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#REDIRECT [[iPhone]]
{{redirect|3gs|the plural of 3g|3G (disambiguation)}}
{{Lower case title}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2011}}
{{Infobox mobile phone
| name = iPhone 3GS
| logo = iPhone 3GS logo.svg
| logosize = 180px
| image = IPhone3GS.JPG
| imagesize = 250px
| caption =
| developer = [[Apple Inc.]]
| manufacturer = [[Foxconn]] ([[original equipment manufacturer|OEM]])<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-10297254-37.html
| title = iPhone manufacturer | first = Jim
| last = Dalrymple
| date = July 28, 2009
| publisher=[[CNET]]
| accessdate =April 6, 2010}}</ref>
| slogan = "The fastest, most powerful iPhone yet." (2009)<br />"More to love. Less to pay." (2010)
| form = [[mobile phone form factors#Slate|Slate]]
| serieslabel = [[History of the iPhone|Generation]]
| series = 3rd (3G)
| modelnumber = A1325 (China)<br/>A1303<ref>http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3939</ref>
| type = [[Smartphone]]
| releasedate = {{Start date|2009|06|19}}<ref name="3G_S_PR">{{cite news
| url = http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2009/06/08iphone.html
| title = Apple Announces the New iPhone 3GS—The Fastest, Most Powerful iPhone not Yet
| date = January 1, 2019
| accessdate =June 8, 2009}}</ref>
| price = <!--[[WP:NOPRICES]]-->
| unitssold = 1 million over first weekend<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/22/apple-moves-one-million-iphone-3g-s-units-in-a-weekend-just-in/
| title = Apple moves one million iPhone 3GS units – just in time for Steve's return
| first = Joshua
| last = Tolposky
| date = June 22, 2009
| publisher=[[AOL]]
| work=[[Engadget]]
| accessdate =June 19, 2010}}</ref>
| media =
| os = [[iOS]] [[iOS version history#iOS 6.x: sixth major OS release|6.0.1]]<br />Released {{release date|2012|11|01}}
| input = [[Multi-Touch]] [[touchscreen]] display <br /> 3-axis [[accelerometer]] <br /> [[magnetometer|Digital]] [[compass]] <br /> [[proximity sensor|Proximity]] sensor <br /> [[photodetector|Ambient light]] sensor <br /> [[Microphone]] <br /> [[iPhone#Audio and output|Headset controls]]
| camera = 3.0 [[megapixel|MP]] with [[camcorder|video]] ([[Video Graphics Array|VGA]] at 30 [[frame rate|fps]]), geotagging, and automatic [[focus (optics)|focus]], [[color balance|white balance]], [[exposure (photography)|exposure]]
| battery = Built-in rechargeable [[lithium-ion polymer battery|li-ion battery]]<ref name=battery_specs>{{cite web
| url = http://www.ipodbatteryfaq.com/ipodbatteryandpower.html
| title = iPod and iPhone Battery and Power Specifications
| publisher=iPodBatteryFAQ.com
| accessdate =May 12, 2009}}</ref> <br /> 3.7 [[Volt|V]] 1219 [[Ampere-hour|mAh]]
| soc = [[Samsung]] S5PC100
| cpu = 600 MHz [[ARM Cortex-A8]]<ref name="3G_S_Processor2">{{cite web
| url = http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/06/iphone-teardown-reveals-underclocked-833mhz-cpu/
| title = IPhone Teardown Reveals Underclocked 833MHz CPU
| last = Sorrel
| first = Charlie
| date = June 19, 2009
| publisher=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]
| accessdate =November 20, 2009}}</ref>
| gpu = [[PowerVR]] [[PowerVR#Series5 (SGX)|SGX535]]
| storage = 8, 16 or 32 [[gigabyte|GB]] [[flash memory]]
| memory = 256 [[megabyte|MB]] [[eDRAM]]
| display = 3.565 inch screen (diagonally)<br /> 320-by-480-[[pixel]] [[image resolution|resolution]] at 163 [[pixel density|ppi]] <br /> 2:3 [[aspect ratio]] <br /> 24-bit (16.76 million colors) [[liquid crystal display|LCD]]
| sound = One [[loudspeaker]] <br /> 3.5 mm [[TRS connector|TRRS]], 20 Hz to 20 kHz [[frequency response]] (internal, headset) <br /> [[Microphone]]
