Apple recently released an upgrade to the 14-month-old iPhone 4 and added an S to the name “for speed” or is it for Siri? It is already selling like hotcakes but is an upgraded iPhone 4 worth fighting the crowds for when there are so many other smart phones on the market?
The iPhone 4S looks identical to the iPhone 4, but on the inside there have been some changes. So what’s good, what’s so-so and what is disappointing?
Good: new chip
The main new feature is the A5 chip – the same processor that powers the iPad 2. The A5 is a dual-core design and makes features like the camera much snappier, increasing your chances of capturing that special, one-off moment. Graphics performance has also increased to the point that, in some cases, it surpasses the abilities of current video game consoles.
So-so: new voice control software
The new processor enables Apple to introduce new beta voice recognition software called Siri, described as an artificial intelligence (AI) “Personal Assistant”. This will be useful for those who want to be able to send SMS and control their iPhone while driving with their Bluetooth car mount or other hands-free kit. Apple has included support for the Australian accent, but the majority of Siri’s AI features are missing in Australia at launch.
You can watch Apple’s video about Siri on its website and see if it is for you.
So-so: faster downloads
This is good, but it is carrier dependant so it remains “so-so”. The 4S has support for faster downloads using High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSPDA) technology at up to 14.4mbs. Using 3G HSPDA instead of 4G for fast downloads also means much better battery performance, while a new antenna system may also improve performance for other networks.
Not so good: battery life
Battery life has always been the iPhone’s biggest strength over Android, and Apple is boasting that the 4S has an extra hour of talk time. Unfortunately, they are talking this up to gloss over the fact that battery life has actually been lowered in real-world use. The 4S does contain a slightly larger battery but Wi-Fi browsing, one of the most common uses of a smartphone, has been limited to nine hours rather than the 10 on the original iPhone 4. This is still far superior than the majority, if not all, Android phones.
Not so good: new camera
Apple seems to have put in a lot of work trying to improve its camera, although some of the changes seem questionable. The iPhone 4 still has one of the best ever cameras found on a phone. For the iPhone 4S, Apple has added a faster lens that can take photos at a maximum aperture of f2.4. This is great, but unfortunately it seems Apple added it to compensate for an 8 megapixel sensor, which as good photographers know, means the pixels are too small for a device that size.
Apple has acknowledged this problem and has also improved the backside illumination of the sensor to assist each pixel straining for light to eke out a slight improvement in picture quality. The camera is also able to record 1080p video but don’t get too excited. The full HD video creates massive file sizes for little realistic gain in picture quality. This means slower airplay performance and most importantly, fewer photos and videos will be able to be stored on your iPhone. So you will need to consider not only a larger iPhone model, but you will likely have to pay for a much larger iCloud account if you want to keep your precious memories backed up automatically. This is not a deal breaker, it’s just disappointing.
Not so good: no obvious game changing feature
I believe a lot of people may feel let down by this release. The fact that Apple spent an extra four months working on what is just an upgrade of an old phone means questions will start to be asked about whether or not the company is sitting on its laurels.
Of course the real game changing feature that Apple is releasing is iCloud but due to its backwards compatibility with older devices and its seamless integration, consumers will likely take it for granted… unless something goes wrong.
So is it worth upgrading to the iPhone 4S?
If you are out of contract on an iPhone 3G or 3GS and you want a new phone that can run all the cool Apps you have bought in the App Store, the decision is easy. The 4S takes most of the great features from the classic looking iPhone 4 with the addition of the A5 processor. The chip is worth it alone, future proofing you so that by the end of your two-year contract, your phone should still be able to run the latest games and apps.
If you already have an iPhone 4 you can relax – you still get iCloud and iOS5 for free. Besides, this time next year there will probably be a new iPhone with many more temptations.
If you still have a “dumb” phone or you are sick of Android and considering moving to the iPhone, the 4S is not such a bad place to jump in. The simplicity of iCloud keeping your data backed up and the awesome range of high quality mobile apps are worth it alone without even considering the hardware.
Source:http://technologyspectator.com.au/smart-devices/mobility/review-iphone-4s
