Iphone 3GS or wait for 4G?

kenyard

So i came onto this forum to check for deals on the iphone as i have no idea where to buy it cheap first off

I'v since come to realise that the 4th gen version (Iphone 4) is coming out...
googled it but there is very little info on spec etc.. just that its going to be sped up a bit (ipad processor in it probably), and is slightly larger
also no time of release although people are saying probably july...

Question. is it worth waiting for the newer version..? if i do what will costs be? currently looking at about 500 euro for the 16Gb 3GS version.. and i dont want to go higher really.. but if its an extra 50 euro for the new one and theres better stuff i will wait...

anyone any info? or suggestions?
oh usage will be wifi,apps fun i reckon more than anything

akadesign

Your never going to get any info on upcomming apple products, that's not the way the company works.

I'd go for the 3GS you won't regret it.

Creamy Goodness

no one can make up your mind for you.

you'll get people here saying to go for it, and others saying to wait.


personally i'd wait there's strong rumours/speculation that there'll be a new one annouced in june and on sale in july.

now would you like to blow all that money on a phone that will be obsolete in two months time? i know i wouldn't.

kenyard

yeah well thats the problem... i cant see how they can improve that much on it when people are saying that the current one is so great anyway
also a newer version is bound to increase the price another 200 euro im thinking...?

Creamy Goodness

the 3G S is great, i've had one since day 1 in the states.

there's a lot they could improve, a lot they will do with the next iteration of iphone and a lot they'll do and you'll go "holy crap i never even thought of that".

the only way i think they'll go up in price is if they release a 64gig version and it may be only 100euro more expensive.

the thing is with apple's pricing policy is that they never change then when they update their products, the prices stay fairly stagnant unless of course there's a flash memory upgrade or something along those lines.

Oafley Jones

kenyard wrote: »

yeah well thats the problem... i cant see how they can improve that much on it when people are saying that the current one is so great anyway
also a newer version is bound to increase the price another 200 euro im thinking...?

I don't see why you think the price is going to increase, the most likely scenario is that a 32gb version will fall into the current 16gb 3GS pricing while a new 64gb will take the 32gb 3GS pricepoint.

As for the phone itself, I'm predicting - besides the memory bump -that screen will be improved as the current one is looking a bit anaemic compared to the competition, the possibility of an FM radio and a bump in the processor. Having said that I've watched keynotes before sure that products that were due a substantial upgrade getting very modest (if any) increases.

kenyard

thats also what im hoping.. also seeing the phone companies offers of free 3GS on long contracts, aswell as someone being rang up saying he could get a free upgrade, just makes me think they know its coming and have overstocked, and are trying to rid of older phones..
my concern is that i wait and there is either no increase in standard, or that if there is it will also involve extra investment on my part

Stuxnet

we know 3gs jailbreakable for sure !!

Shiny

If the camera on the 4g is any way decent at all, its worth waiting for
that alone.

Eire Go Brach

I would wait. I would say the next one will be alot better. They need to change it. The others are catching up and improving. For one. The iPhone is now ugly. Alot of nicer loooking phone and better displays. They need a proper camera. Now all the iPhone has is an iPod.

As is it's interface. Well thats plain, and boring and messy, very messy.But at least this can be changed with software.

When I bought the iPhone I though it would be the last phone I would buy. Now I am not so sure. With google and htc bringing great handsets out. Android always improving. Apple are far to restrictive. When the 4g does come out i will be looking around at whats on offer at that time. To be honest right now all I would miss is the iPod on it. But that is a big one for me. The others have caught up and have app stores, better cameras etc.

So I would say Wait.

dave oc

Again I would say wait. Generally what has happened in previous years is the newer verison comes out the older model gets reduced in price and the new model comes in at the current price(or close to it). So Id wait till june/july until the next iPhone is released and you can decide what model to get, and even if you do decide to get the 3GS, it'll probably be cheaper.

