At the WorldWide Developer's Conference in San Francisco, Apple took the wraps off its newest iPhone today, the Apple iPhone 3G (compare the iPhone 3G to the original iPhone). The updated phone measures 4.5 by 2.4 by 0.48 inches, now available in black or white (though the white is only available on the premium edition), and retains the same screen and basic design as the original. The headphone jack is finally raised flush with the rest of the phone.
As the name implies, the primary upgrade for the Apple iPhone 3G is the new 3G networking, as the phone gets a bump from slower EDGE connections to faster HSDPA. This improvement also required an improved battery as well, and Apple is promising the phone will still deliver five hours of talk time in 3G networks, and 10 hours using 2G connections, which is actually pretty impressive.
The new Apple iPhone 3G is also claimed to make it easier to multi-task with simultaneous voice and data communications, so with iPhone 3G you can browse the web, get map directions, or check your email while you are on a call. The Apple iPhone 3G will also get real GPS, along with GPS tracking in navigation apps like Google maps, a long-awaited feature.
The star of today's show was really the applications that will come with the iPhone 2.0 software update (check out the details here. In short, the Apple iPhone 3G includes the new iPhone 2.0 software with both the iPhone SDK and key enterprise features such as support for Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync to provide over-the-air push email, contact and calendar syncing as well as remote wipe and Cisco IPsec VPN for encrypted access to corporate networks.
The Apple iPhone 3G includes the new App Store, providing iPhone users with native applications in a variety of categories including games, business, news, sports, health, reference and travel. The App Store on iPhone works over cellular networks and Wi-Fi.
The Apple iPhone 3G takes advantage of MobileMe, a new Internet service that pushes email, contacts, and calendars from an online "cloud" to native applications on iPhone, iPod touch, Macs and PCs. With MobileMe email, messages are pushed instantly to the Apple iPhone 3G, and push keeps contacts and calendars continuously up-to-date so changes made on one device are automatically updated on other devices. Photos snapped with the Apple iPhone 3G's 2-megapixel camera can be posted directly to a MobileMe Gallery to share with friends and family.
The Apple iPhone 3G will be available in more than 70 countries later this year, beginning with customer availability in 22 countries — Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK and the US — on July 11.
The Apple iPhone 3G will be available in the US on July 11 for a suggested retail price of $199 (US) for the 8GB model and $299 (US) for the 16GB model in both Apple and AT&T's retail stores and requires a new two year contract with AT&T for qualifying customers. iPhone 2.0 software will be available on July 11 as a free software update via iTunes 7.7 or later for all iPhone customers.
Apple iPhone 3G in-depth look:
GPS and location-based services
Hardware walkthrough
MMS, voice dialing and more to come soon
Price change will lead to new Apple iPhones
Apple App Store will attract talented developers
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