When you purchase the Iphone all you are purchasing is a really nice phone with hundreds of features, the name apple, and the app store. That being said you should purchase the new phone if you want to run your apps quicker and better and generally have a phone that is above the competition with dealing with applications. So if you don't want your phone to that you shouldn't be an Apple customer. ..end of story.

I'm sick of people complaining because they didn't get a phone with out of this world technology. If your complaining at this point I'd hate to see what you would say if they told you you had to pay 1200 dollars for a phone.

Do you think they don't have the technology to do all the ridiculous things people want? They do. They are just smarter then the average joe and know what to add and when to add it.

So suck it up and if your not happy go buy that piece of crap Palm Pre with its 19 apps.

-Link

I am a speed freak so i find the increase in the general speed worth it plus i have not been disappointed in any of my iPhone purchases. I got the 2G just after release, promptly upgraded to 3G after it's release with the $299 upgrade rate. This time i am paying a premium tax of $200 (above the 299) to upgrade early. happily paid, and As an AT&T customer for 10+ yrs i have no issues with their service i haven't experienced with every other US company.

As for the camera, it's going to be a big deal for me, and I'm a @#&$ photographer.

Above Frank says, "in my case, I always have to carry a digital camera with me. So getting +1.0 megapixel is well, still ****. I really think no one shouuld be making anything below 5.0 MP at this age."

Please.

I shoot full frame digital and 4x5 1gb files when I'm doing serious work, but since those cameras are more than 1cm thick - I won't have them with me everywhere, always. I also have a HD DV camera which is pretty darn small. Again, I'm not going to have it with me unless I'm specifically doing a dedicated shoot. My phone is glued to my body. This is going to change things, if only because it's going to be so @#$& easy to upload things. I NEVER sent random little photos to people before my iphone, simply because it took like 3-4 steps to get them from my camera to someone else's computer/phone. With the iphone, I started doing that all the time. Even a tiny bit better quality would have been a big deal for me, and with video - even crappy video - easily uploadable to youtube, I can imagine tons of great on-the-fly uses.

So all the upgrades can be found in Cydia?

Exactly how do you increase the camera from 2 to 3 megapixels without changing the camera?

Exactly how do you get macro mode and autofocus without changing the camera?

Exactly how do you get 30fps VGA recording without changing the camera?

This post is simply the reasons why he upgraded. It is not to tell everyone they should upgrade or not. It's simply saying, he upgraded and are you? Each and every one of us will have our own reasons so I don't think ripping on people for upgrading or not is cool in this situation. Maybe the people who are not upgrading can't do so because of the cost or for whatever reason - that's no reason to call out someone for upgrading. Just makes you look like a cry baby and jealous.

How do you keep all the Apps and stuff you've bought for the original model?

Or if you have to exchange it etc how does Itunes know to let you have all your stuff back?

Just being nosey but any answers accepted gratefully.

Ta

Steve in UK

Though I am wondering if I can have my mom buy the 3Gs and then we just switch sims? She wants my 3G because she knows I'm gonna buy the 3Gs regardless of price and she likes getting my old tech.

Do you know what the word naive (sic) actually means?

I'll be upgrading, I like the sound of the new features but I won't buy the 32GB as 16GB is plenty for me.

There is still nothing to touch the iPhone for usability, you can keep your plastic looking Palm Pre and your clunky Nokias.

the 2008 3G offered none of those improvements. the 2.0 update was good enough with the app store, so i passed. the 2009 3GS does (there is a whole new processor assembly inside). so i have pre-ordered one. probably won't see another comparable hardware upgrade until 2011 ...

I am an original 2G 8GB owner. The 3G[s] is something for me to consider. But I have to look at a few factors, in addition to the new features presented at WWDC 2009:

1. If I upgrade, next year I will likely deal with the same contractual issues as our current 3G folks when a new iPhone may be launched.

2. AT&T does not offer 3G in the area where I live.

3. The "new" features are not exactly innovative. Lots of other phones already have a lot of this stuff. YES, THESE ARE IMPROVEMENTS to what was, but not innovation...unless I am missing some bigger picture.