BeeDI

Dave6195 wrote: »

Again I would say wait. Generally what has happened in previous years is the newer verison comes out the older model gets reduced in price and the new model comes in at the current price(or close to it). So Id wait till june/july until the next iPhone is released and you can decide what model to get, and even if you do decide to get the 3GS, it'll probably be cheaper.

With a bit of luck they might even put an antenna on it, so you can make a call now and then:D

Creamy Goodness

BeeDI wrote: »

With a bit of luck they might even put an antenna on it, so you can make a call now and then:D

would you ever stop complaining about reception?

I've never once had a problem with reception except when I was in the remotest of the remote parts.

you may have gotten unlucky with an iPhone with a faulty antenna but there's plenty of others that didn't and there's no need to drag this thread off topic.

Tom Dunne

BeeDI wrote: »

With a bit of luck they might even put an antenna on it, so you can make a call now and then:D

Let's keep to the topic at hand, please.

OI

Eire Go Brach wrote: »

I would wait. I would say the next one will be alot better. They need to change it. The others are catching up and improving. For one. The iPhone is now ugly. Alot of nicer loooking phone and better displays. They need a proper camera. Now all the iPhone has is an iPod.

As is it's interface. Well thats plain, and boring and messy, very messy.But at least this can be changed with software.

When I bought the iPhone I though it would be the last phone I would buy. Now I am not so sure. With google and htc bringing great handsets out. Android always improving. Apple are far to restrictive. When the 4g does come out i will be looking around at whats on offer at that time. To be honest right now all I would miss is the iPod on it. But that is a big one for me. The others have caught up and have app stores, better cameras etc.

So I would say Wait.

Extremely subjective post, for my money the iPhone, including it's display allowing for it's seamless touch control, fluidity of movement and intuitiveness, is still the sexiest out there bar none and then there's the iPod.

That said, there is huge room for imprvement. I'd love a useful camera, mine is a 2mp 3g that takes awful photos. I'd love to see multi tasking and customisation options. I want it to have more power, it has already made my laptop redundant for web browsing, email etc. I want it to have me at hello

Oafley Jones

OI wrote: »

That said, there is huge room for imprvement. I'd love a useful camera, mine is a 2mp 3g that takes awful photos. I'd love to see multi tasking and customisation options. I want it to have more power, it has already made my laptop redundant for web browsing, email etc. I want it to have me at hello

Have you ever considered Android?

OI

Oafley Jones wrote: »

Have you ever considered Android?

No I haven't I admit, I kinda have this iPhone loyalty factor, not apple loyalty mind, but I have seen the YouTube vids of the nexus 1 and I'm not too impressed, I would reserve judgement though until I held one in my hands

Creamy Goodness

i had quite a good go at a nexus one in work a few weeks back, sure it has it's openness (as in anyone can develop for it) but i found everything wasn't as smooth. zooming in/out on web pages was just not as smooth scrolling as the iphone and general aesthetics of the device made me think it will be a long time before i would consider replacing my iphone with one of them.

kenyard

Shiny wrote: »

If the camera on the 4g is any way decent at all, its worth waiting for
that alone.

i was hoping for a camera somewhere on the front also for skype (vga or whatever so would be small)

will take a look at android there now.. see whats happening.. caus i know lots of apps will be developed for that google thingy also

AlanD

The next gen iPhone will have hardware upgrades for sure but the magic of the iPhone is the OS. When OS 4 is out, everyone can update to it and so you will benefit from that. So buy a 3GS if you can't wait. It should handle everything apple throws at it with the new OS.

kenyard

AlanD wrote: »

The next gen iPhone will have hardware upgrades for sure but the magic of the iPhone is the OS. When OS 4 is out, everyone can update to it and so you will benefit from that. So buy a 3GS if you can't wait. It should handle everything apple throws at it with the new OS.

hmm thats good to know.. if there are hardware updates, it will increase battery life also though... which is another thing i was looking at...
there was a nice step up between the iphone 3G and 3GS though..which is what im concerned about..

Oafley Jones

AlanD wrote: »

The next gen iPhone will have hardware upgrades for sure but the magic of the iPhone is the OS. When OS 4 is out, everyone can update to it and so you will benefit from that. So buy a 3GS if you can't wait. It should handle everything apple throws at it with the new OS.

That is of course if the older hardware can handle the newer features, or Apple arbitrarily decide to not support features on the older handsets e.g. video recording. Apple have to segregate the lines, so there has to be something new for iphone 4 that won't work on anything else, otherwise they risk cannibalizing sales.

Linoge

Based on the different things i have read i think the new features will be:

1. HD Screen and at least LED backlit if not OLED. This will go a long way to increasing battery life also which is a major deal.

2. Multitasking - This would require a new processor which should be faster too.

3. 5MP camera. Possibly with flash.

4. Front facing camera

The new screen alone will be worth it.

As for making your 3GS obsolete??! Not a chance. I'm sure the 3GS will be able to update to any 4.0 software also.

Oafley Jones

Linoge wrote: »

Based on the different things i have read i think the new features will be:

1. HD Screen and at least LED backlit if not OLED. This will go a long way to increasing battery life also which is a major deal.

Small point: Nearly all mobiles/mp3 players are LED backlit including the iPhones. OLED if not AMOLED are the technologies you probably meant. Although it wouldn't shock me to see neither.

Linoge

Oafley Jones wrote: »

Small point: Nearly all mobiles/mp3 players are LED backlit including the iPhones. OLED if not AMOLED are the technologies you probably meant. Although it wouldn't shock me to see neither.

Are you sure they dont have a flourescent light running along the back of them??! Yep, thanks Oafley!

kenyard

i was hoping for flash compatability for online games and youtube, video sites etc...

if the 4G does support it will that be part of the firmware update for 3g phones so they will also get flash capability..>?

whiterebel

kenyard wrote: »

i was hoping for flash compatability for online games and youtube, video sites etc...

if the 4G does support it will that be part of the firmware update for 3g phones so they will also get flash capability..>?

How can people answer that when all they are doing is guessing? No-one outside of Apple knows what a new iPhone will bring, if there even is one.

Apple hate flash so best guess would say, no, you won't see it implemented on the iPhone or iPad. They are waiting for HTML5.

vincent coffey

also worth bearing in mind that even though it launched in July last year it was well after September before there was a sufficient supply available in the O2 stores with a lot of people having to make numerous attempts at queing to get their hands on a 3GS (me for one)

O2 have not hadled the last 2 lauches very well for Ireand in my opinion.

Also the 4g will imply an amount of obselescence for the 3GS and 3G.

Dades

kenyard wrote: »

i was hoping for flash compatability for online games and youtube, video sites etc...

if the 4G does support it will that be part of the firmware update for 3g phones so they will also get flash capability..>?

Given the iPad doesn't even support Flash - which is a huge disadvantage - I very much doubt the iPhone will, beyond the YouTube and other approved apps.

vincent coffey wrote: »

also worth bearing in mind that even though it launched in July last year it was well after September before there was a sufficient supply available in the O2 stores with a lot of people having to make numerous attempts at queing to get their hands on a 3GS (me for one).

There will probably also be more than one carrier, which I'm thinking will force the carriers to focus on how they distribute the devices.

They will have to be painfully aware that due to the "must have" nature of the iPhone - if people can't get, say, an O2 phone - they will just walk into a Vodafone store instead.

Red Alert

Flash is something that I kind-of agree with dropping, now that Youtube supports HTML5 to some degree. And in the past while, most AJAX apps seem faster than flash ones.

Third_Echelon

Red Alert wrote: »

Flash is something that I kind-of agree with dropping, now that Youtube supports HTML5 to some degree. And in the past while, most AJAX apps seem faster than flash ones.

someone was saying to me recently that the lack of flash support was due to the iPhone not having a cursor on screen, which flash needs to work??

whiterebel

Third_Echelon wrote: »

someone was saying to me recently that the lack of flash support was due to the iPhone not having a cursor on screen, which flash needs to work??