| connectivity = [[Quad-band]] [[GSM]]/[[General Packet Radio Service|GPRS]]/[[Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution|EDGE]] <br /> ([[GSM frequency bands|850 900 1,800 1,900]] [[Hertz|MHz]]) <br /> [[Tri-band]] [[Universal Mobile Telecommunications System|UMTS]]/[[High-Speed Downlink Packet Access|HSDPA]] <br /> ([[UMTS frequency bands|850 1,900 2,100]] [[Hertz|MHz]]) <br /> [[Wi-Fi]] ([[IEEE 802.11|802.11]] [[IEEE 802.11b-1999|b]]/[[IEEE 802.11g-2003|g]]) <br /> [[Bluetooth#Bluetooth v2.1 + EDR|Bluetooth 2.1+EDR]] <br /> [[Universal Serial Bus|USB 2.0]]/[[Dock connector]]<ref name="Original_tech_specs">{{cite web
| url = http://www.apple.com/iphone/specs.html|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20070714051039/http://www.apple.com/iphone/specs.html
| archivedate = July 14, 2007
| title = Apple — iPhone — Tech Specs
| date = July 14, 2007
| publisher=Apple; [[Internet Archive#Wayback Machine|Wayback machine]]
| accessdate =January 19, 2009}}</ref>
'''Online:''' [[App Store (iOS)|App Store]], [[iTunes Store]], [[iBooks|iBookstore]], [[MobileMe]]
| dimensions = {{convert|115.5|mm|in|abbr=on}} H<br>{{convert|62.1|mm|in|abbr=on}} W<br>{{convert|12.3|mm|in|abbr=on}} D
| weight = {{convert|135|g|oz|abbr=on}}
| predecessor = [[iPhone 3G]]
| successor = [[iPhone 4]]
| related = [[iPad]], [[iPod Touch]] ([[list of iOS devices|comparison]])
| website = {{URL|apple.com/iphone/iphone-3gs}}
}}
{{IPhone models}}
The '''iPhone 3GS''' is a [[touchscreen]] [[smartphone]], designed and marketed by [[Apple Inc.]]. It is the [[list of iOS devices#iPhone|third]] generation [[iPhone]], successor to the [[iPhone 3G]]. It was introduced on June 8, 2009, at the [[WWDC#2009|WWDC 2009]] which took place at the [[Moscone Center]], San Francisco.
Improvements include [[computer performance|performance]], a camera with higher [[image resolution|resolution]] and video ability, [[voice command device|voice control]],<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.apple.com/iphone/compare-iphones/
| title = Compare iPhone 3GS and iPhone 3G
| publisher=[[Apple Inc.]]
| date = August 18, 2009}}</ref> and support for 7.2 Mbit/s [[High-Speed Downlink Packet Access|HSDPA]] downloading (but remains limited to {{nowrap|384 kbps}} uploading as Apple had not implemented the [[High-Speed Uplink Packet Access|HSUPA]] protocol).<ref name="Macworld 3GS HSPA upload">{{cite web
| url = http://www.macworld.co.uk/mac/news/index.cfm?newsid=26559
| title = iPhone 3GS upload limited to 384 Kbps upstream
| date = June 9, 2009
| publisher=Macworld.co.uk
| accessdate =July 31, 2009}}</ref> It was released in the U.S., Canada and six European countries on June 19, 2009,<ref name="3G_S_PR">{{cite news
| url = http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2009/06/08iphone.html
| title = Apple Announces the New iPhone 3GS—The Fastest, Most Powerful iPhone Yet
| date = June 8, 2009
| accessdate =June 8, 2009}}</ref> in Australia and Japan on June 26, and internationally in July and August 2009.
The iPhone 3GS runs Apple's iOS operating system, as is used on the [[iPad]] and [[iPod touch]]. It is controlled mostly by a user's fingertips on a [[multi-touch]] display. It was succeeded as Apple's flagship smartphone in 2010 by the [[iPhone 4]], however the 3GS continued in production until September 2012 when the [[iPhone 5]] was announced.
==History==
The iPhone 3GS was made available for pre-order on June 8, 2009 and released on June 19 in Canada, the United States, and 7 European countries, and on June 26 in Australia and the United Kingdom. Within the first weekend of its release, over one million iPhone 3GSs were sold, and August 2010 saw the release of the iPhone 3G[S] internationally.
==Features==
The new features of the iPhone 3G[S] are mainly internal changes regarding speed, for which the "S" in "iPhone 3GS" stands.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.clone2go.com/tutorials/apple-unveils-iphone-3g-s.php |title=Apple iPhone 3GS offers speed boost, video capture, new OS |publisher=Clone2go.com |accessdate=July 5, 2011}}</ref> Though in addition to the upgrades mainly regarding performance, various software features were also introduced exclusive to the iPhone 3GS. All of the exclusive features were incorporated into the iPhone 4.
