iPhone 3GS will delight first time buyers and upgraders alike

Last year's iPhone 3G was all about the network. This year's model is all about updated hardware: a faster processor, more RAM, more storage space and a better camera. All of it works together to produce a more refined device that first-time buyers will love and upgraders will appreciate.
6/29/2009 6:00:00 AM By: Michael DeAgonia

After standing in line at a store for almost an hour on June 19 -- the lines were shorter this year than they were for previous iPhone releases -- I snagged a 32GB model of the iPhone 3GS and quickly spent a few hours checking it out.

My first impression: It's a solid update of an already well-designed mobile device. (Nomenclature alert: Apple started referring to the new model as the iPhone 3GS earlier this week. When introduced June 8, it was called the iPhone 3G S.)

Now, after spending a few days with the iPhone 3GS, I can say that my enthusiasm for the new device has not diminished.

It's no secret that I'm a fan of the iPhone, but that doesn't mean I see it as a flawless product -- merely the best mobile implementation of the desktop experience.

The latest iPhone hardware and the new iPhone OS 3.0 software it runs -- the OS also works on earlier models -- combine to offer a well-executed follow-up to the painful iPhone 3G launch of last year.

Unpacking the iPhone 3GS

The out-of-box experience is similar to last year's iPhone 3G.

This year's model arrives in a slightly smaller box that contains the iPhone, a set of redesigned Apple earphones with remote and mic similar to those that come with the iPod Shuffle, a tiny wall plug with a USB connector and a USB-to-iPhone cord.

There's also a pamphlet describing some of the iPhone's new features, a handy SIM card ejector and the usual Apple stickers and legal disclaimers. Like the iPhone 3G, this version does not come with a dock. If you want a dock, you still have to pay $29 separately.

If you were hoping for a real keyboard instead of a virtual one -- some people want real keys, though I don't -- keep hoping. Physically, the iPhone 3GS is practically identical to last year's model, with the newest model weighing 2 grams extra.

The iPhone still sports the same vibrant 480-by-320-pixel screen and uses the same buttons as before. There's still a Home screen button below the 3.5-in. screen, a volume up/down switch and a mute switch -- both on the iPhone's left side -- and the sleep/wake button at the top. If you've seen earlier iPhones, you know what this one looks like.
Protective cases designed for last year's model work fine with the new one.

Older accessories also appear to work well, and Apple seems to have avoided a repeat of last year's problems, when a rewired dock connector broke compatibility with some third-party accessories.

In fact, the iPhone OS 3.0 software finally supports stereo Bluetooth connectivity for automobiles and wireless headsets, and Apple now allows third-party developers to write software that utilizes the iPhone's dock connector.

The only external difference in this year's model is the "32GB" stamp on the back of my black iPhone 3GS -- that's double the storage space of my old 16GB model -- and the ease with which fingerprints can be wiped off the screen.

While the iPhone 3GS is still a fingerprint magnet, those fingerprints are much more easily removed thanks to a new "oleophobic" coating.

The 'S' is for speed

There are more significant differences, however, mostly in terms of performance. While the old and new models are physically similar, the big change in this year's edition involves under-the-hood upgrades to the iPhone's internal components.

The hardware improvements are obvious as soon as you turn the phone on: the iPhone 3GS boots up in nearly half the time of the previous model.

Last year's 16GB iPhone 3G booted to an interactive state in 54.6 seconds. The new 32GB iPhone 3GS was ready to use in just 29.2 seconds -- about half the time.

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