Reasons Why You Should Never Buy an IPhone 3GS

This article will attempt to show you how you would be better off buying one of the other smartphones that are currently sold at the same price as the Apple iPhone 3GS or at even lower prices than the iPhone.

Inability to Multitask: It is almost impossible to believe that the "smartphone" touted as the "hottest and best mobile device" in the world can only run one application at a time. That the iPhone 3GS cannot multitask in this age of advanced communications is ONE colossal reason why a discerning consumer - read human - should not buy it. Even the Nokia 3230, sold back in 2005 had users playing games over Bluetooth connections while playing music on their individual phones, and those users would still have a number of applications running in the background. This 3230 did not possess up to a quarter of the hardware and hype that the iPhone boasts of.

Lack of Bluetooth Compatibility with Other Devices: The iPhone 3GS lacks true Bluetooth capability as its Bluetooth can only be used with a headset on the iPhone. It cannot be used to transfer files like all other devices with Bluetooth technology are capable of. You certainly cannot use it to play games with a friend by creating a Bluetooth connection like a lot of cheaper smartphones can.

Lack of Physical Keypad: The fact that the iPhone 3GS does not come with a physical keypad makes typing a real chore when using it. The iPhone's competitors mostly feature keypads that can be easily revealed by sliding them out and these make typing long text a lot easier. If you are wearing gloves because it is cold, the iPhone's virtual keypad will not work.

Lack of Support for Adobe Flash and Java: Apple must simply love to mess with its iPhone users if it refuses to allow support for technology that:

a. Makes surfing the internet fun and captivating

b. Makes using terrific mobile software as easy as ABC.

Adobe Flash is the technology that makes it possible for websites to display those flashing videos that make their pages more attractive. Java allows the utilization of fantastic but lightweight mobile applications and cool web apps. But no, Mr. Steven Jobs says you cannot have them.

Lack of an In-built FM Tuner: Users of the iPhone must surely get tired of listening to their own music collections all the time and definitely, not everyone wants to pay money to listen to the radio (even if it just 99 cents). The added requirement of having an internet connection before one can simply listen to the radio should be a big hassle for everyone - except of course, the die-hard iPhone lovers out there. The iPhone's competitors (especially Nokia) can boast of FM tuners in almost every phone they sell and certainly make their devices a lot more functional than the iPhone will ever be.

Lower Screen Resolution: Compared to its current competitors such as the Motorola Droid, Samsung Omnia, and so on; the screen on the iPhone might well have been developed by John Logie Baird. It is way behind when its screen resolution is equated with that of the other smartphones in its league.

Lower Camera Resolution: The iPhone 3GS boasts of a measly 3.15-megapixel camera. Just to keep it simple, how about this: The Motorola Droid and Samsung Omnia both have 5-megapixel cameras (plus flash).

Lack of Camera Flash: Taking pictures in a dimly-lit environment with an iPhone 3GS is a big waste of time - despite Apple's claims of certain software it has built into the iPhone to improve picture-taking in such situations. Its competitors all have camera flash and certainly produce brighter pictures when the need arises.

Lack of True Ownership of Device: Let us count the following ways in which Apple still owns your iPhone 3GS even after you have paid for it in full:

- The only applications you can install on your iPhone are those Apple says you can and which you have to buy from its App Store.

- The only way to get music into your iPhone would be to use the Apple iTunes software. Apple also expects you to buy a lot of those songs from its online iTunes music store.

- You are required to return your iPhone back to Apple for minor issues such as having the battery changed and which it proceeds to do for a steep fee.

- It dictates which phone service provider that you can use with your iPhone.

So there you have it. The above is a fairly exhaustive description of the Apple iPhone 3GS's shortcomings but it seems there are few more points that could have been added. Maybe those issues will be held in reserve for another salvo when the time is right. Thank providence for jail-breaking.

Addendum: Better smartphones available for about the same price as the Apple iPhone 3GS include the Motorola Droid, Samsung Omnia, Palm Pre, Google Nexus, HTC range of phones, and a lot more.Be Smart. Choose Wisely. Never Buy An iPhone.

Read More: A comparison of the Motorola Droid and the Apple iPhone 3GS