• iPhone 4S Launch Analysis

    iPhone 4S Launch Analysis

    Chandrakant 'ck' Isi, Oct 07, 2011 2115 hrs IST

    From rumours to reality.

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Let's face it, the new iPhone didn't get an overwhelming response. Even loyal fans are haunted by the question "Should I get the iPhone 4S or wait for the iPhone 5?". I can't give a verdict without trying out the device, but I can definitely help you make a decision by bringing the facts to the table.

Apple's new CEO Tim Cook unveiled the iPhone 4S, sharing the stage with other executives such as Scott Forstall, Eddy Cue, and Phil Schiller. The phone has received a serious hardware upgrade, which will definitely help it compete with most droids. Apple has played the catch-up game really well by adding a dual-core CPU and an 8 MP camera. Although many tech enthusiasts have appreciated this move, the company's fans seem to be disappointed. According to them, Apple followed the industry trend rather than leading it.

Moreover, the decision to keep the body design untouched hasn't pleased many potential buyers. To put it simply, I'll quote the words of one of the biggest Apple fanboys in India, Kuki Kureja: "Bhai, aur paise phoonk ke same dikhne wala iphone kharidke kya fayda? Dual-core jaaye bhhaad me, mujhe toh phone show off ke liye chahiye!" He has a point there: since he already owns an iPhone 4, the idea of buying a similar-looking device doesn't sound appealing.


iPhone 4S Analysis




Being the most-desired brand is a great thing, but then people expect you to deliver outstanding stuff at regular intervals. Additionally, Apple's strategy of being super-secretive about the new product has backfired to an extent. The lack of info about the company's next big thing fuelled the rumour mills. Blogs were filled with "info" on the so-called iPhone 5. This included everything from a bezel-less 3D display to an N9-like monoblock chassis. This set the expectations sky-high. Let's list out the most popular rumours and how they stack up against reality:


Dual-Core CPU
A lot of people were betting on a dual-core chip to power the next iPhone. Fortunately, the company managed to fit the dual-core A5 into the device. According to Apple, this new chip is twice as fast as the one found in the original iPhone 4. Knowing how well iOS is optimised, it will fly on the new hardware.


Bigger Screen
It was sensible to speculate about a bigger screen, as Samsung had received acclaim for its 4.3" Super AMOLED Plus display. To counter the Korean giant, at least a 4" screen would have definitely helped. Sadly, Apple "thought differently". Failing to provide a bigger screen turned out to be the biggest downer for the fans.


iPhone 4S Analysis


The expected upgrade.



Stereoscopic display
Don't tell me you were dumb enough to believe this rumour.


8 MP camera
For high-end droids, 8 MP has now become a norm. The Galaxy S II and Sensation impressed enthusiasts with their 1080p video recording. Little wonder then that the iPhone received the much-needed camera upgrade. Other bells and whistles such as image stabilization, face detection, and noise reduction also joined the party.


NFC chip
We have seen the Nokia C7 and N9 performing some neat NFC tricks. This includes the ability to easily pair devices, use your phone as a credit card, and so on. Since Apple likes to simplify the things for its users, people were expecting it to embrace this technology. While this didn't materialise, the new iPhone got Bluetooth 4.0 instead.


64 GB storage
Many users were unhappy about the inability of extending the storage capacity of their iPhones. However, it was obvious that the manufacturer wouldn't make room for a microSD card since it would impact sales of its higher capacity versions. A 64 GB version seemed to be the perfect solution, which turned into reality.

There were also less-discussed features that have made it into the new device. This includes a voice-controlled assistant called Siri, support for both GSM and CDMA networks, and a My Friends feature (similar to Google Latitude).

Overall, the iPhone 4S is definitely a great upgrade over its predecessor. It's something you can show to a number-crunching fandroid frenemy. Having said that, I'm afraid the new iPhone might struggle, just because it isn't called the iPhone 5.


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Discussion Board
(7) Comments
Siddharth Krish
,Ghaziabad, on Oct 08, 2011 07:59 PM
The pic shown is wrong, iPhone 4S sports iOS 5 which has a "music" icon instead of the "ipod" icon; Similar more differences follow. Secondly, as said don't judge a book by its cover. So with the iPhone 4S, what one gets is an absolutely different mobile experience and beyond "show-off" what matters is the user experience which has obviously enriched with the iPhone 4S. Few reasons to buy iPhone 4S:- Industry leading OS, 8 megapixel camera (which is far better than the existing 8 ones), a faster A5 chip and lastly a prominent reason just erupted, the last gift from Steve Jobs.
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Sujal
,Delhi, on Oct 08, 2011 08:27 PM
" 8 megapixel camera (which is far better than the existing 8 ones)" how can you declare it to be the best phone camera in it's range without even using it ones? A bit fanboyish, ain't it? Moreover, iOS ain't industry leading, nor Android or WP7 are. They all have tons of great stuff but at the same time, some big and small flaws. The dual core CPU will obviously provide the best iPhone experience since we all know how well iOS is optimized for its hardware. I agree with the last part though. R.I.P. Jobs ! iMiss You! :(
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Chandrakant Isi
,TechTree, on Oct 08, 2011 11:22 PM
The iPhone 4 will also get the iOS 5 update, and the last time I checked, 'gifts' were supposed to be free.
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MSQ
,Mumbai, on Oct 11, 2011 11:22 AM
lovely point Sid. if capable then it's still the best phone around. anyone who has any doubt watch how Mr. Jobs presented his 1st ever phone. You gotta be passionate about the Apple Products then only you will forget showing off and carry it with all love. play infinity blade and HOSII together in iPhone4S and enjoy man....show off to yourself why to others???
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Stick to Motto
,Mumbai, on Oct 14, 2011 07:45 PM
@ Techtree Team: "Dual-core jaaye bhhaad me, mujhe toh phone show off ke liye chahiye!"... Not expected from u guys... Today u posted some crazy kukreja's remark... tomarrow u will post Rakhi sawants remark on ios5... then shakti kapoors on Icecream Sandwitch... Ohhh Come on guys... Ur posted in Tech site not in Page 3 shit!
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bhupinder
,patiala, on Oct 09, 2011 05:25 PM
i-phone has started moving towards its graveyard....Samsung is showing a lot of aggression in smart-phone lead by galaxy range .... so far Samsung seems the winner with it's galaxy s 2 ....All Hail SSAAMMSSUUNNGG.....:P
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Vivek Kapur
,Mumbai, on Oct 09, 2011 01:13 AM
Love it or hate it, you can't ignore it! Mr. Kuki Kukreja - please do not buy one! Let the device be "used" instead of a show off. Please check all the blog sites / forums - - the expectations from i-phone have not been in sync with the delivery.. Time and again, what has been delivered is a superior product. Even the 1st gen iPhone camera is better than most 8MP cameras on other phones these days.
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