It may not have go far in the summer as past iPhones did and it may not have had the rendering number the blogosphere was anticipating , but the iPhone 4S has made its introduction . Unveiled by Apple at a Tuesday press event , the raw phone bear more than a passing resemblance to the model that forego it . But the iPhone 4S is a decidedly novel gadget , with internal change and software lineament that determine it aside from the iPhones that have come before it .
With preorders now being accepted for the iPhone 4S , we take a tight flavour at Apple ’s latest offering , answering some rough-cut questions about this new smartphone .
When can I get the iPhone 4S ?
The iPhone 4S break down on sale Friday , October 14 in the U.S. , U.K. , Canada , Australia , France , German , and Japan on October 14 . Apple expects that number to reach 70 countries by the end of 2011 .
So I better begin describe up now then ?
Not needs . Apple starts taking iPhone 4S preorders on October 7 . If iPhone 4S preordering works as it has for past iOS devices like the iPad , you could go online Friday , order your iPhone , and have it delivered to your home , skipping the maddening crowd outside the Apple Store entirely . Unless you particularly love waitress in parentage , we recommend this approach .
How much will the iPhone 4S toll ? What models are available ?
There are six alone iPhone 4S models . That ’s two colors ( black and white ) , with three unlike storage size .
In the U.S. , the 16 GB models cost $ 199 , the 32 GB role model costs $ 299 , and the 64 GB models be $ 399 — each price , of course , requires a two - class religious service contract .
What if I do n’t need to sign up for a two - year contract bridge ?
Then keep open your pennies . Apple foretell on Friday thatit will be propose an unlocked version of the iPhone 4S , justas it did with the iPhone 4 . However , like its predecessor , the deficiency of a carrier subsidy means that the unsecured iPhone 4S comes at a pregnant insurance premium : $ 649 for the 16 GB variant , $ 749 for 32 GB , and $ 849 for 64 GB . And , an extra catch , the unbolted version wo n’t work on Sprint or Verizon in the U.S. That means it ’s mainly utilitarian for those planning on move around overseas and pop in a local SIM in another country , or those whowant to use their iPhone on T - Mobile — at EDGE speeds , since T - Mobile uses a unlike 3 G oftenness — without jailbreaking .
I ’ve already got an iPhone . How do I live if I ’m eligible for an raise ?
Why the iPhone 4S ? Why not the iPhone 5 ?
Apple usually keeps the reasons behind some of its product development conclusion pretty closely to the vest , and the iPhone 4S is no elision . Still , the naming convention is not too openhanded of a surprise if you take a closer look at the comparatively brief upgrade story of the iPhone product seam . When it come time to replace the iPhone 3 GiB in 2009 , Apple did n’t name the new equipment “ iPhone 4 ” ; rather , it tacked on an south to make the iPhone 3GS . In that instance , the iPhone 3GS offer few change to the iPhone 3 G ’s case — some stylistic change to the inscription on the back of the phone , and a oil - resistant coating for the front filmdom were about the only exterior modification . In the iPhone 3G - to - iPhone 3GS transition , the biggest changes come to the headphone ’s inside , and that looks like the case with the iPhone 4S as well — hence , the name .
This phone take care the same as the iPhone 4 . Are there any conflict on the outside ?
The iPhone 4S looks a lot like the iPhone 4 — in fact , it ’s a deadened ringer for the Verizon model of that earpiece . ( The markings on the case of both the Verizon iPhone 4 and the iPhone 4S are somewhat different from the original rendering of the iPhone 4 , and the side clitoris are shifted slightly upward . ) There ’s one small difference between the 4S and that of the Verizon iPhone 4 : a SIM card slot on the telephone ’s right side . Since the iPhone 4S corroborate both GSM and CDMA web — we’ll explicate what this intend ingreater item below — all model have a little tray along the right side of the physical body for a GSM SIM card .
What are some of the changes on the interior ?
For appetiser , the iPhone 4S has a faster mainframe — an Apple - make A5 chip , which also happens to be the central processing unit that power the iPad 2 . It ’s a dual - core processor ( compare to the iPhone 4 ’s single - core A4 mainframe ) , which should mean improved performance not only for the CPU , but for graphics on the gimmick as well .
In gain , there ’s a novel wireless system , featuring two antennas . The iPhone 4S switches back and forth between the two when its channel and receiving information . Apple says the aim is better call character and faster download stop number . It ’s absolved that one reason Apple is trumpet this new antenna system of rules is the critique the iPhone 4 receive after metier reports indicate that holding the phone on the bottom could rarefy the signal ; in possibility , this two - antenna approach means that in most cases holding the sound should n’t have any effect on your signal . ( For more on this matter , seebelow . )
What ’s more , the iPhone 4S supports a faster form of cellular data transfer . As a result , when the iPhone 4S is connected to cellular towers that support that transference method , the maximal download speeds can be impressive . Apple claims the iPhone 4S ’s maximum cellular transport swiftness are 5.8Mbps for uploads and 14.4Mbps for downloads ; that ’s the same maximum upload speed as the iPhone 4 , but the rated maximum download speed on that phone was only 7.2Mbps .
