Iphone 3gs Launched Today

[saintofsilence]

iPhone Stars in Apple Show

Apple announced some things that were characteristically Apple: more, better, faster features on its smartphones and computers. It also announced something that was not: lower prices.

The company said the third model of its hit phone, which looks physically identical to the last version but includes internal hardware and software improvements, will go on sale on June 19. Among the changes, the iPhone 3G S will have a three-megapixel camera that also records video, an internal digital compass and voice-control features that let owners use spoken commands to make calls and play music.

The S stands for speed, and upgraded internal components will allow the device to run more than twice as fast as the previous model, according to Philip W. Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president for worldwide product marketing. Mr. Schiller delivered much of the keynote presentation at Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference, a meeting of Apple software makers that will last through Friday.

Steven P. Jobs, Apple’s chief executive, was not present, as some commentators had expected. Mr. Jobs is on a six-month medical leave and is not expected to return until later this month.

The iPhone 3G S, which will be available in both black and white, is priced at $199 for the 16-gigabyte version and $299 for the 32-gigabyte version. A spokesman for AT&T, Apple’s exclusive iPhone partner in the United States, said that for now, it would not change the monthly prices on its iPhone voice and data plans.

Apple also announced it would sell the previous eight-gigabyte iPhone 3G for a price of $99, reduced from $199, on top of data and voice plans. That could make the iPhone accessible to cost-conscious consumers and undercut competitors like Palm. Palm’s new smartphone, the Pre, which went on sale Saturday, costs $199 after a mail-in rebate. Sprint, which is selling the Pre exclusively, offers a two-year service contract that is cheaper than the one AT&T offers for the iPhone.

“This puts a lot of pressure on the likes of RIM and Palm,” said Charles Wolf, an analyst at Needham & Company, referring to the BlackBerry maker Research in Motion. “It sorts of upsets Palm’s apple cart two days after the launch of the Pre.”

Apple also used the industry gathering to announce new features and price cuts on its MacBook Pro line of laptops. All new MacBook Pros will feature up to seven hours of battery life — a 40 percent increase from the last version, because of the new lithium-ion batteries Apple is using. The new batteries are sealed into the laptops, as opposed to the removable batteries that have been in previous MacBooks. Apple is saying the power units can be recharged up to 1,000 times — up to three times as much as other batteries. New MacBook Pros will also feature an SD memory-card slot for simpler photo transfers.

The new, lower prices suggest the company is taking aim at recession-wary consumers and is willing to sacrifice at least some profit to increase its share of the market for personal computers.

But Apple did not budge on prices significantly. For example, the new 15-inch MacBook Pro now costs $1,699, $300 less than the previous version.

“I think there was a recognition that their prices are becoming increasingly disconnected from the market,” said Toni Sacconaghi Jr., an analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein & Company. “But this was not a bold step into new price points.”

AT&T said iPhone owners with existing contracts would have to pay more to upgrade to a new phone: $499 for the eight-gigabyte, $599 for the 16-gigabyte and $699 for the 32-gigabyte. However, current customers who are eligible for upgrades and those whose contracts have expired would pay the same price as a new customer, said Mark Siegel, executive director of media relations for AT&T mobility and consumer markets. The original iPhone was sold two years ago.

TomTom, the maker of GPS systems for cars or personal use, also made a presentation at the conference, in which it said it was introducing a portable navigation application and car kit to provide drivers with turn-by-turn directions. TomTom executives were acknowledging that the iPhone and other smartphones were killing its market for stand-alone GPS hardware and that the company was entering the accessories and applications business.

The new software for the iPhone also pushed the device more clearly into the portable game console arena occupied by Nintendo’s DS and Sony’s PSP. In what looks like another play for the iPhone to resemble a handheld gaming device, the new peer-to-peer connection feature will locate nearby users using Bluetooth and connect the two using Wi-Fi, allowing them to compete in various games.

Much of Apple’s presentation was devoted to software, both for the Macintosh computer and the iPhone. The company said a new version of its operating system for the Macintosh, called Snow Leopard, would be available in September. It will cost $29 for current Mac owners to upgrade and the operating system will be shipped with all new Macs.

Snow Leopard includes new features that include enhanced global search that can now read URLs and text in Web pages; better compatibility with Microsoft Exchange, the dominant e-mail system used in businesses; and faster computing over all.

