Apple announces iPhone 3G S

Abe Olandres Editor-in-chief June 9, 2009 · 2 min read

Listen to article

Instagram now lets users reorder their posts on their profile iOS 27 Adds Native Baybayin Keyboard to iPhone: Here is How to Enable It AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE announced GPD MicroPC 2 with Intel Core 3 N350 announced Nintendo Direct to unveil Switch 2 games for second half of 2026

At the WWDC today, Apple announced their 3rd generation phone — the iPhone 3GS.

Here are some of the major addition and improvements over the iPhone 3G.

HSDPA up to 7.2Mbps

3 megapixel camera, autofocus and 30fps video recording

longer battery life (up to 5 hours 3G talk time, 9 hours of WiFi, and 10 hours on video playback)

built-in Digital Compass

Voice Control

iphone 3gs

Apple didn’t categorically say this but they must have also put in a faster processor that effectively speeds up the applications to twice that of the iPhone 3G. The old iPhone 3G also had 3 hours talk time and 6 hours on WiFi so battery life has been improved by 40-50% longer.

16GB iPhone 3GS – $199 on AT&T with new subscription ($599 on pre-paid)

32GB iPhone 3GS – $299 on AT&T with new subscription ($699 on pre-paid)

So if you’re wondering what will the prices look like when it hits Globe Telecom – my guess is that it will be the same as the one when the iPhone 3G was first launched in the Philippines (Php34,000 to Php39,000-ish).

MMS and tethering will also be supported by selected telcos and Globe is on that list (as shown in the presentation).

The new iPhone 3GS will be available on June 19, 2009 (okay, this will surely drown-out the buzz on the release of the Nokia N97 the week after).

React to this article:

iphone 3g s iphone 3gs

Abe Olandres

Editor-in-chief

Abe is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of YugaTech with over 20 years of experience in the technology industry. He is one of the pioneers of blogging in the country and is considered by many as the Father of Tech Blogging in the Philippines.

8,007 Articles

View all posts by Abe Olandres →

158 Comments

iPhone · 17 years ago

Jaypee you can’t get mad at Apple if they decide to release a new iphone. You bought yours just a month ago but it was released already for a year now. It’s not their fault lol.

Jaypee · 17 years ago

This SUCKS! Bigtime….!!! What a rip OFF!!! I just bought my iPhone 3g barely a month and they are going to release thie new iPhone 32gig….! the only consolation is that the upgrate for current 3g is free but it’s still a Big Time Sucker!!!

trisha · 17 years ago

if you bought the oLd one, can it be upgrade? and have a video recording and a compass? tnx

trisha · 17 years ago

how much wiLL be the price of the new iphone 3g s in the phiLippines?

Anonymous · 17 years ago

@culcado – you may want to look at http://cgena.com/2652-det/Check-Price/Samsung-SGH-i900+Omnia+16GB.aspx

culdado · 17 years ago

What do you recommend? Windows Mobile OS or Symbian OS? Do you know any cheap prices of Omnia? Thanks!

Anonymous · 17 years ago

@culdado – If you want the power of Windows Mobile OS get Omnia, and if you want the offerings of Symbian OS get i8910HD.

culdado · 17 years ago

Sir Yuga, do you have any news on the Samsung i8910 Omnia HD? Will it be available soon here in the Philippines? And how much?

I don’t know if I will buy Omnia now or wait for Omnia HD. Thanks!

Does anybody know where I can buy quality but cheap Omnia here in Manila? Okay ba sa Greenhills o buyer-beware? Salamat!

Justin · 17 years ago

Another price update. This is according to a Globe Executive.

iPhone 3G 8GB: around 20k-35k for the prepaid, around 25k-29k for Plan 399(the lowest iPhone plan)

iPhone 3G S 16GB: will inherit the iPhone 3G 8GB’s current price for both prepaid and postpaid

iPhone 3G S 32GB: will inherit the iPhone 3G 16GB’s current price for both prepaid and postpaid

– this is not yet final according to the Globe Executive

beng · 17 years ago

All that trouble just for these upgrades only? Plus having to be butt-raped by AT&T just to get the phone??? All they do is slap a fruit on the back and people drool over it. It’s just an overpriced, overhyped, weak spec’d, underwhelming non-smartphone…

Rey · 17 years ago

Hopefully meron ng MMS and bagong Iphone…My friends cannot send me pics with my current one..

kyla orlina · 17 years ago

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
plz tel me howww!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

kyla orlina · 17 years ago

how can i upgrade my iphone 3g to iphone 3gs ?…… SOMEONE! TELL ME HOW! IM DIEYING TO KNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i have an iphone 3g and i don want it to be “laos” , so please tell me hhooowwww!!!!!!!!!!!

Hora · 17 years ago

magkano na ba ang 3G 8GB translated to Php? It seems to good to be true kung $99 direct conversion gagawin. Di pa aabot ng 10k.

Bert Padilla · 17 years ago

The precise specifications for many iPhone chips are murky. Should Apple be more open about its secret ingredients?
http://cite-technologian.blogspot.com/2009/05/iphones-secret-silicon-need-to-know.html

Justin · 17 years ago

According to a Globe executive that I’ve talked to, the price of the iPhone 3G 8GB will go down, while they will discontinue the iPhone 3G 16GB. As for the iPhone 3G S, the price of the 16GB will be the current price of the iPhone 3G 8GB while the 32GB’s price will be the same as that of the current iPhone 3G 16GB.

garyboi · 17 years ago

I really thought Apple was really gonna sell the iPhone 3G 8GB at $99, but if you take a good look at the fine print, the $99 price will only apply for a “qualified” AT&T subscriber with a 2-year contract; if not it will be sold at a higher/normal price for the unit (check the fine print down at the bottom of the page: http://www.apple.com/iphone/compare-iphones).

