iPhone 3GS

IPhone 3GS
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The iPhone 3GS (stylized iPhone 3G[S] by many blogs) is the third generation of iPhone designed and marketed by Apple Inc. It was introduced on June 8, 2009 at the WWDC 2009 which took place at the Moscone Center, San Francisco. Its features primarily consist of faster performance, a camera with higher resolution and video capability, voice control,[8] and support for 7.2 Mbit/s HSDPA downloading (but remains limited to 384 kbps uploading as Apple had not implemented the HSUPA protocol).[9] It was released in the U.S., Canada and six European countries on June 19, 2009,[3] in Australia and Japan on June 26, and internationally in July and August 2009. The iPhone 3GS runs Apple's iOS operating system, as is used on the iPad and the iPod touch. It is primarily controlled by a user's fingertips on a multi-touch display. The iPhone 3GS is preceded by the iPhone 3G and succeeded by the iPhone 4.

Features

The iPhone was introduced in June 2009 with the logo "the fastest, most powerful iPhone yet". The iPhone 3GS included double the ram, which made the iPhone 3GS 2x faster then the iPhone 3G, it also included a imprved camera.

Continued support

The iPhone 3GS the first iPhone to fully support its third round of major updates, it also has the longest running life span as it is still available to purchase for Apple in an 8GB version.

Reviews

Reviews of the iPhone 3GS have been generally mixed to favorable. Walter Mossberg of The Wall Street Journal described the device packed with "new features that makes a great product even better, but for many users, the software may be enough of a boost to keep them from buying the new model."[12] Engadget also criticized that "the additions of video recording, a compass, and a speed bump just don't seem that compelling to us".[13] Still the device managed to receive numerous favorable reviews, CNET gave the iPhone 3GS a 4/5 stars citing the battery life improvements and speed bump alone are good enough although it might leave you wanting more,[14] Engadget praised the performance improvements describing it "a bigger speed bump than you'll come to expect".[13] TechRadar gave the device a 4.5/5 stars describing the device "feature filled but certainly not worth upgrading for" However the 8 GB version of the device has received more favorable reviews mainly because it comes pre-installed with iOS 4. Jason Snell of Macworld praised the iPhone 3GS citing that "The device's internal changes shines in the iOS 4 update, making the iPhone 3GS a worthwhile upgrade compared to its predecessor although a little too late compared to the iPhone 4".[15] TIPB cited that "aside from hardware specific features like FaceTime, Retina Display, and gyroscope support, the bottom line is iPhone 3GS users are getting the same software that makes the iPhone 4 great"

Problems

Overheating

Shortly after the release of the iPhone 3GS, some users reported overheating of the device while in heavy use, and others reported discoloration of the device due to heat (particularly on the white models). The discoloration issues were largely discounted as being as a result of iPhone covers rubbing against the back of the iPhone.[17] Apple responded to the heat issue reports by warning users against leaving their iPhones in a car on a hot day, leaving it in direct sunlight for extended periods of time, and refraining from heavy usage while in a hot/sunny environment.[18] It is also worth pointing out the temperature specifications in which the iPhone should be operated, which follows safety standards in the countries the 3GS was released

Hardware

• Samsung S5L8900 Application Processor → Samsung S5L8920 Application Processor
  • ARM 1176 32-Bit Core Processor → ARM Cortex-A8 32-Bit Core Processor
    • ARMv6 Instruction Set → ARMv7 and THUMB-2 Instruction Set
    • 667Mhz (underclocked to 412Mhz to prevent overheating) → 1Ghz (underclocked to 600Mhz to prevent overheating)
  • 128MB SDRAM → 256MB SDRAM
  • Integrated PowerVR MBX Lite Graphics Card → Integrated PowerVR SGX535 Graphics Card
• Toshiba TH58G6D1DT (NAND Flash Storage)
• Marvell 88W8686 (Wi-Fi)
• CSR BlueCore6 → Broadcom BCM4325 (Bluetooth)
• Infineon X-Gold-608 (Phone, Messages, and Cellular Data)
• Infeon Hammmerhead II PMB2525 (GPS)