A Tale of Two iPhones : Differences Between iPhone And iPhone3G
In light of the unofficial release of the o2 Pay As You Go pricing for the iPhone 3G, we thought it would be a good time to see if the young pretender has what it takes to wrestle the crown from the current champ.
o2 was kind enough to briefly display prospective numbers for the iPhone 3G on their site, which was at the expected price point of £300 for the 8GB and fifty quid more to double up on memory. These were promptly yoinked unceremoniously off the page, perhaps they were testing the waters to see industry reaction?
Using our patented Omio ‘Compare Phone’ feature, we stand the iPhone 3G next to its predecessor to see what magic the Apple camp has weaved in the past year.
See the iPhone Comparison in Depth.
More detailed analysis follows…
The first immediate thing is the change in terms of looks. We’re a bit shallow like that. A glossy black 
plastic, even with the option of white on the 16GB, has replaced the iPhone’s iconic metal back. Prepare for loads of scratches on the back of your new baby! The positive side effect is that the youngster now weighs in at a couple of grams lighter, and the slightly curved revision does look very nice. Everything else is business as usual, the chrome Apple logo remains, as does the 2 megapixel pinhole-sized camera.
The next noticeable upgrade is to the battery life and talktime, bolstered from 8 to 10 hours chatting, and from 250 to 300 on standby. This is definitely good news to internet jockeys, as using EDGE or even wi-fi connections on the iPhone drank battery juice like water. With 3G, an increased battery life is imperative. Also, still no removable battery, which means a big “Return to Sender” when it starts to fail to retain that charge… With these EA Sports-style annual updates maybe we’ll be on our iPhone 4G by then, so it won’t matter.
Continuing down the list, the similarities make for sobering reading as many of the missing features folks took issue with for 1.0 have not been addressed. Bluetooth support remains purely for headphones as opposed to data transfer, also the 2 megapixel camera remains bereft of a flash or video functionality, despite the latter being fully capable as Camera PRO has demonstrated. With pressure from bleeding edge handsets like the Samsung Omnia and Sony Ericsson C905, omitting what as become basic modern conveniences seems crazy. Still no MMS? Radio? Really? Granted, the U.S. doesn’t care about such things, but if even the most entry level handsets can provide, the Jesus Phone 3G ought to.
One much needed upgrade is GPS support for the iPhone 3G, combined with the Google Maps functionality, it is a really impressive addition. Having said that, GPS is this season’s must-have accessory for most handsets, so it isn’t as impressive when your nan’s Doro has it too…
iSuppli boffins have guesstimated the manufacturing costs of the iPhone 3G as a 23% cost reduction of the original, down to a trifling $173. £87. I’m no mathemagician, but that is some mark-up if o2’s PAYG price is right. Could they not stick an FM receiver in there? Java support? Still unable to even play the Catchphrase mobile game on there. A painful loss.
It makes the craziness and fun jailbroken owners are enjoying all the more depressing. From the tech demos, apps and games backroom developers have put on unlocked handsets, it is clear to see the beast in a cage the iPhone is. It is a shame that Apple may drip feed these great features, at a premium, as time goes on…
So…upgrade or no? Looking at the specs next to each other, the iPhone 3G is better than the original. Unequivocally. It is clear from the market today, with the success of phones like the HTC Touch Diamond and the Samsung Instinct proving the most successful launch ever on US network Sprint, the touch interface has rocked the foundations of the mobile phone industry. Yet the second incarnation has been a bunny hop rather than a leap in terms of innovation. With competition catching up and capitalizing on this futuristic style of phones, the iPhone is looking less of a clear leader.
All in all it is down to personal preference, rather than a clear-cut winner for Apple. If you love that touchscreen, prepare for more of the same, but with faster wireless connectivity, and a few software based bells and whistles. However, there are others which come pretty close to that user experience, at a fraction of the cost with a wealth of better features. Tough question, and one which Omio will be far better equipped to answer come July 11th. For now, use our iPhone Comparison page, add your personal iPhone killer and decide for yourself…
Tags: c905, htc, iPhone, iphone 3g, samsung omnia, Sony Ericsson, Touch Diamond
