The iPhone 4S is a touchscreen-based, slate-sized 3G smartphone developed by Apple Inc. It is the fifth 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 and a cloud storage service named iCloud. Some of the device's functions may be voice-controlled through Siri.[6]Cite error: Closing missing for tag; see the help page It is available for 100 cell service carriers in 70 countries, including eight carriers in the United States. In Japan, it is the first iPhone available for au and Okinawa Cellular. For US customers, while pre-orders for purchasers buying contracts started on October 7, 2011, unlocked (contract-free) sales started on November 11, 2011. The Associated Press said that AT&T described early iPhone 4S demand as "extraordinary".
HistorySpeculation about Apple's next generation phone, including various specifications and a predicted name ("iPhone 5"), were widespread in the time preceding its debut.[12] After the iPhone 4S was announced, there was some disappointment about the new phone's name.[12] As early as May 2011, some leaks had a fairly accurate description of the product including the name "iPhone 4S", the A5 chip, HSDPA,[13] new/better camera, and Sprint carrying.[14]
There were no external differences between the iPhone 4 CDMA model and the iPhone 4S;[12] 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).[15][16][17]
The iPhone 4S was unveiled at Apple's "Let's Talk iPhone" event on October 4, 2011 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 product 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".[18]
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.[19]
The iPhone 4S was released on October 14, 2011, in United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan. It was then released on October 28, 2011, in Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland, on November 11, 2011, in Albania, Armenia, Bulgaria, El Salvador, Greece, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Malta, Montenegro, New Zealand, Panama, Poland, Portugal, Romania, and South Korea, on November 25, 2011, in Colombia, Moldova, and India, on December 16, 2011, in Brazil, Chile, Israel, Malaysia, the Philippines, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Bahrain, and on January 13, 2012, in Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Bolivia, Botswana, the British Virgin Islands, Cameroon, the Cayman Islands, the Central African Republic, China, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Grenada, Guam, Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire, Jamaica, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritius, Niger, Senegal, St. Vincent and The Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos, Uganda, and Jordan.[20][21]
Features
The iPhone 4S has a stainless steel, dual-antenna design. Apple redesigned the antenna in the iPhone 4S so that the cellular radio in the phone can alternate between two antennas, depending on which is sending/receiving the best signal. These two antennas form part of the stainless steel band that covers the sides of the iPhone 4 and 4S.[22] The bands on the iPhone 4S are divided into four antennas, cellular, Bluetooth, GPS, and Wi-Fi.[13]
In both the iPhone 4 and 4S, the cellular (GSM) antenna is divided into two. 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.[22] The iPhone 4S can support a maximum output theoretically 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.[23] It also supports Bluetooth 4.0.[6]
The camera on the iPhone 4S, also known as an iSight camera, can take 8 MP photos (3264 by 2448 pixels) and record 1080p videos at up to 30 frames per second with upgraded quality[24] (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).[23][25]
The camera can now 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.[15][23]
Like the iPhone 4, the 3.5 inch 960 by 640 pixel Retina display supports multitouch, a technology that allows multiple simultaneous touch inputs. Siri, a voice control feature exclusive to the iPhone 4S, interprets voice commands and can give visual and auditory feedback.[26] The iPhone 4S has two volume buttons and a ring/silent switch on the left side.[13] 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 mode. The lock/power button is situated on the top right edge of the device.[13] The right side of the device is devoid of inputs except for a 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.[13] The top left on the back of the device houses an 8 megapixel f/2.4 aperture camera with an LED flash. The iPhone 4S supports video out via AirPlay and various Apple A/V cables.[23] Supported video formats include such as H.264 (1080p 30 fps max.), MPEG-4 video, and motion JPEG (M-JPEG).[23]
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 3-axis gyro, an accelerometer, a proximity sensor, and an ambient light sensor.[6] 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.[6][23][27] Additionally, it can sustain up to 10 hours of video playback or 40 hours of audio playback.[28]
The iPhone 4S has a dual-core Apple A5 processor,[23][29] compared to the one-core Apple A4 processor used in the iPhone 4. It has 512 MB of RAM, the same as its predecessor.[4] 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 inch, 640×960 resolution (Apple's "retina" design).[23] The improvement in interactive multimedia applications was obvious compared to its predecessor.[15]
Hardware
The iPhone 4S uses the Apple A5 system-on-a-chip that uses an Imagination Technologies PowerVR SGX graphics processing unit, which features pixel, vertex, and geometry shader hardware, supporting OpenGL ES 2.0. The SGX543 is an improved version of the GPU used in the iPhone 4S' predecessor, the iPhone 4. However, the iPhone 4S uses a dual-core model, the SGX543, that is integrated with the Apple A5 SoC in the same way as the iPad 2.[30] Apple claims that the iPhone 4S can process graphics up to "seven times faster" than the iPhone 4 was corroborated by Epic Games president Mike Capps.[31]
