iPhone 4 vs iPhone 3GS

Quick Take

Is the iPhone 4 really the biggest leap since the original iPhone? How much better value is the iPhone 4 vs iPhone 3GS? The differences between these two model phones may surprise you.

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In a duel where it’s the iPhone 4 vs iPhone 3GS, the iPhone 4 seems to have the upper hand. Apple claims the iPhone 4 is the best version of the iPhone to date, but is it worth all the extra money? Just how much better than previous models of iPhones is the iPhone 4? Below are some key areas where the iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS have differences and similarities.

Price

Apple’s website lists the Apple iPhone 3GS at $49 (8GB with 2 year contract) while the Apple iPhone 4 is listed at $199 (16GB with 2 year contract) and $299 (32GB with 2 year contract). In a war where the iPhone 4 vs iPhone 3GS in price, there is no clear winner. Although the 3GS is a cheaper phone you may think that the added features on the iPhone 4 are worth the extra cash. Spending the extra money for the added features on the iPhone 4 will depend on whether you need them.

Display

The iPhone 4 boasts a 960-by-640, 326 ppi Retina display resolution. Apple claims that a person’s eye is unable to distinguish the individual pixels on an iPhone screen due to its clarity. The same cannot be said about the iPhone 3GS’ 480-by-320, 163 ppi resolution. Both displays are multi-touch, however.

Video Calling

The iPhone 4 wins when it comes to video calling as well. This is because unlike the iPhone 3GS, the iPhone 4 has Facetime .

Camera

Both brands of cell phones allow you to autofocus and tap to focus on your cell phone. However, in a case where iPhone 3GS vs iPhone 4, the iPhone 4 wins yet again. This is because the iPhone 4 has a camera with more megapixels (5 vs 3 megapixels), an LED flash, backside illuminator sensor, as well as a front camera with VGA resolution (for Facetime).

Video Recording

In terms of video recording, the iPhone 4 also has HD recording while the iPhone 3GS has VGA video recording. Both phone models have a feature that allows you to tap to focus while recording.

Advanced Technology

GPS, Wi-Fi and Accelerometer are available on both models of phones. The iPhone 4 has additional features such as the Apple A4 chip, Dual-mic noise suppression and three-axis gyro.

Shared Features

Both phones have many shared features that are listed below.

Folders

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Phone
Mail

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Safari
App Store

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iPod
Multitasking

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Messages
iTunes Store

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Maps + Compass
Voice Control

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Search
Keyboard

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iBooks
Accessibility

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Battery Life

In a battle between iPhone 4 vs iPhone 3GS, the iPhone 4 is a clear winner when it comes to battery life. In fact, the iPhone 3GS is only as good as the iPhone 4 in terms of battery life in two areas: standby time and video playback.

With the iPhone 4, you get 2 more hours of talk time on 3G (7 hours total), and 2 more hours of talk time on 2G (14 hours total) than with the iPhone 3GS. You also get an extra hour of battery life on 3G internet (6 hours total) and Wi-Fi (10 hours total) than with the iPhone 3GS. You also get 10 more hours of audio playback on the iPhone 4 (40 hours total) than with the iPhone 3GS.

A Clear Winner

It seems that in a comparison where the iPhone 3GS vs iPhone 4, the iPhone 4 is the clear winner. Most people feel that the extra money is worth all the added features. Video calling and video recording, as well as display features, are some of the things that distinguish the iPhone 4 from older models. Sadly enough, neither phone has 4G capabilities.

If you’re interested in possibly owning an iPhone 4, you can learn more about the iPhone 4 through this review. If there are any general questions about the iPhone that weren’t answered in this article, you may find some answers in this iPhone FAQ.