So the 3.0 upgrade did not brick my iPhone. I'm testing out some new features, one of which is multiple photo attachments. The first photo was taken after 3.0 and the second before. Can you tell the difference? Supposedly there were enhancements to the camera in this upgrade. There seems to be slightly better light adjustments and the new photo looks much crisper. Woohoo!
So the new iPhone 3.0 Software upgrade set for next week has already leaked out onto the torrents. I cross my fingers as I attempt to do a manual upgrade...
My last post about Apple today ... saved the best for last. The coup de grace of today's Apple announcements is the new iPhone 3GS. Faster processor, more memory (RAM and Flash), better camera, video recording, voice control, etc. There are a ton of great online reviews so I won't launch into one of my own. Suffice it to say, it's a welcome upgrade to a great device that had some shortcomings. $199 for 16GB and $299 for 32GB.
Of more important note is the fact that current iPhone 3G owners will be screwed. Unlike the upgrade from the original iPhone to the iPhone 3G (could upgrade at the same price as new customers), current iPhone 3G owners who are only 1 year into their 2 year contract will NOT be able to buy the new iPhone 3GS at the subsidized prices I listed above. AT&T has graciously allowed these customer to pay an extra $200 (plus $18 upgrade fee) for their iPhone 3GS and then will renew their contracts for another 2 years. I've never seen a wireless company that cared so little about its customers. Don't they realize that people are willing to take their subpar wireless service in order to get the latest doodad? And on top of that, iPhone users outside of the US (non-AT&T carriers) will be getting MMS and tethering support immediately versus waiting another few months while AT&T gets its act together. The Apple-AT&T exclusivity contract is set to end in 2010 and there are talks of extending it till 2011. My hope is that this extension does not happen and we can finally regain the ability to choose our wireless carriers based on service. I guarantee a fair number of iPhone users will jump ship, myself included.