The iPhone 3GS: Will the speed really make an impact?

Though no concrete CPU specs have been given for the newly announced iPhone 3GS, due June 17th, it is safe to assume that like the bump from 412mhz to 532mhz in the iPod Touch 2g, the bump will be a mere CPU bump within the confines of the existing, downclocked 667mhz CPU.  While that may not exactly measure up to the “As twice as fast” claim, it is still a sizable boost.  In addition, it is safe to assume the bus speed has been upped from 100mhz to at least the 150mhz on the iPod Touch 2g.

With the bump of the iPod Touch 2g, though not marketed as such, games tend to run 20-30% faster, with a lot of 3d games that occasionally lag on the other devices running flawlessly.  The good thing about this boost is that while significant, it was not enough to fragment the market into 2g touch only games, yet gave the ipod touch 2g enough of a boost for Apple to legitimately call it “The Funnest iPod ever”.

Here is the problem:  Though Apple touts the iPhone 3GS as having a better 3D accelerator, and a CPU that drastically outperforms the competition.  Though this may fly in dedicated gaming handheld markets where the only loss to buyers of earlier devices is a proportionate blow to their wallets, the iPhone is a completely different ballgame.  People who have bought an iPhone 3g or an original iPhone in the past year or so are, essentially, screwed.  With subsidized hardware like the iphone, the only way to get the new device is to either pay an extra $399 to upgrade if you are at least a year into the contract, or if you have bought a 3g anytime in the last year, the full retail price of $599.  Essentially, any old iphone fan will have to spend an absurd amount of money to upgrade to this device.

What does this mean?  Well, for one, there is no real reason for App Store developers to make games that utilize the increased power of the 3GS.  If they do, then they lose almost the entire existing iPhone userbase.  Second, if there ARE any 3GS apps made, will there be any people to buy them?  And finally, suppose that for some reason, within the next year, everybody upgrades to the GS.  Anybody still standing with a mere 2g or 3g iphone, or any gen iPod Touch, is completely out of luck, as ALL apps will be made for the GS.  This would be acceptable if this were years past the original iPhone’s lifespan, with it already on the edge of obsoletion, but to release this with the 3g just hitting a year old, and even worse, the 3G CONTINUING to be sold, is completely irresponsible on the part of Apple.  The best analogy would be if, just a year after the PSP 2000 comes out, they announce the PSP Go.  Then, months later, they announce a PSP2.  And are still selling the sometimes compatible, sometimes not PSP Go, and the 3000.  Fractured market?  Neglected loyal userbase?  You tell me.

Looking into this future, will Apple and the iPhone be able to retain the “it just works” policy?  Common sense would dictate not.