As such, it's easy to point to most of the iPhone 3G S's improvements being in software and not hardware. Some, like the addition of white balance controls on the camera, are obvious. Others, like the inclusion of voice control, for example, are less so: Apple didn't indicate this feature would be available on earlier generation iPhones, but it also didn't say what specifically in the new hardware enables this feature.

Likewise, some of the performance enhancements could be attributed to the new iPhone OS 3.0, available for free download to any generation iPhone (and $10 download for any generation iPod Touch) on June 17. This is especially true if one were to assume that the new OS has the same kernel core as the operating system for Mac computers; Snow Leopard also features performance enhancements.

Apple does claim a speed boost from the iPhone 3G to iPhone 3G S. According to Apple's benchmarks, messaging will be more than twice as fast, loading Sim City 2.4x as fast, and loading the The New York Times' home page 2.9 times as fast. Battery life improvements point to factors other than the hardware, as well. (3G S talk time, sadly, remains the same as the 3G, but data over Wi-Fi, for example, can muster an additional three hours on the iPhone 3G S as compared with the iPhone 3G-and Wi-Fi battery improvements could be due to a new chipset, or to a new software stack for the existing chipset).

It was surprising to see the iPhone 3G S's hardware be outwardly identical to its predecessor. At a time when competitors are making headlines with fresh designs, Apple instead appears to be marching in place. Recent rumors indicate this could be , a strategy that could prove a mistake over time.