I know the iPhone 4 came out but I still think iPhone 3G/3Gs is a lot better than the iPhone 4.
The Upside
Microsoft Exchange can be used with iPhone 3G. I’m not familiar with the software because I never used it but according to Apple it’s basically created for corporate users. Apple wants the next iPhone to be used by both the regular individuals and by enterprise people.
It also has GPS, yes you read it right, it has a built in GPS system on the iPhone 3G. so basically you can go anywhere and track yourself on your phone; it tracks you by getting your exact point from three sources, a near by Wi-Fi signal, near by cell phone towers, or directly from the GPS satellites. I give 5 Stars to Mr. Jobs for adding the GPS feature on the next iPhone.
Not only that, the biggest surprise to iPhone fans and everyone else was the price that Mr. Jobs announced to everyone, an incredible low price for $199 for the 8 GB, and $299 for the 16 GB. Now with the new iPhone 4, the iPhone 3G/3Gs’s prices should hit rock bottom. with our US economy in recession it still wouldn’t stop someone like me to buy one without a second thought. After I saw the price for the 8GB, I was just blown away and I said to myself that I will get one and I’ll find the money some how to get it.
The Downside
This is the part that blows big time. You cannot buy the iPhone 3G online nor can you activate it by yourself. You have to go to an AT&T store and actually sign a 2-year contract with AT&T and pay for the iPhone 3G up front. After I heard that I became hesitant about buying it. I’m currently with T-Mobile and I thought that I would just buy the iPhone 3G at full price, wait for couple of months for some tech guy to develop a software to unlock it and use T-mobile 3G network, unfortunately that plan is in the trash. AT&T has one of the worst plans I have ever seen, their lowest plan is $39.99 for 450 anytime minutes and with 5000 minutes for nights and weekends. also, for the data plan, AT&T has raised the price from $20/month to $30/month and they are no longer sharing their revenue with Apple, sucks for Steve Jobs. so basically if I leave T-Mobile, since my contract with them ended long time ago, and sign up with AT&T, I would have to pay $36 activation fee, plus pay $40/month for voice calls, plus $30/month for the data plan, and on top of that taxes are added.
It’s Locked People
So, if you were a T-Mobile user and somehow you got your hands on an iPhone 3G, it still would be hard to unlock it because of all the restrictions Apple has placed on it. Steve Jobs emphasized that it would focus more on keeping the phone from being unlocked illegally by hackers, all I can say is good luck. Hackers are everywhere and programming, gadgets, and basically anything else about technology they will spend their time on. In France, by French law, Apple has to sell unlocked iPhones, even with popularity and with money Mr. Jobs can’t sell iPhones the way he wants to the French.
Developer Program
The developer program was release on March 9th of 2008, I believe but correct me if I’m wrong, where Apple will share revenue with all the third-party developers for creating applications for the iPhone 3G. so, if you have a lot of time in your hands you can actually applications for iPhones and if people buy them you get to keep 70% of the revenue. This move by Apple really boosted its popularity.
So let’s look at some of the features for iPhone 3G:
1. Google Maps/GPS 2. iPod (for Music and Videos) 3. iTunes 4. Calculator (regular and scientific) 5. SDK (for developers) 6. Portrait and Landscape formats (when you turn the iPhone horizontally and vertically) 7. Online eBay Shopping 8. Interactive Advanced 3D Games 9. Photo Gallery 10. 2.0 Megapixel Camera 11. Loopt (an incredible social application which tells where your friends are and what they are doing and more) 12. Internet Browser (the best in the mobile market) 13. YouTube Player 14. TypePad Blogging Software( with photo blogging) 15. SMS (text messaging) 16. Visual Voicemail 17. 3G Enabled (for faster video streaming and downloads and faster internet browsing) 18. Associated Press (news directly delivered to your phone) 19. Multiple Languages
I basically want the phone because it’s an mp3 player plus it has a GPS system because it’ll save me money from buying a Microsoft Zune and buying a GPS navigation system for my car. I would save up more and get the iPhone 4 but that phone has way too many problems, especially with the signal.
It also has a special application created by Dr. S. mark Williams for medical students to study the human body, which favors my path. also MIMvista created an incredible application for doctors to keep up with their patients’ health status. As I’m typing this sentence more and more medical applications are being created by medical personnel.
* Microsoft Zune and Microsoft Exchange is copyrighted of Microsoft Corporation
* Apple iPhone is copyrighted of Apple inc.
* AT&T is copyrighted of AT&T inc.
* T-Mobile USA inc.