New iPhone back in black?

The back of the iPhone might be turning black with the arrival of the 3G model.

(Credit: CNET Networks)

Apple might have decided to make a few cosmetic changes to the next-generation iPhone.

As Lawrence Peter might say, it's deja vu all over again as we await the arrival of the 3G iPhone. Engadget has the latest, claiming they've been in touch with a tester who says Apple plans to ditch the aluminum exterior in favor of a "glossy black" plastic-like material and, more significantly, add a GPS chip.

I'm not sure what to make of the decision to drop the metal look until I can see the actual product, mock-up images notwithstanding. But the addition of a GPS chip would be a solid move, and probably unlock some interesting applications that could take advantage of GPS and the accelerometer inside the iPhone.

Two other minor changes, according to Engadget, will be that the new iPhone's headphone jack will be flush with the exterior, and not recessed like the original unit. And the new model will apparently be slightly thicker, although no metric was provided to shed light on exactly what "slightly" means.

[MadLyb]

No Bluetooth, no way

Bluetooth with A2DP is a must have.

[Mugunth]

Rumor

It's also rumored that, the new phones will feature a radio and a front side camera for video conferencing. After all there is no use of 3G without a front side camera... Secondly, I expect the device to ship with a hard drive (iPod's 2.5") instead of flash memory which is why the device is thicker (Apple also decreased their flash memory purchase... any one remembers?)and probably a longer battery life. Could be a real laptop replacement mobile... <br />The way laptops replaced desktops in becoming main stream pc's, iphone has the potential to replace laptops in my opinion...

[jelloburn]

No use?

"After all there is no use of 3G without a front side camera..."<br /><br />No use for 3G besides video conferencing? I don't know about you, <br />but I would think that 3G speeds with a fully functioning web <br />browser might be a rather nice perk compared to the snail paced <br />EDGE that is being used currently.

[muskratboy]

no hard drive, no way

no way is there a hard drive in the new one... just more flash memory. drives kill battery. duh.<br /><br />a front side camera is a real possibility... all other 3g phones have the front camera.<br /><br />EDGE is not that slow, you ninnies... but 3g will obviously be at least slightly faster. add GPS, and i'm in.

[4wight]

not so flash

Like many people you have been misled by the earlier report on <br />Cnet which headlined that Apple were cutting flash orders. n fact <br />Apple increased their flash order (to the tune of 1,4 billion dollars) <br />but as the supplier thought that Apple would spend 1.6 billion the <br />Cnet reporter described this as Apple cutting its flash memory <br />order. In an economic downturn all demand is weakened but there <br />is no way Apple is going back to hard dirves for iPhones and iPods.

[artistjoh]

No Use For 3G W/O Front Camera?

As someone who lives outside the US I have been used to 3G phones and ubiquitous 3G coverage in recent years. 3G is great for data but the headline features like video calls and TV streaming are more gimmick than useful, although the larger iPhone screen probably makes the TV a better experience than existing 3G phones.<br /><br />What is and will likely remain no more than a novelty is video calls. I find them annoying at best. No more fibs about where you are, no more picking up a call before having a shower, while lying on the couch in underwear, etc. Also, and more importantly, because the phone has to be used held away from the ear in speaker phone mode it makes it difficult to hear the caller whenever outdoors in the city or in any other noisy place. <br /><br />Add to that the extra expense and reduced battery life of a video call and most people won't use it after the first couple of experimental video calls when the phone is new.<br /><br />3G is great for data on phones and mobile broadband on a laptop - I couldn't live without it, but not for video calls.

[DarkerRaul]

Unlikely

It is highly unlikely that apple will replace a solid state drive with <br />a hard drive with moving parts for the iphone. The ipods hard <br />drives are way to large (especially if they are going to add <br />additional components, such as GPS, and 3G <br />antenna/components). That would also explain the potential <br />thickness difference which is predicted, however, I've also heard <br />other rumors that the new version will be thinner. We'll have to <br />wait and see what apple has up their sleeve. There are also about <br />a million reason why 3G is useful, other than just for video <br />conferencing, although it would be nice if they added that <br />function.

[RMarch]

3G is much faster than EDGE

The 3G chipset in the iPhone is rumored to be HSDPA. EDGE maxes out at about 190K effective. HSDPA is 3.6M (7.8M in some places) with an effective about 2.0 - 2.5M (5.0 - 5.5M in places with the higher bandwith). <br /><br />So yes, 3G is a big deal. EDGE just can't cut it. At 3G speeds, there is not much need for WiFi HotSpots.

[artistjoh]

3G HSDPA Confirmed Better

I am in Sydney and can confirm that metropolitan wide HSDPA 3G is light years ahead of old fashioned Wireless hotspots or 2.5G. I use it for both my Sony Ericsson phone and my MacBook Pro with an express card for mobile broadband. <br /><br />EDGE is a joke in comparison. Well, maybe not, as I can't imagine anything less funny than having to revert to EDGE for normal mobile internet usage.

[rubenerd]

3g does not equal WiFi speed

I laugh whenever I see someone compare 3G to WiFi speeds then say "we won't need WiFi anymore!" I live in Singapore and have used 3G for years (recently 3.5G). WiFi is still faster and more reliable. 3G won't replace it.

[tdreher]

re:

Ummm... I might be alone here but I have never had a wifi connection driving down the highway at 70mph. On the other hand I have a 3G connection driving down the highway at 70mph daily.

[3tire]

Jeez, Man!

you must be the guy who almost run me off the road blabbing on the phone instead of driving! I know what you're saying about the 3g connection. From the standpoint of a phone, it is more practical.

[Canal Noises]

Black? I don't think so

Since pretty much the rest of Apple's product line is aluminum, I really don't see why they would go back to a plastic case for the next iPhone.

[woodboard]

plastick back makes sense

the black part of the iphone is the antenna (you dont get much signal behind a metal plate) may be they need the rest of the back area for a GPS antenna, then you need plastic (black glossy) instead of metal.

[cnetPeter]

Plastic case or aluminum case? That is a question. But I think the key point is functionality rather than material or design. For plastic cases, you could visit here http://www.made-in-china.com/products-search/hot-china-products/Plastic_Case.html . Love 3G iPhones, and enjoy my life.