Apple's worldwide developer conference has kicked off and all ears were open and listening out for that big next-gen iPhone announcement.
It came almost an hour-and-three-quarters into the keynote speech, but was it worth the wait?
iPhone 3G S
Finally, what we've all been waiting for was confirmed... the iPhone 3G S.
"The iPhone has changed how people think about their phones It has changed the things we expect" claims Apple.
What's more: "Two thirds of all mobile browsing is done on an iPhone or iPod Touch," according to Apple.
After an imaginary drum roll, Apple then announced that "[the iPhone 3G S] is the most powerful and fastest iPhone we've ever made. It has the same great design as the iPhone 3G, but what's inside is entirely new."
Business users will be pleased as they'll be able to access attachments 3.6 times faster with this new iPhone handset. It'll also have a new 3MP auto focus camera, in addition to a new feature called tap-to-focus. And, wait for it, video recording.
There's also an API so developers will be able to build in video capture to their apps.
Voice control is also in there and a built-in digital compass. Hardware encryption is also on the cards and it has 'state of the art' battery life and is the most environmentally friendly phone the company has ever made, according to Apple.
It'll cost $199 for 16GB and $299 for a 32GB version and will be available in black and white versions. iPhone 3G will now cost $99.
For your money, you'll get six hours of Wi-Fi, five hours of 3G talk time and 10 hours of 2G talktime.
It'll be available in a week-and-a-half's time, with a very quick worldwide roll-out.
Also announced:
App Store goodies
TomTom will provide the first turn-by-turn navigation app for the iPhone through the App Store.
iPhone 3.0 software
It'll feature a landscape keyboard that works across messages and emails, in addition to that much-awaited MMS, which will be supported by just short of 30 mobile operators, according to Apple. These include Vodafone and current partner of choice O2.
The good news is, if you're a habitual phone loser, you'll be able to keep tabs on your iPhone and wipe it remotely if you lose it too.
According to Apple: "Our job is to make developers successful." iPhoen OS 3.0 will be available worldwide from June 17. It will be free for all iPhone users and come at a small cost for iPod Touch users.
More details about Snow Leopard
Users will be able to get their hands on an upgrade version for just $29.99, which seems like a bit of a bargain. It'll be $20 more for the rest of us.
This new operating system will also fully support Microsoft Exchange hurrah!
Safari 4
Which Apple claims will be 7.8 times faster than Internet Explorer 8.
New Macbook lineup
A new 15-inch Macbook Pro, which comes in different spec flavours starting at $1699. Apple reckons the battery will last some five years Oh, and refreshes across the rest of the Macbook line.
More than 5, 000 developers from 54 countries are in attendance at this year's event, showing even without Jobs, the conference can still draw a big crowd.
Click here to follow sister title Know Your Mobile's live blogging from the event.
And here to see what PC Pro makes of all the announcements.
