Apple storm many on Tuesday when it introduce its fresh iPhone 4S — not because people were n’t have a bun in the oven a phone . They were just expecting a different one .
Rumors surrounding Apple ’s iPhone result had indicate that Apple would jump directly to the iPhone 5 ( or maybe even releasetwophones ! ) . As it turned out the company follow the same path it take in 2009 when the iPhone 3 G afford way to the iPhone 3GS .
That means there ’s still an iPhone 5 out there , being prepped for a future departure — most potential next class , if Apple sticks to schedule . So if you ’re in need of a young iPhone , should you hold out for a ( still - hypothetical ) iPhone 5 ?
In a intelligence : No .
In more words : Here are three reasons not to send away the iPhone 4S in favor of a next iPhone 5 :
A phone by any other name…
Let ’s briefly come back all the iPhones Apple release to particular date . There ’s the original iPhone , iPhone 3 gibibyte , iPhone 3GS , iPhone 4 , and now the iPhone 4S. In that brief , five - iPhone history , Apple historically exchange the iPhone ’s phone number when the form factor changes , and adds an S when it does n’t .
Put another way : Apple called the iPhone 4S the iPhone 4S because it looks nearly identical to the iPhone 4 . Apple did n’t state on the iPhone 4 ’s design by accident ; it ’s an graceful look and feel good to hold , and I do n’t blame the company for choosing not to abandon that shape for the next version of the speech sound .
Had Apple dubbed its new earphone the iPhone 5 , critic would sure enough have argued that the caller should have called it a 4S instead , since it ’s an internals - only makeover , not an exterior one . The rumor John Stuart Mill wrongly omen that Tim Cook and company would unveil a gimmick called the iPhone 5 ( myself included ) ; it ’s not Apple ’s problem to compensate such rumors or set exact expectation in advance . So even if we thought we ’d meet a new phone called the iPhone 5 pack with new features , we need n’t be let down by the introduction of the iPhone 4S instead . We were mostly right : There ’s an impressive new iPhone on the market , and its name is n’t precisely what we wait .
Excellent feature updates
All that enounce about the name , do n’t get the “ S ” fool you . While we ’re waiting to get our script on an iPhone 4S just like everybody else , the lineament Apple demonstrated at its Let ’s mouth iPhone result ranged from impressive to jaw - dropping .
The iPhone 4S offers peck to get excited about . First , there’sthe camera . It offers eight megapixels , coupled with the earphone ’s power to take in more light than the iPhone 4 ’s camera could — and those two betterment alone would be plenty . But Apple says that the iPhone 4S ’s A5 chip offers an paradigm signaling processor that match those in innovative DSLRs , immensely improving colors and blanched balance . And the tv camera can now snap its first impression in barely more than a second .
Even more exciting than the photographic camera isSiri , the phonation - powered supporter build into the iPhone 4S. This is for certain a feature that we ’ll need to examine to appraise how well it lives up to Apple ’s claims , but there ’s no doubt Siri is a window into the future . Siri ’s ability to realise born speech communication , and to remain contextually aware of the current conversation , is remarkable . Here ’s a transcript from Apple ’s Siri video :
cleaning woman : Is it going to be chilly in San Francisco this weekend ?
Siri : Not too dusty . Maybe down to 61 degree in San Francisco .
Woman : What about Napa Valley ?
Siri : Does n’t seem like it . It wo n’t get below 68 degrees .
Though Apple barely comment over it , the iPhone 4S also supports command anywhere the virtual keyboard appears . That ’s a characteristic Android phones have extend for some metre , and its visual aspect in iOS is a welcome one . If the iPhone 4S ’s recording works quickly and accurately , composing small snippet of school text ( for emails , tweets , and messages in the iMessage feature of theforthcoming iOS 5 update ) could get much easier .
And it ’s worth remembering that thanks to the A5 chip that powers the iPhone 4S , the smartphone should perform as apace as the iPad 2 . The iPad 2 does n’t experience hugely quicker than today ’s iPhone 4 , but the performance cost increase is perceptible , and the A5 hike will belike finger likewise appreciable on the iPhone 4S.
Hey jealousy
If you own an iPhone 4 today , it ’s still an amazing gimmick ; the iPhone 4S has n’t change that . It look dear , frisk the Retina display , takes decent pictures , and works well . And let ’s not forget that many folks still rock the iPhone 3GS — another utterly fine phone .
By the same token , if you ’re eager for a newfangled iPhone now and buy the iPhone 4S , do n’t expect you ’ll regret your decisiveness if Apple has resign an iPhone 5 by this time next class . The iPhone 5 will probably get a fresh look , and maybe it ’ll be another smidgen faster or sport a more or less fancy exhibit .
Make no mistake : You ’ll desire it . If you ’re an early adopter , you ’ll drool over Apple ’s next iPhone no matter what . But if you ’re drooling over the iPhone 4S already , do n’t feel obligated to await . The iPhone 4 remained Apple ’s top iPhone for 16 month — the longest such iPhone tenure to date . Perhaps the iPhone 4S will hold that top maculation for 20 month now . Apple ’s not saying , and wo n’t .
you’re able to feel confident that Apple ’s not going to pull a fast one and release an iPhone 5 three months from now , right after you corrupt the iPhone 4S and re - up your carrier contract . That sort of iPhone switcheroo would alienate every iPhone 4S customer , and you’re able to be certain that Apple ’s learned a example about take care of early adoptive parent .
Buy the buy
evidently , your next footstep is a personal decision . If you still use an iPhone 3GS and it makes you happy , I ’d say stick with it . If you habituate an iPhone 4 and do n’t finger motivated to bribe the iPhone 4S whether because of upgrade costs or its features do n’t entice you — more mightiness to you .
But if , on the other multitouching script , you ’re burn up about the iPhone 4S , I do n’t think you should ram yourself to waitress for the iPhone 5 . The next propagation iPhone is here today ; the next - next generation is a giant unknown .
[ Lex Friedmanis a staff writer at Macworld.com ]
