New iPhone 3G S features Two failed demos and a parade of new features on the iPhone 3.0 software later, Apple finally unveiled its third iPhone, the iPhone 3G S (S represents speed). The design hasn't changed much aside from a chassis that's heavier by 2g and the footprint remains similar to the earlier iPhone 3G. You still have the single Home button on the front and tapered back. Under the hood, it's all different and these are some of the updates over the iPhone 3G model: Improved battery life. The iPhone 3G S has a longer battery life with a rated talktime up to 5 hours on a 3G network and 12 hours on 2G. Web browsing has an uptime of 9 hours on Wi-Fi and 5 hours on 3G. Maximum standby time is up to 300 hours. You can also playback audio for up to 30 hours continuously, or video for 10 hours. Performance bumps. Applications will load twice as fast and there'll also be improved 3D graphics for games. The iPhone 3G S supports tri-band UMTS/HSDPA 7.2Mbps wireless connectivity. 3-megapixel camera. Aside from an increase in resolution from 2 megapixels on the iPhone 3G, the new shooter packs autofocus, auto white balance, a 10cm macro mode setting, better low-light performance and a tap focus feature. The latter lets you specify the area of focus by tapping on the screen. Video capture. The iPhone 3G S now records motion images (with audio) in VGA resolution at 30fps. You can edit clips directly on the device, send them via email and MMS if your telco operator supports it or publish it directly to YouTube. Developers can now also include video cameras into their applications using the API. Voice control. This works not only for making calls, but also lets you control iTunes playback on the phone. You can ask what song is playing (and hear the reply) or command it to play a song that's similar to the tune that you're listening to using the iTunes Genius feature. Digital compass. This one works hand-in-hand with Google Maps to show which direction you're facing along with the coordinates. You can choose to go with magnetic North or calibrate the compass to show true North. Nike+ support. It'll detect the Nike+ sensor in your shoe during your runs. Hardware encryption. You now have a kill switch to wipe data off your phone remotely. There's also a Find My iPhone feature, available only for MobileMe users, that shows where your iPhone is on a Map. You can also send an audio alert to your device and it'll play even if the phone is in silent mode. Tethering. Tethering works with Macs and PCs, via USB or Bluetooth. There's no need for additional software, but it requires carrier support. Of course, that's not all the new iPhone is offering. Other iPhone 3.0 features have been discussed previously. These include cut, copy and paste, landscape keyboard, systemwide search with spotlight, Bluetooth stereo, push notifications and an in-app payment facility. The iPhone 3.0 OS will be available for download on iTunes June 17, two days before the iPhone 3G S. The software update is free for current iPhone users, while iPod touch owners have to fork out US$9.95 for the upgrade. The iPhone 3G S has a suggested retail price of US$199 and US$299 for the 16GB and 32GB models, respectively. These prices are telco-dependant and may vary from country to country. Tags: Apple iPhone, Camera, Apple iPhone 3G, video, 2G
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