This is probably the most widely leaked secret in the IT community - there will be an Apple iPhone 3G released this June. We’ve had confirmations from the hardware specifications released by VodaPhone for Italy.
What does a 3G Apple iPhone mean, and why wasn’t the initial Apple iPhone a 3G?
The meaning of 3G is “3rd Generation”. These types of devices can use one of two data protocols of competing cellular phones,and allows them to download at speeds of about half what a DSL line gives for downloads, and almost equal speeds for uploading. There are only assumptions as to whether or not the 3.5 generation protocol HSDPA will be picked up by Apple iPhone 3G.
The HSPDA is dominant in Europe hence the source of the speculation of Apple iPhone picking up the protocol. HSDPA networks are used by Both VodaPhone and StarOn. There are press releases, announcing Apple iPhone 3G seen since April on the Internet. “A 3G Apple iPhone is guaranteed to happen in the next three months” was the words of Walter Mossberg of the Wall Street Journal, back in April in a round robin press conference.
The interesting question to ask is this: Apple plays their industrial design secrets close to their chest; we already know the Apple iPhone in a 3G configuration is supposed to be slimmer (about 3 mm), and of course, it’ll have a faster data access.
Where is Apple’s flaunted secrecy? At the iPhone launching last year, before the journalist could see the hardware, they all had to sign non-disclosure agreements . So that leaves one to think that if Mossberg can talk about 3G connectivity on the Apple iPhone, what new tricks does Apple have that these journalist have not yet conveyed?
Suppositions on that has ranged from the 3G Apple iPhone having built in GPS capabilities, to graphic modifications and even new software from the Software Development Kit released last February. (However it is a fact that Apple has publicly released announcements about integrating with Microsoft Exchange-driven “push” email, Motion’s Blackberry has, it is the major competitive advantage in Research.)
This summer is the marked time span for the release of an 8MB and 16MB iPhone well so it have been announced - some hardware experts, mention of the success of the MacBook Air will be made, that this may be a red herring, and the 3G Apple iPhone may have a higher amount of Flash RAM.
The battery life is the one thing that is sure to remain unchanged. Though it is a let down for Apple iPhone fanatics we cannot expect much of a change; the facts are obvious, the 3G Apple iPhone is thinner and has a more powerful radio. This will prevent an expansion of the battery capacity the size that is, and its powerful radio will consume even more juice.
There Be A 3G Apple iPhone This June?
What does a 3G Apple iPhone mean, and why wasn’t the initial Apple iPhone a 3G?
3G means “3rd Generation”, and can use one of two competing cellular phone data protocols, which allows speeds that are about half what a DSL line gives for downloads, and very nearly equal for uploads. Rampant speculation exists as to whether or not the Apple iPhone 3G will support the so-called 3.5 generation protocol, HSDPA.
The interesting question to ask is this: Apple plays their industrial design secrets close to their chest; we already know the Apple iPhone in a 3G configuration is supposed to be slimmer (about 3 mm), and of course, it’ll have a faster data access.
One thing that likely isn’t going to change, given the thinner form factor, is battery life. That’s something of a let down for the Apple iPhone devotees; the 3G Apple iPhone is thinner and has a more powerful radio, which will prevent an expansion of the battery capacity in the first case, and consume more juice in the second.