As expected,
Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiled a new iPhone at the Worldwide Developers
Conference keynote earlier today. Named simply the iPhone 3G, the new smart
phone boasts an updated design, 3G network connectivity, a built-in GPS, and a
drastically reduced price.
The addition of 3G also doesn't hurt battery life too much: Apple claims the
same 7 hours of video playback and 24 hours of audio playback, but with a
300-hour standby time instead of 250 hours. 2G talk time has gone up from eight
to 10 hours, while 3G talk time is just five hours, and browsing is "5-6" hours
(down slightly from six hours on the original). Along with the new hardware,
software took up a big part of the keynote. The new iPhone has full Exchange
support, and Apple plans to roll out new services including the App Store and
MobileMe, a $99-a-year online service that will store 20GB of user data
including e-mails, contacts, and calendars and allow synchronization between
iPhones and computers. The iPhone App Store will allow users to download new
software, including upcoming third-party apps like games, wirelessly.
An 8 gigabyte model is to sell for $199 starting July 11. A 16 gigabyte model
will cost $299. They'll come in a black case with a white case optional on one
model. The devices are to roll out initially in 22 countries. Apple has inked
deals for wireless carriers in a total of 70 countries to carry the new iPhone