The new iPhone 4S - what we expected, and what we got
Apple unveiled their iPhone 4S last night, ending speculation as to exactly which new phone they are releasing this month. Here, we've summed up some of the persistent rumours leading up to the announcement. Some of them were confirmed, while others were not, but even the apparently false rumours may still give us useful info about Apple's future plans.
Rumour: Two new iPhones would be announced, the iPhone 4S and iPhone 5.
Status: False.
Only the iPhone 4S was announced, with no news of any device named an iPhone 5. Could this rumour hint that there will be an iPhone 5 announcement soon, but Apple were not quite ready to reveal it yet? Probably not. Industry rumour is that the iPhone 5 will be fully 4G-compatible, and so will not launch until that can be achieved, probably in spring 2012. It is possible to make smartphones that work with 3G, and are 4G-compatible (e.g. the HTC Thunderbolt), but 4G networks are probably not yet widespread enough to include this feature.
The lack of an iPhone 5 announcement has disappointed some in the industry, and Apple's share prices dropped slightly in the wake of last night's announcement, but customers have shown the usual iPhone launch-related enthusiasm and excitement for the 4S.
Rumour: The iPhone 4S launch will mean a price drop for the existing iPhone 4 model, so as to allow it to compete head-to-head with much cheaper Android smartphones.
Status: Unknown.
We've not yet seen a price drop, but it's still very likely to happen around iPhone 4S launch date (14 October). iPhone 4S deals seem to be priced at about the same level as the iPhone 4 was when it was launched, and it is highly unlikely Apple will still sell the older model at the same price. So, if you're considering an iPhone 4, it's worth waiting to see how far the price drops. More news is expected tomorrow (6 October).
Rumour: The iPhone 4S will not be a radical redesign of the iPhone 4, but will just bring it up to date.
Status: True.
As Mark Hirst, Managing Director of Best Mobile Contracts, explains: "Is the iPhone 4S a revolutionary device? No, it is evolutionary, bringing in important upgrades such as dual core processing, a greatly improved graphics chip and Siri, a new voice recognition that learns with you. I look forward to seeing how the iPhone 4S works with iCloud, Apple's cloud computing offering, as well."
The "4" in the name indicates clearly that the iPhone 4S is an upgraded version of the iPhone 4, with a similar relationship to that of the iPhone 3GS with the iPhone 3G. Apple describe it as "entirely new from the inside", though, so do expect improvements in every area of performance, including download speeds up to twice as fast as the iPhone 4.
Rumour: A new voice-activation system has been added for the iPhone 4S.
Status: True.
Apple bought Siri, a voice-activation technology company, last year, and has kept the name Siri for its "virtual assistant" voice activation system. Siri will allow you to do many common tasks just by talking to your phone, including sending a text, checking the weather, and even finding and booking a table at a nearby restaurant.
Rumour: The new iPhone will be available in 16 gigabyte, 32 gigabyte and 64 gigabyte models.
Status: True.
This is another significant improvement over the iPhone 4. Along with the big leaps forward in the iPhone 4S camera, including an 8 Megapixel still camera and high-definition video camera, this guarantees the iPhone 4S will be highly desirable, even to those who already own an iPhone 4. The iPhone 4S will also be available in White right from the start, so you will not need to wait a few extra months if this is your preferred colour for your iDevices.