iPhone 3G S Not Much Better than iPhone 3G

For those of you considering to spend your savings on the iPhone 3G S, IF you are even eligible for the $199 upgrade, think again. If you are happy with the offerings of your current iPhone, it may be useful to know that iPhone 3G S doesn’t pack all that many “new” features, as Apple has you thinking. Nope, iPhone OS 3.0 does.

First off, note that if you do not qualify for the $199 iPhone 3G S (requires a new, two-year AT&T rate plan, sold separately), the 16GB device actually costs a pocket-burning $599 ($699 for the 32GB model). Customers also pay a fee of around 20 bucks for setting up the device in-store. Now, if you don’t need 3 megapixels instead of 2, or don’t care much for that digital compass, which many don’t even know what is used for (or whether they actually need it), consider this.

During the WWDC '09 keynote address delivered by the company’s SVP of Product Marketing, Apple revealed that iPhone 3G S would ship with iPhone OS 3.0 pre-installed, offering users a wide range of new features. While the allegation is correct, readers should note that iPhone OS 3.0 alone brings most of that new functionality, and it does so for both iPhone 3G users, as well as for iPhone 2G handset owners. In other words, you needn’t an iPhone 3G S for, say, MMS, Cut/Copy/Paste, Spotlight search, Voice Memos, Landscape Keyboard, Parental Controls and Tethering. All these are OS 3.0-specific additions, and they can be handled just as well on first-generation iPhone hardware.

Admittedly, the iPhone 3G S is said to deliver an improved battery performance, a better processor, a better camera, video recording, voice control, that digital compass mentioned a bit earlier, and (perhaps) a better screen. But the differences aren’t overwhelming. Again, if you’re happy with your current device, why let something like this “ruin” your experience? It’s totally up to you to decide whether you need these new features, or whether you can do without them. Best of all, as an iPhone owner, you get OS 3.0 for free. iPod touch users must cough out almost ten bucks to have the new features. The update is scheduled to become available later this week (June 17).

Readers are encouraged to share their impressions with us on this sensitive topic.