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Apple Announces iPhone 3G S Available June 19, Pre-Sale Starting Today

Submitted by Edward Kirk on June 8, 2009 - 3:06pm.
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Confirming rumors and widespread speculation, Phil Schiller announced the iPhone 3G S today at their WWDC keynote. As anticipated, it has several new hardware features, including support for 7.2 HSDPA, a 3 megapixel camera, video functionality, voice commands, a faster processor and more.

The iPhone 3G S will be available in the US on June 19 at $199 for the 16GB and $299 for the 32GB. You can also pre-purchase your iPhone 3G S or reserve one at Apple.com.

The iPhone 3G S boasts improved hardware, increasing general responsiveness across the board. Apple didn't go into hardware specifications like RAM and CPU, but things like launching messaging is twice as fast on the new device. It also has support for 7.2bps HSDPA 3G, which is faster than the current iPhone 3G (although AT&T has yet to roll out support for the new protocol). It has longer battery life, offering 9 hours of internet surfing, 10 hours of video, 30 hours of audio, 12 hours of 2G tak time and 5 hours of 3G talk time.

The new device has a digital compass that can tell the direction the device is pointing in, accompanied by a compass app that shows your location and orientation with a tap Nike+ support, new accessibility controls like VoiceOver, zooming, color inversion and more.

The iPhone 3G S has a 3 Megapixel camera with autofocus capabilities, as we saw in leaked photographs. It also has better low-light sensitivity, auto-macro for as close as 10cm. It can also capture video, which can be edited on the device and uploaded to YouTube, MobileMe or iTunes.

Lastly, the iPhone 3G S adds voice controls, which are accessed by holding down on the home button on the new device. Saying "What's playing now?" with the iPod app active causes it to tell you what's playing. Saying "Play more songs like this" causes it to build a genius playlist. It can also be used to make calls. For example, saying "Call Scott Forestall" will cause it to place the call (assuming you have Scott's contact info).

Submitted by frannyc28 on June 8, 2009 - 3:13pm.
No Word on upgrades from AT&[shi]T?

Submitted by utp504 on June 8, 2009 - 3:16pm.
Just read that existing iPhone owners will probably have to pay $399 (16GB) or $499 (32GB) rather than $199 or $299 if they wish to upgrade. A bunch of bull if you ask me.

Submitted by macgeek112 on June 8, 2009 - 4:51pm.
Quote:
Originally Posted by utp504 View Post
Just read that existing iPhone owners will probably have to pay $399 (16GB) or $499 (32GB) rather than $199 or $299 if they wish to upgrade. A bunch of bull if you ask me.
The only problem with your "fact" is that the iPhone will be the same price for everyone. AT&T has confirmed that the iPhone is exempt to all AT&T upgrade eligablitiy periods. That also means that if you just bought your 3G yesterday, you could still upgrade to the 3GS on the 19th for the same $199. It is possible that Apple will be offering iPhones of this price to people without an AT&T contract later on down the line.

Submitted by utp504 on June 8, 2009 - 4:53pm.
Where did you hear this from, because I called both AT&T and Apple and they both said that they do not know yet and should know in the next few days. I think that existing iPhone owners, however, will be eligible for the subsidized price, but it is just not showing up on Apple's Buy iPhone site yet.

Submitted by macgeek112 on June 8, 2009 - 4:56pm.
Sorry to be so blunt, but yes it is available on the buy iPhone website, I just confirmed my purchase three minutes after today's WWDC session. I promise you that the iPhone is exempt from AT&T upgrade eligibility periods, because I specifically asked a rep at an AT&T store when I would be eligible for the 3G, and he handed me a page with the iPhone terms on it that said just that.

EDIT: I just upgraded from the original iPhone, and I paid $299 off a gift card for the 32GB

Submitted by utp504 on June 8, 2009 - 4:56pm.
here is mine when I tried. Same result in multiple attemps



Edit: what are you electing? Existing customer with upgrade or New customer??? Maybe since you have the original iPhone you are eligible for the like 18-20 month upgrade since youve probably had it for a while

Submitted by macgeek112 on June 8, 2009 - 5:01pm.
Maybe it likes me more because I have a Mac. I just tried again, and it gave me my original result ($99 iPhone 3G, $199 iPhone 3GS 16GB...) Sorry about that.

Submitted by utp504 on June 8, 2009 - 5:03pm.
Well what i am also asking is have you ever had the 3G or just the original iPhone. because, you may be getting that price because you are eligible for the upgrade because of how many months is left on your contract, not that you are an iPhone owner

Submitted by macgeek112 on June 8, 2009 - 5:04pm.
I don't know about that. Are you a new customer? If so you should be getting the cheaper price anyway. As for me, I am an existing customer, but I have only had my iPhone for 17 months anyway, so I wouldn't be able to upgrade anyway.

Submitted by utp504 on June 8, 2009 - 5:06pm.
No... I bought original iPhone like a month after release and then waited in line and bought iPhone 3G on release date. I am not a new customer. My plan had been changed once to incorporate discounts from where I work but other than that I am not a new customer at all. So, idk I guess I'll wait and see what comes in the next few days leading up to release.

Submitted by macgeek112 on June 8, 2009 - 5:06pm.
This is completely unrelated, but why don't you want to jailbreak your iPhone? There is nothing to loose, and so much to gain! Have you heard of SBSettings, AdBlock?

Submitted by macgeek112 on June 8, 2009 - 5:08pm.
Quote:
Originally Posted by utp504 View Post
No... I bought original iPhone like a month after release and then waited in line and bought iPhone 3G on release date. I am not a new customer. My plan had been changed once to incorporate discounts from where I work but other than that I am not a new customer at all. So, idk I guess I'll wait and see what comes in the next few days leading up to release.
I don't know if there is an Apple store where you live, but if there is, go there to buy it. They should be able to do all sorts of manual overrides like this, if you are nice enough. Last time, they allowed me to keep my student discount on my AT&T bill even though you are not supposed to with the iPhone.

Submitted by utp504 on June 8, 2009 - 5:10pm.
idk, I have been thinking about it. I jailbroke about 2-3 months ago when my iPhone messed up from water and I was waiting to buy a brand new one. But ever since I bought the brand new one I have been thinking about doing it again but just havent. I really dont know why to be honest, I think I just want to kind of wait and have 3.0 and not jailbreak. But I do always think about it. Also, to the windows comment, I want a Mac, I just cant afford one right now. I bought this right after I graduated high school 2 years and since I got an iPhone I have been wanting a Mac.

Submitted by utp504 on June 8, 2009 - 5:11pm.
I called my local Apple store and they said they werent sure yet. On the release day I will be across country and cant purchase on release day. However that is what I have been thinking is to just go up there after release or call back next week or so.

Submitted by macgeek112 on June 8, 2009 - 5:13pm.
It's worth a try. I hope this gets resolved for you with the smallest dent possible in your wallet! I always hate not meeting the requirements for anything.

Submitted by utp504 on June 8, 2009 - 5:14pm.
I know and thank you. I want the new one but if I have to pay anything higher than the 300 I may wait. Thanks though.

Submitted by Hans on June 8, 2009 - 7:24pm.
i still hate the extra $15/month but i guess it is finally worth upgrading now

Title is wrong

Submitted by utp504 on June 10, 2009 - 12:10am.
The 3GS will be available on the 19th, the 3.0 update will be available on the 17th.