4. AT&T was singled out as the one carrier to not be on board for tethering and most likely on board well after launch with MMS. That alone is dismal.

5. The current economy. (YES, THE PRICE IS LOWER FOR 2G owners than for 3g owners having to break contract, but I have to consider moving up to the new AT&T data plan.)If the iPhone 3G[s] made my bed, folded my laundry and filed my taxes for me, I would still have to consider my budget.

As of now, I am in standby.

1) 32gb - I like keeping my entire iTunes library on my phone. Now, I'll be able to do that again. 2) Faster processor - Not critical, but I think I'll appreciate the increased performance. 3) Olephobic screen coating - I'll appreciate the increased ease of screen-cleaning. 4) Voice command - Plenty of other phones have this for dialing, but the iPhone hasn't until now. A welcome addition. The iPod controls are a nice little bonus.

The other changes are all nice .. nothing major for me ... but when all put together, I think it's a nice step forward.

I'm not surprised to see people complaining about the lack of cosmetic changes - Apple has sort of set themselves up for this, as they often seem to have some kind of cosmetic change when they rev their products. I would have liked to see a matte finish, preferably slightly rubberized like the one on my old T-Mo Dash, but since i put the thing in a hard case anyway, it doesn't really matter. Apple couldn't win here - if they'd changed the size or shape, everyone would be complaining about needing to buy new accessories.

For speed, meaning fastest (ability to transfer more data at a faster rate) and also capacity to hold more smartphone users. The difference is that Verizon is using more of theirs than AT&T is.

why should I buy another iphone 3g(the one that should have came last summer?? they said twice as fast but really it was as fast as the first generation iphone. lol. Apple is a rip-off. well I would call iphone 3Gs seccond generation iphone. but really nothing to waste my money on if I got the iphone 3G. i'll simply wait for next year.

The true successor to the 3g

Introducing the 3GX (X is for Xtreme).

512 MB Ram 800 MHz CPU New UI Think a mini OSX Leopard with a gesture based Dock (App launcher) Front facing camera 6 Mpx camera capable of 720P video capture 128GB HDD

No you can't get that feature until the Iphone 3gX comes out in 2010.

Would be nice if you could tilt down or up to scroll faster....

3 megapixel camera with capability to record VGA resolution video at 30 FPS

--a very nice feature to have. However,video record should have been there from at least the 3G. My razr in 2005 could record video. I've lived w/o it this long another year wont matter and last..if I am anywhere where video is needed or allowed I'll use my $200 digital camera.

7.2 HSDPA (up to twice as fast as 3G)

--big deal. my city still does not have 3G and last check said it's still a good 3-5 months off...at least. 3GS could have LTE and it wouldn't mean jack for me. Considering the poor nature of ATT's 3G rollout I don't know how ATT can use 3G as a selling point with a straight face.

Improved battery performance

--better battery life is always welcome and it's frustrating leaving work w/ a full charge and after hitting 3 or 4 webpages on the bus ride home to see a large chunk of battery decrease. Part of that I hope is fixed w/ more towers and 3G in my area...pages wont take 3 minutes to load. Still,I have never been caught out w/ a dead battery. More juice would be nice it's not been an issue for me.

Faster processors

---you could do this with anything. Everything is getting faster and it's usually a week after you bought it. Not enough reason to upgrade.

Double the amount of RAM

---again nice but I've never been using my iphone and wished for more RAM.

Up to double the storage capacity (32GB)

---I don't need 900,000 songs,58 movies,600 podcasts,2 trillion photos and 619 apps w/ me at all times. I've never seen this great need to have your entie media collection with you always. Not unless you are constantly on planes for your job. 90% of the time I'm sing Slacker for music and wunderradio for talk radio which require no storage. I watch movies at home. I recently took a 2 day drive and even then didn't feel like watching movies. I have a 16gb ipod and have it only half filled and that was hard.

The one feature I want is MMS and ATT made sure to mess that up. I want features like to be able to turn coverflow off and I'd like the iphone to take on a slightly smaller form w/ colors. Most of the features on my wish list were OS tweaks. Physically the current iphone is fine and just about everything I want could be done w/ software if Apple felt like it.

