Apple finally unveiled what everyone hoped would be the iPhone 5 but instead we got the iPhone 4S. The initial reaction was disappointment among critics then Apple started taking pre-orders. Millions sold later Apple still provided a solid product for consumers with its latest incarnation of the iPhone. On paper the 4S appears to be a minor upgrade similar to what they did with the 3G and the 3GS by simply beefing up the processor, camera, and of course the addition of Siri. Is it possibly more than that? Keep reading past the page break to find out in our review.
The iPhone 4S performs optimal in an everyday setting as it can be easily used as a daily driver. Everyone assumed that the 4S would get an upgrade all around on its spec sheet and for the most part it did. The 4S is armed with the same 1GHz dual-core A5 processor powering the iPad 2 and the camera lens was upgraded from a 5MP to an 8MP but more on that later. But the memory is still only running 512MB, I know people were expecting an jump up to 1GB of RAM. Don’t worry about the RAM, the processor picks up the slack in making sure it can keep up with processes/tasks. The dual-core chipset offers more speed and graphics for all you iOS gamers out there without the battery life taking a hit.
And speaking of battery life Apple suggests up to 8 hours of talk-time so we made sure, like every other review, to test its limits and push them. When I go to work, I need a phone that keep with me listening to music, tweeting, push emailing, and taking several phones calls. My usage is more data than voice but most smartphones can’t make it at least 6 hours of that. The 4S definitely had no problem keeping up with me. I would start work at 2PM and by 9,10PM (depending on the work day) still have over 30% of juice left. I can definitely appreciate that while other platforms can’t keep up and will need to charge it. I know there are reports of a lot of battery issues caused by iOS 5 but my review unit wasn’t affected by that battery bug.
Apple made sure that they improved on what they were already great at: the smartphone camera. The camera on the 4S effortlessly supersedes the competition in nearly all categories (and where it doesn’t, there’s an app for that). They made sure to pay attention to the little details within this camera. Giving you the ability to do tap-to-focus, face detection that supports up to 10 people, zero shutter lag, and the ability to edit your photo with one button. The camera Along with the f/2.4 8MP lens courtesy of Sony and an additional backlight sensor for an impressive mobile photography experience. The camera also can record video in 1080p HD at 30fps with image stabilization while recording. You can’t lose for your on-the-go home movies.
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| iPhone 4S sample photos |
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| iPhone 4S sample photos 2 |
Apple claimed over 200 new features with the new iOS 5 update but there are only a few that are actually note-worthy. The new update brings forth newer abilities for your iPad, iPad 2, iPhone 3GS/4/4S, and the iPod Touch (3rd & 4th generations). The new OS brings an entirely new Notification Center for current weather, stock ticker, and incoming alerts for texts, email, missed calls, Facebook notifications, reminders, etc. The new notification system allows you to finally view or dismiss alerts to read at a later time. A welcome improvement for iOS users.
Another addition to iOS 5 is iMessage, Apple’s new native BBM-killer. Apple’s iMessage is the new inter-iOS messaging service that allows users to text, send photos/video, locations, and contacts to anyone or a group using iOS 5 (iPads, iPod Touchs, & iPhones). Using iMessage doesn’t use carrier messages, is unlimited, and use a secure delivery system that shows if your message is read or not. Visually it looks like the standard messaging app for iOS but the bubble on iMessage are Blue instead of the standard Green along with a delivered or read underneath the bubble.
Another interesting ability to arrive with iOS 5 is iCloud. This new service picks up where MobileMe left off from by providing cloud-based storage for your email, contacts, calendar, notes, and photos on Apple’s secure servers. With the service, using iTunes in the Cloud allows you to sync purchased music to all devices registered to your Apple ID. The actual iCloud service is free but you have to pay for storage caps and like any good pusher Apple gives you the first 5GB for free. If you need more, you can pick up 15GB for $20 per year all the way up to 55GB for $100 per year. Makes for the start of solving the needs of certain consumers and enterprise users.
Also iOS 5 offers deep Twitter integration to tweet from the Safari, Photos, Camera, YouTube, and the Maps apps. A new native Reminder app for all your reminding and listing needs as well as adding locations and dates. A Newsstand app that acts like iBooks for newspapers, magazines, and other periodicals which I can keep up with the New York Times. And Wi-Fi syncing options for connecting with iTunes as well as updating your OS as well.
Siri
Some might say that the new virtual assistant maybe one of the main reasons to pick up the iPhone 4S. Siri is definitely a game-changer for what it can do but keep in mind, it is still in Beta. Siri uses artificial intelligence, voice recognition, response engine, and your data connection to make it something you have never used before in an app. From the commercials, it may seem like a novelty app but it is an assistant that helps make your life easier. You can have Siri: read text messages while driving, play specific songs in your music library, compose text messages/emails, get directions, check the on the weather or a particular stock as a human being would with logic and some humorous sass. Sure we may say Android has apps like that but trust me, they don’t work as well as Siri. Apps like Vlingo, Nuance, etc may sound close on paper but in reality it is not even close.
“Not the iPhone we deserved but the iPhone we needed.”
The interesting thing about it is that between the 4 and the 4S, there is no difference on the outside cosmetically. Since the changes are all internal, you will have to demo it to see/feel the difference. Improved antenna design for better reception and less dropped calls. The new chipset makes sure to keep any type of lag safely at bay and the new optics is the best thing next to a DSLR. The potential of Siri is mind-blowing and scary at the same time. The 3.5inch Retina Display is still the sharpest screen with crisp edges for fonts and rich colors on a smartphone. All of these things make up what we know as the iPhone 4S. Not the iPhone we deserved but the iPhone we needed. While many iPhone 4 owners may disagree but realistically, the i4S wasn’t made for you guys, if was catered to 3GS owners and first-time iPhone buyers. This is probably the best phone I have handled since the Galaxy S II in regards to being close to the complete package of what a phone should be and offering what consumers are looking for. While there’s still room for the Galaxy Nexus to swoop in and change people minds by offering a better alternative. The iPhone will only get stronger and with the alleged LTE-compatible iPhone 5 on the way, we expect more consumers to flock to iOS. Having never owned an iPhone (yet, anyways), it offered everything I was looking for: great camera, a battery life that can keep up with me, apps to make my life easier, and minimal amount of system hiccups (problems with apps, freezing, etc.). In my opinion, those are all a part of Android’s Achilles heel. But the iPhone isn’t without its flaws either. I prefer a better form of push email support on the device but i can work around that. Apple’s iOS is more of the same as it hasn’t been touched since its incarnation back in 2007 and could something new & fresh. Also, the glass front & back look like a work of art but is probably the most sensitive smartphone out there. The iPhone is not made to survive any type of falls or else you will end up with a spider-web crack in your glass. Believe it or not, the phone will still work but this makes viewing anything problematic. All in all, i would still buy it and arm it with a case of sorts. Anyone who has never owned an iPhone, this is a great time to get one and with it being available on AT&T, Sprint, & Verizon you can’t go wrong. T-Mobile subscribers will either have to pay an ETF, open a separate line, or wait until the AT&T merger is complete to get theirs. I can’t really recommend iPhone 4 owners to pick this up for Siri and the camera but if you got the $$$, go for it.
