iPhone 3G or 3GS?

[Primejimbo]

Well I would have not come on this site and made this thread if I even considered that option. I'm not trying to be spoiled but I want a handset that can do EVERYTHING. I'm tired of carrying 3 electronics around when I know I can have one that can do it all. Additionally I want a phone that works with iTunes (and is designed to so I know support for it will continue). Ive alway's tried to get the latest tech. but this time it just seams to be a bit pricier. Don't get me wrong I appreciate my iPod touch allot and since I got it in april its made life easier....when I have wifi. A cellular network (especially 3G) would help load important stuff I need pretty much anywhere.


I guess I can still appreciate the GPS on the 3G for what its worth if I go that way. My mom seams to always get lost so I guess the GPS will help when I'm driving with her so thats a plus....

Man...You European's have it so easy with the iPhone. AT&T really sticks it to you. Good luck though.

With at&t's network that is all where you live. People expect to have a perfect signal 100% of the time and no matter who you have, that will NEVER happen. Where I am the signal is great and I have no issues, and I am very happy with it. People love to say cell phone company "A" is better than cell phone company "B", but again, where are you going to use it the most?
It looks like you are paying it yourself, good for you. Now another idea is you can do is get the 3G 1st and if you like it and works/fits your needs then great! If you feel it's not doing what you want then exchange it for the 3GS, but you might have to pay 10% in some cases. My wife exchanged her 8GB 3G for a 16GB 3G and the at&t guy was cool and didn't charge us the 10% restocking fee.
You have to remember another thing, the internet is where people like to bit*h about everything and anything. I am happy with the iPhone and at&t and an issue I had with at&t the customer service fixed it right away. People who complain, you have to sit back and read between the lines a lot. I had Verizon and was very scared going to at&t after reading all the complaints on here. Verizon was good, no issues except the last 8 months with them charging me for things I didn't have and they would even tell me "it's blocked, you shouldn't be charged for that". I got at&t and I'm not looking back at all.

 

[nateo200]

With at&t's network that is all where you live. People expect to have a perfect signal 100% of the time and no matter who you have, that will NEVER happen. Where I am the signal is great and I have no issues, and I am very happy with it. People love to say cell phone company "A" is better than cell phone company "B", but again, where are you going to use it the most?
It looks like you are paying it yourself, good for you. Now another idea is you can do is get the 3G 1st and if you like it and works/fits your needs then great! If you feel it's not doing what you want then exchange it for the 3GS, but you might have to pay 10% in some cases. My wife exchanged her 8GB 3G for a 16GB 3G and the at&t guy was cool and didn't charge us the 10% restocking fee.
You have to remember another thing, the internet is where people like to bit*h about everything and anything. I am happy with the iPhone and at&t and an issue I had with at&t the customer service fixed it right away. People who complain, you have to sit back and read between the lines a lot. I had Verizon and was very scared going to at&t after reading all the complaints on here. Verizon was good, no issues except the last 8 months with them charging me for things I didn't have and they would even tell me "it's blocked, you shouldn't be charged for that". I got at&t and I'm not looking back at all.

I'm not one to complain about cell networks unless they charge me for crap I didn't do (Verizon screwed up and charged my family $400 for something....). Unlike most I understand that when you have 500 jerk's on one 3G tower all watching 10 minute youtube videos "bandwidth" is the word that is most important. I checked coverage maps and I should have a 3G connection in all of the area's I will be which is great, I have a UMTS node b like 900 feet from my house and my dad has an AT&T work phone and the connection is rock solid so that's always a plus. And God for bid I go to an area with only EDGE ill just suck it up because I don't need to be on the internet all the time...

 

[darngooddesign]

I mean for example my uncle has the 3G but my aunt had the 3GS...

Wouldn't going over to their house and playing with both tell you more than we can.

 

[nateo200]

Wouldn't going over to their house and playing with both tell you more than we can.

I actually did briefly but they live in another state so that's out of the question. Of course I have many friends with all versions of the iPhone.

 

[darngooddesign]

I actually did briefly but they live in another state so that's out of the question. Of course I have many friends with all versions of the iPhone.

I will tell you that the compass app is useless in and of itself, but use in Maps or one of the night sky/astronomy apps its pretty handy. I did not choose the GS for the compass, I got it for the RAM and processor. The video cam is useless for loud events like concerts, clubs or races as the mic gets blown out.

