Walt Mossberg reviews the iPhone 3G, isn't that impressed (now with more David Pogue and Ed Baig!)
By Joshua Topolsky 
posted July 8th 2008 9:44PM
posted July 8th 2008 9:44PM
Update: David Pogue of the New York Times has also turned in a kinda-sorta review of the iPhone 3G, though it reads more like an overview of its features than a honest-to-goodness critique. He also makes passing reference to the GPS antenna being "too small" to function as a proper GPS, which makes roughly zero sense to us. Feel free to figure it out on your own.
Update 2: Can't forget Ed Baig of USA Today, who says the new model is "worth the wait" (not to say we have any option at this point anyway, seeing how hard it is to find an original anywhere). He seemed to have trouble picking up 3G service in some locations, though it's not clear whether that can be chalked up to technical issues with the handset or a lack of coverage where he was testing. Like the others, Baig discovered a noticeable improvement in audio quality and a noticeable hit in battery life when hooked up to the 3G network. Gotta pay to play, we guess.
So audio quality on the first iPhone sucked? It's a phone! Says so in the name! And all this time everyone's been saying how great it is? Pshaw!
@Cassini -"No MMS, no video capability. Did they manage to add "cut and paste" or did they forget that, too?"
you act like those things are some deficiency with the hardware that apple needed to fix in the next hardware upgrade of the iphone. all of these problems could be fixed on the first gen iphone when it's fixed in the software. I'm not saying these features aren't important or that it doesn't matter that they aren't included, but in all fairness these features could be added at any time to an iphone bought last year when apple gets around to implementing them.
Yes 3G and GPS aren't huge upgrades, but as someone who doesn't currently own the original iphone these are nice additions to the phone that make it a better buy for a first time owner.
Also there was a previous poster that brought up an excellent point that maybe over the course of 2 years it's 240 dollars to counter the 200 dollars off the initial price point but you can invest that 200 dollars you save at the beginning and make the extra 40 bucks over the course of 2 years easily.
"...but you can invest that 200 dollars you save at the beginning and make the extra 40 bucks over the course of 2 years easily."
Where is this magic investment vehicle that is giving you easy 20% returns over two years in an economy like this? Replace "easily" with "luckily" and I'd believe you.
I never said lacking those things meant a deficiency with the hardware, just merely pointing out that what they did for Round 2 was lacking.
If they manage to make the changes so many of us have been waiting for, I'd be open to buying an iPhone myself. But a pretty UI (although nice) isn't going to make many of us forget about the features we need and/or use that haven't found their way inside this thing.
Maybe Apple will get a clue in Round 3. Or maybe they'll continue milking things and sucking the wallets dry of the iPhone groupies while the rest of us remain with or move on to other progressing phones.
Been meaning to ask: Can you play music in the background while surfing with this or the original iPhone?
Yes.
Been meaning to ask: Can you play music in the background while surfing? Sorry if this gets repeated
Things sound as expected. Looking forward to GPS w/ software from TomTom. One less thing to carry.
Does anyone know if they made it possible to use landscape QWERTY in SMS (or anything besides Safari for that matter)? No reviewer has stated it, and I don't see it on any iPhone 3G feature site, so I'm assuming no, but just thought I'd ask.
Honestly I don't understand what all the hype is for the new generation of the iPhone...I'm very satisfied with the old generation and if you take into account the design as well, I think the 1st gen looks a lot better than the new one.
Aluminum -> Plastic? Isn't that a bit of a downgrade? Just my 2 cents
Also, there isn't a dock that's provided; and to purchase a dock it's 30$? (not sure I haven't checked) All of these factor into lowering the price to 199$.
The rate plans as well (not counting Rogers..you guys got screwed over for no reason); as for the plans, 10$ for 3G coverage but that only includes the unlimited web connectivity, but 200texts are 5$ more? All of this makes a person feel like their getting something that might just cost them more for the maintenance than the start up cost.
Regarding 3G coverage, unless you're a business executive that urgently needs his files 10-12 seconds faster, I honestly don't see the point in wasting the 10$ (well 15$ if you want texts too). Most of us can accomplish all we need to do with EDGE and most of us have a wifi connection near by (I'm assuming).
All in all, I don't believe there should be this much hype for the new generation; but hey, whatever makes you happy. I have nothing against the people who want to get the new iPhone.
Oh god, again with the "aluminum is better than plastic" complaint. Look, metal blocks wireless signals, such as cell radio signals and GPS signals. The reason the iPhone 3G has an all plastic back is because it has more antennas and requires better reception. Making the back metal again was simply not an option.
@Zak
Isn't that why the original iPhone had a plastic antenna cover? The black part on the bottom of the iPhone is where the antenna for the cell towers is located.
Who cares what this old fart thinks.
Obviously you do, or else you wouldn't have felt the need to comment on it.
Did they make the battery user replaceable yet?
