The iPhone 3G S - is it worth the hype?

Anyone who has read this blog more than once knows that I yearn for an Apple iPhone. There's not much I wouldn't do to get my hands on it's shiny chrome and black goodness.

Replacing my iPod touch and mobile phone with one device would be awesome.

But the last time around I suggested it wasn't the best phone out there. Someone (who obviously loves it way more than I do) didn't believe me. I didn't then, and I still don't, want to get into a fanboy debate about it - but the iPhone still isn't the best phone out there.

So does the launch of the new iPhone 3G S bring more features which take it closer to being the ultimate mobile?

The short answer is probably not. Here's why:

The iPhone camera has been oft-criticised - for it's lack of flash, zooming functionality and quality of lens. And compared to many others (like the top end Nokias) it's 2 Megapixel offering is pretty poor.

The 3G S brings a new 3 Megapixel camera and some of the auto-focus features look pretty nifty, but it still lacks a flash and the Nokia N97 is going to give you better photos on the move.

As we hinted at last week, the new iPhone will have video capabilities, with easy record and editing fuctions - but I doubt whether this is a game changer for many people.

The same can be said for the new compass application. I can't recall having the need to ever use a compass, but it's ability to auto-rotate maps to help with driving directions could be useful.

Other new additions include the long-awaited ability to cut, copy and paste which was mystifyingly absent from the first two versions - but this only brings the iPhone up to speed with other mobiles.

Voice control is also something I have little interest in. Most electronic gadgets with this capability fail to register my, admittedly strong, accent and therefore it's quicker for me just to type it in or get it from my contacts book.

And the new ability to do MMS messages (which I think I had on my mobile phone about 5 years ago) is hardly something to shout about Apple!

However one thing which would be of interest is the ability to tether the iPhone with a laptop ie accessing the internet on your laptop using the mobile phone as a modem.

But, as with most mobile data in New Zealand, I suspect this will be an expensive proposition which is aimed at the top end business user and not the poor old gadget freak like me...

The other major feature lacking is the ability to multi-task - if you want to use another application you've got to come out of the one you're in. That's a pain.

So the iPhone 3G S is hardly the game changer some would have hoped - but maybe there is some good news around the corner. The new phone is priced the same as the second generation iPhone 3G - but Apple have cut the price of the older version in half - you can now pick up the 8GB version for $99 in the US.

Hopefully this will trickle down to dear old Aotearoa and we'll be able to pick up an older model for around $500. At that price I might even be able to convince my wife to buy me one as a combined birthday and Christmas present.

But I won't be holding my breath just yet.

What do you think of the new iPhone 3G S. Will you buy one? Or would you buy an older version if the price was cut in half?