The iPhone 4S introduced a new automated voice control system called "Siri", unique to the 4S,[15] 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 section 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 pointed out by Apple video messages, is that it is much easier and/or possible for people to use device functions while driving, exercising, or when they have their hands full.[12] It also means people with trouble reading, seeing, or typing can access the phone more easily.[12] Siri is supported by the A5 chip and is currently a feature only available on the iPhone 4S.[15] Siri also needs Internet access to function.[6] When used for the first time, Siri does not require setup but does adapt to a user's voice over time, and can also be taught certain things directly.[32] A number of aspects of the software can be configured, such as language and its voice feedback ability (its ability to talk back).[32]
At launch Apple said Siri is still in beta, and it has a certain set of abilities with restrictions, such as being able to dictate texts but not emails, and only controlling certain apps.[33] Nevertheless one area it may be useful is driving and exercise activities.[15] It is integrated with Apple's Find My Friends program (which debuted at the same time as the 4S), so Siri can potentially answer questions like "Where is my wife?"[32] When it is enabled, Apple's Find My Friends lets a social group know where each other are and Siri can use this information to answer questions.[32] Siri can be taught information, so it knows who a person is referring to when they use generic terminology on that device.[32]
On the iPhone 4S, texting can be aided by the voice assistant, which allows speech-to-text.[12] 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. iMessages are in blue, and regular texts in green in the screen bubbles. 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.[6] Since Siri can send text messages, a person can text and drive without taking their eyes off the road, as shown in Apple's video ad.[12] Another example, is that a person can ask Siri for information while they are cooking and their hands are messy.[12] It also makes it much easier for people with physical disabilities such as blindness to compose and send text messages.[12]
At announcement plans were in place for the iPhone 4S to support many languages from around the world. 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.[32] 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.[23] The device is a world phone and can work on both GSM & CDMA networks.[23] On a 2G (on GSM) network it supports up to 14 hours of talk time.[23] It can download at maximum rate of 14.4 Mbps on a HSPA+ network such as AT&T Mobility's. However, on CDMA networks, such as Verizon Wireless, it is limited to 3.1 Mbit/s.[23]
iPhone 4S was announced with Apple's iOS 5 operating system, which Apple claims as having over 200 new features compared to the prior version. On the 4S, the Apple A5 processor and iOS 5 work together to support many subsystems of the device, such as data processing for the camera. Some major tasks performed include browsing the internet with Safari, voice assistance with Siri, cellular communications, media playback, and applications. It supports PC and Mac freedom, where updates can be downloaded by over-the-air to the device.[34] Another feature is the ability to have Apple send a real card in the mail with the Apple Cards application.[34]
ReceptionCritical reception
Reaction to the iPhone 4S announcement was generally favorable. Reviewers noted Siri, the new camera, and processing speeds as significant advantages over the prior model.[35] 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."[35] 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."[36]
Retrevo surveyed more than 1,300 U.S. consumers and reported that 71 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.[37] Echoing technology pundits, Reuters suggested that the lack of a more radical departure from the iPhone 4 could open new market opportunities for rivals.[38] 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.[38] These same fans had also wanted a cheaper, stripped-down iPhone 4.[15] The German phone company Deutsche Telekom said they were "satisfied" with consumer interest.[39] Gaming on the iPhone 4S has been likened to the PlayStation Vita,[40] 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 30 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.[30] 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."[30] 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."[41] 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.[42] In addition, iPhone 4 users had high marks for being satisfied with their phone.[42] 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.[42] 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.[38][43] With the launch of the pre-order, AT&T said that the demand for the iPhone 4S was "extraordinary".[44] Over 200,000 pre-orders were placed within 12 hours of release through AT&T. 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.[45] 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.[46][47] The 16-month wait between the iPhone 4 and 4S may have contributed to overwhelming sales as well.[48][49] 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."[2] 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.[50] There are many third-party buyers of old phones, and Apple also buys back old phones under a special program.[50]
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