Skip to main content

Indulge your nostalgia with a brand-new iPhone 3GS

Are you feeling nostalgic for the late 2000s or early 2010s? Well, if you’re in South Korea you can indulge yourself with the hottest smartphone of 2009. ET News reports that South Korean mobile carrier SK Telink has announced that it will once again sale the iPhone 3GS.

When it was first launched in the summer of 2009, the iPhone 3GS, like most iPhones, proved popular with customers and reviewers alike. It’s also an interesting piece of Apple’s history, as it was the last iPhone to feature a plastic casing before the company moved to the now-familiar glass and metal design.

Recommended Videos

Nostalgia aside, the major selling point of a decade-old smartphone is the price. Priced at 44,000 Won, which is roughly $40 U.S. dollars, the 3GS is the cheapest iPhone you can buy from any carrier. Of course, you shouldn’t expect much in the way of performance or app support; the 3GS only supports iOS 6. For those keeping track, we’re currently on iOS 11 with iOS 12 slated to go live sometime this fall. This means that you won’t get access to any of the latest features nor will the phone run every app found in the App Store. On the other hand, its low price may make it worth something to collectors as a novelty item.

Beyond the quaint factor, the phone can still work well as a barebones device and is capable of making calls, sending and receiving texts, and playing music. It can even browse the web, though it obviously won’t support 4G LTE service. So don’t get your hopes up about streaming your favorite shows on this mobile relic.

It’s also worth mentioning that these are not used 3GS phones, but unopened models. The carrier found a store of the phones in a warehouse and decided to put them back on the market. Since the phones have sat in a warehouse for nearly a decade, Telink will be testing the phones before putting them back on the market to ensure that customers don’t spend 44,000 won on an Apple-themed paperweight. If you’re still interested, you’ll probably want to act fast, since supplies are likely going to be limited.

Eric Brackett
Former Digital Trends Contributor
I was wrong about the iPhone 16
An iPhone 16 laying on a shelf with its screen on.

The iPhone 16 is a little over a month old, and I've been using it almost nonstop since it was announced last month. I reviewed the phone for Digital Trends and bought one with my own money as my personal phone of choice.

Not long after its unveiling, I wrote an op-ed complaining about the iPhone 16's lack of a 120Hz display. I said it was the "one thing holding back the iPhone 16" and that its 60Hz screen was "an unreasonable spec." I'd still like to see the refresh rate addressed with the iPhone 17, but after living with the iPhone 16 for over a month now, I've found that it's not nearly as big of an issue as I believed it would be.
A 60Hz screen matters, until it doesn't

Read more
This iPhone 16 Pro accessory proves less is more
WaterField Designs CitySlicker Pouch for iPhone in white leather.

Now that we’re approaching the end of the year, hot tech summer and flagship phone season are winding down, too. That means I’ve been looking for fun little accessories to help me carry around all my phones and gadgets.

One of my trusted brands for tech accessories is Waterfield Designs. I’ve been using its bags and other accessories for the past decade, and they’re some of the finest bags I own. They’re built to last, as my first messenger bag is still looking fantastic.

Read more
The iPhone 17 Pro Max may slim down this particular feature
The Dynamic Island on the iPhone 14 Pro Max.

The iPhone's Dynamic Island is expected to get even smaller on the iPhone 17 series, according to technology analyst Jeff Pu (via MacRumors).

According to Pu, in a research note with investment bank Haitong International, the iPhone 17 Pro Max will offer a “metalens” for Face ID. Because of this, the Dynamic Island will be “much narrowed.”

Read more