Meet the Apple iPhone 3GS, the iPhone 3G is here to stay as well.

[Shake&Bake]

08 June, 2009 | Comments (45) | Post your comment
Tags: Apple, iPhone

Pretty much all the rumors regarding the new iPhone turned out true - the iPhone 3GS (S for Speed) has a 3 megapixel camera with video recording and a compass. The unexpected thing however is that 3GS will look exactly as the original iPhone 3G.



Beside the new VGA@30fps video recording, the auto focus camera with touch focus (and everything else automatic) and of course, the built-in compass, there are no other significant changes as compared to iPhone 3G.

The camera should have improved low light sensitivity (whatever that means) and macro mode (10cm). Other than that there still won't be any settings at all to tinker with. A simple video editor will allow to trim your recorded videos.


iPhone 3GS sports video recording • you can trim videos and upload them directly from the phone

The iPhone 3GS will be available as soon as 19 June 2009 in the first wave of countries and it would spread to all the 80 planned countries within a couple of months later.

The first wave will hit USA, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and UK on 19 June, while the rest of the countries will follow suite on 09 July and 09 August.


The three waves of Apple iPhone 3GS planned availability

Available again in white and black, the iPhone 3GS will retail for 199 US dollars and 299 US dollars for the 16GB and 32GB version respectively.

In the same time, the iPhone 3G will continue selling at a reduced price of only 99 US dollars for the 16GB version.

Image source: http://www.gizmodo.com

GSMArena

 

[Shake&Bake]

What I'd like to know is if VC are going to be dropping their prices on the remaing older 3G stock?

v3g?

 

[rpm]

I asked Vodacom for comment - will publish as soon as I hear anything.

So long:

iPhone 3G S image gallery

iPhone 3G S article

 

[TowerGuru]

Seriously now. They put in a lousy 3mp camera and a compass but keep everything else the same and that justifies a new phone release? That's just rediculous. And there'll probably be droves lining up around the world to buy the dam things. A 3mp camera? The best apple can do? That gigantic screen just begs for a nicer camera. And a flash. Selling iphones for 100us dollars? That means about a thousand bucks right? I'd get an original iphone 3G for that price. Just for the novelty of it.

 

[Shake&Bake]

Seriously now. They put in a lousy 3mp camera and a compass but keep everything else the same and that justifies a new phone release? That's just rediculous. And there'll probably be droves lining up around the world to buy the dam things. A 3mp camera? The best apple can do? That gigantic screen just begs for a nicer camera. And a flash. Selling iphones for 100us dollars? That means about a thousand bucks right? I'd get an original iphone 3G for that price. Just for the novelty of it.

That's what I'm looking at doing. Iphone for calls, music and some apps and then my Omnia for Hsdpa, organization; e-mail etc.
Played with 3G iPhone in London earlier this year and it was fun, and that's the only reason I'd want it and at a R1k price tag it seems ok.

If the local market doesn't react, then e-bay or friends abroad are avenues to getting them.

Thanks rpm, would love to hear an official response from VC.

 

[Shake&Bake]

Also one other thing, the design looks exactly like the current one. Some drastic tangible change would have been nice. There is a mock-up I saw posted here which looked good. The 3Gis looks rather bland and similar to the current version.

Bragging rights will have to be backed with a viewing of the rear of the phone and a display of the software specs lol

 

[bex.cpt]

Also one other thing, the design looks exactly like the current one. Some drastic tangible change would have been nice. There is a mock-up I saw posted here which looked good. The 3Gis looks rather bland and similar to the current version.

Bragging rights will have to be backed with a viewing of the rear of the phone and a display of the software specs lol

Cosmetic changes is not really what we Iphone users are looking for. The design is good, pure and the brand has been established. I think the focus should stay on ease of use, functionality & capabilities of the device.

I for one would not like to see the Iphone go through a metamorphosis just for the sake of it. If the old design (Porsche 911 {1999, 2002, 2004 etc} as per Top Gear) works why mess with it.

