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New iPhone 3G S will be 'twice as fast'
09.06.09
Apple unveiled the next generation of its iPhone with the promise that it will be twice as fast as its predecessor.
The iPhone 3G S also offers the option of a 32GB memory, twice that available on the current model and enough for 7,000 songs to be stored.
The new model goes on sale on June 19 and at the launch Apple announced it was halving the price of the current 8GB iPhone 3G.
Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing, said: "iPhone 3G S is the fastest, most powerful iPhone yet and we think people will love the incredible new features including autofocus camera, video recording and the freedom of voice control.
"And with a breakthrough price of 99 dollars (£61.56), we are thrilled to get iPhone 3G into the hands of even more users who want them."
Other features on the latest phone include "tap to focus" on the three megapixel camera, allowing the user to touch the display to select an object or area of interest, prompting the camera to automatically re-adjust the focus and exposure.
Video clips can be edited and then posted to MobileMe or YouTube with just one tap.
Games lovers have been promised "stunning" high-quality 3D graphics and music lovers can use the voice control feature to pause, play or ask for "more songs like this".
The phone will also prevent its owner from getting lost with a built-in digital compass and if the phone is lost, iPhone 3.0 software includes a feature to locate it on a MobileMe map or make it play a sound even if it is set to silent.
If that fails to find it, there is a remote wipe feature to erase all the data and content.
Visually impaired users will benefit from a screen reader so they can listen to their emails and browse web pages.
They can also magnify the screen with the zoom function or reverse the colours to provide higher contrast.
The iPhone 3G S was launched at The Worldwide Developers Conference in California last night and will cost 199 dollars for the 16GB model and 299 dollars in the US.
UK prices have not yet been confirmed but are expected to be around £340 for pay-as-you-go customers, less for those on a contract.
The new iPhone is Apple's counterpunch to one of its main rivals, Palm, which launched the new Palm Pre in the US at the weekend.
It has impressed reviewers with its slide-out keyboard and ability to run more than one programme at a time. But with the new iPhone being launched, it may not be enough to dent Apple's market share.
Ernest Doku, technology editor at mobile phone comparison website, Omio.com, said: "The 'S' stands for speed, and with faster web browsing and the ability to record and upload video to YouTube, the 3GS will get more people using their mobiles to go online than ever before.
"It's the must-have mobile multi-media device.
"Majorly cool has just become mass market. Essentially, the 3G S is a refinement of the existing device so not all worlds will be rocked, but as usual with Apple, there are some big reasons to be excited.
"Features like data encryption, improved data speeds and increased battery life will attract business users, while for every gimmick like Voice Control there is a genuinely useful addition like the digital compass and a much-improved camera.
"For everyone of us who has left a mobile phone in a restaurant or on the train to work, Find My iPhone is the program we've been waiting for.
"It shows that Apple is always thinking about how to improve the user experience - the ability to wipe private data remotely is a particularly helpful function."
Reader views (8)
Still no flash though, how about the ability to turn off images so that Safari doesn't crash when it uses too much memory? By the way, I'm typing this on an iPhone 3G.
- Bob, Cheam
I believe you can also make calls on this phone, Clever
- Ge, Kernow
Bob of Cheam, the new iPhone OS 3.0 actually adds the functionality of cut, copy and paste as well as a whole host of features - to be released on 17th June.
- Simon Gittus, Nottingham
er bob, cut and paste is also included in iphone 0s 3.0
- Daveb, london
Still no Flash support or cut and paste functionality.
- Bob, Cheam
Nokia E71 - data encryption many moons ago.
- Guy, Luxembourg
And by the time we all have one of these, we won't be able to benefit from the speed as the infrastructure couldnt cope!
- Dave Davies, Basingstoke
I am still waiting for apple to release the iWheel..
"And with a breakthrough price of 99 dollars (£61.56), we are thrilled to get iPhone 3G into the hands of even more users who want them."
I suspect 99 dollars will sell here for £99, if you are sad enough to follow the other lemminings
- Gary, Brentwood 1
