Apple iPhone 3G Review
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Reception is a concern on the iPhone 3G. During our battery testing it took a few attempts to complete the call, and it did drop once. Its bars jump frequently from 1-4, and while we realize bars don’t always accurately reflect signal strength, there were other times when calls took longer to connect than they should. Callers on the other end said we sounded “good” and volume was not an issue, but that we were somewhat “digital and tinny.” Bluetooth performance was even worse, with voice quality degrading further and echoes becoming a problem. It was much better on our end, however, and callers sounded very natural and clear even over Bluetooth.
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Conclusion:
The iPhone 3G is a multimedia powerhouse, with a gorgeous design and an interface that remains the standard. If you don’t already own one, the iPhone 3G is well worth the $200-300 it will set you back, but what about if you do already have one? Honestly, we’d have a hard time recommending it, unless you really needed 3G or GPS. Apple’s fundamental business mistake here is that the iPhone 2.0 software is available to current iPhone owners, meaning they get just about every benefit of the new device without having to shell out a few hundred dollars. Coupled with AT&T’s poor 3G coverage and the issues users have been running into, the 3G just isn’t a compelling upgrade. Furthermore, manufacturers have had a year to catch up to Apple and some are doing a pretty good job.
The original iPhone is still an amazing phone, and can utilize the benefits of the new 2.0 software. When it comes down to it, the new iPhone simply plays catch-up with other devices that have been running 3G and GPS for years. This was an opportunity for Apple to once again raise the bar, but instead they dropped the ball.
Pros
- The design remains iconic
- It’s UI still sets the mobile standard
- The multimedia capabilities can’t be beat
Cons
- The new software can be buggy, and lacks the normal Apple refinement
- There is a lack of wow this time around, Apple simply brought the features up to par with other offerings rather than giving the customer something completely new
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88 Comments
1. (unregistered) posted on 20 Oct 2010, 01:55 0 0
huh... so that's an overall rating of 8 for the I-Phone 3g and a 9 overall rating for the Dare well, i guess apple managed to rock the world again...... or not so much
2. (unregistered) posted on 14 Jul 2008, 10:08 0 0
as was brought up in the dare comments, as well as the vu, the ratings for each phone are individual. here, they were probably rating the 3g in light of the original. with the dare they said they were rating it compared to the other phones vzw offers. i dont think anyone in their right mind would think the dare is a better phone than the iphone
7. (unregistered) posted on 14 Jul 2008, 12:26 0 0
LOL wow the most ignorant comment ever. i happen to like the dare better, but i guess i must be crazy.
9. (unregistered) posted on 14 Jul 2008, 12:49 0 0
hey, is the contacts tab a standard tab now in the home screen or is it an app you can delete. cause i have seen mutliple pictures of the iphone 3g and never before have i seen the contacts tab
16. (unregistered) posted on 14 Jul 2008, 16:11 0 0
Ok, so lemme get this right. It's compared to the original iPhone. Well, the original iPhone got an 8.8, while this new and fabulous 3G recieved an 8.0. Also, read the last sentence in the conclusion. Apple dropped the ball. BTW...The dare actually holds signals and makes calls fast. Under signal reception only rated a 3. Sorry, I'll keep my dare. Might be a little less in the UI department (according to the fanboys). But I know I can trust Verizon to make my calls with my PHONE, and I can trust the Dare to give me the rest of the capabilities I like to have for entertainment.
32. (unregistered) posted on 15 Jul 2008, 17:39 0 0
So true fellas! 3G is close to epic fail :-) So much hype for nothing. I kind of feel bad for all the idiots in those lines to grab this POS and get raped by ATT and APPLE for mediocre device. DARE just destroys iphone no matter what fan boys say. I have Dare and I used iphone before and there is no comparison! And don;t tell me ... well it wasn't 3G ... big deal same brick with just a little more hype. No thanks :-)
60. (unregistered) posted on 19 Jul 2008, 09:52 0 0
I actually went into the store to test the Dare out. It is horrible. The review must be written by Verizon fanboys, just like most of the articles written on website. I've been a Verizon customer since '98, spend over $100 month, and would gladly pay my termination fee to get the new iphone. There really isn't a comparision at Verizon... Tired of waiting.
80. (unregistered) posted on 29 Jul 2008, 17:46 0 0
Best phone, hey come on now. If just going for basic phone features, iPhone is not that rich in features and I doubt that it has best reception and sound quality among all other phones. It's a fine product but when somebody is claiming something to be the best when there is hundreds of choices... I am sure you know also what is the best car!
3. xev (unregistered) posted on 14 Jul 2008, 10:20 0 0
maybe not necessarily better, but why go through the hassle of switching carriers if you can get a somewhat similar experience and phone on ur current network, be it Verizon or at&t. both Dare and iphone 3G are good on their own grounds. but i agree that the new iphone wasnt worth switching for so many people that already had the original. besides there were ways to get gps on it anyways.
4. tgijosh (unregistered) posted on 14 Jul 2008, 10:40 0 0
Still this phone has something the dare and vu dont have. The ipod on this phone is amazing and thats what seperates from the pack for me. As a train commuter it cant be beat, not having to carry 2 devices.
8. (unregistered) posted on 14 Jul 2008, 12:35 0 0
I'm in Boston, and taking the train means going underground, so I always turn off my phone because I can lose about one bar of battery in 20-30 minutes underground due to the continuous "searching for signal" (I currently use Verizon). I've heard the battery on this isn't great, combine that with playing music and searching for a signal for the trip there and back... I doubt I'd be able to use this to replace my phone + iPod (which plays for 10 hours on a charge) combo, no matter how convenient it is to have it in one package.
12. (unregistered) posted on 14 Jul 2008, 14:55 0 0
battery is quite good on the iphone..... But when you turn on 3G it's another story... But still beats everyone else in terms of battery life.. http://www.pcworld.com/article
/148348/3g_iphones_mediocre_ba ttery_life_still_beats_rivals. html
14. (unregistered) posted on 14 Jul 2008, 15:20 0 0
If you're currently with Verizon you might want to check out the Pearl. You can turn the phone aspect off and just use it as a music player.
28. (unregistered) posted on 15 Jul 2008, 16:14 0 0
up to 8 gig of memory on the dare and you don't have to be stuck with DRM music. you can also now do the Rapsody subscription ans even if you buy from VZW peice by piece it's still 3 million songs at .99 ea or 1.99 over the air direct to the phone... yeah, i-pod on your phone is so much better
74. JAS39 (unregistered) posted on 21 Jul 2008, 11:09 0 0
Why don't You use flight-mode then???
5. ri0t (unregistered) posted on 14 Jul 2008, 11:12 0 0
Not for nothing, I think the wow factor is still there overall for the iphone. The UI on this device alone puts all other touchscreen UI phones from LG, Samsung etc. to shame. The app store itself has some awesome apps that take advantage of the iphones accelerometer and fast processor. Overall I still think this device is ahead of it's time in many facets. Lastly, if you are that stuck on verizon being the better company over at&t well all well and good for you go with the Dare or Voyager then.
6. high hoe ontario (unregistered) posted on 14 Jul 2008, 11:40 0 0
I waited for the iPhone 3g and now that I am using it to post this comment I have to say it is the best phone I have had so far. I love it
11. chunnertyme (unregistered) posted on 14 Jul 2008, 13:57 0 0
I have Verizon...checked out the Dare. Didn't really like it (the UI). Walked over to the Apple Store and picked up the 3G in white. So far, I love the phone. Yes, there are some issues but, the UI is so slick and it's still the best out there.