Seems to be problematic for macs/OSX, heavy on processor, prone to crashing etc.

Creamy Goodness

could that not be just as easily adobe's fault with a piss poor implementation of flash?

whiterebel

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

could that not be just as easily adobe's fault with a piss poor implementation of flash?

That seems to be Apple's contention.

banquo

I'd say it'll be Christmas before we see iPhone 4. Part of the holiday lineup, and also they've got ipad to push at the moment.

oeb

Third_Echelon wrote: »

someone was saying to me recently that the lack of flash support was due to the iPhone not having a cursor on screen, which flash needs to work??

The lack of flash is a business decision. Making flash available on the device could potentially reduce (possibly significantly) a number of apples revenue streams. Why buy a developer license when you could just as easily deploy your new game via flash and make it available to iphone users? Why buy games from the appstore when there are so many great free flash ones out there (That would be optomised for the iphone)

G-Money

I've been hearing lots of good things about Windows 7 Phone. It won't be available until towards the end of the year (not sure about international availability too) but it's getting a lot of good publicity since it demo'd.

Might be worth considering that too if you aren't in a rush...

kenyard

from everything iv seen here im just considering getting the current 3GS... since the ipad didnt support flash, im definately not holding hopes for the 4g to... they will have same processor probably, and its business decision as someone pointed out..
improved screen resolution,battery life, i can live without, 3Mp camera is enough for what use ill make of it i guess..
all in all, its enough as is

dublander

do it! sure you could be waiting til sept before you can actually get the new iphone (that's if it even comes out in the summer!). plus with vodafone, u'll be able to upgrade after 12 months anyway

kenyard

dublander wrote: »

do it! sure you could be waiting til sept before you can actually get the new iphone (that's if it even comes out in the summer!). plus with vodafone, u'll be able to upgrade after 12 months anyway

ah im jailbreaking one off ebay i reckon... seems the cheapest option

templar01

yera - im humming and hawing for the last 12 months .

Line drawn in the sand!

Ordering 3gs, 300 package for 6months, change down to 150 then for the remaining 12mths

happy enuff

Leiva

Keep it simple ...........

If you can wait ....Wait .
If you cant .......Get a 3GS .

partyatmygaff

I would wait. I wouldn't bear knowing that i'm stuck in an 18 month contract with an obsolete phone. 18 months from now is September 2011. By then the iPhone would have been made two generations old as the fifth gen iPhone is released.

lavine7

Perfect timing for 3GS owners to upgrade to the 5th Gen while others are still stuck with the 4G!

keith_d99

Apple's WWDC is rumoured to be happening June 28th - July 2nd. The next iPhone will be announced then.

Was in same position last year - managed to hang on. Now when Apple announce next gen - will be able to upgrade and sell my unlocked 3GS which will more than cover the price of the new version.

O2 generally give upgrades after 12 months.
If you wait til launch date you can then upgrade every year around the same time

dougs09

what keith said really.

the 3GS is a fantastic phone, it is so fast, and even after 9 months or so of constant use, ie installing apps, more and more stuff being put onto it, it's still as fast as they day i bought it, how many other phones have you had that ran as fast as that so long after was bought eh??

the 3GS was a massive improvement in speed on the 3G, so i really dunno how they can improve that aspect of it, but rumours of the camera being improved would be a fair assumption, as they;ve always improved the camera and also doubled up the storage, so we more then likely get a 64 gig and 32 gig one.

also the phone will more then likely also get a facelift, at the moment, this current one is exactly the same as the 3G model, which was the second iPhone released, so, thats more then likely to change.

what i'd do is, and i was in this boat last year, decided i wanted an iPhone, it was a lot closer to july then now though, so i had the patience to wait about a month before it was out. if you can pick up a 3GS cheap, then you wont regret it, but if you would rather have the latest one, then wait, simple as that really.

but i guess until apple announce exactly what it's gonna feature on it, then it's abit of a gamble going for one now, and then seeing all the new cool stuf the next one can do, and then you might be regretting it a bit