IPhone 3G
Encyclopedia
The iPhone 3G is the second generation of iPhone
designed and marketed by Apple Inc.. It was the successor to the original iPhone
, and is succeeded by the iPhone 3GS
. Introduced on June 9, 2008 at the WWDC 2008 at the Moscone Center
, San Francisco. The 3G was very similar to its predecessor, containing the same 2 MP camera and no support for video recording
, and its performance was limited by the same 128 MB eDRAM
memory unit. Nevertheless, the 3G featured several improvements over the original. It supported Assisted GPS
, 3G
data and Tri-band
UMTS
/HSDPA
.
The iPhone 3G runs Apple’s iOS operating system, the same operating system used on previous iPhone
s, the iPad
, the Apple TV, and the iPod Touch
. It is primarily controlled by a user’s fingertips on the multi-touch
display, which is sensitive to fingertip contact.
The iPhone 3G no longer receives software updates from Apple. The last release of iOS to support the 3G was 4.2.1, which was released on November 22, 2010. iOS 4.3, released on March 11, 2011, did not support the iPhone 3G.
When the iPhone 3GS was released one year later, the iPhone 3G's price was cut in half, and was made the budget model of iPhone. The $99 iPhone 3G was in black only and came with 8GB of storage. Included with this revision is iPhone OS 3.0 On June 7, 2010, the iPhone 3G was discontinued, and replace with an 8 GB iPhone 3GS selling for the same price of $99.
Over the years, the iPhone 3G has been supported by Apple with software updates. Major iterations of the software usually released yearly.
At launch, in July 2008, the iPhone 3G came preloaded with iPhone OS 2.0 which introduced the App Store, Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync support, Apple’s MobileMe service, and push email support, along with other new features and bug fixes as well.
On June 2009, the iPhone 3G received the iPhone OS 3.0 software update which introduced the long-awaited MMS feature, copy and paste, landscape support for more applications, Bluetooth stereo support, and other improvements as well.
On June 2010, the iPhone 3G owners were issued the iOS 4.0 software update. Unlike its successor, the iPhone 3GS, it did not receive multitasking, home screen wallpaper, or Bluetooth keyboard support. However, it still got the unified mailbox feature, folders, playlist creation, among other enhancements in iOS 4. Still despite the number of new features the update introduced, it was widely criticized for its slow performance on the device.
However an update to iOS 4.1 was unveiled and released on September 2010 which improved the device’s performance under iOS 4. Unlike other iOS devices though, it did not receive the Game Center application.
On November 22, 2010, the iPhone 3G received the iOS 4.2 software update, which included new features such as YouTube voting, and security fixes. The iPhone 3G however did not receive many features including AirPlay, more options in the multitasking tray, and Safari Text Search.
On January 12, 2011, the iOS 4.3 software update beta 1 was issued to developers. However, there are no iPhone 3G download links. The iPhone 3G is no longer supported by Apple in software updates.
On March 9, 2011, the iOS 4.3 software update officially announced, which was the first iOS software update leaving out the support of iPhone 3G.
The iPhone 3G's back features a redesigned plastic polycarbonate housing, replacing the aluminum back from the first generation. The buttons were also made from plastic to metal, and the edges of the phone were also tapered, providing a better grip of the phone. The iPhone 3G also introduced colors to the iPhone bringing black and white backs to the device. However only the 16GB version was available in both colors. The dimensions of the iPhone 3G were slightly larger than those of the original iPhone. It was 4.55 inches (115.6 mm) high, 2.44 inches (62 mm) wide, and 0.48 inches (12.2 mm) deep, compared to its predecessor, which was 4.5 inches (114.3 mm) high, 2.4 inches (61 mm) wide, and 0.46 inches (11.7 mm) deep.
, with scratch-resistant glass sitting on top of the display. The capacitive touchscreen is designed for a bare finger, or multiple fingers for multi-touch sensing.
The device also features the same sensors its predecessor had. A repositioned proximity sensor which deactivates the display and touchscreen when the device is brought near the face during a call. This is done to save battery power and to prevent inadvertent inputs from the user’s face and ears. An ambient light sensor adjusts the display brightness which in turns saves battery power. A 3-axis accelerometer
senses the orientation of the phone and changes the screen accordingly, allowing the user to easily switch between portrait and landscape mode..
. It still included a Samsung 32-bit RISC ARM11 620 MHz processor (underclocked to 412 MHz), a PowerVR MBX Lite 3D GPU, and 128 MB of eDRAM
.
data, and Tri-band
UMTS/HSDPA. These enhancements allowed faster data downloads and turn-by-turn navigation
with Maps.
