“We always suspected the iPhone 3GS was capable of 1080p HD video playback, and now we’ve got proof,” Nilay Patel reports for Engadget. “Although Apple lists the iPhone 3Gs’s max video playback res at just 640×480, iLounge linked to Chinese forum post claiming that the 3GS could do 30Mbps 1080p playback earlier today — and when we saw that the only thing we needed to do to test it out was download the free FileAid app, well, you know how we’ve just spent the last 20 minutes.”
iPhone 3GS playing back 1080p video:
Patel reports, “We’re hoping Apple is… getting ready to unlock this functionality, since it’d be sweet to just plug into an HDTV and play video.”
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Vishnu” for the heads up.]
Looks like the 1080p Apple TV is right around the corner…
Nothing new. You could always put higher (or lower) resolutions on the phone and they would just fill up the screen, with the black bars where appropriate.
The article is misleading, as it implies that the video could somehow be shown in full HD on a (TV) display hooked up to the phone.
There is absolutely no point in putting files in resolutions higher than that of the iPhone display on it. Since the extra pixels will be thrown away during playback, the extra space those files would take wold be wasted.
This would be news if there were some hardware (such as a HDMI, or component hookup to the dock connector) that would actually allow full HD image on an external device. Obviously, since the graphic chip of the iPhone doesn’t do 1920×1080 resolution under any circumstances, this will not happen on today’s iPhone. Let’s wait for a few weeks and see what happens to the iPod touch regarding that…
I also believe that same chips and iPhone OS will be used in next version of Apple TV. It would enable Apple from one side to build these things cheaper than with Intel chips. And also iPhone apps can be relatively easily adjusted to such device.
So much for that, “Zune HD”…
*smirk*
MDN Magic Word: “question” as in: “Any more questions?”
Well, there is a Component Video cable. It would be interesting to know if it can send more than 640×480 to a HDTV.
Anyone wanna give it a try?
http://store.apple.com/us/product/MB128LL/B
I have tried the Component cable on two flat panels – neither worked. I don’t think the 3GS displays on a 1080P system, or a 720P system via component cables. If anyone has done this tell me how.
He has excellent taste in music! The album he tries to play at the end of the video is called “Set Yourself On Fire” by Stars, a wicked-cool Canadian indie band.
Problem is at current capacities, you aren’t getting to many movies on your iPhone or iPod touch.
This could lead to iTunes store Music videos in a new Plus format, upgrade now for just $1.99 more.
just tried it with a couple of 720’s and its all true good, better than my g4 can play back haha
So if the component cables don’t output anything beyond 640×480, what’s the point of putting 720p (or 1080p) movies on the device? All the extra pixels will be just discarded.
apple has made the av cable not work with version 3 of iphone software
the av cable worked with 2.2 and earlier
Too bad the narrator mumbles.
Audio LD (Low Definition)
@qka – The narrator doesn’t mumble; the processor attached to your auditory sensors is underclocked.
There is a chip from nvidia that can play 1080p using 0.05 Watts for years now, so when they programme it, you can expect that functionality. In my opinion, since SJ is out, other people at A will do they usual managerial crap instead pushing innovation forward. So forget it.
From the review (if it was even read) it is barely capable, not totally.