Latest update 25 August’09 – Review @ LetsGoMobile
The ‘S’ in iPhone 3GS stands for speed and according to Apple, users will not be disappointed. On the outside the 3G S looks like its predecessor the 3G, but, the real differences are on the inside. Tasks on the 3GS operate faster thanks to a speedier processor, it is also capable of speeds of up to 7.2Mbps on cell networks. New features include the ability to shoot video, 3 megapixel camera, users can edit photos, “in-frame” touch focusing which allows users to merely touch an area of the photo and the 3GS automatically adjusts focus and exposure.
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» Review Index – (updated 25 August’09)
LetsGoMobile
“Personally, I find it a pity that the new Apple iPhone 3Gs offers little innovation; yes, it is faster, it has gained some small additions, but the design itself remained completely untouched.”
Rating: 
Trusted Reviews
“The iPhone 3GS is the fastest, most feature rich model so far, and if you don’t already have a iPhone 3G it’s well worth the money. If you do have an iPhone 3G though, it’s not quite so cut and dry. The 3GS may be faster than the 3G when it comes to rendering pages and general operation, but the O2 data network makes the faster 7.2mbps HSDPA support moot, while the inconsistent Wi-Fi performance is also a bit of a worry.”
Rating: 
New York Times
“So the iPhone 3G is a nice upgrade. It more than keeps pace with advancing technology, and new buyers will generally be delighted. But it’s not so much better that it turns all those original iPhones into has-beens. Indeed, the really big deal is the iPhone 2.0 software and the App Store, neither of which requires buying a new iPhone.”
PCWorld
“Although the iPhone 3GS offers some compelling improvements for heavy users, I’m disappointed that Apple didn’t build more innovations into the handset, to differentiate itself from the pack. Some areas are still lacking, and there’s still no true multitasking (you can’t log into instant messaging while surfing the Web, for example).”
DigitalCameraInfo
“Discussing it solely as a camera, not as a phone, its biggest problem is the lack of control. Everything is stuck in auto mode. You can’t change the white balance, ISO, resolution, set a timer or any of the other controls you’d usually find on even a budget camera. In terms of its performance testing it did quite well. It had good color accuracy and resolution, though while it had very good distortion, the sharpness was low. The noise was above what you’ll usually see in a camera, but wasn’t too bad. The video performance was respectable for an SD camera, especially the excellent color accuracy.”
MobileTechReview
“If you have an iPhone 2G (the first model) run, don’t walk to get the 3GS. This is a darned fast computer for your pocket that’s also the easiest to use and the camera is a big step up. If you like new toys and want to upgrade your 3G there are enough excuses to do so: faster performance (especially in demanding games and big web page download times), VGA video recording with YouTube uploads, faster graphics CPU (some detailed 3D games in the future may only be compatible with the 3GS). Voice dialing is also invaluable for those who make calls on the go (stop looking at your iPhone and drive!). And HSDPA 7.2Mbps doesn’t mean much today but you’ll notice the improvement when it comes to your area.”
Rating: 
Register Hardware (As compared to Palm Pre)
“In the test 18 categories, the iPhone 3GS came out on top in 10, the Pre in five, and three ended in a tie. There are two reason to not give the iPhone the victory in this smackdown strictly based on the number of categories in which it rules.
Reason #1: Not all categories are equal. The Pre’s multitasking capability is obviously more important than the iPhone 3GS’s ability to record voice memos.
Reason #2:: As I said at the beginning, webOS is in version 1.0x. Expect the Pre to gain in capabilities as its operating system matures – and expect updates to be free, as have been the iPhone’s.”
Datamation
“Clearly, the iPhone 3G S is a worthwhile new addition to Apple’s lineup. But if you’re already an iPhone user, it’s hard to say whether the extra speed and new features are worth the extra price, especially if you’re in the middle of your AT&T contract and have to pay a premium over the standard $199 for the 16 GB model or $299 for the 32 GB version.”
GSMArena
“It’s true that the iPhone 3GS brings over only incrementing changes, there’s nothing ground breaking about it. But before everything else, the newly introduced changes on both software AND hardware level will make the new iPhone 3GS a more balanced smartphone most of all. That will give it some more charisma and it will hopefully lure some new users and get most current iPhone 2G users trade in their devices for a piece of Apple’s latest tech.”
CNET
“The iPhone 3GS doesn’t make the same grand leap that the iPhone 3G made from the first-generation model, but the latest Apple handset is still a compelling upgrade for some users. The iPhone 3GS is faster and we appreciate the new features and extended battery life, but call quality and 3G reception still need improvement.”