Apple also said the new version of the iPhone’s operating system, iPhone OS 3.0, will be made available free to current iPhone owners beginning June 17. The software will have more than 100 new features, including capabilities for multimedia messaging; cut, copy and paste tools; and search functions. It will also unlock features developers have eagerly awaited, like the ability to buy virtual goods or new gaming levels within applications.

ScrollMotion, a start-up based in New York, unveiled an application at the convention called Iceberg, a digital bookstore that will let users purchase best sellers from within the application without having to open a browser.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/09/technolo...9apple.html?hpw

Edited June 9, 2009 by saintofsilence

[MJo]

Nope, i still select my phones based on useability and features and not based on marketing hypea and branding.

[regedit]

Yes, I still select my phones based on useability and features and not based on marketing hype and branding.

[MJo]

I could consider buying if they just would spend few bucks and put a proper qwerty keypad in. Then again i'm not using my phone to listen music, buy online books without having to open my browser etc etc. I just need to get my mails down from exchange server and open attachments, surf the net, use skype and have proper GPS not some online map thingy so maybe not, even if they do add the keypad as my E71 will do it all for me.

But it's up to you, if the screen works for you and you don't mind carrying extra batteries with you go ahead

[motoyen]

Any chance this phone will be sold unlocked in Thailand?

[MJo]

wont take long for the grey imports to arrive in MBK and like

[saintofsilence]

Any chance this phone will be sold unlocked in Thailand?

I cannot see any reason why the unlocked version wont be available the same as the previous versions.

[motoyen]

I mean sold officially unlocked. I've got an unlocked 1st gen phone but getting tired of playing the cat and mouse game with apple. I know in Italy you can buy official unlocked phones and never have to worry about them getting bricked. Buying an unofficial unlocked phone from mbk is risky.

[saintofsilence]

you can buy the same in MBK factory unlocked as one poster said grey version

[MJo]

Just read an article about the new 3GS...

As new features they introduce:

- MMS multimedia messages

- 3.2MP camera with added video recording function

- voice commands

- copy paste

- bluetooth & usb connection to pc and use as 3G modem

I mean the old one did not have these features which have been standard for several years with others ? Now i really don't understand who paid few hundred for a phone like this and also agreed on two year contract or whatever...

Does the old or the new one have HSPA / HSPA+ for proper data ?

[surface]

Are the ones True sells unlocked?

[saintofsilence]

Are the ones True sells unlocked?

I read somewhere that true sold them unlocked

[bkkmick]

Confirm True iPhones are unlocked. Dumped the True SIM card when I got it and stuck my trusty AIS 12Call into it.

[Penangkaki]

True iPhones are unlocked but i used their service coz it had unlimited use of EDGE and WiFi.

[RAZZELL]

Is it worth having an I-phone in Thailand?

Push email and all the other apps work ok?

RAZZ

[nikster]

I mean sold officially unlocked. I've got an unlocked 1st gen phone but getting tired of playing the cat and mouse game with apple. I know in Italy you can buy official unlocked phones and never have to worry about them getting bricked. Buying an unofficial unlocked phone from mbk is risky.

True sells an officially unlocked version right now. They were on the list of providers getting the phone in August, so you'll be able to buy unlocked then.

And...

Yes, I still select my phones based on useability and features and not based on marketing hype and branding.

Same here

[nikster]

Just read an article about the new 3GS...

As new features they introduce:

- MMS multimedia messages

- 3.2MP camera with added video recording function

- voice commands

- copy paste

- bluetooth & usb connection to pc and use as 3G modem

I mean the old one did not have these features which have been standard for several years with others ? Now i really don't understand who paid few hundred for a phone like this and also agreed on two year contract or whatever...

In that case... don't buy it. Just say no! It's not that hard, you know.

[Penangkaki]

If you already have a phone get the Ipod Touch. At half the price it does the same things as an Iphone when connected to WiFi.

[nikster]

For those who don't get it... let's take any feature, call if Feature A. Feature A has been on the Nokias of this world for 10 years, ages, aeons even in mobile phone time. Feature A is also not used by anybody with a Nokia because it really doesn't work that well once you enthusiastically tried it once or twice and showed it off to a friend. From then on, you took some pix with your phone, showed them to people, used the calendar (the Nokia 1100 has one that works pretty well too), the alarm clock (1100 does that too), the phone (Nokia 1100 does that real well), sms (1100...).... and pretty much nothing else.

