Even though iPhone 3G owners can upgrade their phones to iOS 4, does that mean they should? Apple's said that the iPhone 4 and 3GS will get the full benefit of the new software, while the 3G will only get some iOS 4 features thanks to its hardware not being as robust as its siblings.
If you're an iPhone 3G owner, the decision on whether to upgrade may be driven by what features you get, and how important they are to you. To help you make an informed decision, here are the features of iOS 4 that do and don't run on the iPhone 3G.
Features of iOS 4 That Work on the iPhone 3G
- Folders, for storing and organizing apps
- Theaded email discussions and the unified email inbox
- 5x camera zoom (though it reportedly doesn’t look great since it's a software, not hardware, feature)
- iBooks app
- Tethering to use the iPhone as a cellular modem
- Spotlight search for searching the web and the phone from one interface
- Updates to the photos app and playlist tools
- Updated spellcheck.
Features of iOS 4 That Don't Work on the iPhone 3G
- Multitasking
- FaceTime, since the iPhone 3G doesn't have a user-facing camera
- Screen orientation lock
- The ability to change the homescreen wallpaper
- Game Center social gaming network
- Bluetooth keyboard support
- Hardware-based encryption of email (the iPhone 3G doesn't have the hardware security features).
