iPhone 4S
The iPhone 4S is a touchscreen-based smartphone developed by Apple Inc. It is the fifth and recent generation of the iPhone and retains the exterior design of its predecessor, the iPhone 4, but is host to a range of improved hardware specifications and software updates. The phone added a voice recognition system known as Siri, for which the S in the products name stands, and a cloud storage service named iCloud. Some of the device's functions may be voice-controlled through Siri.On October 4, 2011, in Cupertino, California, Apple announced the iPhone 4S. On October 7, 2011, it became available for preorder in seven initial countries (United States, Canada, Australia, United Kingdom, France, Germany and Japan) with the first delivery date set for October 14, 2011 and available on that same day for direct in-store sales in those countries. It was released in 22 more countries, including Ireland, Mexico, and Singapore on October 28.
It is available for 100 cell service carriers in 70 countries, including eight carriers in the United States. For US customers, unlocked (contract-free) sales started on November 11, 2011. The Associated Press said that AT&T described early iPhone 4S demand as "extraordinary". Reception to the iPhone 4S was generally favorable. Reviewers noted Siri, the new camera, and processing speeds as significant advantages over the prior model. Four million units of the iPhone 4S were sold in the first three days of release.
History
There were no external differences between the iPhone 4 CDMA model and the iPhone 4S, with the exception of a SIM card slot on the iPhone 4S. all changes were internal (slight external differences between the iPhone 4 GSM model and the iPhone 4S exist, as said differences existed between the CDMA and GSM models of the iPhone 4).
The iPhone 4S was unveiled at Apple's "Let's Talk iPhone" event on October 4, 2011, on the Apple Campus in Cupertino, California. The keynote was the first in which Tim Cook led since the Verizon keynote earlier in the year. It was also Cook's first launch without Apple co-founder, Steve Jobs, whose health was deteriorating and died the day after the announcement of iPhone 4S. Tim Carmody of Wired praised Cook for focusing on company achievements, calling him a "global business thinker" and a "taskmaster".
At the "Let's Talk iPhone" event held by Apple on October 4, 2011, Mike Capps demonstrated Epic Games' Infinity Blade II, the sequel to Infinity Blade, on an iPhone 4S. Capps boasted that the game uses Epic Games' Unreal Engine 3 and features the same graphic techniques used in the Xbox 360 game Gears of War 3.
| [show]Date Released | October 14, 2011 | October 28, 2011 | November 11, 2011 | November 25, 2011 | December 16, 2011 | January 13, 2012 |
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Features
Software
The 4S uses iOS 5.1.1, which was released on May 7, 2012. It can act as a hotspot, sharing its internet connection over WiFi, Bluetooth, or USB, and also accesses the App Store, a digital application distribution platform for iOS developed and maintained by Apple. The service allows users to browse and download applications from the iTunes Store that were developed with Xcode and the iOS SDK and were published through Apple. From the App Store, GarageBand, iMovie, iPhoto, and the iWork apps (Pages, Keynote, and Numbers) are available for purchase to use on the iPhone.
The 4S comes with several applications by default, including Safari, Mail, Photos, Video, YouTube, Music, iTunes, App Store, Maps, Notes, Calendar, Game Center, and Contacts. Like all iOS devices, the 4S can sync with a Mac or PC using iTunes, although iOS 5 and later can be completely PC-free. In addition to making phone calls over a cellular network, a user can use a wired headset or the built-in speaker and microphone and place phone calls over Wi-Fi or cellular using a VoIP application.
The 4S access play music, movies, television shows, ebooks, audiobooks, and podcasts and can sort its media library by songs, artists, albums, videos, playlists, genres, composers, podcasts, audiobooks, and compilations. Options are always presented alphabetically, except in playlists, which retain their order from iTunes. The iPhone uses a large font that allows users plenty of room to touch their selection. Users can rotate their device horizontally to landscape mode to access Cover Flow. Like on iTunes, this feature shows the different album covers in a scroll-through photo library. Scrolling is achieved by swiping a finger across the screen. Alternatively, headset controls can be used to pause, play, skip, and repeat tracks. On the 4S, the volume can be changed with the included Apple Earphones, and the Voice Control feature can be used to identify a track, play songs in a playlist or by a specific artist, or create a Genius playlist.
The iPhone 4S introduced a new automated voice control system called "Siri", unique to the 4S, that allows the user to give the iPhone commands, which it can execute and respond to. For example, iPhone commands such as "What is the weather going to be like?" will generate a response such as "The weather is to be cloudy and rainy and drop to 54 degrees today". These commands can vary greatly and control almost every application of the phone. The commands given do not have to be specific and can be used with natural language. Siri can be accessed by holding down the home button for an extra amount of time (compared to using the regular function). An impact of Siri, as shown by Apple video messages, is that it is much easier for people to use device functions while driving, exercising, or when they have their hands full. It also means people with trouble reading, seeing, or typing can access the phone more easily.
On the iPhone 4S, texting can be aided by the voice assistant, which allows speech-to-text. In addition to regular texting, messaging on the iPhone 4S is supported by iMessage, a specialized instant messaging program and service that allows unlimited texting to other Apple iOS 5 products. This supports the inclusion of media in text messages, integration with the device's voice controlled software assistant, and read receipts for sent messages. Input to the computer comes from a keyboard displayed on the multi-touch screen or by voice-to text by speaking into the microphone. Entered text is supported by predictive and suggestion software as well as a spell-checker, that includes many regional dialects like Swiss spoken French.
At announcement, plans were in place for the iPhone 4S to support many languages. Different features have different language requirements, such as keyboards compared to the word predictor and spell-checker, which needs a large dictionary of words. Language support is related to the iOS 5 operating system that the device launched with, although not always. The Siri digital assistant supported French, English, and German at launch. Since it uses a software based keyboard supported by the multi-touch display, it can support many different keyboard layouts without having to change physically. The iPhone 4S can display different languages and scripts at the same time.
Hardware
The iPhone 4S has 512 MB of DDR2 RAM. Maximum available storage size increased to 64 GB whilst the 32 GB and 16 GB model options were retained. The screen is the same as the prior generation iPhones; 3.5 inches (89 mm), 640×960 resolution (Apple's "retina" design). There was an improvement in interactive multimedia applications compared to its predecessor.
The iPhone 4S has an improved cellular (GSM) antenna design over the iPhone 4. The new antenna is divided up into two pieces within the stainless steel band that wraps around the sides of the phone. Therefore, if the iPhone 4S is gripped in such a way as to attenuate one piece of the cellular antenna, the radio will switch to the other piece that isn't being gripped. The iPhone 4S can support a maximum theoretical download speed of up to 14.4 Mbps with HSDPA+. As a result of an upgraded radio chip inside the phone, in addition to being a world phone, so both CDMA and GSM customers can roam internationally on GSM networks. It also supports Bluetooth 4.0.
The camera on the iPhone 4S, also known as an iSight camera, can take 8 megapixel photos (3,264 by 2,448 pixels) and record 1080p videos at up to 30 frames per second with upgraded quality (30% better clarity, 26% better white balance, color accuracy) due to an additional lens, IR filter, a wider f/2.4 aperture, and Image signal processor (built-in A5).
In iOS 5.1, the camera can be accessed directly from the lock screen, and the volume up button doubles as a shutter trigger. The built-in gyroscope is able to stabilize the camera while recording video. Other features of the camera are macro (for close up pictures) and faster capture including being able to take its first picture in 1.1 seconds and the next half a second later.
The iPhone 4S features a 3.5 inches (89 mm) 960 by 640 pixel multitouch Retina display. It has two volume buttons and a ring/silent switch on the left side. On the top left there is a 3.5 mm headphone jack and a microphone that is used for both noise cancellation during calls and when in speakerphone/FaceTime (video calling) mode. The lock/power button is situated on the top right edge of the device. The right side of the device has a Micro-SIM card slot. The bottom of the device features a speaker output on the right and a microphone input on the left with Apple's proprietary 30-pin dock connector in the center. The iPhone 4S supports video out via AirPlay and various Apple A/V cables. Supported video formats include H.264 (1080p 30 frames per second maximum), MPEG-4 video, and motion JPEG (M-JPEG).
In addition to user inputs, the device also has several sensors that give the phone information about its orientation and external conditions. These include a three-axis gyroscope, an accelerometer, a proximity sensor, and an ambient light sensor. The iPhone 4S is stated to have 200 hours standby time (iPhone 4 300 hours), 8 hours talk time on 3G (iPhone 4–7 hours), 14 hours talk time on 2G, 6 hours 3G browsing, and 9 hours Wi-Fi browsing. Additionally, it can sustain up to 10 hours of video playback or 40 hours of audio playback.
Design
The iPhone 4 and 4S were designed by Jonathan Ive. The '4' generation iPhones differ from earlier Apple designs; the bulges of the back panel as well as the band between the front and back are gone and have been replaced with flattened surfaces. The redesign reflects the utilitarianism and uniformity of existing Apple products, such as the iPad and the iMac. The overall dimensions of the iPhone 4S are lower than that of the 3GS.[48]
It is 4.53 inches (115 mm) high, 2.31 inches (59 mm) wide, and 0.37 inches (9.4 mm) deep, compared to the iPhone 3GS, which is 4.55 inches (116 mm) high, 2.44 inches (62 mm) wide, and 0.48 inches (12 mm) deep; making the iPhone 4 and 4S 21.5% thinner than the 3GS. The internal components are situated between two panels of aluminosilicate glass, described by Apple as being "chemically strengthened to be 20 times stiffer and 30 times harder than plastic," theoretically allowing it to be more scratch resistant and durable than the prior models.[49][50]
Reception
Reviewers praised the 4S's Siri as one of the most innovative new features.