I think the GS is worth the extra, but I'm not squeezed for that 100. If money is that tight then don't overextend yourself.

I also do a lot of Jailbreaking so the GS is suited particularly well to that.

Play with some of your friend's phones before you decide.

 

[nateo200]

I will tell you that the compass app is useless in and of itself, but use in Maps or one of the night sky/astronomy apps its pretty handy. I did not choose the GS for the compass, I got it for the RAM and processor. The video cam is useless for loud events like concerts, clubs or races as the mic gets blown out.

I think the GS is worth the extra, but I'm not squeezed for that 100. If money is that tight then don't overextend yourself.

I also do a lot of Jailbreaking so the GS is suited particularly well to that.

Play with some of your friend's phones before you decide.

Yeah I think I will play around with some of my friends phones. There usally pretty protective over them, justifiably though. Either handset version is going to kick the **** out of anything verizon currently offers though....Also how is the speed of the 3G compared to the iPod touch 2nd gen like processor wise?

 

[jseyf5]

Yeah I think I will play around with some of my friends phones. There usally pretty protective over them, justifiably though. Either handset version is going to kick the **** out of anything verizon currently offers though....Also how is the speed of the 3G compared to the iPod touch 2nd gen like processor wise?

Its worse. the processor is slower, so in a sense you would be downgrading

 

[iPhone 62S]

Its worse. the processor is slower, so in a sense you would be downgrading

Actually, no, the second gen iPod touch is more powerful than the 3G.

 

[fireshot91]

Actually, no, the second gen iPod touch is more powerful than the 3G.

That's what he meant.

The OP has a second gen touch, so when he gets the 3G, he'll be "downgrading"...

 

[iPhone 62S]

That's what he meant.

The OP has a second gen touch, so when he gets the 3G, he'll be "downgrading"...

Oh, thought it was the other way round for some reason! Oops!

 

[nateo200]

Its worse. the processor is slower, so in a sense you would be downgrading

oooh..! That's a major turn off. But none the less its still a better handset than anything on verizon.

 

[TheSpaz]

oooh..! That's a major turn off. But none the less its still a better handset than anything on verizon.

How about this: Get the iPhone 3GS.

You'll have a longer lasting phone that is going to be compatible with more updates in the future.

The iPhone 3GS is capable of handling a lot more than what it's currently running, so that's pretty exciting (again… for the future).

Your iPhone won't bog down during audio playback (my 3G is super slow when I'm listening to music).

It's just worth it to get the 3GS just for the power to tackle whatever surprises Apple has for current and future OS updates.

 

[jseyf5]

ya dude get the S. I can tell you as a fact next year when the new one comes out that you will want it. You can sell the S and have more then enough money to upgrade. So essentially your buying your way through 2 phones. i mean, trust me, there is a big diffrence between the 3g and the S, and its the ram/ processor. It helps significantly. i have not expericened 1 crash, compared to numerous on the 3g. And if you are really needing the extra hundred, like i said, you can sell your S for about 700 now. And then a new 3g would cost 400 at most, so youd be making 300, instead of 100. In my opinion, the S is well worth the hundred dollars as it provides the much needed speed and video recording and it will have much better resale value next year when the new one rolls around

 

[WeegieMac]

The thing I find most hilarious is how people who declared the 3G the best thing since sliced bread earlier this year, suddenly think it's the most obsolete piece of hardware being sold.

It's funny what a new model does.

 

[TheSpaz]

The thing I find most hilarious is how people who declared the 3G the best thing since sliced bread earlier this year, suddenly think it's the most obsolete piece of hardware being sold.

It's funny what a new model does.

Do you realize what you just said?

Yes, it is the most obsolete hardware (iPhone-wise)! The iPhone 3G just does not perform well anymore. It was okay with 2.2.1 but 3.0 is too bloated for it to keep up.

This is where the iPhone 3GS comes on. More RAM, faster CPU… better graphics… of COURSE the old iPhone hardware is going to be obsolete. It makes me laugh when people thing the 3G is fine. It's not fine. It's slow and crappy. My brother is always telling me how much it sucks now because of 3.0. I never had a problem with performance until 3.0 hit. Now my iPhone is a slow piece of crap.