If the 3GS were $150 and all current iphone users could upgrade no matter what would I sure?

Actually,the one feature most were hoping for...cheaper,tiered data plans didn't happen.

To me..it went iphone 1.0 iphone 2.0 and this is more like iphone 2.5.

Either way, bottom line, it's really a worthy upgrade based on each individual, as me and Jeremy conversed earlier about in a thread.

Do you want an all in one video/camera device to not carry around a camera? I could see this being more of an issue for guys. I have a purse that goes everywhere with me, so throwing my Cybershot in there is not a big deal, therefore the camera/video combo was a moot point for me, but again, it may not be for everyone.

Faster processer and RAM (which I don't believe has been completely confirmed) - well, this one really depends on what you do with the phone. I text a lot, and very rarely browse the internet just to browse. If anything, I go to Tipb forums, Hofo, and a few other forums when I'm bored or on a long car ride. I also twitter. And I'm almost always in wifi unless I'm in a car or somewhere else. Which makes the whole faster 3G thing also a moot point for me.

As far as the smudge resistant screen and back, now that's awesome. BUT, it isn't worth it for ME to upgrade for. Everyone's usage and situation varies. It really just depends on you.

Maybe it's a worthwhile upgrade for Duvi and Jeremy. Obviously they use their phone differently than you and I (referring to some of the people in this comment section and the forum).

The way I look at it, I'll deal with a few smudges and 16GB until next summer, then when i'm eligible for the lower price point, I'll see what Apple has to offer and probably upgrade either way as I'll be eligible. If I was eligible now, I probably would not upgrade as I do not have 3G in my area. (And yes to the person who said if you don't have 3G you shouldn't get an iPhone)...well a lot of people have that thing called wifi, and I like my apps, my iPod, and I wanted more storage (went from a 4GB 1st gen to a 16GB 3G). Again, my situation, not everyone's.

Base it on your current situation, not anyone else's. You shouldn't have to justify your purchase. If you're trying to justify it to make yourself feel better about spending so much, maybe you should rethink your purchase and maybe wait. But if you know it would benefit you, then go for it.

Some nice suggestions. However, being as these phones are in a corporate environment, we have a strict policy against jailbreaking.

Does anyone know how to jump to the bottom of a webpage on an iPhone (like you can jump to the top)? This thread is getting really long and it takes a while to scroll down to read the latest entries.

Yes I think it will add to its value. I've been watching Ebay lately. Unlocked 3gs are going for between $450 - $550 (especially if Jailbroken, under warranty, etc).

I saw a locked Iphone 3g go for about $380 today.

So I would say yes. It makes a difference. You might be able to get a $100 or so return. Think about it though. The Iphone is a gsm phone so it can be used with any carrier around the world as long as it is unlocked.

Check with your local AT&T, don't do the online application. I called 611 and the customer service rep told me the same date, so I went into a store. I think upgrade eligibility is based on previous iPhone purchase date, not contract date.

Thanks.

Anyway, I am currently with Verizon, decided to pass on the 3G, and am now willing to make the switch to ATT for the 3GS. The new iPhone has just enough features to convince me. For those who have the 3GS, I recommend you don't switch (obviously). And, hypothetically, if I were to have the 3G currently, I would actually be glad it looks the same, so people won't be able to tell from the surface if you have the 3G or the 3GS. Also, it would make your 3G feel old.

Can't wait for June 19. That's when I'll be able to get the iPhone 3GS (if I can get a 98%+ on all my high school exams, most of which are honors)

More bandwidth as it capacity. Not sure about prior to the auction, but as of right now, AT&T has the most (post-auction).

If you bought your 3G last week you can still return it. They allow a 30 day return at AT&T with no obligation though you may be charged a 15% restocking fee. Although, with a little bit of complaining, I bet you can get them to waive that restocking fee!

If you purchased from ATT, take it back within 30 days. Within 10 days there is no restocking fee. Don't wait another day.

you should have been reading the forums, every year about this time there will be a new iphone

Our bandwidth sucks. Therefore we are bitching.