Like its predecessor and recent iPods, the iPhone 3G also features the same proprietary 30-pin dock connector for charging the device. It is also used to synchronize the device with a computer and to connect various accessories.
The iPhone 3G also features a flush-mounted 3.5 mm headphone jack instead of the recessed headphone jack that was included on the original iPhone, thus it can be used with headphones other than those provided by Apple.
The battery life of the iPhone 3G has been criticized by several technology journalists as insufficient and less than Apple claims.
A lot of other features were also given in iOS 2.0, making the iPhone 3G a full featured device at the time, having 3G data capabilities, 3rd party applications, and an updated OS that gave a lot of other software features, such as OS enhancements, extended language support, Mail/Contacts/Calendars updates, iPod (app) updates and
Enterprise Support and enhancements for business users.
An article in the Wall Street Journal's Digits column on July 28, 2010 drew attention to the situation, reporting that iPhone 3G phones updating to iOS 4 responded slowly, had diminished battery life, and became excessively hot.
During a media event on September 1, 2010, Apple announced that iOS 4.1 would be released on September 8, 2010, claiming to fix issues with performance on the iPhone 3G, along with fixes for Bluetooth
and proximity sensor issues and other updates.
IPhone
The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
designed and marketed by Apple Inc.. It was the successor to the original iPhone
IPhone (original)
The iPhone—retroactively labeled the original iPhone, iPhone 2G, or iPhone EDGE—was the first generation of iPhone designed and marketed by Apple Inc. and was succeeded by the iPhone 3G. It was announced on January 9, 2007 after months of rumors and speculation. It was introduced in the United...
, and is succeeded by the iPhone 3GS
IPhone 3GS
-Camera:The iPhone 3GS features an improved 3 megapixel camera manufactured by OmniVision. In addition to the higher megapixel count, it also features auto-focus, auto white balance and auto macro and is capable of capturing VGA video...
. Introduced on June 9, 2008 at the WWDC 2008 at the Moscone Center
Moscone Center
Moscone Center is the largest convention and exhibition complex in San Francisco, California. It comprises three main halls: Two underground halls underneath Yerba Buena Gardens, known as Moscone North and Moscone South, and a three-level Moscone West exhibition hall across 4th Street...
, San Francisco. The 3G was very similar to its predecessor, containing the same 2 MP camera and no support for video recording
Camcorder
A camcorder is an electronic device that combines a video camera and a video recorder into one unit. Equipment manufacturers do not seem to have strict guidelines for the term usage...
, and its performance was limited by the same 128 MB eDRAM
EDRAM
eDRAM stands for "embedded DRAM", a capacitor-based dynamic random access memory integrated on the same die as an ASIC or processor. The cost-per-bit is higher than for stand-alone DRAM chips but in many applications the performance advantages of placing the eDRAM on the same chip as the processor...
memory unit. Nevertheless, the 3G featured several improvements over the original. It supported Assisted GPS
Assisted GPS
Assisted GPS, generally abbreviated as A-GPS or aGPS, is a system which can, under certain conditions, improve the startup performance, or time-to-first-fix of a GPS satellite-based positioning system. It is used extensively with GPS-capable cellular phones as its development was accelerated by...
, 3G
3G
3G or 3rd generation mobile telecommunications is a generation of standards for mobile phones and mobile telecommunication services fulfilling the International Mobile Telecommunications-2000 specifications by the International Telecommunication Union...
data and Tri-band
Multi-band
In telecommunications, the terms multi-band, dual-band, tri-band, quad-band and penta-band refer to a device supporting multiple radio frequency bands used for communication...
UMTS
Universal Mobile Telecommunications System
Universal Mobile Telecommunications System is a third generation mobile cellular technology for networks based on the GSM standard. Developed by the 3GPP , UMTS is a component of the International Telecommunications Union IMT-2000 standard set and compares with the CDMA2000 standard set for...
/HSDPA
High-Speed Downlink Packet Access
High-Speed Downlink Packet Access is an enhanced 3G mobile telephony communications protocol in the High-Speed Packet Access family, also dubbed 3.5G, 3G+ or turbo 3G, which allows networks based on Universal Mobile Telecommunications System to have higher data transfer speeds and capacity...
.
The iPhone 3G runs Apple’s iOS operating system, the same operating system used on previous iPhone
IPhone
The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
s, the iPad
IPad
The iPad is a line of tablet computers designed, developed and marketed by Apple Inc., primarily as a platform for audio-visual media including books, periodicals, movies, music, games, and web content. The iPad was introduced on January 27, 2010 by Apple's then-CEO Steve Jobs. Its size and...
, the Apple TV, and the iPod Touch
IPod Touch
The iPod Touch is a portable media player, personal digital assistant, handheld game console, and Wi-Fi mobile device designed and marketed by Apple Inc. The iPod Touch adds the multi-touch graphical user interface to the iPod line...
