World of Apple

After missing the chance for the iPhone 3G on July 11 by being 4 people too far back in line and waiting for what seemed to be much longer than it actually was, I finally received my direct fulfillment from AT&T. Having spent the wait reading everything I could find about the new iPhone and downloading applications in preparation, I was quite glad to finally hold the phone in my hands. So after some time to play around with the phone, and without further ado, my take on the new iPhone.

Initial Impressions & Design:
Holding the new iPhone for the first time, I noticed the new, curved back really did feel better in my hand. It seemed to fit the natural contour of my hand better and the plastic back provided a more secure grip. With the original iPhone, I would nearly drop it on occasion due to the slightly slippery metallic back. The 3G’s plastic back resolves this issue and I feel more comfortable holding the phone overall.

The all-black case with chrome buttons makes for a slick look. In fact, I think it looks even better than the original iPhone. I have heard complaints that some feel the plastic makes the iPhone look and feel cheap, but I beg to differ. While I like the new look overall, both the plastic back and screen are quickly covered with fingerprints and smudges. These are easily wiped away, but can be annoying to those who like their electronics to look clean. For me, it’s not really a big deal but I can understand the complaint. Other than that, everything feels solid, which is what I’ve come to expect from an Apple product.

Screen:
As many of you may have heard by now, the screen on the iPhone 3G is designed to be “warmer,” or more yellow. Coming from an original iPhone, I instantly noticed this difference. That said, it’s not a bad difference and I have found that pictures and videos actually end up looking nicer. The screen is as bright and crisp as ever, displaying everything from my mail to my pictures to videos and album art beautifully. The screen is also easily viewed at many different angles, and while some applications (read: games) require you to use the phone at unique angles which may reduce visibility to a point, I’ve not found it hard to see the screen in any of my usage thus far. In fact, I’ve already had many occasions where I’ve shared YouTube videos with a group of friends gathered around and everyone has been able to see it perfectly. All in all, the screen is great and I have no complaints here.

Sound:
There’s not much new here, but I have noticed a slightly improved quality in the earpiece and external speakers. Though it’s not exactly a new feature, I have found that I really enjoy having the external speaker for more than just speakerphone functionality. Being able to play music and videos for others to hear or now using applications and games is great. It really makes the iPhone an even more legitimate device for sharing and gaming.

Additionally, I’ve noticed the included earbuds have a new feel to them. The cord appears to be made from a new material or design, and as a result it does not tangle as easily. It’s a small thing, yes, but it’s often the little things that make a difference and it’s very nice not to have to spend 2 minutes fighting with my headphones just to listen to music.

3G Speed & Reception:
Here’s one of the areas where the new iPhone really stands out. The increased speed of the 3G network is extremely nice to have (though not everyone needs or wants it). In my tests, loading webpages and YouTube videos over the 3G networks easily lived up to Apple’s claims of 2-3 times faster than EDGE. For example, loading Apple’s website (www.apple.com) over EDGE took 52 seconds while loading the same site over 3G took only 15 seconds - that’s over 3 times faster on 3G in my test. It was also comparable with the WiFi speeds loading the same site, which took about 12 seconds. This speed difference is similar among other websites, YouTube, and apps that connect to the internet.

However, the ability to use the internet while on the phone is what stands out even more to me. It has come in quite handy on several occasions already. Being able to view a map or website while discussing directions or any number of things makes the iPhone’s “internet in your pocket” claim just that much better. Additionally, I have noticed improved reception. I’m finding that I actually get a few bars where I used to get no reception at all. One drawback of the new, faster speed is an increase in price which can make the monthly bill a little too high for some. However, the cost is similar to other phones with similar services. In the end, I’m quite pleased with the improvements I’ve seen in this area.

Battery Life:
In the few weeks I’ve had with the new iPhone, I’ve not yet run out of battery. That said, I do charge it every night and have come across the low battery (20% left) warning. In my tests and usage so far, I feel the battery lives up to my daily needs. I’ve easily averaged close to 4 hours of mixed use (phone, internet, YouTube, music) before getting that friendly 20% warning popup - and that’s with WiFi and 3G on (though WiFi is generally not connected in my use). Doing a little math estimates that I should get about 5 hours before the battery were to run dry. However, in anticipation of heavy use of third party applications, I did pick up a car charger. I am planning on using my iPhone in the car for music, maps (with GPS), and more and therefore expect my battery life to suffer on longer trips with extended use of GPS, among other things. Still, I think the battery tests that have been done (by myself, Apple, and others) have shown the battery life to be equal to and/or better than that of the original iPhone in most, if not all, comparable cases.

One thing regarding the battery that many people take issue with is the continued lack of a user replaceable battery. While I’ve never taken issue with it, I can see how a replaceable battery could come in handy with all that you can do with the iPhone. For a look at the battery life from 9 more tests, check out this article over at Gizmodo.

