Today, the smartphones produced by Apple Inc. are familiar to many persons. This market is competitive, and new versions of the products are presented almost every year when the production of the outdated models is regularly discontinued. The market is based on improvements and innovations in the sphere that is why the outdated models cannot compete during a long period of time. It is possible to discuss this idea using the example of the Apple iPhone 3G.
From this point, it is necessary to assess the qualities of the Apple iPhone 3G which was launched in 2008 as a revolutionary variant of the smartphones of the second generation with GPS and 3G possibilities, then it was proposed as the budget model, and later its production was ceased. The Apple iPhone 3G can be discussed as an outdated model of smartphones in relation to such criteria as the software used, hardware features, Internet connectivity, and additional specifications presented in this model as innovative.
The software and hardware are the important characteristics of smartphones which influence the aspects of the device’s work. The Apple iPhone 3G used iPhone OS 2.0 as the software which can be discussed as improved for the period of 2008, but it is updated in comparison with the modern versions of the operating systems for the family of Apple iPhones.
Furthermore, the main specifications of the smartphones’ hardware did not change much in comparison with the previous model’s characteristics. The designers did not reinvent the model, but added some new features to it (Mannion 32).
The Apple iPhone 3G operated the support memory of Numonyx which was the Intel/STMicro spin-off, and it included 16 Mbytes of NOR flash and 8 Mbytes of pseudo-SRAM (Mannion 30-32). Moreover, the communication function was based on the Skywords SKY77340 824-to 915-MHz quad-band GSM/EDGE, and it is important to note that this component was also used in the original iPhone.
The work of battery was based on the Linear Technology LTC4088-2. Such features as the absence of significant differences in the look in comparison with the original iPhone and the usage of the same 2-Mpixel camera can be discussed as negative characteristics of the model which were determined after the release of the Apple iPhone 3G (Mannion 30-32).
Launching the product, the company declared the considerable improvements related to the Internet connectivity. Thus, the interactive experience of clients was based on AT&T’s High-Speed Packet Access 3G network. In spite of the fact the manufactures paid attention to the clients’ Web browsing experience, the download speed was rather low in comparison with the expected speed of 700K to 1.7Mbps. It is also low in comparison with the contemporary standards which are approximately 4,290Kbps.
However, some innovations and improvements in the model were also presented. They are the built-in GPS, the exchange support based on Microsoft ActiveSync, the possibility to use Cisco’s IPSec VPN client, the orientation to Wi-Fi Protected Access 2, and the access to new developed App Store (Cox 14; Shaw 28). Although these improvements were current and necessary for 2008, today the Apple iPhones and the other smartphones have all these characteristics as basic ones.
Basing on the examined criteria, it is possible to conclude that the Apple iPhone 3G as the representative of the second generation of smartphones was the improved model of the original iPhone, but the basic characteristics were almost unchanged. Thus, the features and specifications of the Apple iPhone 3G cannot be discussed as innovative in comparison with the modern standards developed for the iPhones of the sixth generation.
Works Cited
Cox, John. “IPhone 3G Has Corporate Feel”. Network World 16 Jun. 2008: 14. Print.
Mannion, Patrick. “Apple iPhone 3G Exposed”. Electronic Engineering Times 10 Nov. 2008: 30-32. Print.
Shaw, Keith. “Review: iPhone 3G Makes Great Greater”. Network World 21 Jul. 2008: 28. Print.