AppleInsider Staff
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.
Malcolm Owen
Oliver Haslam
Andrew O'Hara
Wesley Hilliard
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
125 Comments
I don't think anyone doubts 3G will be a big part of iPhone 2.0 at this point.
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?