This is why I canceled my contract with AT&T and I'm not buying an iPhone again. AT&T doesn't allow you to upgrade every year (when the new iPhone comes out) so you're left in the dust. At least with an iPod touch, I can upgrade every year and I don't have to worry about unlocking or contracts or anything like that. It's going to be nice to be out of a contract.

 

[Primejimbo]

Do you realize what you just said?

Yes, it is the most obsolete hardware (iPhone-wise)! The iPhone 3G just does not perform well anymore. It was okay with 2.2.1 but 3.0 is too bloated for it to keep up.

My wife and I think 3.0 is a lot better on the 3G then the 2.2.1. And now 3.1 it's even snappier. No it's not faster than the 3GS, but it is faster then when I had 2.1.1.
My boss and a few other co-workers (some with the 1st generation iPhone) don't have as many problems as you. The 2 co-workers with the 1st generation iPhone tell me now much better the 3.1 OS is. Well I guess they just lie to me..what do I know

 

[WeegieMac]

Do you realize what you just said?

Yes, it is the most obsolete hardware (iPhone-wise)! The iPhone 3G just does not perform well anymore. It was okay with 2.2.1 but 3.0 is too bloated for it to keep up.

This is where the iPhone 3GS comes on. More RAM, faster CPU… better graphics… of COURSE the old iPhone hardware is going to be obsolete. It makes me laugh when people thing the 3G is fine. It's not fine. It's slow and crappy. My brother is always telling me how much it sucks now because of 3.0. I never had a problem with performance until 3.0 hit. Now my iPhone is a slow piece of crap.

This is why I canceled my contract with AT&T and I'm not buying an iPhone again. AT&T doesn't allow you to upgrade every year (when the new iPhone comes out) so you're left in the dust. At least with an iPod touch, I can upgrade every year and I don't have to worry about unlocking or contracts or anything like that. It's going to be nice to be out of a contract.

Yes, I realise what I said ... but what I also realise is that you completely overlooked the point I made when I said it. Also, the 3G is not the most obsolete model of the iPhone, I think you'll find that the original iPhone came first.

People who owned the 3G prior to the 3GS release hailed the 3G as some kind of "uber device", the best thing ever created. And now, all of a sudden because the 3GS has come along, it's suddenly being complained about ... it's laughable.

The 3G is not a bad device, and it didn't become one overnight or with the event of the 3GS. It's still a fine device, it's just that the 3GS is faster ... however that doesn't mean the 3G is redundant.

Not everyone needs web pages to load 7 seconds quicker. Not everyone needs to record/edit video on their iPhones. Not everyone wants to play FPS games or Real Racing on the go.

My point still stands, in that as much as I happily acknowledge the 3GS is the superior device, the 3G has not gone from "uber device" to "redundant" because Apple chucked extra 200Mhz or so onto the CPU clock, doubled the RAM, and added a video camera and compass.

Not everyone needs the latest, fastest, biggest gadget around ... not everyone needs the bragging rights or has the need to feel superior by having the latest and greatest. Perhaps it's part of being older, I don't know. All I can add is that my 3G is by no means "slow and bloated" on 3.0.

 

[WeegieMac]

My wife and I think 3.0 is a lot better on the 3G then the 2.2.1. And now 3.1 it's even snappier. No it's not faster than the 3GS, but it is faster then when I had 2.1.1.
My boss and a few other co-workers (some with the 1st generation iPhone) don't have as many problems as you. The 2 co-workers with the 1st generation iPhone tell me now much better the 3.1 OS is. Well I guess they just lie to me..what do I know

Have you had any issues with your 3.1 update on your 3G mate?

I'm hanging off upgrading after reading the horror stories.

 

[Primejimbo]

Have you had any issues with your 3.1 update on your 3G mate?

I'm hanging off upgrading after reading the horror stories.

My SMS lagged for right after, but all of a sudden it worked great. All my apps open up quicker and everything is smoother. SMS even opens a lot faster and no lag when I type a message now either. It was a much welcome update.

 

[TheSpaz]

My wife and I think 3.0 is a lot better on the 3G then the 2.2.1. And now 3.1 it's even snappier. No it's not faster than the 3GS, but it is faster then when I had 2.1.1.
My boss and a few other co-workers (some with the 1st generation iPhone) don't have as many problems as you. The 2 co-workers with the 1st generation iPhone tell me now much better the 3.1 OS is. Well I guess they just lie to me..what do I know

It just gets bogged down easier now. Some apps won't even show the launch animation correctly. Playing music though the dock connector while you're using it makes it run slower than heck. It performed much better for me in 2.x.