===Display===
The [[LCD]] display on the device was designed by Apple and made by [[LG]]. It features a capacitive touchscreen with a pixel density of 163 pixels per inch (ppi) on a {{convert|3.5|in|cm|abbr=on}} 480-by-320 display. Improvements over its [[iPhone 3G|predecessor's]] screen include 24-bit color emulation (18-bit color display plus dithering)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.displayblog.com/2010/02/23/display-showdown-part-iia-iphone-3gs/ |title=Display Showdown Part IIa: iPhone 3GS |work=DisplayBlog |date=February 23, 2010 |accessdate=July 5, 2011}}</ref> for a more color rich display and oleophobic coating to help reduce fingerprints on the display. The [[capacitive touchscreen]] is designed for a bare finger, or multiple fingers for [[multi-touch]] sensing.
===Camera===
The iPhone 3GS features an improved 3.2 [[megapixel]] camera manufactured by [[OmniVision]]. In addition to the higher megapixel count, it also features auto-focus, auto white balance and auto macro and is capable of capturing VGA video.
The iPhone 3GS's Camera app features a slider which allows users to switch between capturing photos and recording videos, a tap-to-focus feature which allows users to tap on an area of the camera image to auto-focus on, 5x digital zoom (iOS 4 and 5), auto focus and auto exposure lock when holding an area down (iOS 5 only), and gridlines for composition (iOS 5 only).
===Processor and memory===
The iPhone 3GS is powered by the Samsung APL0298C05 chip, which was designed and manufactured by [[Samsung]]. This system-on-a-chip is composed of an [[ARM Cortex-A8]] CPU core underclocked to 600 MHz (from 833 MHz), integrated with a [[PowerVR#Series5 (SGX)|PowerVR SGX]] 535 GPU.
It has 256 MB of [[eDRAM]], twice the amount of the 3G, allowing for increased performance and multi-tasking.
Apple claims the iPhone 3GS is 2x faster than its predecessor, showing demonstrations of various apps loading in half the time its predecessor does.
===Storage===
As on previous models, all data is stored in [[flash memory]] and not in the SIM and it does not offer any options to expand storage. Initially it was only available in 16 and 32 GB though an 8 GB model was later released, with Apple discontinuing the 16 and 32 GB models, forcing those needing more storage to select an iPhone 4, or buy an older model 3GS.
===Power and battery===
The iPhone 3GS is powered by an internal 3.7 V 1219 mAh rechargeable lithium-ion polymer battery and is designed to retain up to 80% of its original capacity after 400 full charge and discharge cycles. A battery life indicator in percentage was also exclusive to the iPhone 3GS.
Apple claims that the 3GS can last for up to ten hours of video, nine hours of web browsing on Wi-Fi, twelve hours of 2G talk time, or five on 3G, 30 hours of music, or 300 hours of standby.
===Magnetometer===
A magnetometer is also built-in the iPhone 3GS, which is used to measure the strength and/or direction of the magnetic field in the vicinity of the device. Sometimes certain devices or radio signals can interfere with the magnetometer requiring users to either move away from the interference or re-calibrate by moving the device in a figure 8 motion. The iPhone 3GS also features a Compass app which was unique at time of release, showing a compass that points in the direction of the magnetic field.
===Connectivity===
In addition to the iPhone 3G's Tri-band UMTS/HSDPA radio and quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE radio, the 3GS also adds support for 7.2 Mbit/s HSDPA allowing faster downlink speeds though upload speeds remain the same as Apple had not implemented the HSUPA protocol. Other updates include the addition of a built-in Nike+iPod sensor which eliminates the need for an external sensor and allows native Nike+iPod support. The [[Bluetooth]] server on the iPhone 3GS has also been slightly improved adding support for Bluetooth 2.1 specifications.
===Voice control===
[[Voice command device|Voice Control]] was introduced as an exclusive feature of the iPhone 3GS and allows for the controlling of the phone and music features of the phone by voice. There are two ways to activate Voice Control: hold the Home button while in the home screen for a few seconds; or, change the effect of what double-clicking the home button does so it will activate Voice Control (only before iOS 4, where double clicking the Home button opens the multitasking bar).