So, if Yuga guesses that the new iPhone 3GS will be sold at aroung P34,000-P39,000++, then that will be true.

Deo · 17 years ago

What do you think will be the price of the iphone 3g 8gb with globe’s plan? is there any effect after the advertisement being $99 only.

Wingatu · 17 years ago

Anong nangyari sa iphone? bakit ang kaunti ng improvements? nakaka-disappoint na ang apple ngayon.

Jhun · 17 years ago

anu po ba mga
reguirements sa globe?
pag kumuwa po ng plan
para sa

iPhone 3G??

Answer nman po

PLS!!!

Jhun · 17 years ago

Sa iPhone 3G
po ba anu po ung requirements nyo sa globe???

driftracer85 · 17 years ago

What about Smart users? Will it be available? Smart’s HSDPA is more reliable. I’m using N95 and 5800 and their HSDPA connections with Smart are great!

Adrian · 17 years ago

Ayus. Nawa mura dto sa SG yan.

Tofer · 17 years ago

sus wala p ring video call? tsk tsk tsk para san p 3G nyan??

jaNskie · 17 years ago

Does the new 3GS iPhone support Video call function already?

raffya · 17 years ago

Sorry for that typo…

July will be its Philippine release. The June 19 is the US release date…

See this for reference: http://cache.gizmodo.com/assets/wwdc2009/wwdc2009-842.jpg

They even misspelled our country’s name. Eheh

Raffy.A

ador · 17 years ago

S stands for Steve… Steve Jobs ano pa!

kilawinguwak · 17 years ago

i dunno. i’m hoping t-mobile has mobile units locally. way i see it, Google Android kicks the ass of the iPhone’s interface, and some of the designs of the t-mobile units are beautiful. better than even the iPhone’s own.

Glenn Ong | Glich’s Life · 17 years ago

@Patrick: S stands for SPEED.

I thought that iPhone will cost less expensive already, but then I was wrong. Cheaper prices are just with the bundled susbscription pala.

Anyway, I think I’d go with the Palm Pre, though the only problem with it are the app developers – not yet as many as iPhone’s, if I’m not mistaken.

designnatin · 17 years ago

Great stuff about Apple Industrial Design

Nitecrawler · 17 years ago

Iphone 3Gs – S stands for Suckers… LOL

Patrick · 17 years ago

Does the S in the name have a special meaning?

Beautiful Pinays & Asians on Friendster · 17 years ago

bagong model na naman yan.

Jose Farrugia · 17 years ago

Give it a few months before it gets released officially in the Philippines. ;)

mike · 17 years ago

nice improvements, but same old price :(. I think there are better choices in that price range.

if it were priced at the 20,000-30,000 peso range I think they’d sell more units… I know I might get one :)

Doc Harry · 17 years ago

Is the iPhone only available on AT&T and not in an unlocked version in the US? Is it worth the effort to get a friend to bring one home from the US, jailbreak it, and put in a Globe sim? Or will AT&T’s MMS and tethering lock out the same features on Globe?

martha · 17 years ago

how about the iTouch any news of the new version coming out yet? Sana soon din.

BrianB · 17 years ago

I think dapat 15k nalang ang 8GB. With contract should be around 4k, then 15k for prepaid is fair.

Pipo · 17 years ago

“The 8GB iPhone 3G is Php33,599 on prepaid.”

Ang mahal pa din pala. I was doing the math kanina kung magkano na lang yung old iphone if $99 na lang sya.

Reel Advice · 17 years ago

hm…going to be still too pricey for me if it is going to be on the 30k and up range!

Erjan · 17 years ago

Will there be price reduction on 8GB iPhone 3G on Globe postpaid/prepaid?

Marvin Paul Catalan · 17 years ago

I saw on engadget and gizmodo it will be released on june 19 but it will be available only in selected country (US… Etc not including ph). It will be available here on july 19. Sooo long wait again:)

ralph · 17 years ago

old model nagbaba ang price yey

http://tech.yahoo.com/news/ap/20090608/ap_on_hi_te/us_tec_apple

ganto rin kaya sa u.s. ?

marlon · 17 years ago

so what is the new price of the old 8gb iphone today?can we able to buy the old iphone as US rate at $99 bucks.

Jhay · 17 years ago

Longer battery life is always a welcomed improvement.

BrianB · 17 years ago

How much for the old 8GB. I might just be tempted to get me an iPhone.

Abe Olandres Editor-in-chief · 17 years ago

The 8GB iPhone 3G is Php33,599 on prepaid.

adbritepays · 17 years ago

sir yuga right… it’s june 19… when will be the philippine release?

Abe Olandres Editor-in-chief · 17 years ago

@raffya – the June 19 initial release stands as indicated in the Apple Store (not July 19 as you suggested). Thanks for the additional info though.

raffya · 17 years ago

Correction again.

July 19th is the US Release.
iPhone 3G(S) will arrive here on July.

Also note the tethering + MMS support on Globe.

Raffy.A

blackdiamond · 17 years ago

I hope apple does something new. Lately, the products have been rather bland.

The imac needs a major boost in speed if they want to compete with Dell and HP. A core 2 duo is now outdated as a high end processor. Itâ€™s now midrange. Their imac is selling at $1200 with a core 2 duo when a comparably priced Dell has a core quad processor.

Also, the ipod will continue lose market share if they donâ€™t start doing something more innovative. The competition is catching up and ironically, Microsoft is now the underdog.

Apple needs something big or theyâ€™re stock price is going to drop.