What's so hard to understand about that? How will it get better if we stop bitching and just accept the fact that the network falls further and further behind other countries?

You seem to be missing a point as to why so many people are disappointed. These are harsh economic time we are living in right now. As much as we'd love to save our money, when something like the iPhone comes out - we sometimes don't think twice about getting, but about ways to get it.

This update, while full of improvements - is a difference 3G users can live without - HERE'S WHY.

3 megapixel camera with capability to record VGA resolution video at 30 FPS

Great - new cam, better quality, autofocus and video.

Lame - 3 Megapixels? Wow.. thanks for the huge improvement. - Video is cool. and while you can can get less than desired video recording with an unlocked iPhone, it's something we 3G users can live without cuz we're simply used to it. Video is great, just not enough to get me to buy it.

7.2 HSDPA (up to twice as fast as 3G)

Again, this is good, but not supported everywhere... so not really an improvement if your network can't manage it... so this is simply an invisible update.

Improved battery performance

This is an amazing thing - most iPhone 3G users hate their battery life. Anything longer is better than what we have now. But after a year... totally used to it and not willing to fork the money for video and a little bit longer battery life.

Faster processors

Compared to most phones - the iPhone 3G is still pretty powerful and fast - while this difference is amazing... after having an iPhone for a year... it's not worth the switch to go twice as fast. It's not that we don't want any of these updates - it's that we all just got or have only had the 3G for a year... and while these changes are necessary... I don't mind the speed of my device that much to make me go - I NEED THE NEW ONE!

Double the amount of RAM

Awesome - more multitasking, better speed etc etc. Necessary but nothing to jump about.

Up to double the storage capacity (32GB)

We all knew this was a part of the deal. Glad to see it, thanks for coming, don't draw any attention away from the rest, thanks - beers are on the fridge - go nuts.

All in all - there is not ONE update that just screams UPDATE me. And while if you combine them it can seem very impressive (which it is) You still can just deal with the phone you have for 1 more year and hope that your improvement capability doubles.

The reason you shouldn't switch is cuz you know that if this one didn't blow you out of the water, you know the next one will. So wait a year and double your improvement and update capability. You love your phone, you love your money, and you know that if they update the 3GS in a year (which they will) - you'll be first in line for it.

Regarding storage and those that suggest Simplify, ORB, etc. Those are all okay solutions if you aren't truly mobile - try using any of those on one of your 6 airline trips this month though, unless you happen upon 1 of the rare flights with WiFi at $12+ a pop you won't have your music, movies, etc. with you. Also, utilizing local storage greatly improves battery life, and you can multi-task, i.e. listen to a song and play a game or read an ebook at the same time without jailbreaking.

So for me, I'm biting the bullet and upgrading for $499. However, since this is just an incremental upgrade, I see no fault with anyone deciding it's not worth the extra cash, especially if they've figured out a better way to deal with storage than I have.

video recording and a compass is many more features?

I cannot wait to get my new iPhone 3G S.

yes WWDC was a disappointment, nothing really new, just upgrades and minimal changes. the macbook gets a sd card slot, how innovative !

02 dropped a bollock on this "interim upgrade"

Just saw video of palm pre and it looks fresh

defo time 4 change

I am a owner of the 1st Gen 4G iPhone…

Who knew Apple was that far ahead in 2007!!

My reasoning? Before I bought my iPhone I was a long time Palm customer. I had the original Treo, 600 and 700p. Between iterations Palm released very little in terms of OS upgrades, very little on the desktop and only managed to rearrange things slightly on the hardware side. It kept me happy for the most part for several years.

Apple does more every 60-90 days than Palm ever did between OS releases. Apple's recent hardware refresh is a good incremental upgrade considering the fact that there's no quantum leap in battery power or evolution to a new network (LTE). So what they did is fine year over year refresh all things considered.

I already established Palm's lack of street cred on the subject, but what about other competitors? Blackberry? Are you serious? That company has evolution written all over it. Their OS is ancient and their fans wait patiently for the next X.X.X release let alone a X.0 release. And their hardware changes are what exactly - rearrange the keyboard, add a better screen and give users absolutely no upgrade in UI.