===Accessibility features===
VoiceOver, Color Inversion, and Text Zoom were introduced as exclusive features to the iPhone 3GS. VoiceOver is a feature that dictates music details, system menus, text, and other things which was first introduced on the third generation [[iPod shuffle]]. Color inversion reverses the color scheme from black on white to white on black, while Text Zoom allows users to zoom into a text on the screen .
==Design==
[[File:IPhone 3G and 3G S backs.jpg|thumb|The reverse of the [[iPhone 3G]] (left) is almost identical to that of the 3GS, except for the latter's reflective silver text which now matches the silver Apple logo, replacing the 3G's grey text.]]
The iPhone 3GS retains the design of the 3G, with a glossy plastic back with tapered edges and metal buttons. The 3GS has reflective silver text on the reverse side which matches the silver Apple logo, replacing the 3G's grey text. Unlike its predecessor, the iPhone 3GS was available in white and black for (16 GB and 32 GB), although the 8 GB model is only available in black.
==Critical reception==
Reviews of the iPhone 3GS have been generally mixed to favorable. [[Walter Mossberg]] of ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'' described the device packed with "new features that makes a great product even better, but for many users, the software may be enough of a boost to keep them from buying the new model."<ref>{{cite news| url=http://online.wsj.com/article/NA_WSJ_PUB:SB124525573550923759.html | newspaper=[[The Wall Street Journal]] | title=Apple iPhone 3G S Is Better Model – Or Just Get OS 3.0 | first=Walter S. | last=Mossberg | date=June 19, 2009}}</ref> Engadget also said that "the additions of video recording, a compass, and a speed bump just don't seem that compelling to us".<ref name="engadget.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/17/iphone-3g-s-review/ |title=iPhone 3GS review |publisher=Engadget |accessdate=July 5, 2011}}</ref>
The device managed to receive numerous favorable reviews. CNET gave the iPhone 3GS 4 out of 5 stars, citing battery life improvements and speed bump.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://reviews.cnet.com/smartphones/apple-iphone-3gs-32gb/4505-6452_7-33674173.html |title=Apple iPhone 3GS Review – Watch CNET's Video Review |publisher=Reviews.cnet.com |accessdate=July 5, 2011}}</ref> Engadget praised the performance improvements.<ref name="engadget.com"/>
The 8 GB version received more favorable reviews mainly because it comes pre-installed with iOS 4. Jason Snell of Macworld praised the iPhone 3GS, saying that "the device's internal changes shines in the iOS 4 update, making the iPhone 3GS a worthwhile upgrade compared to its predecessor although a little too late compared to the iPhone 4".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.macworld.com/reviews/product/545031/review/8gb_iphone_3gs.html |title=Apple 8GB iPhone 3GS Smartphone Product Information |publisher=Macworld |date=June 25, 2010 |accessdate=July 5, 2011}}</ref> TIPB stated that "aside from hardware specific features like FaceTime, Retina Display, and gyroscope support, the bottom line is iPhone 3GS users are getting the same software that makes the iPhone 4 great".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tipb.com/2010/07/04/iphone-3gs-review/ |title=$99 iPhone 3GS review |publisher=TiPb |date=July 4, 2010 |accessdate=July 5, 2011}}</ref>
==Issues==
===Overheating===
Shortly after the release of the iPhone 3GS, some users reported overheating of the device while in heavy use, and others reported discoloration of the device due to heat (particularly on the white models). The discoloration issues were largely discounted as being as a result of iPhone covers rubbing against the back of the iPhone.<ref>{{cite web|author=by David (CNET) Martin |url=http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-19512_7-10282730-233.html |title=Apple says cases cause iPhone 3GS discoloration | iPhone Atlas – CNET Reviews |publisher=Reviews.cnet.com |date=July 9, 2009 |accessdate=July 5, 2011}}</ref>
Apple responded to the heat issue reports by warning users against leaving their iPhones in a car on a hot day, leaving it in direct sunlight for extended periods of time, and refraining from heavy usage while in a hot/sunny environment.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.trustedreviews.com/mobile-phones/news/2009/07/03/Apple-Admits-iPhone-3GS-Overheats/p1 |title=Apple Admits iPhone 3GS Overheats – News |publisher=Trusted Reviews |accessdate=July 5, 2011}}</ref> It is also worth pointing out the temperature specifications in which the iPhone should be operated, which follows safety standards in the countries the 3GS was released.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2101 |title=iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch (4th generation): Keeping device within acceptable operating temperatures |publisher=Support.apple.com |date=March 24, 2011 |accessdate=July 5, 2011}}</ref>
==Continued support==
===iOS 5===
After the release of the iPhone 4S, the 3GS was still offered for free until November 2011, when AT&T raised the price to 99 cents with no explanation as to why.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/04/apple-drops-iphone-prices-8gb-3gs-free-iphone-4-now-99/ |title=Apple drops iPhone prices: 8GB 3GS free, iPhone 4 now $99|publisher = Engadget}}</ref> The 99c price is only available with a two-year contract on [[AT&T]] in the United States and a three-year contract on [[Telus]], [[Rogers Wireless|Rogers]], [[Bell Canada|Bell]] and [[Fido Solutions]] in Canada. This is a departure from Apple's previous trends, in which only two phones were sold.
