Apple iPhone 3G vs HTC T-Mobile G1
A spec-by-spec comparison of the Apple iPhone 3G and the HTC T-Mobile G1, taken from their full specification sheets. Green marks the better value in each measured row.
VS
Head to head
| Apple iPhone 3G | HTC T-Mobile G1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $7,495 | $38 |
| Our rating | 4/10 | 8/10 |
| Battery | 1,150 mAh | 1,150 mAh |
| Storage (max) | 16 GB | 16 GB |
| Screen size | 3.5 in | 3.2 in |
| Main camera | 2 MP | 15 MP |
| Weight (lower is lighter) | 133 g | 158 g |
| Released | Jul 2008 | Oct 2008 |
Summary: Apple iPhone 3G is ahead on screen size, weight (lower is lighter). HTC T-Mobile G1 is ahead on our rating, main camera.
★ Which should you buy? Specs are close to an even split here, so HTC T-Mobile G1 is the better buy — the extra cost of the other one isn't matched by a clear spec advantage.
Display
| Apple iPhone 3G | HTC T-Mobile G1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | TFT capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors (18-bit for 262,144 colors) | TFT capacitive touchscreen, 65K colors |
| Size | 3.5 inches | 3.2 inches |
| Resolution | 320 x 480 pixels, 3:2 ratio (~163 ppi density) | 320 x 480 pixels, HVGA (~180 ppi density) |
| Protection | Scratch-resistant glass | Corning Gorilla Glass |
Platform
| Apple iPhone 3G | HTC T-Mobile G1 | |
|---|---|---|
| OS | iPhone OS 2, upgradable to iOS 4.2.1 | Android 1.0, upgradable to 1.6 (Donut) |
| Chipset | Samsung 32-bit RISC ARM11 (APL0098) | Qualcomm MSM7201A |
| CPU | 412 MHz ARM 11 (underclocked from 620 MHz) | 528 MHz ARM 11 |
| GPU | PowerVR MBX Lite 3D | Adreno 130 |
Memory
| Apple iPhone 3G | HTC T-Mobile G1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | microSD, up to 16GB (1GB card often included) |
| Internal | 8GB, 16GB storage, 128MB DRAM | 256MB ROM, 192MB RAM |
Main Camera
| Apple iPhone 3G | HTC T-Mobile G1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Single | 2 MP | 3.15 MP (or 3.2 MP), autofocus |
| Features | Geotagging | No flash |
| Video | No (native) | No |
Selfie Camera
| Apple iPhone 3G | HTC T-Mobile G1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Single | No | None |
Battery
| Apple iPhone 3G | HTC T-Mobile G1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Non-removable Li-Ion 1150 mAh battery | Removable Li-Ion 1150 mAh battery |
| Stand-by | Up to 300 h | Up to 402 hours (3G) / 130 hours (2G) |
| Talk time | Up to 10 h (2G) / Up to 5 h (3G) | Up to 5 hours 50 min (3G) / 6 hours 45 min (2G) |
| Music play | Up to 24 h | — |
Body
| Apple iPhone 3G | HTC T-Mobile G1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 115.5 x 62.1 x 12.3 mm (4.55 x 2.44 x 0.48 in) | 117.7 x 55.7 x 17.1 mm (4.63 x 2.19 x 0.67 in) |
| Weight | 133 g (4.7 oz) | 158 g (5.6 oz) |
| Build | Plastic back | — |
| SIM | Mini-SIM | Mini-SIM |
| Keyboard | — | Slide-out physical QWERTY keyboard |
Comms
| Apple iPhone 3G | HTC T-Mobile G1 | |
|---|---|---|
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g | Wi-Fi 802.11b/g |
| Bluetooth | 2.0, A2DP | 2.0 with A2DP (EDR) |
| Positioning | GPS, A-GPS | — |
| Radio | No | — |
| USB | 2.0 (proprietary dock connector) | ExtUSB (Mini-USB compatible) |
| GPS | — | Yes, with A-GPS |
Launch
| Apple iPhone 3G | HTC T-Mobile G1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | June 9, 2008 | September 23, 2008 |
| Status | Discontinued (June 7, 2010) | Discontinued (July 27, 2010 by T-Mobile) |
Frequently asked questions
Which is lighter, Apple iPhone 3G or HTC T-Mobile G1?
Apple iPhone 3G — 133 g for the Apple iPhone 3G versus 158 g for the HTC T-Mobile G1.
Which is newer, Apple iPhone 3G or HTC T-Mobile G1?
HTC T-Mobile G1 — Jul 2008 for the Apple iPhone 3G versus Oct 2008 for the HTC T-Mobile G1.
Is the Apple iPhone 3G or the HTC T-Mobile G1 rated higher?
We rate the Apple iPhone 3G 4/10 and the HTC T-Mobile G1 8/10.