Biggest knock on a phone. Are there any others out there like that?? Not that I can think of.
Can't find the original? I can still find them here in Hong Kong. In fact, I'm seriously considering getting the old version rather than the new. I don't want a new contract with anyone, so if that's not possible with the 3G, then I may pick up the original.
OMG? did apple pull the video down?
I refreshed and refreshed.... doesn't play.
I didn't take the time to read through each and every comment...but...no copy/paste? Still? Really? Tell me this is a false rumor. Is the next MacBook Pro going to come without a space bar as well? Sigh.
What about Video Call ?
WHAT ABOUT VIDEO CALLS ?
Whats a 3G Phone without Video Calls ?
Video call is a very very basic service of the 3G network, something like Voice call for the GSM networks... Why it does not support it ?
Whats wrong with these people ?
I mean why they do half of the work ?
In Europe ALL 3G Phones support Video Calls.
And All these Extra Futures are pretty much standard for any phone with advanced software (i.e. Symbian OS or Windows Mobile).
For my opinion except the friendly environment and the cool touch screen has nothing spacial to offer comparing to the other 3G phones in the same category and you doubt you can see it by your self.. !! Just go and Check the Nokia 3G Phones and you ll find plenty phones that offer the same things and some of them aeven better that i-Phone3G.
I personally think that they could add much much more in the new i-Phone but its still cool enough to buy it comparing the price.
Sorry about the typos..*
Oh yeah, every 3G phone in europe supports video calling. Sure, right. You lost your expert status as soon as you dropped that massive exaggeration.
Anyway, who actually uses it? There have been landline home phones that supported video calls for 20+ years, and nobody uses them, despite the fact that the size and setup of a home phone is much more conducive to video calling.
It's a gimmick.
Never say never, but I am very inclined to in this case. I can't see this feature gaining mainstream acceptance.
Until the competition catches up with the iPhone there is absolutely no point in Apple pulling too many new features into it. The fact that still after 18 months since it was unveiled much of the competition is still banging away at the same disgusting Windows Mobile interface just shows how long it will be before Apple are challenged to make vast improvements.
someone want to elaborate more on what he means that you can only sync exchange or personal calendar and contacts?? If that's true than the exchange part is broken in my eyes...
Yes it is broken. You can have personal and Exchange MAIL accounts together just fine. Now if you want your iCal data and your Exchange calendar, NOPE, it's one or the other. Same with your Address Book contacts or the Exchange Address Book, you can have only one.
People never mention this, probably because of the NDA, I only know about it because I've seen the 2.0 software in the hands of somebody who has it legally. It IS BROKEN, you should be able to have your work and home calendar or work and home contacts, together, and not have to merge everything into one data source. I know for a fact I don't want my personal stuff in my work Exchange account.
'First Comment!'
Destined to fail.
Wait, so Apple used battery life as an excuse not to put 3G in the iPhone last year...waited a year and added 3G (and not too much else)...and now everyone is clamoring over a new one, when the battery life is just as bad as it would have been last year? 'atta way Jobsy...
So, Apple did what everyone whined for, and the result is exactly what they said it would be. Remember last year when the Internet Police were all saying that the 3G = reduced battery life line that Jobs fed everyone was a lie?
Exactly. All you idiots who thought Jobs was lying about the reasons for not including 3G in the first iPhone, would you step forward please? I have this huge trout here, and I'm going to slap every one of you with it.
Oh and Jon, who says battery life is as bad as it would have been last year? For the 3G iPhone Apple made improvements to the battery and is using a better 3G chipset than what was available last year, it's more efficient. In fact, Jobs has already said that was exactly what he was waiting for, as far as 3G in the iPhone. Better battery and more efficient 3G chips.
i'm always amazed that mossberg can't find a better computer microphone considering he's supposed to cover technology.
Why did the Wall Street Journal hire an uninformed goat to review technology?
You hate Apple, so Mossberg is an uninformed goat? That doesn't really add up, can you explain it in more detail please? thx.
Not to mention look at AT&T's 3G coverage right now... WEAK!!!!
Apple's only flaw was going with a carrier that has a crap joke data network!
http://www.tuaw.com/photos/atandt-3g-coverage-map/854641/
What he doesn't mention is the added $5 you need to shell out for text messaging. something that was included in the old plan
Jeremy @ Jul 8th 2008 10:23PM
Agreed. I cannot fathom why anyone cares what this guy thinks. For someone who has had this phone for "weeks" this review is beyond useless. Did he even notice it had GPS?
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Why you were Low Ranked is beyond me. You made an excellent point. I noticed this too. A couple weeks with the phone and no talk on GPS. And this guy is supposed to be revered?
Sure the battery on iPhone 3G is not that great, but what can we do? We want small size phones, powerful features and lengthy battery life.
Just get a backup battery. I got mine from iPhoneck brands. Their new 3G backup battery is probably one of the better looking products in the market. Their website is www.iphoneck.com
thank you