Apple iPhone 3G S: First reviews

Reviews of the iPhone 3G S from around the Web

The first reviews of Apple's latest iPhone, the 3G S, are hitting the Web and the verdict is largely positive.

The first reviews of Apple's latest iPhone, the 3G S, are hitting the Web and the verdict is largely positive.

Apple's iPhone 3G S goes on sale in the US and UK today, a week before its launch in Australia on June 26.

As such, northern hemisphere reviewers have already got their hands on the latest and greatest iPhone, with many getting the chance to test the phone for more than a week. Here are some of the reactions:

Wall Street Journal:

Verdict: "During my week of testing, the new model proved dramatically snappier in every way than my iPhone 3G. Its processor is 50% faster than in the prior model, and it sports a new graphics chip. Applications opened much more quickly. Web pages loaded far faster. The camera was ready to use almost instantly. And I never once saw the occasional, annoying iPhone behavior where you strike a key while typing and it sits there, seemingly stuck, before you can continue." — Walt Mossberg.

New York Times:

Verdict: "All of these changes make it much harder to resist the iPhone on intellectual, feature-counting grounds. The new iPhone doesn’t just catch up to its rivals — it vaults a year ahead of them. In short, the substantially improved, still elegant iPhone 3G S makes it dangerously easy for your heart and your head to agree." — David Pogue.

Cnet:

Verdict: "In many ways, the iPhone 3G S delivers on its promises. It did run faster, the video recording is a treat, and the battery lasted longer. Yet we still have concerns about call reception and we're still waiting for a few features. The iPhone 3G S offers enough to get our attention, but not enough to get us completely excited. And our recommendation depends greatly on your purchase price." — Kent German.

GartenBlog:

Verdict: "Nearly two years ago, Apple was a new player entering the market and was met with skepticism by some that they could have an impact so late in the phone game. The reality is Apple is now firmly established as a major player in the mobile space with a powerful combination of platform, services and devices with a solid foundation for future growth and adoption. The newest member of the iPhone family, the 3G S, while not perfect once again sets the standard for the competition and is the gold standard for smartphones. At least as of today." — Michael Gartenberg.

USA Today:

Verdict: "I've been testing the latest software on a 3G S device for over a week now, and the changes make an already marvelous device that much better. Not everyone should feel the need to splurge on the latest phone, however, especially if you have to pay full price — the 3.0 software adds a lot of rich features by itself. But you'll appreciate the extra storage on the 32GB 3G S, and you'll have to upgrade if you want the video camera, voice controls and a new screen reader that describes what's on the device for those who are visually impaired." — Edward C. Baig.

Gizmodo.com:

Verdict: "What's the point in buying a new iPhone if it looks exactly like the old one? Because once you start using it, the speed of the iPhone 3GS will amaze you. There's a reason why Apple called this the iPhone 3GS for Speed and not the 3GC for 'compass' or 3GV for 'video recording.' Speed is the central upgrade here, and probably is the single biggest reason you would upgrade to a 3GS from a 3G. And if you're coming in as a virgin iPhone user, there's definitely no question: The 3GS is worth an extra $100. That declaration may be weird to most of us since we usually look for features, and not specs, when we're evaluating phones — and iPhone 3GS doesn't blow us out in the feature department. Instead, it's like getting a bigger TV or a faster car. Your old machine works just fine, but once you've tried the new one for a week, you'll never want to go back, even if it costs you a little extra." — Jason Chen.

Wired:

Verdict: "In short, the 3GS offers a boatload of improvements on the iPhone 3G with no real downside and the same price. Brand-new iPhone customers should have no hesitation before buying: Considering the huge variety of apps, there's no better smartphone to buy today. Current iPhone users have a tougher decision ahead. First they must ask themselves if the features offered exclusively on the phone (as opposed to the free upgrade, which they should download immediately) are worth the expense of a new phone. For some users, Voice Control, the new camera, and the speed boost will be worth the cost. For others, it won't be a huge sacrifice to go without." — Steven Levy.

Apple iPhone 3.0 software update

Apple iPhone 3G review

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What do you think about the iPhone 3G S? Tell us on the PC World Forums!

For more information about the iPhone, visit our dedicated iPhone Centre.

Follow PC World Australia on Twitter: @PCWorldAu

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Ross Catanzariti

Ross Catanzariti

Good Gear Guide
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