It is June 2009, and Apple has just released the ‘S’, which stands for ‘Speed.’ While the external chassis is identical to the 3G, the technical internals of the iPhone 3GS represent a massive leap forward that has made every other smartphone in the UK feel like it’s running in slow motion. The 3GS is the first iPhone that feels like the hardware has finally caught up to the ambitions of the software. It’s a 135g slab of polished glass and plastic that, for the first time, offers a truly fluid, stutter-free user experience.
The technical headline is the new 600 MHz ARM Cortex-A8 processor and the PowerVR SGX535 GPU. This isn’t just a minor tweak; it’s a doubling of performance that enables ‘OpenGL ES 2.0,’ bringing console-quality 3D graphics to the palm of your hand. But the real ‘quality of life’ technical upgrade is the 256MB of RAM, double that of the 3G, which allows for much more aggressive multitasking and faster app switching. The screen remains the same 3.5-inch 320 x 480 capacitive masterpiece, but it now features an ‘oleophobic’ coating that actually repels fingerprint oils, meaning you spend less time wiping the screen on your jeans and more time actually using it.
On the imaging front, Apple has finally listened to the critics. The 3GS features a 3.15-megapixel camera with autofocus and, for the first time, VGA video recording at 30fps. But the real technical genius is ‘Tap to Focus’; you just touch the area of the screen you want sharp, and the optics adjust instantly. It also includes a digital compass that works in tandem with the GPS to rotate your maps based on the direction you’re facing, a technical showpiece that makes navigating London’s winding streets a doddle. Connectivity is upgraded to 7.2 Mbps HSDPA, ensuring that your App Store downloads are faster than ever.
Battery life remains the one technical hurdle Apple can’t quite clear. Despite a slightly larger battery and a more efficient processor, the 3GS is still firmly a ‘charge every night’ device, especially if you’re using the new voice control features or the digital compass. However, with the launch of iOS 3.0, which finally brought ‘Cut, Copy, and Paste’ to the party, the 3GS is the first iPhone that feels like it has no major technical holes. It is the definitive smartphone of 2009, a refined, high-speed engine in a familiar, beautiful body.