We’d heard rumors that the iPhone 3GS would be getting fast 802.11n Wi-Fi to go along with that S for Speed, but that never panned out — except for the new third generation iPod touch.

iFixit has been doing their prerequisite tear-down of the brand new device, and MacRumors says:

One of the more intriguing differences uncovered so far is the inclusion of a Broadcom BCM4329 combination Wi-Fi/Bluetooth chip, which supports the 802.11n Wi-Fi standard in addition to 802.11a/b/g standards. The iPhone 3GS and the second-generation iPod touch utilize a different BCM4325 chip, which supports only the 802.11a/b/g standards. While Apple has apparently not activated 802.11n capability in the iPod touch and it is unknown whether it will choose to do so in the future, the new iPod touch hardware does appear to be capable of supporting the standard.

Speaking of rumored-but-not-delivered:

iFixit has also revealed that there is a small empty space at the top of the device (approximately 6 mm x 6 mm x 3 mm) where an iPod nano-style camera could fit. The iPod touch does not appear to be thick enough to adequately house an autofocus camera as found in the iPhone 3GS.

Would we have wanted an iPod touch with VGA video like the nano, but no 3mp stills like the iPhone 3GS?

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Third Gen iPod touch Chip Supports 802.11n Wi-Fi, Has Space for nano-style Camera

We’d heard rumors about this back when mobile 802.11n WiFi chipsets began to announced, and when the next gen iPhone was said to be “faster“. Now Apple Insider is reporting that:

Wireless radio component specifications contained within the iPhone 3.0 firmware indicate support for a new chip enabling low power 802.11n, which is likely to be exposed in the new iPhone and iPod touch set for release later this year.

Along with faster CPUs, faster GPUs, and faster cellular networking, 802.11n Wifi, anyone think speed isn’t the name of the game Apple’s playing with the next gen iPhone?

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Next Gen iPhone to Rock Low-Power 802.11n WiFi!

UPDATE: Apple Insider points out this could also refer to an AT&T network upgrade to 3.5G HSPDA+ type cell speeds. Or maybe both?

New iPhone hardware rumors are coming our way fast and furiously now, what with new device numbers, OLED screens, and… faster Internet speeds?

That’s what Silicone Alley Insider is saying:

our source has heard rumors that the next iPhone will have a significantly faster Internet connection.

What does that mean exactly? Our bet is on those new 802.11n mobile chipsets we heard about a while back. Pretty much everything else in Apple’s arsenal is now 802.11n fast, and even given those fancy new Airport Extreme and Time Capsules, faster would be better…

So again, how’s that picture of the next generation iPhone shaping up for you?

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

UPDATED: Next Gen iPhone to be an Internet Screamer? (802.11n? 3.5G HSPDA+?)

UPDATE: MacRumors also found remote file access for MobileMe users:

Access files on a networked drive from anywhere – Allows MobileMe subscribers to register their AirPort Express Base Station or Time Capsule with their MobileMe account, providing them access to their files from anywhere via the Internet. Drives will appear in the Finder sidebar like any other attached drive, acting just like a personal file server with remote access.

ORIGINAL: It was rumor, it is now fact. Apple has released new versions of their Airport Extreme (WiFi router) and Time Capsule (WiFi router + HD) base stations, with simultaneous dual-band Wi-Fi:

For maximum range and compatibility, AirPort Extreme works simultaneously on both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, allowing all the devices on the network to use the most efficient band automatically. And AirPort Extreme uses the latest 802.11n wireless technology so you can enjoy up to five times the performance and up to twice the range of 802.11g wireless networks.

Think of it as having 2 lanes on your WiFi highway. While your 802.11g iPhone is out taking a Sunday drive on your network, it’s no longer blocking traffic in front of your screaming fast 802.11n MacBook.

The only other new feature we could find was Guest Accounts:

Now you can set up a separate Wi-Fi network with a separate password for your visitors. Simply enable the new guest networking feature, and your guests can use the Internet but can’t access other parts of your private network, such as your computers, printers, and attached hard drives.

Anyone going to upgrade? Anyone in the market for a new router going to consider one of these?

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

UPDATED: New Apple Airport Extreme and Time Capsule Feature Dual-Band for Better iPhone Friendliness (and MobileMe Access!)

Since all current and previous iPhone (and iPod touch) devices have 802.11b/g WiFi, if placed on a faster, wider-range 802.11n network, they typically cause such networks to downgrade to 802.11b/g speeds for compatibility. This means your hyper-fast router will slow down your iMac or MacBook whenever your iPhone hits the network…

…But maybe not for much longer?

Apple Insider reports that the FCC has just been hit with new versions of the Airport Extreme (802.11n Router) and Time Capsule (802.11n Router + HD for Time Machine backup) that handle things a tad more gracefully:

The documents appear to indicate that Apple is adding a combined mode, allowing its AirPort base stations to simultaneously support iPhones and other 802.11b/g devices operating at 2.4 GHz, while also broadcasting 802.11n wide signals in the 5GHz band to maximize throughput for notebooks and devices such as Apple TV. Existing models can only run in one mode or the other, providing either wide compatibility or the highest possible network performance, but not both.

While only the most power-mad of power users will likely ditch their old Airport Extreme or Time Capsule for the latest/greatest, the new features should appeal to iPhone users looking for high-quality routers to round out their setups.

Now who wants one?

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Apple Readying New, iPhone-Friendlier Airport Extremes and Time Capsules?

The current generation of iPhone, iPod Touch, and pretty much all mobile devices max out at last generation 802.11g WiFi speeds. Could the next generation finally catch up? They’d need something that packed all that speed and range into a pretty tiny chip… Luckily, Engadget says such a chip is already becoming available:

Broadcom has announced its BCM4329, one of the first mobile 802.11n solutions on the block. On top of delivering up to 50Mbps of real-world WiFi throughput on both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, the darned thing throws in Bluetooth, an FM receiver, and an FM transmitter, too — in other words, everything but the kitchen sink, where the “kitchen sink” is the cellular radio itself.

Since TiPb is still predicting an iPhone HD for 2009, and 802.11n was part of that prediction (we’ll need it to stream 800×480 video!), we’ll just say it right now: yes please!

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Could the Next iPhone Have 802.11n Super Fast WiFi?