. It is primarily controlled by a user’s fingertips on the multi-touch
Multi-touch
In computing, multi-touch refers to a touch sensing surface's ability to recognize the presence of two or more points of contact with the surface...
display, which is sensitive to fingertip contact.
The iPhone 3G no longer receives software updates from Apple. The last release of iOS to support the 3G was 4.2.1, which was released on November 22, 2010. iOS 4.3, released on March 11, 2011, did not support the iPhone 3G.
History
On July 11, 2008, Apple released the iPhone 3G in twenty-two countries, including the original six; in 8GB and 16GB models, with the larger capacity version having the option of being in black or white.When the iPhone 3GS was released one year later, the iPhone 3G's price was cut in half, and was made the budget model of iPhone. The $99 iPhone 3G was in black only and came with 8GB of storage. Included with this revision is iPhone OS 3.0 On June 7, 2010, the iPhone 3G was discontinued, and replace with an 8 GB iPhone 3GS selling for the same price of $99.
Software
The iPhone 3G came preloaded with the latest version of iPhone OS both to offer the newest improvements to the software and to combat efforts of jailbreaking.Over the years, the iPhone 3G has been supported by Apple with software updates. Major iterations of the software usually released yearly.
At launch, in July 2008, the iPhone 3G came preloaded with iPhone OS 2.0 which introduced the App Store, Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync support, Apple’s MobileMe service, and push email support, along with other new features and bug fixes as well.
On June 2009, the iPhone 3G received the iPhone OS 3.0 software update which introduced the long-awaited MMS feature, copy and paste, landscape support for more applications, Bluetooth stereo support, and other improvements as well.
On June 2010, the iPhone 3G owners were issued the iOS 4.0 software update. Unlike its successor, the iPhone 3GS, it did not receive multitasking, home screen wallpaper, or Bluetooth keyboard support. However, it still got the unified mailbox feature, folders, playlist creation, among other enhancements in iOS 4. Still despite the number of new features the update introduced, it was widely criticized for its slow performance on the device.
However an update to iOS 4.1 was unveiled and released on September 2010 which improved the device’s performance under iOS 4. Unlike other iOS devices though, it did not receive the Game Center application.
On November 22, 2010, the iPhone 3G received the iOS 4.2 software update, which included new features such as YouTube voting, and security fixes. The iPhone 3G however did not receive many features including AirPlay, more options in the multitasking tray, and Safari Text Search.
On January 12, 2011, the iOS 4.3 software update beta 1 was issued to developers. However, there are no iPhone 3G download links. The iPhone 3G is no longer supported by Apple in software updates.
On March 9, 2011, the iOS 4.3 software update officially announced, which was the first iOS software update leaving out the support of iPhone 3G.
Design
Screen and input
The 9cm touchscreen has a 320-by-480 (HVGA) resolution at 163 ppiPPI
PPI may refer to:-Biochemistry:*PPi, the anion P2O74−, a Pyrophosphate*PPI, Peptidyl prolyl cis-trans-isomerase, a human chaperone *PPI, a right-handed form of polyproline helix, a secondary structure in proteins-Indicators and indexes:...
, with scratch-resistant glass sitting on top of the display. The capacitive touchscreen is designed for a bare finger, or multiple fingers for multi-touch sensing.
The device also features the same sensors its predecessor had. A repositioned proximity sensor which deactivates the display and touchscreen when the device is brought near the face during a call. This is done to save battery power and to prevent inadvertent inputs from the user’s face and ears. An ambient light sensor adjusts the display brightness which in turns saves battery power. A 3-axis accelerometer
Accelerometer
An accelerometer is a device that measures proper acceleration, also called the four-acceleration. This is not necessarily the same as the coordinate acceleration , but is rather the type of acceleration associated with the phenomenon of weight experienced by a test mass that resides in the frame...
senses the orientation of the phone and changes the screen accordingly, allowing the user to easily switch between portrait and landscape mode..
Processor and memory
Most of the iPhone 3G's internal hardware were based on the original iPhoneIPhone (original)
The iPhone—retroactively labeled the original iPhone, iPhone 2G, or iPhone EDGE—was the first generation of iPhone designed and marketed by Apple Inc. and was succeeded by the iPhone 3G. It was announced on January 9, 2007 after months of rumors and speculation. It was introduced in the United...
. It still included a Samsung 32-bit RISC ARM11 620 MHz processor (underclocked to 412 MHz), a PowerVR MBX Lite 3D GPU, and 128 MB of eDRAM
EDRAM
eDRAM stands for "embedded DRAM", a capacitor-based dynamic random access memory integrated on the same die as an ASIC or processor. The cost-per-bit is higher than for stand-alone DRAM chips but in many applications the performance advantages of placing the eDRAM on the same chip as the processor...
