iPhone 3G....

Ok, the time of the big announcement has come. The iPhone 3G is almost out (click here to see the key note speach). Everybody gather your money and get ready to dump your current provider. It is time to get an iPhone.....or not? Of those that know me, you may recall that last year I spent months saving up money for the first iPhone. At a $600 premium, that device was not a cheap prize. I saved and saved and on June 29 2007 I went to the Apple store in UTC and get my dream in electronic form.

The phone has been great over the last year. I get unlimited internet and Gmaps is awesome. I love having movies on the go and there is plenty of room for music. There are a few things that could be better. First the price was crazy. Second the internet is slow if not on WiFi. Third there was no GPS which is almost a standard on most smart phones these days.

All three of these things are fixed on the new phone. Here is a list of the improvements.

1. $199 for the 8gig and $299 for the 16gig
2. 3G internet speed that is clocked at 2.8 to 3.6 times faster
3. GPS in Gmaps

The other improvements that will be coming to the phone also apply to the current phone. These are third party applications. None are released, but I am sure they will be good.

So, am I planning on getting the new phone? The answer a few months ago was a definite yes, but now I am not so sure. Here is how I see it. If I am willing to fork out $300 for it, what am I getting? The first $100 is going to an additional 8 gigs (I currently have the 8gig). The second $100 is going for GPS which is not a bad deal because a GPS device can cost $200 or more. The third $100 is going to high speed internet.

Also there is a $10 hike per month with the new phone for use of the internet. That brings the total cost to $30 bucks a month just for internet. Over a two year period the additional $10 per month adds $240 to the cost of the phone which is more than it would have been if the price was left at the current retail price.

It doesn't seem like it is worth the cost. The only way I could justify the purchase is if I sold my current phone for at least $150 bucks. Who would want to buy my phone for that much when you can get a 3G 8gig iPhone for $50 dollars more.

We will see if I get one.