Nokia? What's their strategy? Open source their OS, throw all the hardware into a device and call it new but have no sense about usability or integration.

Google? Your guess is as good as mine. I see Microsoft written all over it. Upgrades to software and it's up to the handset makers to decide the latest form factor. But the support for bells and whistles will be controlled by Google. See, Microsoft all over again, but one that's not evil.

Don't upgrade if you don't want to. Hold off if you're put off by AT&T. Fine. I'm not planning to either but I wasn't from the start. Remember one thing. The real value is the 3.0 software. Developers are only beginning to find out what they can do with it and in a few months there will be a payoff that's simply huge. You wait.

• I have a Sony Ericsson C905, kept in flight mode to use as a camera, the camera is very good, does video etc etc.
• I've got solio chargers and car kits for battery life.
• I wont be eligible to upgrade my iPhone until October anyway, a further 18 month contract on that would put me into May 2011 before O2 even consider letting me upgrade again... too long to be having the 3GS
• If I wait to upgrade past my contract date, say, till around June 2010, o2 will no doubt give me a sweet upgrade price on whatever new iPhone is out next year, which I'm sure will be a big upgrade from the 3G.

I think I can miss this one, and safely wait for the next model. Spend the money towards a new macbook instead

On the other hand.. my 16gb is insured, wait a few months till all the replacement stock is gone, smash it to pieces, and o2 will have to hand over a 16gb S model anyway. Win!

That's the truth (pun intended) for you. For me, this one is worth it. I'll get the 4G version next year.

I was reading, was referring to what you wrote after. You should have said, "I'm confused and don't understand what you meant by that. Did you mean Verizon stealing half of ATT’s smartphone market due to pissed off customers somehow makes ATT Stronger?" Instead you assumed what I was referring to.

Do you even work for AT&T or Verizon to know this isn't true? It is. Verizon even knows it. Anyways since I wouldn't be allowed to show this information to you, I will end it here.

Regards, Duvi

If you have a 3G, there's very little reason to upgrade beyond just wanting to say you have the latest. Using your bullet points, I'll address some that I think are a bit convoluted:

3 megapixel camera - still no flash = minor improvement 7.2 HSDPA - not even available for AT&T yet Improved battery - only marginal and only for audio/video (talktime still sucks and is the same) Faster processors - apple has been mum on even saying what the new processors are Double the amount of RAM - did they even confirm that? Up to double the storage capacity (32GB) - good if you can actually fill it up

Personally, I think the upgrade is only worth it to original 2G users, as I'm sure they'll find OS 3.0 with the copy/paste, MMS and video recording more valuable than anything you've listed. Even then, a $99.99 3G with OS 3.0 will be huge for most people.

For us folks in the US, at this point, the 7.2 is more of a bullet point than a compelling reason to buy the device since it's not actually available and AT&T isn't exactly a beacon of shining light when it comes to network performance. My guess is that by the time it's fully rolled out, Verizon's LTE network will have been launched and the next iPhone is definitely going to be available for LTE and will more than likely be a brand new device altogether.

That's the reason I guess these updates were very minimal. When LTE rolls around all the manufacturers will be able to go a little more ballsy on their devices since the network can handle a lot more data. I'm thinking we'll finally see things like video chat/conferences and possibly even official tv/movie streaming services for our devices and more than likely HD support.

Please go... Lol. Try that with Verizon. Their unsubsidized prices are a lot more. CDMA = more. I also want you to understand, these are agreements they have with Apple. This is the reason, even as a manager, I can't override the price of an iPhone even if the customer is eligible. A case has to be submitted. Not our fault as no other phone has these restrictions.

You're just mad I own you every thread.

@Bmfan

I agree with you. What the hell is the point of the supposed "2X" speed and the rumored "double the memory" if you can't run apps in the background? Oh I guess your phone won't crash as much and you'll open up your one app at a time "faster".

The Iphone 3gs isn't a gamechanger and it is going to shafted by the $99 Iphone 3G once people see what it really is: an overpriced, minimal "upgrade" to a phone that should have already had those features.