.
Camera
On the rear of the device, the iPhone 3G features the same fixed-focus 2.0 megapixel camera that its predecessor had. It had no optical zoom, flash, or autofocus, and does not support video recording, although various applications have allowed video recording on the device. The iPhone OS 2.0 software update which came preloaded on the iPhone 3G at launch, introduced the capability to embed location data in the pictures producing geocoded photographs.Connectivity
In addition to EDGE, the iPhone 3G included the addition of Assisted GPS, 3G3G
3G or 3rd generation mobile telecommunications is a generation of standards for mobile phones and mobile telecommunication services fulfilling the International Mobile Telecommunications-2000 specifications by the International Telecommunication Union...
data, and Tri-band
Multi-band
In telecommunications, the terms multi-band, dual-band, tri-band, quad-band and penta-band refer to a device supporting multiple radio frequency bands used for communication...
UMTS/HSDPA. These enhancements allowed faster data downloads and turn-by-turn navigation
Turn-by-turn navigation
Turn-by-turn navigation is a feature of some GPS navigation devices where directions for a selected route are continually presented to the user in the form of spoken and visual instructions. The system keeps the user up-to-date about the best route to the destination, and is often updated according...
with Maps.
Like its predecessor and recent iPods, the iPhone 3G also features the same proprietary 30-pin dock connector for charging the device. It is also used to synchronize the device with a computer and to connect various accessories.
The iPhone 3G also features a flush-mounted 3.5 mm headphone jack instead of the recessed headphone jack that was included on the original iPhone, thus it can be used with headphones other than those provided by Apple.
Battery
The iPhone 3G features an internal rechargeable battery rated at 1150mAh, which like its predecessor, is not user-replaceable. Apple states the iPhone 3G’s battery is capable of providing up six hours of web browsing on WiFi, five hours on 3G and 25 hours of audio playback. It has 300 hours of standby. Unlike the first iPhone, the 3G uses a different battery which is fitted with a connector and is easier to replace. Replacement still voids the warranty if you don't use Apple's official service or third party suppliers which are authorized.The battery life of the iPhone 3G has been criticized by several technology journalists as insufficient and less than Apple claims.
Software
Along with the iPhone 3G, the first major software update to iPhone OS 2.0 was released. It featured various new features and improvements over its predecessor, most notably the App Store.App Store
One of the main new features of iPhone OS 2.0 is the App Store, which allows users to install third party applications on their device. Preceding this, jailbreaking was the only way to install custom applications on the device. On the App Store's initial launch, 500 applications were available for download, and this amount has grown dramatically since then. The software update was also issued to original iPhone and iPod touch users which also gave them access to the App Store although iPod touch owners were required to pay a fee to update to the new version.A lot of other features were also given in iOS 2.0, making the iPhone 3G a full featured device at the time, having 3G data capabilities, 3rd party applications, and an updated OS that gave a lot of other software features, such as OS enhancements, extended language support, Mail/Contacts/Calendars updates, iPod (app) updates and
Enterprise Support and enhancements for business users.
Hairline cracks
Since the iPhone 3G's public release, users have reported that there had been hairline cracks, especially on the white models.Battery life
After the release of the iPhone 3G, many complaints were about battery life. This is also reflected by a J.D. Power and Associates custom satisfaction survey, which gave the “battery aspects” of the device its lowest rating of 2 out of 5 stars. That was after all of the firmwares and updates.iOS performance issues
iOS 4, which was still compatible with the iPhone 3G, was released on June 21, 2010. Since its release, many iPhone 3G owners on iOS 4 have reported that their phones are performing much slower than they had prior to the update. Video comparisons of the performance differences have been posted. One theory claims that the problem stems from a bug in the Spotlight Search feature. Another claim, is that the 3G has insufficient RAM to cope with the demands of the new iOS 4 operating system: only 128 MB, versus the 512 MB of RAM in the iPhone 4 for which iOS 4 was designed.An article in the Wall Street Journal's Digits column on July 28, 2010 drew attention to the situation, reporting that iPhone 3G phones updating to iOS 4 responded slowly, had diminished battery life, and became excessively hot.
During a media event on September 1, 2010, Apple announced that iOS 4.1 would be released on September 8, 2010, claiming to fix issues with performance on the iPhone 3G, along with fixes for Bluetooth
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a proprietary open wireless technology standard for exchanging data over short distances from fixed and mobile devices, creating personal area networks with high levels of security...
and proximity sensor issues and other updates.