Apple announced a new version of their popular smartphone today, the "iPhone 3GS", a faster performing smartphone with a longer battery life and a number of special enhancements including a built-in 3 MegaPixel camera/camcorder, voice control, digital compass, and data encryption. It will take the place of the existing iPhone 3G this coming June 19th from Rogers Wireless and Fido in two options; the 32 GB model for $299 and the 16 GB model for $199, both in black or white. The existing iPhone3G will continue to be made available, but at a reduced price of $99 CND. As with their first iPhone launch, Rogers will introduce their $30/month 6GB data plan offer. Both versions of the iPhone will benefit from new features introduced through the new iPhone OS 3.0 software, an update that introduces over 100 new features including cut, copy, and paste, Spotlight search, and landscape mode for messaging. Existing iPhone 3G users will be able to download the update and access the new features for free on June 17th, while iPod Touch users will need to purchase the update for $9.95.
The new iPhone 3GS, the S signifying speed, may look identical to the existing iPhone, but its new internal hardware gives it a boost in performance speed when surfing websites, rendering e-mail attachments, and running applications. This boost allowed Apple to include a number of iPhone 3GS-specific features including the ability to edit and upload video clips with touch controls, deliver Voice Control without the need for voice training, and to offer data encryption that allows for a remote, instant-wipe of all data on the handset through MobileMe's new "Find My iPhone" service.
Added components include a 3 Megapixel camera/camcorder with an auto-focus lens. No flash or zoom, but it includes "Tap To Focus", the ability to tap on the viewscreen and signal the lens as to which part of the shot to focus in on. It makes the change in real-time and applies auto contrast and auto brightness, both for still pictures and video. Video clips are stored and managed on the phone the same as still photos, but can be edited with a simple trim feature where you can drag your finger along a timeline and select specific scenes and changes to create a clip. The results can be uploaded through online services such as YouTube, but also saved into iTunes.
A built-in Digital Compass will allow the handset to both act as a traditional magnetic compass, allowing to both indicate magnetic north or true north, and offer directional orientation for Apps that want to navigate the sky or other aspects of the world. Using Google Maps now to find directions, the phone can auto-orient the maps to match your current facing and even show your direction through your map marker.
Voice Control will allow users to speak commands to the iPhone 3GS, without having to train it first, in a selection of over 32 different languages. Commands can be used to control both the phone for calling, but also media playback, including Genius features and an ability to ask your handset to tell you what artist and song is playing. This includes is a mode that shows you what words the iPhone is hearing when you speak using Voice Control.
Other enhancements include support for Nike+ iPod sensors, stereo bluetooth headsets, better accessibility features including VoiceOver which reads aloud text on the screen for visually impaired users, Universal Zoom to magnify the screen, White on Black, which reverses the screen colours for higher contrast for those with low vision, and Mono Audio, to playback combined left and right audio feeds into a single earbud for those with hearing loss in one ear.
UPDATE: Both Rogers and Fido will offer a special $30/month 6 GB data plan as a limited time plan starting tomorrow, June 9th. Rogers will enable the iPhone OS 3.0's support for MMS messaging with attachments as well as tethering.
UPDATE 2: Further clarification, the iPhone 3G will drop in price to $99 on June 19th, the same day as the launch of the iPhone 3GS
UPDATE 3: Got an iPhone 3G? Looking to buy an iPhone 3G S? I asked Rogers what advice they might have for you. Here's their response:
"iPhone customers with existing models are encouraged to upgrade to the new software 3.0 update- it offers most of enhancements that the new models will have including tethering and MMS, effective July 17.
Rogers HUP (hardware upgrade program) policy is set at 24 months (6 months before end of contract for Fido). Rogers subsidizes handsets so that we can continue to offer customers the best devices at the best value."
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