Apple's iPhone 4S: Faster, and a Better Listener, But the Same iPhone You Know and Love

By Dan Nosowitz Posted 10.04.2011 at 2:42 pm 7 Comments

The New iPhone Family Apple

Today in Cupertino, Apple announced the newest version of its bajillion-selling iPhone, to be named the iPhone 4S. Like the iPhone 3GS, this is a small, mostly internal upgrade over its predecessor--a new dual-core processor here, an improved camera there--though there is a major addition in the form of Siri, a voice-command service Apple bought awhile back that allows you to ask your phone questions, or tell it to do things, in natural language. Lots of things.

So, what's new in the iPhone world? The new iPhone 4S is in the same case as last year's iPhone 4, so it's the same size and weight. There's no external change that we know of--all of the new goodies are on the inside. Hardware-wise, it'll be using the A5 dual-core processor that serves the iPad 2 so ably, and it's also getting a brand-new sensor. The old iPhone 4 camera was actually quite good, but the new one seems even better--it's getting a size bump to 8MP, but the new sensor is backside illuminated, which Apple claims will allow it to get 73% more light than the iPhone 4's sensor. It'll also have an f/2.4 lens, and will take pictures 33% faster.

Otherwise, not too much going on in the hardware--Apple's implemented a new sensor design that'll hopefully eliminate that whole "grip of death" problem the iPhone 4 has, and it'll also be a world phone, meaning it has the antennae to work on just about any international band. Oh, and there'll be a 64GB version, in addition to the expected 16GB and 32GB versions.

Software-wise, it'll be rocking iOS5, which brings some much-needed improvements in the notifications and multitasking departments, as well as some nice new features. There'll be more intense Twitter integration; you can tweet your location from the Maps app, for example. Apple also introduced an app called Friends and Family that works sort of like Foursquare, locating your, well, friends and family. There's iCloud, which will sync your contacts, calendars, mail, that kind of thing--a feature Google mastered several versions of Android ago, but still nice.

The big news is integration of Siri, a voice-command software that's previously been available as an app but is now deeply embedded within iOS 5. It lets you give commands in normal phrasing--"Find me a Greek restaurant in North Beach," say, or "define mitosis." It'll work with lots of apps, including calendar, email, maps, and services like Wikipedia and Wolfram Alpha.

Oh, right, pricing and availability. Well, the iPhone 4S will be available for pre-order on October 7th, releasing on the 14th. It'll sell for $200, $300, and $400 for the 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB versions, respectively. The iPhone 4 is still around, with an 8GB version selling for $100. Oh, and the old 3GS is still here, with its non-Retina Display and shameful curved body. It'll be free, on contract. Those will all be available on AT&T, Verizon, and now, for the first time, Sprint. Sorry, T-Mobile--not sure why you're left out, but we sympathize.

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7 Comments

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jshuey

10/04/11 at 4:15 pm

Joy... A new phone with no real reason for being. Android 4G here I come.

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Blue

10/04/11 at 6:01 pm

Mean while back at the Apple lab. Hey guys got any new ideas for the iPhone4. They reply nope.
Ok, well will pass it up to marketing.
Marketing take that no and puts a S on it and increase the price.
"Wooooo! iPhone4S; Now that is special!"

I think the hackers of the world should start doing some over clocking iPhones and see where this takes us!;)

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beefymclovin

10/04/11 at 10:09 pm

still doesnt compare to android phones

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canterol

10/05/11 at 5:31 am

Congrats Apple, you've made the iPhone just as good as my original Evo 4g and charged $100 more. I'm sure you'll make millions off your stooge fan base.

(Disclaimer: I know it's slightly better in a few select aspects, namely processor and base memory... but that's about it. And I get to change my memory whenever I want.)

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Delkomatic

10/05/11 at 10:31 am

And as I have already said...Apple slowly falls to the depths of nothing...poor poor Apple oh how you fail

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ptv83

10/07/11 at 10:57 pm

you'd have to b a right f n dumbass to buy one of these.. or even waist an upgrade on it.... still missing key features that the 5 will have... they do it all the time, just to make you buy the 5 even though you bought this.. of course the 5 will be missing what HTC has.. so then you'll buy the 5 version2.0 too! ... and the cycle goes on and on... .

apple doesn't make quality products,, they make quantity products.. products that you'll buy even though you don't need to,, they'll market the crap out of it because they're smarter than you in their eyes.... unfortunately the dumb people aren't learning fast enough yet... they'll still get one.

apple's new motto "a sucker born every minute"

i wonder now that Jobs is dead if they'll reopen the charities the closed down when they rehired him..... man never gave a dime of his own money away... and he didn't want the company waisting his new bigger salary on charity either.,... bastard died to old.. shoulda been 20years ago and done the world a favour.

cheers, eh

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olgrateful

10/14/11 at 12:34 pm

Everyone dogging apple is ridiculous.I mean it is downright humorous to hear someone say that the new iphone 4s is just a new price tag on the same phone. I don't know if people are ignorant or just hating on apple, (and i can enjoy a good apple dis when deserved), but c'mon. Same phone? really?

Maybe you might think about how droids have progressed.

Ive had the original droid for 2 years and the only thing different with it and the new ones are the processor and camera? What else is there to change between phones. The droid started out 500 mhz, then droid two with 1ghz, now droid bionic with dual core 1ghz processors. What is the difference in these phones other than the processors? I mean honestly, phones are rated on processing power, camera quality, battery life, and how well they call and surf the web. Seeing as how every one of these features were upgraded between the 4 and 4s, how is it the 4s is the same.

As far as apple makes quantity not quality? What the heck are you talking about. The ratio of android phones to iphones is like 10 to 1. For everyone iphone release there are 10 androids, all of which vary in basically functionality. The lack of a cohesive product in the android line is probably why the phones are so much glitchier than an iphone. Im not Apple fan boy, the 4s will be the first apple product i ever bought, but ptv83 sounds like he was personally assaulted by steve jobs. Which by the way invalidates your overzealous opinion. And whether it is the Iphone 4s or 5 is simple semantics. It is new under the hood in every way.