First Look: iPhone 3G S

MacNN and Electronista have been evaluating a 16GB iPhone 3G S, putting the new features to test. So far the device appears to deliver most of what Apple has promised. We took a quick look at overall performance, Voice Control, the improved camera and video functions, the new built-in compass and more.

Performance-wise, the iPhone 3G S is significantly faster than our previous-generation iPhone. Applications open almost instantly, with little lag time. Opening Notes, for example, could take several seconds on our iPhone 3G, but the app opens quickly with the 3G S.

Web-based apps such Google Maps, CoolIris and Facebook also loaded quickly. Safari seemed to load pages a bit faster than iPhone 3G models we have seen, even though both are running at 3G speeds. The increased performance could be due to faster HTML processing, but keep in mind these are just initial impressions. Additional testing will be needed to provide a truly fair comparison.

Voice Control is one of the most anticipated new features of the iPhone 3G S, especially since it has been available in almost every other phone for years. Our initial tests showed the feature to work flawlessly, without any prior training or setup. Voice control is activated by holding down the home key, or by pressing the center button on the included earphone/remote. We tried several phone calls and iPod selections, and the device worked properly every time. Just be sure that you don't have two contacts with the exact same name. In that case, the phone cannot distinguish between the two.



Apple has increased the resolution of the iPhone's on-board camera from 2- to 3-megapixels, while adding autofocus, an automatic macro-mode and the ability to focus on a particular part of an image by tapping on the screen. In practice, we found the new camera delivered sharper, more detailed pictures, even indoors with moderate light. Compared to our earlier-generation iPhone, the two pictures below show a significant improvement. Still, the images would not rival that of even an inexpensive digital camera.




The video camera feature produced sharp, clear, and fairly vibrant colors outdoors. Low-light situations are a different story. As might be expected with such a small sensor, there is visible distortion in when shooting with low ambient light. Still, for taking movies on-the-go, the videos are more than acceptable for most casual users.



Another new feature is the built-in magnetometer and compass tool. The components experienced difficulty near electronics, as the Compass malfunctioned when close to a MacBook Pro. An alert screen tells the user to move the phone away from interference, and to wave the device in a figure 8 motion to recalibrate the compass. It is unclear if the interference was caused by the MagSafe connector, power adapter, Wi-Fi signals or the computer itself.



Probably the most useful advantage of the built-in Compass is that it allows the iPhone to orient maps depending on a user's position. This can be very handy when driving.



The iPhone 3G S has been described by some as an evolutionary, not a revolutionary next step. We tend to agree, but the included improvements are more than enough incentive for many to upgrade.

by MacNN Staff