The first iPhone was released back in 2007. And since then, there’s been 2 more hardware updates in the form of iPhone 3G and 3GS. We don’t see many people these days with iPhone 2G in their pockets, most of them have already upgraded to the latest version. I, on the other hand, am one of the very few who stick on the 2G.

The biggest reason that keeps me away from upgrading is that I didn’t find all the improvements are significant enough. Of course every time Apple announces a new version of the device, I’m drooling like a 5 year old staring at an ice cream parlor. But when it’s decision time, I always ended up not upgrading. Lots of factors involved, and here are some:

The form factor:

2G:

• Solid metal case.
• Two-tone color combination of silver and black (small part).
• Non-standard headphone jack.

3G & 3GS:

• Plastic case.
• Curvy edges.
• Standard headphone jack.

Verdict: Material-wise, I prefer the metal casing since it doesn’t scratch easily although the two-tone makes it less elegant. The plastic case is a heavy finger print magnet, which is a big push back for me. I don’t have issues with the non-standard headphone jack since I only use their standard headphone. All in all, both has its pros and cons, but none of them is a clear winner here. No upgrade.

Connectivity:

2G:

• Standard GSM, WiFi, and bluetooth.

3G & 3GS:

• Standard GSM, WiFi, and stereo bluetooth (A2DP).
• UMTS/3G enabled.
• Built-in GPS.MMS.

Verdict: Now these are what I called worth-upgrading factors. Before 3G, iPhone was just a regular phone with regular or even less functions. But with the release of 3G, they really took it up a notch. 3G connectivity, GPS, and MMS are pretty standard features on mobile phones these days, so I don’t see why they’re not there in the first place. Worth upgrade.

Camera & Video:

2G & 3G:

• 2 Megapixel.
• No video recording.

3GS:

• 3 Megapixel.
• Tap to focus.
• With video recording.

Verdict: Personally, I only use the camera just for fun. When I find something interesting, I snap a photo or two, upload them to Twitter, Facebook, or Flickr. And for that purpose, I find the 2mp camera on the 2G is more than sufficient. I don’t expect crisp images out of it, for than kind of photos I have my DSLR at my disposal. Let’s not continue to the video recording capability because I probably won’t use it even if mine has one. I’m not a video guy. I visit Youtube maybe once a month, or even less. No upgrade.

Software & other features:

2G & 3G:

• OS 3.1.2 (latest as of Jan. 2010).

3GS:

• Performance bump (S is for speed after all).
• Compass.
• Voice control.

Verdict: Although 3GS is snappier, I don’t have a problem with the speed of 2G. And as long as it can keep up with the latest OS version, it’ll be enough for me. However, there’s a rumor saying OS 4.0 will be available only for 3G and 3GS. If that’s true, then it’ll be a different story. No upgrade.

All things considered, I decided I can live with my 2G iPhone. However, there are things I’d like to see in the new version (which hopefully will be released later on this year, maybe summer 2010). The most important is the UI. After all these years, I’m a little bit bored with the UI. Sure it’s effective, but it’s too plain and not sleek anymore. A haptic feedback is also nice to have as an improvement. Dont’ get me wrong, I can type accurately on my iPhone. But having a little bit better sense of tapping/typing is somewhat convenient. Last but not least, I’m hoping it’ll go back to metal case (preferably back) and of course OLED display.

If everything is according to my hoping, I’ll definitely make the jump when the new version comes around. After all, mine is 2 years old now (the longest time I’ve had with a single mobile phone). We’ll see. Amuse me Apple!