Feature A on the iPhone is a bit different in that it works amazingly well and you end up using it every day, in fact, you find yourself using your phone for things you never dreamed possible (*). I have taken over 1000 pictures on the iPhone. They are all still on there even though it's the smallest 4GB version. I use the iPod, and nearly all other iPhone apps on a regular basis - they add value to the day, rather than being tech demos that might interest my nerd friends for an afternoon.

In addition to that, I think I'd miss all the fine, small details that make Apple products not just good, but great. Like the sleep/keylock button on the phone, or the volume control rocker. The iPod controls that work even when the keyboard is locked. And lots of other small details. This is stuff that is so simple, yet genius, and most phones just don't have it - I have no idea why either, should be very simple to add for Nokia and others.

(*) like standing at the check in counter and getting told I need to call the airline to get my luggage checked through. I google the airline's BKK office, find the number, click on it in the web browser, which dials the number, and I am on the phone with the airline in about 20 seconds.

[Rawkus]

lol, 29 bucks for an OS upgrade right when Windows users are being told to fork over big money for Win 7 to make the Vista debacle a bad memory. Brilliant marketing on the part of Apple, as usual.

So far reports are that Snow Leopard weighs in at 6GB *less* than Leopard, anybody care to tell me the last time that a Windows release used less disk space that its predecessor? lol

Smug!?!!? Sure, I'm a smug Mac user. Why am I smug?

1) I use my computers to make money as opposed to playing games or rebooting every 15 minutes.

2) I have enough money that I don't need to build a computer from spare parts.

3) I don't give shiat what you think.

Does Win 7 still use things like the Registry and DLLs? Thought so. Can any program you install corrupt the registry at will? Thought so. Personally I would be panicking if I was running Win 7, an OS using out-dated technology desperately clinging to a brand name.

MS need to GTFO of the OS market and focus themselves on making products that people want (hint: Zune isn't one of them).

I will give Microsoft credit for one thing though, their mice are far better than Apple's. So they have that going for them.

[anotheruser]

Until Thailand gets 3G I can't see it being worth upgrading. The 3G was more of an upgrade over the rev a phone than this is (over the current 3G). If you really need 32 GB capacity I guess it is a nice option, if you have the money for such things.

Edited June 9, 2009 by anotheruser

[nikster]

Until Thailand gets 3G I can't see it being worth upgrading. The 3G was more of an upgrade over the rev a phone than this is (over the current 3G). If you really need 32 GB capacity I guess it is a nice option, if you have the money for such things.

It's also a nice upgrade for my 1st gen iPhone. I think that's the whole point, really. The 3G is only one year old and users around the world are still bound to their 2 year contracts to pay it off. Whereas 1G users like me have a 2 year old phone and this one looks like a great update all around.

Don't think I need 32GB but 4GB is definitely getting tight.

[pimmy5]

Most of you confirm that True's iphone is unlocked.. As many of you will know, the new 3Gs is out.. It looks attractive but not worth the price it's going to sell for when you can just get the current 3g and just update the software. My question to anyone who can help me is...

1. If i get the iphone 3g that is unlocked by True, will it 'relock' itself once i do the 3.0 software update or restore the phone, or reset etc.??

2. How do i know if its 100% factory unlocked?

Any help would be much appreicated

Thanks again

Pim

[anotheruser]

Yikes! 4GB how do you survive on that? After thinking about it maybe the 3GS hardware wise is a more significant upgrade than I was thinking it is when I posted earlier. For me however none of the new features is very important. I would like a better battery and faster processor but none of those will change what I do with my phone much.

Anybody have any idea what the 1st gen is selling for at mbk now? I guess the prices probably won't move much until the 3GS gets grey imported to Thailand. I am really hoping the 1st gen go down to next to nothing so I can get one for use as a second phone to travel with.

[TAWP]

Nope, i still select my phones based on useability and features and not based on marketing hypea and branding.

Ditto.

The iPhone is overpriced garbage compared to equal phones in the same price-range.

[TAWP]

1) I use my computers to make money as opposed to playing games or rebooting every 15 minutes.

Haha, yes, since if your tried to play games on a Mac you would be fairly depressed...

Oh, and btw, my three machines they all have up-times on average of around 2 months, until I finally relent and install the updates and reboot...and then they are on 24/7.

[phazey]

My launch day iphone bit the dust today (screen went - but maybe that was caused by the refurb). 3G here we come.