===New Bootrom and 2011 Baseband Update===
On September 9, 2009, Apple launched an updated model of the iPhone 3GS that patched a segment overflow in the SecureROM of the Device that had allowed loading an unsigned [[Bootloader|LLB]].<ref>http://theiphonewiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=0x24000_Segment_Overflow "0x24000 Segment Overflow"</ref>
After the release of the iPhone 4S, Apple killed the unlock for the new iPhone 3GS devices that were produced after week 36th of 2011 by updating its baseband hardware from an Infineon Baseband chip to a Toshiba Baseband chip. Although the new chip uses the same modem firmware as the Infineon chip, it cannot be updated to iPad baseband 06.15.00 that is still vulnerable to the [http://theiphonewiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=AT%2BXAPP_Vulnerability AT+XAPP] exploit.
===iOS 6===
{{original research|section|date=July 2012}}
The iPhone 3GS has become the only iPhone to support 4 generations of the iOS software. People were unsure as to why Apple made the decision to support the 3GS, but not the first generation iPad and earlier models of the iPod touch which share the same specifications. Although the 3GS is still supported, some major features of iOS 6 aren't supported. This however holds true for the iPhone 4 as well. Features such as Flyover and 3D Maps aren't featured on either phone. The 3GS seems to be well supported by Apple in regard to the iPhone 4.<ref>{{cite web|title=iOS 6 features|url=http://www.apple.com/ios/ios6/|publisher=Apple|accessdate=2012-07-26}}</ref> Whereas the 3GS got nearly all the features from 3 major OS releases (3, 4, 5), the iPhone 4 only got full features from 2 major OS releases (4, 5), and got only partial support on iOS 6. This can be attributed to the relatively larger performance improvement of the 3GS in relation to other iPhone generations. On September 12, 2012, Apple announced that they will no longer sell the iPhone 3GS at their stores or on Apple.com.
The decision to support the 3GS instead of the iPad (which has a faster processor) has been open to wide debate. General consensus has been that the iPad is no longer sold, whereas the 3GS still is. However many people, especially developers, have stated that although the iPad has superior hardware, its hardware is still proportionally weaker than the 3GS. The iPad has more than quadruple the pixels to power than the 3GS, yet still uses the same graphics processor. The iPad also has the same amount of RAM, 256 MB, which in proportion to its screen resolution, is hardly enough. The only hardware advantage the iPad has is a faster processor. However, the processor is not enough to make up for the lack of RAM and graphics power. As a result, there have been numerous complaints on the performance of iOS 5 on the iPad. The 3GS, on the other hand, had generally positive reviews of smooth performance on iOS 5 (some even claim better performance), making it still a good candidate for iOS 6.<ref>{{cite web|title=iOS 5 performance 3GS|url=http://www.anandtech.com/show/4956/apple-ios-5-review/15|publisher=Anandtech}}</ref> On September 12, 2012, Apple announced that they will no longer be selling and supporting the iPhone 3GS, therefore meaning iOS 6 will be the final iOS to support the 3GS. The iPhone 3GS currently supports iOS 6.0.1, Apple's latest iOS. <ref>{{cite web|title=Apple will no longer support 3GS|url=http://isource.com/2012/09/14/apple-will-no-longer-offer-iphone-3gs|publisher=iSource}}</ref>
==See also==
{{Portal|Apple Inc.}}
* [[List of iOS devices]]
* [[Comparison of smartphones]]
==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}
==External links==
* {{Official website|www.apple.com/iphone/iphone-3gs}}
{{S-start}}
{{Succession box
| title = iPhone 3GS
| years = 3rd generation
| with =
| before = [[iPhone 3G]]
| after = [[iPhone 4]]
}}
{{S-end}}
{{iPhone}}
{{Apple hardware since 1998}}
{{Apple}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Iphone 3gs}}
[[Category:IPhone]]
[[Category:Touchscreen mobile phones]]
[[Category:Products introduced in 2009]]
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