There are many differences between the new iPhone and the old iPhone. Below you will find reviews and pricing of the iPhone 4 and the iPhone 3GS to help you decide if the new iPhone is worth purchasing or upgrading. While not a free cell phone, the iPhone 3GS will continue to be sold at a discounted price with iOS 4 operating system but now only 8 GB of memory.
There are many upgraded features for the iPhone 4 when compared to the previous model. One of the new features is a much slimmer width of 0.37 inches. This is 24% thinner than the iPhone 3GS. Another upgrade is for the battery, talk time is increased by 40% on the iPhone 4. Finally the addition of the gyroscope technology allows for six axis motion sensing, this is in combination with the accelerometer.1
The gyroscope In addition to the accelerometer that was featured in the iPhone 3GS, has now upgraded the iPhone 4 to six axis motion sensing software. This gyroscope adds another three axis gryo that controls pitch, roll, and yaw, also a rotation about gravity. This is a default feature on every iPhone 4 and requires no extra cost or applications.2
This is a default feature on every iPhone 4 and requires no extra cost or applications.2
Comparison of Features and Functions
| Feature | iPhone 3GS | iPhone 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 135g | 137g (4.8 oz) |
| Dimensions | 115.5 x 62.1 x 12.3 mm (4.50 X 2.4 X 0.48 inches) | 115 X 59 X 9 mm (4.50 X 2.31 X 0.37 inches) |
| Display | 320 x 480 pixels, 3.5 inches | 960 x 640 pixels, 3.5 inches + Retina Display |
| Camera | 3 megapixel auto-focus | 5 megapixel auto-focus + front camera + LED Flash |
| Video | VGA @ 30fps | H.264 video up to 720p @ 30 fps |
| Talk Time | Up to 5 hours 3G | Up to 7 hours 3G |
| SIM Size | Standard SIM | Micro SIM |
Pricing and availability of the iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS in the US are compared below. Keep in mind that as of June 7th, AT&T (US provider) charges a $325 early termination fee on the two year contract.
| Feature | iPhone 3GS | iPhone 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Price (US) | $99 with plan | $199 - $299 |
| Memory | 8 GB (was 16/32 GB) | 16 or 32 GB |
| iOS 4 Features | Most | All |
| Upgrade to iPhone 4? | 30 days prior June 7 | Up to 6 months end-of-contract |
| Tethering | Yes $20/month | Yes $20/month |
Tethering on the iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 (but not iPad) is allowed with the new AT&T data plans that took effect June 7th.3