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09 June 2009
Apple today introduced the new iPhone 3GS, the fastest, most powerful iPhone yet, packed with incredible new features including improved speed and performance - up to twice as fast as iPhone 3G - with longer battery life, a high-quality 3 megapixel autofocus camera, easy to use video recording and hands free voice control.
iPhone 3GS includes the new iPhone OS 3.0, the world's most advanced mobile operating system with over 100 new features such as Cut, Copy and Paste, MMS*, Spotlight Search, landscape keyboard and more. iPhone 3GS customers get access to more than 50,000 applications from Apple's revolutionary App Store, the largest application store in the world where customers have already downloaded over one billion apps. iPhone 3GS offers twice the capacity with a 16GB model and a new 32GB model.
"iPhone 3GS is the fastest, most powerful iPhone yet and we think people will love the incredible new features including autofocus camera, video recording and the freedom of voice control," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of WorldWide Product Marketing.
iPhone 3GS offers incredible speed and performance, on average up to twice as fast as iPhone 3G, so you can render web pages quicker and launch applications faster. iPhone 3GS takes advantage of the OpenGL ES 2.0 standard for stunning high-quality 3D graphics, making mobile gaming and other graphic intense applications better than ever. iPhone 3GS is not only faster, but with longer battery life you can watch more videos, listen to more music, browse the Internet or keep using your favourite apps even longer. The new iPhone 3GS also supports 7.2 Mbps HSDPA for faster networking speeds.**
iPhone 3GS features a new 3 megapixel autofocus camera that takes amazing pictures and video, making it easier than ever to capture, edit and share those moments instantly with family and friends. The new autofocus camera adjusts focus, exposure, colour and contrast for the best possible image and includes an automatic macro focus for extra close up shots. With the new "tap to focus" feature, you simply touch the display to select an object or area of interest and the camera automatically re-adjusts focus and exposure. You can record incredible high-quality video clips and edit them right on your iPhone 3GS by simply trimming the start and stop points. With iPhone 3GS you can send photos and video by email or MMS and post them to MobileMe or YouTube with just one tap.
The voice control feature in iPhone 3GS offers hands free operation for both iPhone and iPod functions. Simply speak the appropriate commands into the built-in microphone or headset microphone to dial by name or number. With voice control you can play your favourite music by artist, album or playlist and activate the Genius feature by saying, "Play more songs like this." You can also tell iPhone to pause the music, play the next track, turn on shuffle or ask, "What's playing right now?"
iPhone 3GS features a new built-in digital compass for instant navigation.*** The Compass app shows you which way you are headed and rotates as you change direction. You can orient yourself to true north or magnetic north, and iPhone's built-in GPS automatically displays the coordinates of your current location. The new built-in digital compass is also integrated within Maps, so it automatically orients any map to the direction you are facing.
iPhone 3GS provides new accessibility features including VoiceOver, a screen reader that speaks what appears on the iPhone 3GS display, enabling visually impaired users to make calls, read email, browse web pages, play music and run applications. The new universal Zoom function magnifies the entire screen, and the White on Black feature reverses the colours on screen to provide higher contrast for people with low vision. iPhone 3GS also supports Mono Audio which combines left and right audio channels so that they can be heard in both earbuds for those with hearing loss in one ear.
iPhone 3GS includes the new iPhone OS 3.0 software with more than 100 new features including: Cut, Copy and Paste; MMS; Spotlight Search to search across iPhone or within Mail, Contacts, Calendar and iPod; landscape keyboard for Mail, Messages, Notes and Safari; expanded parental controls for TV shows, movies and apps from the App Store; and the ability to capture and send audio recordings on the go with the new Voice Memo app. iPhone 3.0 software also includes a new Find My iPhone feature that works together with MobileMe so you can locate your lost iPhone on a map, send a message that will appear on the screen or play a sound to help you find it even if your phone is set to silent. If you cannot find your iPhone, you can erase all data and content on your iPhone with the new Remote Wipe feature. New iTunes features available with iPhone 3.0 software include wirelessly downloading movies, TV and audio programs as well as iTunes U so students can download learning materials on the go.
iPhone 3GS gives users access to the revolutionary App Store, the largest application store in the world with more than 50,000 applications. The App Store allows developers to reach tens of millions of iPhone and iPod touch users around the world. To date, customers have downloaded more than one billion apps from the App Store. And with more than 1,000 new APIs available with the iPhone SDK, developers can create even more innovative applications using In-App Purchases, a new Maps API and Push Notifications.
iPhone 3GS also features built-in Nike + iPod support making it an incredible workout companion. Users simply place the optional Nike + iPod sensor in their Nike + shoe to seamlessly connect with iPhone 3GS to track miles run or sync with the latest generation gym equipment.