GPS:
The second major feature of the new iPhone is its GPS functionality. Currently no specific navigation applications exist to make use of the GPS functionality, however there is word that they are in development. There is still a wealth of applications that make use of the iPhone’s location aware capabilities and while the older iPhones can still get a decent lock on your location, the GPS in the iPhone 3G provides pinpoint accuracy. In one test, I was even able to locate myself inside a building with incredible accuracy. Another test conducted while driving (well, someone else was driving - I wouldn’t recommend actively testing the GPS while driving yourself!) showed the GPS tracing my every movement in a surprisingly accurate manner - turning when I turned, stopping as I stopped. It behaved in much the same way you’d expect a traditional GPS device to function. I can see the iPhone adding GPS navigation to its suite of features. Imagine driving along, using your iPhone for directions while listening to music with it hooked into your car stereo. Meanwhile, you get a call - the music pauses and you answer on your bluetooth headset. As you hang up, the music fades back in and you continue on your way, guided yet again by the GPS. A truly integrated technological experience.

2.0 Upgrade:
The 2.0 upgrade comes pre-loaded on all new iPhones but is also available as a free download for all iPhone users. The upgrade is nearly enough to make users of the first iPhone feel like they have an entirely new phone. With some a number of needed improvements (contact search, better mail management, Exchange support, etc), the update adds more polish to the overall feel of the phone. The real story with the upgrade, however, is the App Store and the third party applications that it brings.

The App Store & Mobile Me:
The App Store is currently making the iPhone so much more than a phone. With the App Store, the iPhone can do more and more things each day. Applications like Evernote, AIM, eBay, Facebook, Things, and more make staying connected and productive even easier than ever. Games like Texas Hold ‘Em, Trism, Super Monkey Ball, and more make the iPhone a powerful gaming device using “Wii-like” controls with the ultimate portability. And of course there’s the utterly useless applications that just make you smile - like More Cowbell and PhoneSaber. Every day brings a slew of new applications and I think I speak for a lot of iPhone owners when I say that I’m excited to see what develops in the months to come. The iPhone is truly becoming the next computing platform - and it fits in your pocket!

Along with the App Store, Apple has unleashed a .Mac revamp and has renamed the service MobileMe. Though MobileMe has had a rocky start, the service has a lot to offer. With push e-mail, calendars, and contacts MobileMe makes it easy to stay synced across multiple computers and, more importantly I think, the iPhone. A simple addition or change to a calendar or contact on the iPhone shows up almost instantly on my computer. In combination with everything else, MobileMe adds yet another way to ensure that you’re always connected, in sync, and as productive as you want to be.

All that said, the App Store and MobileMe continue to suffer from issues. MobileMe had a rocky start, as mentioned earlier, and appears to be largely sorted out by now. Still, even Mr. Jobs himself has come forward recently to admit they messed up. Additionally, the App Store/2.0 upgrade has it’s own share of issues. The most prominent of these, in my opinion, is the backup time. Some claim that they are able to back up in very reasonable amounts of time (a few minutes) after upgrading to 2.0.1. However, in my experience, I have waited anywhere from 1-2 hours for my iPhone to completely back up. At this point, I don’t even want to bother backing up. This is clearly an issue that should be addressed. Also, I’ve had several occasions where my iPhone restarts itself and gets stuck at the Apple logo. A quick search on Google will reveal this is neither an isolated nor new incident and it is surely a pain to resolve. On one occasion, a complete restore was necessary, which can be time consuming. In the end though, the pro’s outweigh the con’s here and I don’t doubt that future updates will address these issues. It’s just the wait in the meantime that may be painful for some.

Conclusion:
The iPhone 3G builds on an already innovative and impressive breakthrough device. In combination with the software updates and new services from Apple, the face of mobile phones continue to change. As Apple raises the bar higher and higher, other companies must strive to reach the same level of quality and capabilities. That creates a win-win situation for all. Apple continues to amaze and I cannot wait to see what they have up their sleeves next. In the meantime, I’m more than happy with my shiny new iPhone 3G!

The Breakdown:
Pros: Sleek new design, faster speeds, GPS, App Store support, MobileMe support, less expensive (up front at least)
Cons: Smudges easily, battery can die quickly under heavy use (like when playing games) and the iPhone lacks a user-replacable battery, expensive contract (though comparable to phones with similar services), App Store/MobileMe/2.0 difficulties
The Verdict: If you don’t have an iPhone, the iPhone 3G is probably the best phone out there in my opinion. It still lacks some features, and currently has a few bugs, but the pro’s far outweigh the cons. The current ability and future capacity of the iPhone is amazing. It’s not far fetched to say that the iPhone is really the next major computing platform.

If you have a current iPhone, download the free 2.0 upgrade and give that a try before buying the new iPhone. In the end, you may still decide you want the benefits of the new iPhone, but I think that there’s a number of iPhone owners out there who will be more than happy with the 2.0 upgrade. In my case, the faster connection, the ability to use data and voice simultaneously, and the built in GPS was enough to make the upgrade more than worth it. And as one last tip - if you do plan to upgrade to the new iPhone from the old one, try selling the old one on eBay. I was able to make enough on my old 8GB to upgrade to the new 16GB. Hard to beat that!

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