And i'd just like to add, I'm now using a G1 - threw away a nokia and cant even consider a winmo device - regardless of feature this and feature that - the interface is by far the slickest on the market (and yeah, i upgraded to cupcake).

Edited June 10, 2009 by phazey

[trajan]

yeah, I will get the iPhone 3GS as soon as it is available....

really happy with my iPhone 3G (from True) and tiny Apple shuffle for the gym (the iPhone plays music, videos, taped books, TV shows and movies and all kinds of financial, games, reference, map apps etc.)...an upgraded speed, battery life, camera focus and video recorder will be very useful...(I used to be a Windows Mobile smartphone addict but have switched to the Apple World at least for mobile devices after years of hesitation)...

the major gripe I have is that to access to the online iTunes store (full version) without a USA credit card, you need to buy iTunes gift cards, which sometimes come at a premium here (if you cant ask a friend to bring some over from the States)......

[MJo]

For those who don't get it... let's take any feature, call if Feature A. Feature A has been on the Nokias of this world for 10 years, ages, aeons even in mobile phone time. Feature A is also not used by anybody with a Nokia because it really doesn't work that well once you enthusiastically tried it once or twice and showed it off to a friend. From then on, you took some pix with your phone, showed them to people, used the calendar (the Nokia 1100 has one that works pretty well too), the alarm clock (1100 does that too), the phone (Nokia 1100 does that real well), sms (1100...).... and pretty much nothing else.

Feature A on the iPhone is a bit different in that it works amazingly well and you end up using it every day, in fact, you find yourself using your phone for things you never dreamed possible (*). I have taken over 1000 pictures on the iPhone. They are all still on there even though it's the smallest 4GB version. I use the iPod, and nearly all other iPhone apps on a regular basis - they add value to the day, rather than being tech demos that might interest my nerd friends for an afternoon.

In addition to that, I think I'd miss all the fine, small details that make Apple products not just good, but great. Like the sleep/keylock button on the phone, or the volume control rocker. The iPod controls that work even when the keyboard is locked. And lots of other small details. This is stuff that is so simple, yet genius, and most phones just don't have it - I have no idea why either, should be very simple to add for Nokia and others.

(*) like standing at the check in counter and getting told I need to call the airline to get my luggage checked through. I google the airline's BKK office, find the number, click on it in the web browser, which dials the number, and I am on the phone with the airline in about 20 seconds.

Now you are confusing people, you don't like Nokia phones because 1100 is full of tech demos that does not work and that you don't need. Then you say how you like iphone because it's all the fine details and features ?

Get a grip man, it's just a phone and seems that so far it has lacked some basic functions that many phones had available for years. It's success is based on very clever marketing hype and it's nice design covers and user interface principles copied from familiar to all ipod. When i was asking about the lack of basic functions, honestly it was news to me that it didn't have those. I have never checked it out as i do not like touch screens.

What comes to Nokia phones... I have E71 and i do not do tech demos, instead i have real push sync with my company exchange servers keeping my mails, calendar, notes and contacts up to date (second to none except blackberry ), i surf the net and make calls to airlines, i take photos and video daily and send them to my mates of upload to facebook or elsewhere in the net. I do regular skype calls to europe and chat with skype and other messangers. Listen last.fm and occasionally mp3's when connections are limited. And yes, all messengers, last.fm, facebook etc i use direct via one application which is not web browser. I use the phone as HSPA modem daily when i'm out of thailand etc etc. So there is also lot of applications that you never knew but now can not do without and use them daily.

You obviously like it and nothing wrong with that. Same as some of us like girls some boys. It's a matter of personal preference. How much bling you want on you. However i find it bit daft that you try to justify your preferences by claiming it's easier to use than Nokia and has better applications which you can buy from apple. You propably are from US and you compare the user interface with Motorola's in any case it seems your experience as nokia user is limited to 1100

[kudroz]

You don't buy an iPhone because of its feature - you buy it for the user experience. I've had a Nokias and Samsung before and despite the camera they had, I've never really took pictures with the phones because it wasn't an easy painless experience to do so. Taking the pictures off the phone was often complicated or not intuitive (required a bunch of key presses to get where I wanted). I'm sure it has improved a lot since 2006 though.

The iPhone executes browsing, mail, address book better than my old Nokia and Samsung phones. I've got tons of apps that I find useful and the experience of finding the app I want is painless, quick and easy.

I believe that the iPhone is all about user experience, nothing else.