Labs Gallery: Apple iPhone 3G S Adds Welcome Speed Boost, Subtle Software Improvements
by Andrew Garcia
Three Generations of iPhone
Believe it or not, this is three generations of iPhone-all looking very similar. The newest model (the iPhone 3G S) is on the right.
Color, Storage Choice
The iPhone 3G S comes is two colors (black or white rear faceplates) and two storage allocations (16G or 32GB).
Camera
The iPhone 3G S bumps up still camera resolution to 3 megapixels and adds video recording capabilities.
Voice Control
The iPhone 3G S introduces voice control over phone and media capabilities. In tests, I found that the voice dial worked well, while media controls left a lot to be desired.
Bluetooth
The iPhone 3G S supports Bluetooth 2.1 and A2DP for stereo sound. In tests, I found that the voice controls don’t work with Bluetooth and that some Bluetooth accessories supported with older iPhones no longer work with the 3G S.
Compass
The integrated compass provides a little extra bearing for lost iPhone 3G S users, particularly as the functionality is integrated into Google Maps.
Memory
The iPhone 3G S bumps up performance over previous models. Shown here, third-party application MemoryInfo displays memory available to users. (The 3G S is on the right, an iPhone 2G on the left.)
Battery Indicator
With a subtle but welcome enhancement, users can set the iPhone 3G S to display how much battery life remains (by percentage).