By the way am I the only one who thought that not only was the Iphone unimpressive but the entire WWDC? Snow Leopard is basically a service pack not a brand new OS.

Read it again. I did not put words into your sentence, I quoted it verbatim.

I'm pretty sure that relative to its customer base, ATT does NOT have the most bandwidth. If it did, ATT would not be be so controlling of what services it allowed to run on its bandwidth.

The truth of the matter is that ATT is woefully un-prepared to handle the rush of customers it gained by selling the iPhone.

• Camera - nice, but not really a selling point for me personally.

• 7.2 HSDPA - AT&T will start HSPDA rollout to selected markets in late 2009, finishing in 2011, so I will go out on a limb and say this is irrelevant for most US customers for most/all of the life of the contract.

• Improved battery performance - nice, but I take all laptop/phone battery numbers with a brick of salt.

• Faster processors/Double the amount of RAM - With no specs released at all, it is hard to give Apple a grade here. I presume the extra RAM will be devoted mainly to keeping new system services (e.g. voice control) in memory, since there is still no multitasking. Double the RAM + a Jailbroken 3Gs has definite possibilities, though...

• 32 GB - Would be nice for me, as I fill up my 16 completely.

A nice upgrade? Sure. A compelling one? For me, about 1 year into my 3G, nah.

What made you put words into my sentence? It's because they will face the same issues AT&T is facing. AT&T = has the most bandwidth and is having issues. If Verizon gets the iPhone, they will face the same issues and more as they do not have the same capacity as AT&T has.

Hree are some suggestion u can use to releive your storage problems.

For the BIG files, like music and videos, I stream my music with 'Simplify', I watch my vidoes via 'ORB', I wtch TV via 'SlingPlayer' (on 3G I might add, since I am jailbroken). Picures I use 'Box.net' or 'DarkSlide'. So who needs storage??? Just for Apps. I don’t use more than 8 Gig for Apps.

I imagine any of the other carriers would treat you the same way if you tried to upgrade to a new phone less than two months after purchasing one. I believe a 30 day return period is standard across all major carriers.

As an IT Manager, I have had to deal with both AT&T and Verizon. I can say without a doubt that AT&T has been much easier to work with. That is why the majority of our corporate phones is with them.

 The iPhone is an awesome piece of Tech but we have to remember that is not cheap.  Lots of people get confused on the true value/price when they see advertisements where the price is shown to be $200 or $300 but you must realize that this is only because you are entering into a 2 year contract.  This is not the true price of the phone.  Take the Nokia N series phones for example...in the states you must buy them out right and pay around $700 dollars.  Heck the Palm Pre is $850 outright at Best Buy.

 There seems to be alot of confusion about how pricing works with the release of the "3G Speed" iPhone and people with 3G wanting to upgrade.  I've been listening to a lot of tech podcast and even "expert tech bloggers" are confused and don't understand how the pricing works.  I guess if enough people complain maybe Apple may drop the price down but it will need to come from them not from AT&T and don't expect a huge drop. 

 Now here is a possible solution that would satisfy AT&T and its customers I think:  AT&T give the "3G Speed" iPhone at the subsidized price to anyone still under agreement as long as it is agreed that an additional 2 years will be added to said agreement.  Additional cost would be added for canceling early of course.  I believe the current cost to cancel is 2 year agreement is $175 so the new fee to cancel would be above $250.  I think my idea is GREAT and FAIR and would work for AT&T and its customers.  Somebody with connections at AT&T send this idea to a high level executive...or spread my awesome idea.

Did you know if Verizon gets the iPhone when they go to LTE, AT&T will be stronger? I bet you didn’t. Why? Because AT&T has the most bandwidth of any wireless carrier in the U.S.

That make no sense at all. Verizon stealing half of ATT's smartphone market due to pissed off customers somehow makes ATT Stronger?

You mean by having lots of extra towers but no customers?

For the most part, I have found 8GB to be sufficient. It certainly has not come close to capacity with my music or apps. I certainly have to be selective with how many movies I put on it, but I don't usually just leave them on.

I have to admit though, I freak a little early. Once I see I have less than 2GB left, I start looking at what I can take off the iPhone.