For those who have never owned an iPhone, the additional speed and memory plus improved features in the iPhone 3GS means it’s one of if not the best smartphone ever created. It’s certainly the best iPhone ever made, but it’s questionable whether current iPhone 3G owners should upgrade, especially as the free 3.0 software update already adds plenty of extra features.

Historically, the iPhone 3GS is the third version in Apple’s smartphone series. Internally, it has a faster processor, more memory and better overall performance than the previous iPhone 3G. Externally, the phone is exactly the same size and shape, with only a couple tiny design alterations, the main one being the display’s new coating. Apple is now using a state-of-the-art oleophobic, fingerprint-resistant surface. This reduces the amount of potential smudges, and makes the screen easier to clean.

Apple named the ‘S’ in the iPhone 3GS for ‘speed’, and it lives up to its word. Faster and more responsive than its predecessor, applications open and close instantaneously. You’ll be hard-pressed to find any keystroke lag in any applications, which is a big improvement on the previous model. When using Mail, Safari, Maps and Notes applications the speed is exceptionally quick, and nearly all third-party applications from the Application Store are faster. Although this isn’t the number one iPhone 3GS in terms of memory (the 32GB iPhone 3GS model now leads the range), its 16GB disc space is equal to that of the previous iPhone 3G’s top model.

If you have the older iPhone 3G, getting all the benefits from the iPhone 3.0 software update may mean you don’t need the 3GS. These additions include MMS, a landscape keyboard, Internet tethering and Voice Memos. However, if you’ve never had an iPhone before, the third generation iPhone comes with new features such as a better camera, including video recording, Voice Control and a built-in compass.

The camera on the iPhone 3GS now has 3 megapixels, improving upon the 3G’s 2 megapixels. The camera still doesn’t have a flash, but Apple does have a great feature that lets you select a focus point when you tap on the display screen. The ‘tap to focus’ function allows you to take macro photos. A macro setting doesn’t exist, but by tapping on an item in the foreground the background is then automatically blurred out. It’s a great form of autofocus, but it still can be hard to keep the phone stable if you’re only using one hand. These 3GS photos are markedly better than those taken by the previous iPhone, but you’ll wonder why they didn’t add a flash.

With the new video recording function all you have to do is flick a small switch whilst using the camera application. The iPhone 3GS records video in VGA quality at 30 frames per second, and the results are quite impressive. The issue of movement is dealt with by automatically adjusting the focus when you initially turn the video recording function on, but not using autofocus after you’ve begun recording. The result is a steady focus that remains still even whilst experiencing sudden movements. After recording a video you then have options to e-mail, MMS, send it to your MobileMe account, or put it straight onto YouTube.

One worthwhile new feature is the ability to edit video clips right on the phone. A frame-by-frame editing bar is shown, allowing you to tap your cursor at any moment in the video to start playing from that point. By touching either end of the frame bar, sliding it to the piece of film you want to keep, and then pressing ‘trim’, you can edit at will. A drawback is that instead of saving your edited video as a new file, the original version is replaced. In the end this is a great function.

When comparing the iPhone 3GS to an iPhone 3G, one questionable addition to the newer version is its display. For some unknown reason the 3GS is now dimmer and much warmer than the previous iPhone 3G’s screen. Colours look slightly weaker in a side-by-side comparison, and many people like the older iPhone 3G’s display better.

The iPhone 3GS has Voice Control, which is Apple’s aptly named feature for voice-activated commands. A standard function of the phone, all you have to do to make a call is hold down the Home button and say aloud the name of a contact or phone number. If a contact has more than one phone number, like home and mobile, just say ‘John Smith home’, but if you only say ‘John Smith’, the phone will display all possible options on the screen for you to choose from. As far as voice-activated commands go, Voice Control is incredibly accurate.

The next step in the voice recognition revolution is the new ability to control music in your inbuilt iPod. Unlike most other smartphones, you can ask your iPhone, ‘What song is playing?’ and it will tell you the names of both artist and track. Without pressing any buttons you can control your music by telling the phone to go to the ‘next track’, ‘previous track’, or ‘shuffle’. If you say, ‘Play more songs like this’, a Genius playlist will be created based around the current track. These Voice Control features are incredibly useful when used while driving.

Another new addition to the iPhone 3GS is the built-in digital compass and compass application. The interface tells you your bearing, longitude and latitude, and you can choose between true north and magnetic north. The compass proves most useful when integrated with Google Maps, where the application uses the compass to rotate the map to match your orientation.

Some other bonus features only found on the iPhone 3GS are Nike + iPod support and a range of functions for people with visual or hearing impairment. Apple’s Voice Control can read out SMS and email messages, as well as reading current menu listings, which is very helpful for those with hearing or sight issues. This function is also great for navigating menus. Plus, there’s a zoom feature to help make reading easier, and you have the option to change the display from colour to black and white.

The iPhone 3GS’s battery life is a big improvement on the previous model, but it still could be better. If you take a lot of photos, record videos, use Wi-Fi, leave your Bluetooth on and browse the internet, your iPhone 3GS should last a full day. If you want the phone to last longer, turn off the Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and push email. This should make the battery last for two whole days. The new battery percentage indicator proves to be quite helpful in letting you know when time is running out on your power level.

In the end, the iPhone is a true ‘mobile computer’, and it is way ahead of its competitors in many respects. The phone aspect of the iPhone isn’t the best around, but the iPhone 3GS is simply the best mobile computer with built-in telephone included. One of the main reasons for this, besides the actual beauty of the device, is Apple’s incredible Application Store and the innumerable number of applications created by developers from all around the world.

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• Faster than iPhone 3G
• More memory
• Oleophobic screen coating
• Improved camera with autofocus
• Video recording and on-board editing
• Voice control/dialling
• Digital compass and Maps integration
• Improved battery life
• Multimedia Messaging
• Multimedia quality is excellent

Cons:

• Design is nearly the same as the iPhone 3G
• Screen's colours are noticeably warmer
• No camera flash
• No improvement in call quality
• 3G signal reception uneven
• USB transfer and storage
• No multi-tasking