Pricing & Availability
iPhone OS 3.0 software will be available on 26 June as a free software update via iTunes 8.2 or later for all iPhone customers. iPod touch customers will be able to purchase a software update for NZ$19 inc GST. New MobileMe features for iPhone require iPhone OS 3.0. MobileMe is available for an annual subscription price of RRP NZ$140 inc GST. Details will be available at launch. iPhone 3GS will also be available in more than 80 countries in the coming weeks. For further information and availability visit http://www.apple.com/iphone .
*MMS messaging is available only on iPhone 3G or iPhone 3GS; fees may apply. MMS may not be available in all areas.
**7.2 Mbps HSDPA may not be available in all areas.
***Compass reliability may be affected by usage conditions such as nearby magnetic fields.
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Philip Roy
said:
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You can view an intro guided tour video of the iPhone 3GS at.... http://www.apple.com/iphone/guidedtour/#large |
Philip Roy
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No, not yet. The article is Apple's NZ press release...but I'll post more info as I get it. Phil |
nasnas
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Thanks, Phil. There is a photo on engadget from the keynote coverage that says Aug '09 with a list of countries that will get the 3G S (http://tinyurl.com/pqdrbm) at this time but New Zealand doesn't make the list so I am guessing that it will be available here on June 19th. That would make sense because we got the 3G at the same time as the US last year but you never know. I would have thought that there would be some something on carrier sites that acknowledge the 3G S but there is nothing on either the AT&T or vodafone websites. Nick |
Philip Roy
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You're making too many assumptions there I think. You have to understand the way Apple works. The iPhone 3G was announced well in advance of its release, so that was why we knew when we'd get it and that we got it around the same time. AT&T are saying a lot about the new phone (search some of the tech sites) but I'm not surprised VFNZ have little to say. I could well imagine that today is the first day they've had conformation of a new phone. Phil |
nasnas
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My point is that we were among the first countries to get the iPhone 3G and unless New Zealand has dropped out of favor with apple, then there is no reason that we wouldn't get it along with the UK which has been confirmed as a country getting the 3G S at the same time as the US. If we aren't scheduled to get it at this time, then it looks like countries such as Cameroon and Panama will have jumped ahead of us considering that we weren't on the Aug '09 list and that there isn't a date between June 19th and Aug for the release of the 3G S here. Actually, that seems like an understandable scenario. I have read the arstechnica and wired reports of AT&T statements regarding the 3G S but still, no info (well nothing I could see) that made mention of the new handset. |
Philip Roy
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I don't disagree with you...but we also a country never to receive the original iPhone, so it's not as though there's a pattern. I hope it is the same time, but I also won't be shocked if it isn't. |
Philip Roy
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See Paul Brislen's comments re availability.... http://forum.vodafone.co.nz/in...topic=2671 Yes, we'll be selling the new iPhone when it goes on sale here in New Zealand. We expect that to be in the second wave of deployment - in the July/August time frame (this may change and is beyond our control). Phil |
DragonFire
said:
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This lax attitude of Vodafone NZ to set any pricing is just another example of how badly we do living in this little backwater country. Apple listed a release date of July 9 for the 3GS in NZ at WWDC, so why is there no pricing or promotion on the Vodafone NZ website? Maybe Telecom have got the lead on Vodafone.... I shudder to think that this is the case. If only I was young enough to consider a move to another country, such as the USA or Australia, and get away from the price gouging that goes on here. Living in a country where being a geek is affordable would be a wonderful thing  |
Philip Roy
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Well first, I don't think July 9th was never set if you watch the keynote....but a ballpark week was set and I think you have it right. But, in fairness to VFNZ, pricing may not be something they can announce now. Keep in mind also that when it was announced the iPhone 3G was coming to NZ, that happened on June 10, 2008... http://www.nziphone.com/news/n...ly-11.html And it was an almost entire month later (July  that prices were announced.... http://www.nziphone.com/news/n...plans.html We may not see prices for some time. Phil |
DragonFire
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As I can't edit my post above I want to clarify that we were shown in the July '09 list at WWDC (rather than the specific date of July 9 I mistyped above!) |
nite41
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Can't wait! Can anyone tell me whether the Vodafone stores will open at mid-night on that day? |
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