Apple iPhone 3G review

The first thing that will strike you with the iPhone 3G is that it is looks very similar to the original. It comes in the same 8GB and 16GB configurations as the previous 2G model and has the same two megapixel camera.

The software is also the familiar iPhone interface and all the same applications. There are some additional features debuting in the new release, which focus on business users looking to use the iPhone in place of a BlackBerry.

Of course, the real difference is the inclusion of 3G, with both standard UMTS and HSDPA data services supported, the latter delivering a significant improvement in download speeds for web pages and other data.

Less is more

The new iPhone has an all-plastic curved back in place of the grey metal backplate of the original. This comes in either black or white plastic, in a throwback to previous iPod designs.

The replacement back is due to the larger battery used in the iPhone 3G, necessary to support the increased power requirements of its 3G chipset. It looks good, but doesn't have the same solid feel of the original.

A bigger issue is that of battery life. We expected the larger battery to yield similar performance to the 2G iPhone - ie you'll probably need to charge it at least every other day even with moderate data use - however in reality the iPhone 3G is much worse. Our test combined moderate voice calling with data access, music playback and standby time. This activity, which will be typical of most average iPhone users, resulted in us running the device completely flat in just under 22 hours from a full charge.

The volume control and ringer on/off switch are still plastic, but now have a chrome finish. And in one other change to the hardware design, the headphone socket is now flush with the top of the phone rather than being recessed. It means that, finally, you can use whatever headphones you like with the iPhone, not just Apple-branded or adapted ones.

The iPhone Dock is no longer supplied, as before, in the box (it is now an optional accessory). Supplied with the phone you now get just a wired stereo headset, USB sync cable, mains charger and a cloth for wiping your grubby fingerprints off the glass screen.

Moving to 3G

The iPhone still has 802.11b and g Wi-Fi support, but the move to 3G makes a big difference to all internet services on the iPhone, especially web browsing.

The Safari browser on the iPhone has long been regarded as the best mobile browser on the market, due to its ability to display full web pages in their original layout, just as you would view them on a conventional desktop or laptop web browser.

The browser itself is largely unchanged from previous iPhone software versions. However, loading times over Edge were poor, and over standard GPRS was even worse. Moving to 3G has really eased this, with standard UMTS download speeds more than sufficient to load a busy page, such as the PC Pro web site in a few seconds. In areas where O2 has HSDPA coverage, speeds are even quicker, and download speeds are on a par with a modest broadband connection.

Adding 3G has also helped support the addition of Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync support. Business users can now get over-the-air access to their Exchange calendar, address book and push email. While this will also work over GPRS, 3G offers clear advantages in terms of speed of download. Cisco IP VPN and WPA2 Enterprise support is also included, which again will only benefit from a 3G data connection when not using Wi-Fi.