Allright. So Apple did release a new iPhone today. But to the disappointment of the many, it wasn’t an iPhone 5. Although, the specs bump totally qualify the new one as the next gen phone, Apple went with the “S” terminology this time again to signify that the primary benefit from the upgraded specs is gonna be increased speed. So here are the specs of the iPhone 4S (changes from iPhone 4 highlighted in bold):
- Dual Core Apple A5 processor
- 16, 32 and 64GB capacity
- UMTS/HSDPA/HSUPA (850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz); GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
- CDMA EV-DO Rev. A (800, 1900 MHz)
- 4802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi (802.11n 2.4GHz only)
- Bluetooth 4.0 wireless technology
- Assisted GPS
- Digital compass
- 3.5-inch (diagonal) widescreen Multi-Touch Retina display
- 8-megapixel camera with 1080p video recording
- AirPlay Mirroring to Apple TV support at 720p
The new iPhone is twice as fast as the previous one and Apple claims that it will deliver 7 times the graphics power of its predecessor, thanks to the dual core A5 chip (and probably double the amount of RAM too). What is most interesting to note is that it supports both GSM and CDMA networks. This way, Apple will just have to maintain one phone instead of two it current makes. This also means that all iPhone users, irrespective of the wireless carrier technology they pick, will get the latest updates from Apple whenever they are released. Also, this is a big book for international travelers who might be traveling to a country where their carrier technology is not supported. They can now roam on the alternate technology based carriers. People traveling to US with their unlocked iPhone can now use Verizon or Sprint which offer much better coverage and faster speeds as opposed to at&t.
Bluetooth 4.0 means that iPhone can connect with compatible devices (like the latest ten macbook airs) consuming extremely low power and an increased range of up to 50 meters!
The camera hardware has received a major overhaul with the addition of a 5th lens and increase in shutter area. Coupled with the improved sensor, the camera will deliver images at par with point and shoots and capture 1080p video with 30fps and video stabilization.
The iPhone 4S will ship with iOS 5. The biggest USP is going to be the Siri assistant system available exclusively on the iPhone 4S (probably because it needs the processing power). The assistant will enable you to talk to your iPhone like it is your assistant. In addition to converting your speech to text, Siri will be able to understand what you want and act on it. Here is a quick video to demonstrate Siri’s capabilities:
The second biggest USP is going to be iCloud which will really enable iPhone to go PC (or Mac) free and function as an independent device part of the Apple’s ecosystem in addition to all the awesome features explained in the video below:
So, as I said, apart from the exterior body, Apple has upgraded almost all of iPhone’s internal components. And it makes total sense too. The current design is super awesome and seductively beautiful. It is time for people to come out of the rumor & fake mockup world to realize that the new iPhone is indeed, totally worth the upgrade.
The iPhone 4S will be available for pre order on Oct 7 2011 and in stores on Oct 14 2011 with the following prices:
- 16GB: $199
- 32GB: $299
- 64GB: $399
Note that the above prices are under a 2 year contract. Apple has not revealed any prices for the factory unlocked version, but judging by the decreased prices of iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4, they should price it same as the unlocked iPhone 4.
And if you need more convincing, just watch the video below:
