iPhone 4S: Cool camera, voice control
— -- Following weeks of speculation, there's no new iPhone 5 after all — and that's bound to disappoint enthusiasts fixated on the possibility of sexy new hardware. But in introducing the iPhone 4S at the same time it is poised to bring out the previously announced iOS 5 software and iCloud cloud service, Apple gave the faithful a lot more to chew on than is immediately apparent.
The latest device will be sold by Sprint, AT&T and Verizon Wireless and will hit stores on Oct. 14. It comes in black or white and costs $199 for 16 gigabytes, $299 for 32GB and $399 for a new 64GB model.
On Oct. 12, the free iOS 5 update starts to become available for existing iPhone (3GS or later), iPad and IPod Touch customers. Features range from revamped notifications for messages and reminders to the new iMessaging service, which lets you rapidly swap texts, pictures and videos with other people using iOS devices.
ICloud also arrives Oct 12, as a way to store all your pictures, videos, apps, music and documents on the Internet and sync across your iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, PC and Mac.
You'd have to be a geek to distinguish between the physical characteristics of the iPhone 4S compared with the iPhone 4. But
what's inside the devices sets the iPhone 4S apart from its immediate predecessor, including a speedy dual-core A5 processor chip — same as in the iPad 2 — that Apple claims will contribute to zippier performance. Apple says download speeds can hit a theoretical maximum of up to 14.4 megabits per second, putting it in reasonable company with some of the fastest smartphones on the market. I will reserve judgment until I've had the opportunity to put the new iPhone through its paces.
Nifty camera
I would have embraced an iPhone that taps into Verizon's fast 4G LTE wireless network but that didn't happen, partly, I suspect, because of a potential hit to the battery and partly because the size of the phone would almost certainly have to increase. As it is, Apple says it has bolstered talk time on the iPhone 4S to about eight hours when on a 3G network.
The camera also appears to have been greatly improved to the point where you might choose it over your point and shoot. The iPhone 4 can capture high-definition video up to the 1080p specification. And judging by the handsome photos taken with the phone that were shown at the media gathering — granted we never get to see the duds — the 8-megapixel camera is capable of producing some spiffy images, right down to detailed, color rich "macro" close-ups. One feature sure to please parents who have trouble getting their kids to pose: you can launch the iPhone camera quickly, right from the lock screen.
The other big change arrives in the form of a new dual antenna design. Apple says the iPhone 4S is the first phone to intelligently switch between two antennas to send and receive, in theory leading to better reception. We'll see. And as a "world phone" able to tap into CDMA and GSM-type wireless networks, folks who travel overseas will be able to roam internationally. It is unclear whether you'll have to alert your wireless carrier ahead of time.