So the iPhone 4S is faster than the iPhone 4 ?
Apple sure enough says it is . At Tuesday ’s event , Apple senior vice president of worldwide product marketing Phil Schiller said the iPhone 4S should pop the question central processor performance that ’s twice as fast the iPhone 4 , and seven times faster graphics public presentation . We ’ll have a better idea of how this translate to genuine - populace performance once we have an iPhone 4S in hand and can run some tests .
What about barrage fire life ?
Apple is promising eight hour of talk time on 3 G , 14 hours of talk sentence on AT&T ’s EDGE meshing , six hours of 3 yard browsing , nine hour of Wi - Fi , ten hours of video , and 40 hours of listen to music . The primal number there is the 3 G talking time — it ’s an hour betterment over what Apple claimed for the iPhone 4 . The ground ? The A5 is a more power - effective chip , Apple suppose . Again , this is something we design on examination once the iPhone 4S arrives .
I record reports about trouble with the iPhone 4 ’s signal strength when it add up out last summertime . Did Apple do anything to fix the trouble with the iPhone 4S ?
Yes and no . You did indeed see reports about aver issue with the iPhone 4 ’s feeler — namely , that a mensurable drop in signal could occur if you touched the iPhone in a specific spot .
Appleaddressed the issue at a press event last July , explaining that all smartphones can suffer from signal fading when you touch them in sealed spots . The company also clarified that iPhones had , until that time , expose sign military capability falsely , and the company issued a software program update to address that event . Apple also provide early iPhone 4 adopters free bumper character , which alleviate the signal bead exit . In praxis , though , few iPhone 4 customers ever point out real - world problems from the suppose antenna government issue — small comfort if you were one of those few , we see .
As we ’ve mentioned , the iPhone 4S features a new aerial pattern . On the original iPhone 4 , touching the phone at the antenna seam on the lower left-hand side of the twist could cause the sign drop . We wo n’t be intimate on the nose where , or if , we ’ll see signal attenuation is on the iPhone 4S until we get our bridge player all over one .
The iPhone 4 do in CDMA and GSM version . Is that the type for the iPhone 4S as well ?
The iPhone 4S is a domain phone , meaning its internals support both CDMA and GSM connection . So you’re able to bribe any iPhone 4S you ’d wish , and it will work on the supported net of your choosing — AT&T ’s , Sprint ’s , Verizon ’s , or external carriers that stand those standards .
It ’s a significant change , in particular for human beings travelers . With the iPhone 4 , world traveler were inclined to purchase the AT&T / GSM - compatible good example because that web banner is more dominant outside the U.S. Now , a client who signs up with Verizon and its CDMA - establish web will be able to travel abroad more well — when they ’re in a land that adheres to the GSM standard , their iPhone 4S will still be able-bodied to connect to that web and just form . ( provide you ’ve signed up for an international roaming architectural plan with your carrier , of grade . )
So I ’ll be able to buy an iPhone 4S with AT&T and then flip over to Verizon later , right ?
Not necessarily .
You might intend that you ’d be able-bodied to move from carrier to mail carrier since the iPhone 4S can access both GSM and CDMA networks , but it ’s not that simple — not even if your contract with one postman pass . A closer expression at Apple ’s fine print uncovers this passage : “ The iPhone model you purchase is dependent to your wireless religious service provider ’s insurance policy , which may include restrictions on switching service supplier and rove , even after conclusion of any required minimum religious service contract . ”
iPhones sell with two - year contracts are “ locked ” to a particular carrier . There ’s some dispute about whether you ’re permit to unlock the phone when your carrier contract lapses , but it generally is not something the carriers or Apple want to talk about . It ’s complicated . The short answer is , do n’t buy an iPhone 4S expecting that you will be able to freely move from one postman to another . Expect to commit to a carrier and lodge with it .
Are there any other carriers offering service for the iPhone 4S besides AT&T and Verizon ?
Indeed . Sprint is the third U.S. carrier to get the iPhone , and in fact will carry both the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S. Note that Sprint , like Verizon , has a CDMA - based internet .
The iPhone 4 is still available ? Why ?
It ’s still a great phone . Apple now has a history of maintain late generations of iPhones available for purchase when unexampled models are released . you’re able to grab the iPhone 4 ( the 8 GB model only ) for $ 99 with a two - twelvemonth contract . you may even get the 8 GB iPhone 3GS — yes , it ’s not dead yet!—for free with a two - year contract bridge . If you ’re looking to save some money and are n’t yet on the iPhone bandwagon , both phones are hunky-dory option to the iPhone 4S — though of course they lack many of its features .
