While there are many loads of Android phones on the market , Apple to appointment has released only five models of the iPhone . Only three are currently offer by Apple and its U.S. toter ( AT&T , Verizon , and Sprint ) . Whether you ’re planning your first raid into the world of iPhone ownership , or an upgrade from a now deplorably outdated first- or 2nd - generation model , choosing which iPhone to corrupt is a conclusion that requires some thought . Your options : The iPhone 3GS , the iPhone 4 , and theiPhone 4S.
Cash as cash can
The first interrogative , as it so often is when it come time to grease one’s palms shiny unexampled electronics , is what your budget is . In hypothesis , if you ’re buy your fresh iPhone for yourself , you ’re prepared to determine aside at least $ 70 per calendar month for serve ( and perchance considerably more , look upon your service design ) . Each postman sell new iPhones with two - class contract , so whichever iPhone you get , remember that you ’re pay at least $ 1700 over the next two years to use the gimmick .
The iPhone 4S
But your speech sound ’s contract cost is non - negotiable . Where you could save some hard cash — if you ’re unforced to give in other country , as we ’ll discourse below — is on the one - fourth dimension expenditure you make when you in reality corrupt the phone itself .
The iPhone 4S
The iPhone 3GS is uncommitted for free from Apple ’s online depot , though you ’ll have to sign a two - year contract with AT&T to get that 8 GB model at no cost . ( Apple sell an unlocked variant of the 3GS for $ 375 . ) AT&T is the only carrier to offer the 3GS , as that phone is only compatible with AT&T ’s GSM - based connection . ( Curiously , AT&T lists the iPhone 3GS for sales agreement at $ 1 , though as this clause was published , AT&T ’s on-line store claimed to be out of stock . )
What’s in storage
The iPhone 3GS
If money is no object , your next must - answer question applies to storage . As noted above , the spare AT&T iPhone 3GS and the $ 99 iPhone 4 are both offered only in 8 GB models . And the phone ’s operating system and stock apps consume up some of that storage anyway ; you ’re probably looking at no more than 7 GB of usable storage with one of those model . Is that enough ?
That depends . Will you be syncing your iTunes music library with this iPhone ? If the solvent is yes , check how much music you own by clicking on Music in the Library section of the iTunes sidebar and then look at the status product line at the bottom of the window . If you ’re using iTunes Match , you could obviously free up plenty of euphony space , since most of your music will instead rest in iCloud , not on your gimmick .
The iPhone 3GS
If your medicine library wo n’t be a job , consider what else you might use the iPhone for . Many apps are on the smaller side — well below 50 MB . But if you ’re an avid gamer , commemorate that graphically intense game can gobble up 600 MB or more in an instant . And if you plan to take tons of photos — or shoot hours of video with the establish - in camera on your phone — that ’s another large possible space - eater .
Remember that the iPhone 4S comes with either 16 GB , 32Gb , or 64GB — plenty more storage , if that ’s what you need .
Feature show
On the computer hardware side , the 3GS is useable in smutty only and sports a rounded back . The 4 and 4S are available in both smuggled and white , and frisk a straight back . you may still bump display case and accessories for all three model , but accessory for the 4 and 4S are more pronto uncommitted .
All three models support iOS 5 , Apple ’s latest and great avatar of its mobile operating system . But there are significant difference among the three iPhones in terms of what they do and how they do it .
Cameras : Each can take photograph and shoot video . The iPhone 3GS is limited to a undivided 3 - megapixel camera and shoots VGA - calibre video . The iPhone 4 engage a 5 - megapixel still tv camera that can pip 720p HD TV , and a 2nd , front - facing VGA - tone camera . The iPhone 4S uses an 8 - megapixel still camera that can shoot 1080p HD video , and the iPhone 4 ’s same front - facing VGA - character camera . Only the iPhone 4 and 4S supportFaceTime , Apple ’s video - calling technology for calls between iPhones , iPads , iPod touch , and Macs .
The iPhone 4 and 4S employ Apple’s Retina display, with many more pixels crammed onto the screen. The 3GS, seen in the lower half of this image, uses fewer pixels.
In plain English , the iPhone 4S can take detail - and - shoot quality photograph , the iPhone 4 shoots comely pic , and the iPhone 3GS takes photos with a in spades camera earpiece - esque veneer .
CPU : Camera quality is n’t the only direction the iPhone 3GS , 4 , and 4S compare along a good , respectable , and best scale . The earphone ’ inner processor mirror that line ; the 4S uses the same Apple - designed A5 microprocessor chip that power the iPad 2 , and it blaze away . The iPhone 4 utilise a less - zippy but still impressive A4 processor , and the 3GS uses a measurably slower processor still . You may only acknowledge that slowness if you ’re frequently around folks using newer , faster iPhones , however .
display : The iPhone 4 and 4S purpose Apple’sRetina show , pack the screen so dumbly that your eye ca n’t make out the individual pixels ; it ’s a particularly impressive feature for apps written to take advantage of the Retina display . The 3GS ’s showing is less visually telling , but still quite legible .
The iPhone 4 and 4S apply Apple ’s Retina presentation , with many more pixel crammed onto the sieve . The 3GS , seen in the scummy one-half of this image , employ fewer picture element .
Voice Recognition : Only the iPhone 4S keep going Siri , Apple ’s practical voice recognition - based assistant . Folks who use Siri rapidly come to depend on it for flying task like scheduling reminders , put engagement , checking the weather , and fill dictation . But the vast majority of iPhone possessor have long trust on their finger’s breadth for those tasks without much trouble , so you wo n’t hurt much without it .
Pick a phone, any phone
So , how do you choose ? If you ’re the form of gadget cad who needs the latest and peachy Apple applied science , well , then you in all probability did n’t just read this piece — the iPhone 4S is the only choice that will fill you .
The $ 199 that separates the 16 GB iPhone 4S from the 8 GB iPhone 3GS could pay up for somewhere between two and three months of cellular service for either sound . Whether paying extra hard currency for the increased reposition , better camera , additional features , and snappier performance is worth it is an wholly personal decision .
Some excess points to turn over : You ’ll sign a two - year contract when you rank a Modern iPhone ( unless you opt for much pricer unbarred versions of the iPhone you corrupt ) . You ’ll never be able to upgrade your iPhone ’s entrepot quad size . But it ’s quite likely Apple will offer another major Io upgrade or two over the next two years , and there ’s no warrant that the already two - and - a - half - year - erstwhile iPhone 3GS will stick out any or all of the characteristic of a suppositional Io 6 ; 2008 ’s iPhone 3 G , for comparison ’s sake , ca n’t run iOS 5 .
spend $ 99 for the iPhone 4 alternatively of taking the free 3GS may thus bring home the bacon a upright return key on your investing , since you ’re under contract with your carrier anyway . It ’s a better phone in numerous esteem , and will very likely be able to run at least one iteration of iOS that the 3GS can not . Saving an spare $ 100 by eschewing the iPhone 4S today might make it easier to rationalize purchasing a hypothetical time to come iPhone once your new contract is up two years from now .
If , on the other hand , you ’re considering a new distributor point - and - shoot camera , or you ’re worried about your potential skills as a genuine skin senses - typist , the special $ 100 for the iPhone 4S may be worth it .
disregardless of which headphone you choose , the good news is simple : You ’ll end up with an iPhone , and that mean you ’ll have an excellent smartphone in your pocket .
[ Lex Friedman is a Macworld staff author . ]
Updated 11:23 a.m. ET to castigate an mistake in describing the iPhone 3GS ’s central processor .
