The wait is finally over, the newly revamped iPhone 3G will begin flying from Apple and AT&T stores across America this very day, no-doubt leaving its technophile fans reeling in fits of data-speed glee. However, just because 3G units will be clutched firmly in consumer hands from this day forward does not necessarily mean that the iPhone’s hurtling hype machine will slow its course. Hardly.
Mossberg, Pogue and Baig weigh in with their reviews of the new iPhone 3G. Image: ChristianGendron/Flickr.
Moreover, prominent technology writers and reviewers from renowned US publications have already begun releasing their expert opinions as to the true worth of Apple’s second-generation iPhone, which will likely further fuel the coming switch from excited pre-release expectation to fervent post-release furore as wise heads and consumer viewpoints clash.
First out of the iPhone 3G appraisal blocks was the Wall Street Journal’s Walt Mossberg, who beat the competition to the iPhone punch by releasing his review a full day earlier than his column is usually published. Barely an hour after Mossberg’s view hit print, David Pogue of the New York Times unleashed his iPhone 3G assessment, which was then quickly followed by the review of USA Today’s Edward C. Baig.
So, the packaging and filler has been enthusiastically discarded and Apple’s second attempt at an all-encompassing feature-rich smartphone has been prodded and poked in all the appropriate areas… what’s the verdict thus far?
While applauding the data speed increase, Mossberg said: “If you’ve been waiting to buy an iPhone until it dropped in price, or ran on faster cell networks, you might want to take the plunge, if you can live with the higher service costs and the weaker battery life. The same goes for those with existing iPhones who love the device but crave faster cellular data speeds.
“But if you already own an iPhone, and can usually use Wi-Fi for data, you probably should hold off and get the free software upgrade before deciding whether it’s worth getting the new hardware.”
Unsure of the 3G iPhone as a pure replacement for the EDGE model, Pogue said: “So the iPhone 3G is a nice upgrade. It more than keeps pace with advancing technology, and new buyers will generally be delighted… But it’s not so much better that it turns all those original iPhones into has-beens.
“Indeed, the really big deal is the iPhone 2.0 software and the App Store, neither of which requires buying a new [3G] iPhone. That twist may come as a refreshing surprise to planned-obsolescence conspiracy theorists -- and everyone who stood in line last year.”
Not exercising the same reservations as his fellow reviewers, Baig enthused: “Extra, extra: iPhone 3G: The Sequel, is worth the wait… It’s cheaper, faster and a lot friendlier for business. Apple’s blockbuster smartphone already had nifty features such as visual voicemail, a splendid built-in video iPod and the best mobile Web browser I’ve ever used. With GPS newly added to the mix, this handheld marvel has no equal among consumer-oriented smartphones.”
With regard to the relationship between the iPhone 3G and its exclusive US carrier AT&T, all three reviewers found faults to focus on.
Both Mossberg and Pogue criticised the monthly $10 USD price hike introduced by AT&T to its basic service package (customers are also now expected to pay extra for texts), which Mossberg said “negated the iPhone’s up-front price cut,” while Pogue said that, in the long run, iPhone users would still end up paying more than those who bought an original EDGE model.
Baig, meanwhile, highlighted the supposedly advanced 3G performance of AT&T’s network service, pointing out that he was unable to “access 3G in parts of my northern New Jersey neighborhood and elsewhere.” Baig also said that whenever the 3G service is not available, the iPhone automatically switches back to “the pokier and oft-maligned EDGE network.”
Click the following Web links to enjoy the full reviews:
Walt Mossberg (WSJ/Text)
Walt Mossberg (WSJ/Video)
David Pogue (NYT/Text)
Edward C. Baig (USA Today/Text)
View blog reactions
There are currently no comments for this article. Be the first to comment! (no registration required)
Advertising
There are currently no comments for this article. Be the first to comment! (no registration required)