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Saturday, May 10, 2008, 11:00 pm
3G settings discovered in latest beta of iPhone firmware
As if there were any doubt that Apple's next-generation iPhone would include support for 3G wireless networks, an inactive preference dialog extracted from the most recent beta of iPhone Software v2.0 may offer the most concrete evidence yet to that end.In a posting to its blog site on Saturday, independent developer Chronic Productions notes the discovery of several 3G-related strings in beta 5 of the upcoming iPhone firmware, and also publishes the below screenshot extracted from the distribution's Preferences binary.
Most notable is a setting that will allow users of the second-generation iPhone -- expected for an unveiling sometime in the coming weeks -- to disable 3G access in favor of prolonging the handset's battery life.
"Using 3G loads data faster, but decreases battery life," reads a caption beneath the setting toggle.
While speaking to journalists at last year's UK iPhone launch, Apple chief executive Steve Jobs singled out the power-hungry nature of 3G chipsets as one of the primary reasons his company passed on inclusion of the technology in the inaugural iPhone models.
"We've got to see the battery lives for 3G get back up into the 5+ hour range," he said.
The latest discovery suggests that while the 3G iPhone may see substantial improvements to the "2 to 3 hours" of battery life common on earlier 3G devices, it may fall short of rivaling the "up to 6 hours" of Internet use advertised alongside the existing models.
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Previous Comments View All
Wait... there's gonna be a new iPhone soon...? And it's gonna have 3G...?!
NO WAY!
haha. yes yes, we all know it's coming, but seeing the little snippets of proof still just make my day 
Now where did I put my credit card?
"The latest discovery suggests that [battery life] may fall short of rivaling the "up to 6 hours" of Internet use advertised alongside the existing models."
This is what I dislike about you people who report this stuff.
You make this supposition up, clearly out of the blue. Where did you see evidence that this 'may fall short' of existing models? Have you seen the specs of the new device?
Anything else you want just make up?
Knock off the BS ... you sound like the asshats at Infinite Loop.
Wow, a switch to save battery life when you don't want to use 3G. Very innovative. I wonder why the other phone manufacturers who have had 3G phones out for years already didn't think of that? 
Hey mlarkin, just go away... this is a rumour site not The Guardian newspaper.
As to the switch for turning off 3G, that's a bummer, it appears they've compromised because an efficient enough chip wasn't forthcoming. Still, it's presumably better than having no 3G option at all, and it's still the mobile phone I've been waiting for for 10 or so years!
I didn't buy version 1. Been waiting for the update. I've hated mobile phone design for the whole time they've existed... after June that won't be the case any more
"Using 3G loads data faster, but decreases battery life," reads a caption beneath the setting toggle.
Wow. What an innovative feature. My Nokia, and SE phones have had this for YEARS.....
BS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The guy obviously has no clue what the hell he is talking about. My phone lasts all day and night and is connected to a 3G network. It is the 3G applications and usage that drain the battery. Tell Steve to sit down before he hurts himself.
Marketing BS that the lemmings will swallow, hook, line and sinker. Obviously Stevie Boy never heard of the Nokia E90, Nokia E61/E61i, Nokia N81/N82. Steve should stick to talking about what he knows and stop believing his own hype.
Hey mlarkin, just go away... this is a rumour site not The Guardian newspaper.
As to the switch for turning off 3G, that's a bummer, it appears they've compromised because an efficient enough chip wasn't forthcoming. Still, it's presumably better than having no 3G option at all, and it's still the mobile phone I've been waiting for for 10 or so years!
I didn't buy version 1. Been waiting for the update. I've hated mobile phone design for the whole time they've existed... after June that won't be the case any more
It is not a compromise. Real phone manufactures have had this FEATURE for years but now suddenly because it is Apple doing it now it's a big deal. Reason being, there was a time (still is in the US) when 3G networks were no everywhere and there was no need for the phone to drain power searching for a 3G network where none existed.
I bet most people won't have to worry check out at&t's coverage map for 3G it's pretty bad 
Marketing BS that the lemmings will swallow, hook, line and sinker. Obviously Stevie Boy never heard of the Nokia E90, Nokia E61/E61i, Nokia N81/N82. Steve should stick to talking about what he knows and stop believing his own hype.
Phone battery life cannot be simply compared. All of these phones have different size screens and brightness, different speed processors and graphic accelerators. They all budget their power efficiency differently. That is the reason phone specs list different battery lives. You cannot just say X phone last such a time with 3G so the iPhone should be able to.
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I don't think anyone doubts 3G will be a big part of iPhone 2.0 at this point.