What ’s new with the camera ?
Plenty . The iPhone 4S ’s rear - facing camera is 8 megapixels . ( The Phone 4 offer a 5 - megapixel camera ) . The camera also boasts an improved custom lens and a wider f/2.4 aperture to allow in more wanton — that should provide bright coloring material and better lowlight performance . Apple says you’re able to print 8.5 - by-11 - inch iPhone 4S pic , and that they ’ll be literally pixel - perfect .
The camera also leverages an image signal processor that ’s part of the A5 bit that powers the headphone . Apple claims that the processor rivals the single you might get hold in DSLR cameras . That processor , Apple says , should help oneself you take pictures quicker , with more brilliant colors and best white balance . The processor also aid focus and balance photograph as you snatch photos , with the power to detect up to ten faces in a group guesswork .
What about shooting video — has that changed at all ?
Yes . The iPhone 4S ’s tail end - facing camera can now shoot HD video at much high-pitched resoluteness than the iPhone 4 . The former simulation was bound to 720p ( 1280 by 720 pixel ) while the 4S shoots up to 1080p ( 1920 by 1080 pel ) , and still at 30 chassis per second . Be aware that those 1080p videos will also take up a passel more room on your iPhone and computer if you download them for keeping .
Do those change feign the front - face camera as well ?
lamentably , no . The front camera is the same , lower - resolution VGA television camera that ’s on the iPhone 4 . So both photo and video recording quality persist the same as before .
I keep get word about something called Siri . What does it do ?
Whatever you secern it to .
But seriously , Siri is a voice - command lineament built into the iPhone 4S that responds to natural - language petition . Siri can even speak to you .
You trigger Siri by pressing and hold the Home push button for a 2d or two . Then , you could ask Siri questions or bring home the bacon instructions . It ’s easiest to empathise just what Siri can do by translate a sampling substitution that Apple says Siri could channel :
You : Is it going to be parky in San Francisco this weekend ?
Siri : Not too cold . Maybe down to 61 level in San Francisco .
You : What about Napa Valley ?
Siri : Does n’t seem like it . It wo n’t get below 68 degrees .
Siri is more than just a spill the beans weather gizmo , though . you’re able to give Siri command , like scheduling a meeting at 4 p.m. ; if you ’ve already arrive a meeting scheduled at that prison term , Siri will alert you verbally about the fight . you’re able to also distinguish Siri to cue you to do something when you get home or leave work , using iOS 5 ’s Reminders app . Since you could tell Siri about important people or lieu in your lifetime ( “ my wife , ” “ work ” ) , it can read what contact or address you mean when you expend such term .
Siri can announce novel notifications as they arrive ( “ fresh email from Dan Moren ” ) , say those messages loudly , and transcribe ( and send ) a reply that you dictate , all through speech commands .
Though freestanding from Siri , it ’s also worth noting that the iPhone 4S include written text service anywhere you may practice the virtual keyboard . beg the fresh microphone icon , and the sound pop out listening . When you end talk , the iPhone 4S quickly place your recording out to Apple ’s servers , which then institutionalize the transcribed text back . The whole process lease just moment .
If I do n’t upgrade to an iPhone 4S , I ’ll still be able to use Siri when I get the iOS 5 update for my current speech sound , right ?
So far , Apple has said that only the iPhone 4S will include Siri functionality . you’re able to raise your iPhone 4 or 3GS or your iPad to iOS 5 , but for the moment , Siri is restrict to the iPhone 4S. Interestingly , Apple is calling the initial dismissal of Siri a “ genus Beta , ” and the company has n’t clarified whether the 4S requirement is a computer hardware limit . If Siri merely ask the iPhone 4S ’s A5 processor , it ’s not hard to reckon the functionality could one twenty-four hours come up to the iPad 2 , which include the same buffalo chip . Given that the Siri app on which Siri is free-base workplace on the iPhone 4 , perhaps that model may even get the feature finally — though we would n’t bet on it . But we just do n’t have intercourse for certain .
Will my current accessories work with the iPhone 4S ?
Because the iPhone 4S has almost incisively the same form as the iPhone 4 , most accessories compatible with the 4 will also do work with the 4S. As we mentioned sooner , the 4S appears to have thesame layout for the volume button and Ring / Silent switching as the Verizon ( CDMA ) iPhone 4 , so some early iPhone 4 causa designed for the AT&T ( GSM ) model might not match those controls perfectly . But newer cases , as well as those designed for the Verizon iPhone 4 , should fit the iPhone 4S fine . We ’ll be testing the iPhone 4S with other accessories , so stay tune up for further updates .
Updated at 8:30 a.m. PT with info about the unlocked iPhone 4S.
