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Apple surges ahead of the game with iPhone 3G
Mark Prigg, Science Correspondent10 Jul 2008
Apple's original iPhone, possibly the most over-hyped product in the history of electronics, was a huge success in the US, despite criticism in Britain for its £369 price tag.
Tomorrow a faster and cheaper version of the handset - which combines a mobile phone, iPod and internet browser - goes on sale around the world.
The iPhone 3G will be free to users on the O2 network's most expensive tariffs and £99 for the average user - if they can find one.
O2 has already sold its entire preorder-stock, and numbers of the handset-are expected to be limited.
The new version adds high-speed 3G connectivity and GPS, enabling the phone to work as a satnav, as well as the ability to download extra software, such as games, to the handset.
The Evening Standard has been using the new handset for the past couple of weeks, and the phone is incredibly slick and thinner than its predecessor.
It is slim enough to fit into trouser pockets but feels solidly built. Fingerprints do show up badly on its surface, however.
Call quality is excellent, and download speed when viewing web pages is also much improved.
While the phone's 3G speeds are useful, it is the ability to download extra software to the handset that really makes a difference.
The Standard was able to try out several applications, including Super Monkey Ball, a game developed by Sega and expected to sell for around £5. It is controlled by tilting the phone to move a ball on screen, and is very addictive.
Cro-Mag Rally, a brilliant driving game controlled by holding the iPhone like a steering wheel, is also worth a try - although you might look a bit of an idiot playing it on the Tube.
The phone's graphics are superb, easily comparable to Sony's PSP portable games console.
Hundreds of other small applications, some of them free, are expected to become available for handset downloads from tomorrow.
Web browsing is excellent, although annoyingly we found the BBC's iPlayer site did not work. There is hope that this may be fixed once the handset goes on sale.
The camera is still the weakest part of the phone. A twomegapixel camera just doesn't cut it when most of Apple's rivals are on the verge of launching eight-megapixel models.
Apple has, however, made it far easier for the iPhone to work with corporate email systems, which is key to its plan to take on BlackBerry with this version of the handset.
Battery life is a little disappointing, but certainly comparable with other phones with so many features - as long as you remember to recharge every night.
Despite these problems, the iPhone 3G is a superb product and probably the most impressive mobile phone we've seen. The addition of GPS and the ability to download extra software give what was already an impressive phone a huge boost. If you can find one, it is highly recommended.