Consumers using the iPhone 4S in an Apple Store.
Critical reception
Reception to the iPhone 4S was generally favorable. Reviewers noted Siri, the new camera, and processing speeds as significant advantages over the prior model.[14][15][16] Tim Stevens of Engadget said that the "iPhone 4S does everything better than the iPhone 4, but it simply doesn't do anything substantially different."[16] Joshua Topolsky of The Verge stated that "if this were to be a car, it would be a Mercedes" and that Siri is "probably one of the most novel applications Apple has ever produced."[14] Most reviewers thought that Siri was the most important feature on the iPhone 4S. Brian Chen of Wired said that "the fifth-generation iPhone's superb camera and speedy dual-core processor are classy additions. But Siri is the reason people should buy this phone."[15]Retrevo surveyed more than 1,300 U.S. consumers and reported that 71 percent of all smartphone owners were not disappointed by the new iPhone 4S but 47 percent or almost a half of current iPhone 4 owners were; 12 percent were hoping for a bigger display, 21 percent wanted a refreshed design, and 29 percent desired 4G.[51] Echoing technology pundits, Reuters suggested that the lack of a more radical departure from the iPhone 4 could open new market opportunities for rivals.[52] Analyst C. K. Lu of Gartner believed that Apple no longer had the leading edge and that the 4S would only sell due to brand loyalty, as fans had been expecting an iPhone 5 with a thinner profile, edge-to-edge screen, and stronger features. These same fans had also wanted a cheaper, stripped-down iPhone 4.
Gaming on the iPhone 4S has been likened to the PlayStation Vita, that features the same SGX GPU only in a quad-core configuration, and the Nintendo 3DS handheld game consoles. Further, the iPhone 4S' ability to process 80 million polygons per second has been compared to the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360 home video game consoles that can process 275 million and 500 million polygons per second respectively.
CVG's deputy editor Andy Robinson told TechRadar that the "iPhone 4S is certainly laying down some serious credibility for the iPhone as a core gaming device. Not only is it now pushing out games that simply eclipse the Nintendo 3DS visually, but features like cloud saving and TV streaming support are really exciting for gamers." The senior gaming analyst at Jon Peddie Research, Ted Pollak, believes the biggest improvement to gaming on the iPhone 4S is the voice control features, noting that "one of the features that Nintendogs players loved was the ability to talk to it. There's no reason why a game like that couldn't be done on the iPhone 4S, and much more sophisticated given the voice control shown."
Commercial reception
Unlike prior iPhone models, the number of sales of the iPhone 4 had not yet climaxed before the introduction of the 4S. Previous iPhone models were released during or after declining sales figures. In addition, iPhone 4 users had high marks for being satisfied with their phone. Nevertheless, they wanted more from Apple, forgetting that from Apple's perspective the iPhone 4 was still a hit and that new users may not be bothered by the unchanged look and feel as they did not formerly own an iPhone 4. Upon the announcement of the iPhone 4S, shares of Samsung Electronics, HTC and Nokia gained on Wednesday after the 4S was announced, while Apple stock fell. However, later in the day Apple shares rebounded ending with a 1% gain.With the launch of the pre-order, AT&T said that the demand for the iPhone 4S was "extraordinary".Over 200,000 pre-orders were placed within 12 hours of release through AT&T. The German phone company Deutsche Telekom said they were "satisfied" with consumer interest. In addition, AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint sold-out pre-order stock by October 8, 2011 and by October 9 there was a 1-2 week estimate on new pre-orders to be filled. On October 20, 2011 AT&T surpassed 1 million iPhone 4S activations. On October 10, Apple announced that over one million iPhone 4Ss had been pre-ordered within the first 24 hours of it being on sale, beating the 600,000 device record set by the iPhone 4. The 16-month wait between the iPhone 4 and 4S may have contributed to overwhelming sales as well.
On October 17, 2011, Apple had announced that four million units of the iPhone 4S were sold in the first three days of release, and 25 million iOS users had upgraded to the then latest version of iOS, iOS 5, which was released upon the introduction of the phone. Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing, stated that the "iPhone 4S is off to a great start with more than four million sold in its first weekend—the most ever for a phone and more than double the iPhone 4 launch during its first three days."The used phone market saw unprecedented rates of trade-ins in the weeks leading up to the 4S announcement, and after it there was a drop in prices offered. Previous generation iPhones are recirculated through the markets through various methods and third-party buyers may purchase older generation iPhones. Apple also buys back previous generation iPhones under a special program. On April 24, 2012, AT&T announced that 7.6 million iPhone units were activated in Q4 2011, and 4.3 million in Q1 2012. In total, AT&T sold 5.5 million smartphones in the first quarter of 2012, out of which 78% were iPhones.
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