Apple iPhone 3G

It’s been an agonising, rumour-packed wait, but Apple has finally announced the iPhone 3G. Now the ticker tape has been cleared, it’s time to ask – is it the phone we wanted?

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In most ways, yes. Naturally, 3G is the headline feature, and Apple claims that the connection is 36 per cent faster than the Nokia N95 and Palm Treo 750. This we will have to test for ourselves, but the signs are promising and it will certainly trounce the previous EDGE speeds.

A more unexpected but equally welcome addition is built-in GPS. The iPhone 3G has A-GPS, an enhanced version of the tech that should make it quicker and easier to get a connection, and TomTom is ready to release an application that should give it turn-by-turn instructions.

Physically, the iPhone 3G looks very similar to its predecessor, but there are some minor changes. The phone’s back is now entirely plastic, a decision that’s more to do with helping the wireless radios get a reception than adding lustre. Still, you do now get solid metal buttons, and the headphone jack is now completely flush so you can use whatever earbuds you like.

Thankfully, the battery life doesn’t seem to have taken too much of a hit from the new functionality. You’ll apparently get five hours talk time, up to six hours browsing, seven hours of videos or 24 hours from the on-board iPod.

But perhaps the best news about the new iPhone is the pricing. Apple hopes to launch in 70 countries this year, with the black 8GB going for $199 and 16GB for $299 in black or white. (Both price points require a contract, of course.) Apple will be hitting the 22 biggest markets, including the US, on July 11th. More info after the break.
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There are, though, still some omissions that could be significant, depending on what you use your phone for. The iPhone 3G certainly won’t be competing with Sony Ericsson’s Cyber-shot camphones – its camera remains a 2MP affair, with no flash or autofocus. There’s also still no MMS texting, A2DP Bluetooth, flash support, video recording or built-in iChat.

But we can forgive the iPhone 3G these drawbacks. Apple’s new MobileMe service means push e-mail and contacts, and current iPhone users will even get a free upgrade, a move that looks to have been motivated by the angry furore following original device’s price cut last year. We’ll see you in the queue.

THE BAD BIT:

Just bought an iPhone? “Customers who purchased a 2.5G iPhone on or after May 27 and want to swap it out for a new iPhone will be able to do so without incurring an additional handset charge for the new device. They will of course need to turn in their 2.5G iPhone.”

And for the rest of you, AT&T says there’s no way to buy it without agreeing to a contract … sorry.