Rating: 
Sydney Morning Herald
“Despite conceding its technical advantage and failing to address some avoidable deficiencies, the iPhone 3G looks set to advance Apple’s penetration of the mobile phone market. The support for corporate email systems and the App Store will extend the phone’s appeal to new markets and while it still has many elements of a versatile consumer gadget, it looks to also have a greater practical utility that will make it more of a work horse and less of a show pony.”
Rating:
LapTopMag
“The $199 iPhone 3G S is a superior smart phone because of its improved speed, video recording capability, and vast iTunes App Store. We wish this device were available through more carriers, and that you could do more with its Voice Control feature, but even with its occasional network issues, this smart phone trumps the competition.”
Rating:
T3
“Overall, the iPhone 3G S as a standalone phone is a great piece of kit. The improved processor can definitely be felt on the internet and opening new applications, as well as helping speed things up on photography. The new camera was pleasing, if not a killer feature, and video recording is certainly good enough for the odd candid movie here and there.”
Rating: 
Gizmodo
“The iPhone 3GS is not an insignificant step forward in the iPhone family. The Nike+ support, magnetometer (compass), video recording, voice command, better camera, better battery life and faster data network are all improvements nobody would call a step backwards. But the biggest day-to-day improvement over the 3G is undoubtedly the increased processing speed, which is why Apple called this phone the 3GS (with the S standing for super fast) in order to designate that it’s basically the 3G, but better.”
Engadget
“So while it’s tough to argue with the package Apple has put together (a stellar device with just enough new to make it nearly perfect), we couldn’t help feeling a bit let down by the 3GS. Maybe we’ve been spoiled by devices like the Pre and Ion (and it’s possible we’re a little numb to OS 3.0 since we’ve played with the beta for a while now), but the additions of video recording, a compass, and a speed bump just don’t seem that compelling to us.”
InfoSync
“The iPhone’s 3.5-inch, glass display is still the most responsive in the smartphone field, but we wish Apple had upgraded the screen hardware. We’re seeing phones with bright, low-power OLED displays, reaching resolutions in excess of 640 by 480 pixels (VGA), so we’d like to see Apple catch up, especially considering the phone’s impressive video and gaming prowess.”
Rating:
ITPro
“The 3GS is still the boss, with its ease of use still unparalleled and its feature set ably boosted by the iPhone 3.0 OS update. The faster speeds and increased memory make it even better to use, while the camera quality and video capability are welcome, if long overdue additions. Whether it will has pulled far enough ahead to remain top dog until next year’s model though remains to be seen.”
Rating:
Guardian
“In short, the 3GS is triumphantly the product of a company at the absolute top of its game, their best device yet. If it were a BMW car it would be badged as the “M” version. Power and performance can be considered a luxury until you try them and realise how much more functionality, ease of use and productivity they can deliver.”
Wired
“WIRED – Faster. More storage. Better camera, with video recording capability. Search encompasses more data, not just one app at a time. Voice navigation. Feature-rich iPhone 3.0 software is free to current iPhone users.
TIRED – Multitasking still limited. No tethering or MMS support yet for AT&T users. Recent iPhone 3G customers must pay a fortune to upgrade.”
Rating:
Brighthand
“The iPhone 3G S isn’t perfect — and to be honest is far from perfect, but that perfect phone doesn’t exist and probably never will. When I don’t have my iPhone and have to use a different phone temporarily, it really is difficult. I’m so used to having GPS, and easy texting, and all my music if I needed something to listen to. It’s like I’ve grown accustomed to the iPhone.
Just understand though this model still lacks things like MMS (for America), voice navigation, background applications, a front facing camera, e-mail body searching, text message searching, haptic feedback… I could go on.”
Internet News
“At first, I wondered why anyone other than a hiker would care about the iPhone’s new compass — until I tried pressing the compass button within Google Maps and noticed that it orients you based on the direction you’re moving. I’m sure other application developers will also find a way to use this feature.”
» Apps
PopSci“In the ongoing quest to turn real-world objects into iPhone applications, HP has released a calculator app that is a near perfect imitation of the original HP15C. Released in 1985, this full-function scientific calculator had a root-solver, could handle matrix operations, and supported numerical integration. It also lasted about six months on one battery-–or about five months and 29 days longer than the iPhone. But save for that sacrifice to modernization, the HP15C on the iPhone is pretty slick.”
» Tips
iPhone 3GS Movie Making Basics @ The Digital Story