Yes a reduction in price would be nice to see, I doubt it really Vodacom has already taken the pay in away when taking a Business Contract with the Iphone and in there world that in it self is the reduction in price.

We can but only hope.

 

[Shake&Bake]

They could at least look at not having it wobble on flat surface

 

[Yarik11]

Definitely do not see a reason to upgrade my Iphone 3g.

I mean, even the casing is identical - WTF? There were rumours of matte/rubber finish on the back.

 

[PAYBACK]

Just in time for my port over from MTN to Vodacom. Wife's getting my old/new iPhone 3G . Some welcomed changes should round it off quite nicely.

 

[Grimspoon]

I agree, why mess with a good thing. The 3G is still very fresh and sleek looking, why go and change it? HTC are continuously changing their phones and personally it gets annoying. Master one phone, make it solid and build on it. I think Apple have got the right idea going here. They are a smart bunch that make solid products. It would be sad to see them start churning out products left right and centre every few months and suffer with poor quality because they rushed it. OS3 is going to be a real treat for current iPhone owners as well as people buying the new one.

 

[chris2.0]

Yip, at least OS3 is available to 2G owners as well (that's me!)

But still waiting for a GSM Palm Pre!

 

[SlappY]

I believe the pumped the speed up quite a bit too.
Claims its twice as fast.

 

[morkhans]

What I'd like to know is if VC are going to be dropping their prices on the remaing older 3G stock?

v3g?

Well they already did that with the 8GB, not sure what the status is on the 16GB? Remember all the "8GB free on contract X" threads?

I expect that when the iPhone 3GS arrives Vodacom will continue to offer the old 8GB for free on most contracts. The new 16GB and 32GB will be back at R2600 and R3600 pay-in.

 

[Grimspoon]

Remember that the 8GB is hardly available anymore.....Other than the recent Mweb special, I could only get the 16GB on a crazy pay in.
I doubt that will change, unless VC start bringing in more 8GB models which I doubt. They will more than likely purposely not bring them back so that they can still demand huge pay ins on the current 16GB and new 3Gs. Its all about money making for them.

 

[TowerGuru]

Well will it be around around a thousand bucks still though? Or would i have to get one off ebay or something stupid? Knowing vodacom they'd never do that.

 

[morkhans]

Remember that the 8GB is hardly available anymore.....Other than the recent Mweb special, I could only get the 16GB on a crazy pay in.
I doubt that will change, unless VC start bringing in more 8GB models which I doubt. They will more than likely purposely not bring them back so that they can still demand huge pay ins on the current 16GB and new 3Gs. Its all about money making for them.

I am sure Apple just did that because they were waiting for OS 3 to become final. I can't see why SA won't get the "new" 8GB that will ship with OS 3.0.

 

[Shake&Bake]

So has there been any word from Vodacom regarding a drop in pricing of the older 3G iPhone?

 

[Retro]

Remember that the 8GB is hardly available anymore.....Other than the recent Mweb special, I could only get the 16GB on a crazy pay in.
I doubt that will change, unless VC start bringing in more 8GB models which I doubt. They will more than likely purposely not bring them back so that they can still demand huge pay ins on the current 16GB and new 3Gs. Its all about money making for them.

Mweb is actually out of stock as well. But new stock of the 8gig are coming in on the 18th, for Vodacom & Mweb. The 8gig hasn't been discontinued, Apple will still be selling it.

 

[bex.cpt]

Remember that the 8GB is hardly available anymore.....Other than the recent Mweb special, I could only get the 16GB on a crazy pay in.
I doubt that will change, unless VC start bringing in more 8GB models which I doubt. They will more than likely purposely not bring them back so that they can still demand huge pay ins on the current 16GB and new 3Gs. Its all about money making for them.

Well I got the 16GB with zero pay in. I donot understand why I have to pay in when taking a business contract, but the joke is on VODACOM I took the contract sim put it back in its packaging and way back in the closet. Spent R5 on a MTN starter pack. Now I see that the OS3.0 update which includes MMS works out of the box but with VODACOM MMS is not working that well.