So you and your friends don't notice that and that's fine, but I can't live with that kind of perfomance, so I'm upgrading to the 3rd gen iPod touch. I can't wait!!!

 

[Primejimbo]

It just gets bogged down easier now. Some apps won't even show the launch animation correctly. Playing music though the dock connector while you're using it makes it run slower than heck. It performed much better for me in 2.x.

So you and your friends don't notice that and that's fine, but I can't live with that kind of perfomance, so I'm upgrading to the 3rd gen iPod touch. I can't wait!!!

I don't have any bogging down and everything launches like it always has. I have mine hooked up to a dock here at home and mess around and it's all fine.

 

[nateo200]

Yes, I realise what I said ... but what I also realise is that you completely overlooked the point I made when I said it. Also, the 3G is not the most obsolete model of the iPhone, I think you'll find that the original iPhone came first.

People who owned the 3G prior to the 3GS release hailed the 3G as some kind of "uber device", the best thing ever created. And now, all of a sudden because the 3GS has come along, it's suddenly being complained about ... it's laughable.

The 3G is not a bad device, and it didn't become one overnight or with the event of the 3GS. It's still a fine device, it's just that the 3GS is faster ... however that doesn't mean the 3G is redundant.

Not everyone needs web pages to load 7 seconds quicker. Not everyone needs to record/edit video on their iPhones. Not everyone wants to play FPS games or Real Racing on the go.

My point still stands, in that as much as I happily acknowledge the 3GS is the superior device, the 3G has not gone from "uber device" to "redundant" because Apple chucked extra 200Mhz or so onto the CPU clock, doubled the RAM, and added a video camera and compass.

Not everyone needs the latest, fastest, biggest gadget around ... not everyone needs the bragging rights or has the need to feel superior by having the latest and greatest. Perhaps it's part of being older, I don't know. All I can add is that my 3G is by no means "slow and bloated" on 3.0.

Yeah I mean those features are great but I don't see how they put the 3G to shame. If you ask me it's a miracle that you can get the speeds your getting from a mobile phone over a wireless connection and still have it compare to a broadband connection.

How about this: Get the iPhone 3GS.

You'll have a longer lasting phone that is going to be compatible with more updates in the future.

The iPhone 3GS is capable of handling a lot more than what it's currently running, so that's pretty exciting (again… for the future).

Your iPhone won't bog down during audio playback (my 3G is super slow when I'm listening to music).

It's just worth it to get the 3GS just for the power to tackle whatever surprises Apple has for current and future OS updates.

that does make sense. If I run into trouble money wise (which I shouldn't getting paid $70+ a week) with the 3GS I can always sell it and just buy a 3G.

 

[Mr. Bad Example]

Man...You European's have it so easy with the iPhone. AT&T really sticks it to you. Good luck though.

REALLY?
How bad of a deal do you guys get in the US?


I'm from the UK and ended up opting to pay $1000 for my 3GS. The premium being for a factory unlocked version from Italy. In hindsight it wasn't such a great idea, but that's another story...


I didn't think anywhere would be as bad as the UK for ripping off phone users...

 

[nateo200]

REALLY?
How bad of a deal do you guys get in the US?


I'm from the UK and ended up opting to pay $1000 for my 3GS. The premium being for a factory unlocked version from Italy. In hindsight it wasn't such a great idea, but that's another story...


I didn't think anywhere would be as bad as the UK for ripping off phone users...

well for one if you get an unlocked version you can use it on almost any carrier because the handset supports all major frequencys once you do that you don't have to pay $80 a month either, it's just another phone. Here in the us there's only two GSM carriers and one has meh coverage the other AT&T locks the phone and makes you buy absurd packages so you pay more yet there other handsets have the option to opt out of data plans. I mean I REALLY want the iPhone that's why I'm gona pay the man to get it

 

[reoreilly]

It sounds like a rough deal to get an iPhone in the US, but one of the upsides of the AT&T plans is the unlimited data package... I'm in Australia, and the iPhone is available on 5 different carriers, but none of them seem to offer much in the way of data plans.