Aug 19, 2016 04:36 PM
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It’s finally here, the first phone to beat the iPhone. Or is it? The iPhone 3G is out, with high-speed data and GPS and Exchange support and a whole slew of new features due to the new 2.0 software. It’s been slightly redesigned, but remains 100% Apple. It now has an App Store, where developers can create applications for the device and distribute them through iTunes. Paired with Apple’s new MobileMe service the everyday user can get the wireless syncing benefits of an Exchange account.
In a case the iPhone 3G looks nearly identical to the iPhone. It has the same chrome trim around the huge glass touchscreen. The circular indent of the home button still lies below the display, and above it is simply the earpiece. There are still only three buttons along the sides; at the top left is the switch to silence the phone, with the volume rocker just below it, and at the top on the far right side is the lock button. The dock connector, speaker and mic are at the bottom, and at the top left of the back is the small 2 megapixel camera.Overall dimensions have actually increased, though the 0.5mm thickness difference is offset by the rounded edges of the 3G. This beveling makes the phone feel more comfortable in the hand as compared to its predecessor, and we like the plastic casing more than we’d have thought. It is a high quality plastic, and not as slippery as we had expected, though to a small extent we miss the solid feel of the metal backing. The weight is virtually unchanged though; the 3G checks in at just 0.1oz lighter than the original.
The iPhone 3G is a superb piece of hardware. It’s beauty lies in its simplicity, and that all starts with the minimalistic design. Our plastic flap non-withstanding, the iPhone 3G picks up exactly where the iPhone left off, with the new plastic backing affording the phone a sleeker feel and appearance, despite the slight size increase. It is another fine piece of work by the designers over at Cupertino.
