jun 24th 2008 11:26AM]

They need the plastic because, as what Zak said, the GPS and phone signals have to pass through plastic, not metal...
I actually like it.
no more weird bands and lips and headphone jacks that go in too far...
I think it will sell pretty good.
DON'T try to make your silver color on plastic, Apple!!!
If anyone has seen the 4GB SanDisk Sansa Clip they know what I'm talking about...
Silver plastic is REALLY ugly...
at least on CHEAP plastic..
I hope Apple uses high quality plastic.
Not cheap SanDisk plastic.

[computer.dude.28 @ Jun 24th 2008 12:00PM]

I didn't know SanDisk made plastic now..

[Tyson @ Jun 24th 2008 12:09PM]

how can that be. My razor is all metal. While it sucks for other reason call quality is not one of them. The signal get though just fine.

[OGHowie @ Jun 24th 2008 12:28PM]

RAZR is NOT all metal. Look at the bottom piece on the back of the phone, it's plastic. I'm looking at mine right now.

[Argot @ Jun 24th 2008 11:28AM]

They both look like crap.

[Zak @ Jun 24th 2008 11:32AM]

So what you're saying is that you enjoy really ugly things, and horribly designed phones are attractive to you. You know instead of thinly veiling your hatred for Apple behind a snarky "iPhone is ugly" comment, why not just say you hate Apple? It would save everybody some time and we could just get it out of the way right up front.

[Pochi @ Jun 24th 2008 12:06PM]

@Zak

You don't have to "hate Apple" to dislike the looks of a large, extremely rounded off rectangle. I think they look like shit, too.

[tyler @ Jun 24th 2008 12:15PM]

haha he said snarky

[John @ Jun 24th 2008 12:19PM]

Argot recently told me that he considers the Palm III to be the gold standard for PDA design.

[Zak @ Jun 24th 2008 12:31PM]

pochi, you're entitled to hate whatever you want, but seriously? Have you ever seen a phone made by anybody else? I'd like to see what what consider a "beautiful" phone if you seriously think the iPhone is ugly. Give me an example of a phone that looks good to you, I'm curious to see what design quirks appeal to you.

[boss-hogg @ Jun 24th 2008 12:37PM]

You’re low ranked because of your opinion; no one talks bad about apple products here. No opinions here buddy it’s a dictatorship....... An Apple fanboy dictatorship

[Lowest Ranked @ Jun 24th 2008 12:43PM]

Argot, you're missing about 4 letters from your name.

Those being R, O, A, and N.

[Pochi @ Jun 24th 2008 1:10PM]

@Zak

Well, if we're talking about giant rectangles, I think the LG Prada is far superior aesthetically. If we're talking standard candybar phones, I like the Nokia Prizm (that's a love/hate among a lot of people, but I really like it).

Sorry that giant rounded rectangles don't appeal to me, dude. I will try harder to skew my opinions to those that suit you and your fanboy goggles in the future.

[Derek @ Jun 24th 2008 1:50PM]

@boss-hogg
Oh no, he's low ranked on a gadget blog! He deserves to be able to voice his opinion, and if he gets low ranked, he shouldn't care. It's a gadget blog, who cares if you are high or low ranked.

[Zak @ Jun 24th 2008 2:07PM]

pochi - Why do you think the Prada is "far superior"? It has rounded edges just like the iPhone, a smaller screen than the iPhone and more wasted space around the screen, in addition to less usable buttons on the front. What *exactly* is "far superior" about it? Is it just because it's not made by Apple?

And yes, the Nokia Prizm is an abortion of a design. That's not even an opinion, it's a fact. But even that thing has rounded edges, so I'm not sure why you keep saying you don't like rounded edges, then provide examples of phones you like that have... rounded edges.

By even mentioning the Prizm you've shown us all that you have the design sense of a dead badger, and you wouldn't know good design if it gave you an atomic wedgie and stole your lunch money.

[Zach @ Jun 24th 2008 2:13PM]

I love how there is an argument taking place over something that is extremely subjective.

[Pochi @ Jun 24th 2008 2:42PM]

@Zak

The Prada is superior because I think it looks much nicer and classier. I'm not really too concerned about convincing you that it looks better, because... well, I just don't give a shit what you think looks better.

"By even mentioning the Prizm you've shown us all that you have the design sense of a dead badger..."

No, you've just "shown us all" that you're unable to accept alternate opinions on design.

"...and you wouldn't know good design if it gave you an atomic wedgie and stole your lunch money."

I get the feeling you're probably more used to that than most people here. I guess wearing an Apple t-shirt to your 9th grade gym class will do that though, right Zak?

[G Man @ Jun 25th 2008 11:19AM]

What about the HTC Diamond?
You guys didn't even mention it :(

[george @ Jun 24th 2008 11:29AM]

Is it just me, or does the camera lens look a little bit larger on iPhone 3G?

[WITHOUT A NAME @ Jun 24th 2008 12:04PM]

I think there's just a little aluminum ring around it...

[Snitch @ Jun 24th 2008 11:30AM]

So what would happen if for example, Apple sells 30 million iphone to AT&T customers during the 5 year period & then decides to go with someone else? 30 millions is 1/2 of AT&T customers. I think this deal is suicide to Death Star, i mean the iphone side affects could be Fatal to them

[gareth @ Jun 24th 2008 11:31AM]

i like the new one better but in white 

[sebastian @ Jun 24th 2008 11:33AM]

the new one looks more like a phone to me than a smartphone, I do like the fact that the back is one piece though, didn't have to be plastic, and didn't have to be glossy, the matte plastic from the old iPhone's bottom would have been best imho, wouldn't look so cheap. even though I highly doubt it'll scratch all that much, my mighty mouse is still pretty scratch free (if I actually try to see scratches and put it under a lamp). Of course, it doesn't get carried around in my pocket every day, but it doesn't get handled that gently either.

[Gingerbread Man @ Jun 24th 2008 11:32AM]

Yeah your right they both look like crap, Im switching from my iPhone back to my old Primeco phone.

[Verizon customer @ Jun 24th 2008 11:36AM]

I worry that it's going to wobble while sitting on it's backside. That could be annoying, but who knows.