Apple is known for its forward thinking, cutting-edge and revolutionary inventions. From the Apple IIe to the iPad, Apple has always been at the forefront of computing and communicating. However, it has set the bar so high that even Apple finds itself hard to beat. A good example is the recent release of the iPhone 4S – a truly amazing product using the latest and greatest technology available. But to its loyal fans, people who are always expecting a revolution instead of an evolution, some might have found the launch of an upgraded/evolved iPhone 4 rather than a revamped and brand new iPhone 5, to be less than remarkable. However, the 4S does present 3 very impressive upgrades, which should inspire die-hard Apple users to seriously consider purchasing the iPhone 4S.
Software
One of the most noticeable areas of improvement appear in the amount of speed and power that the 4S commands. Apple announced that the iPhone 4S has seven times the graphical prowess of its predecessor and is twice as powerful. It features the iPad 2’s dual-core A5 chip that makes opening apps, loading the web browser, scrolling through home screens and countless other operations smoother and faster.
Siri
Perhaps the most interesting addition in the 4S is the introduction of Siri, a voice controlled personal assistant that can help you schedule lunch dates, find restaurants or see what the weather is like in Denver just by talking to it in a conversational voice. “Tell Jodi that I’m running late and need to reschedule my meeting” is a good example of how Siri can parse your information, find a specific person and complete the task for you. A down-side, however, is that it is still a work in progress, and many times Siri can’t handle the data in the question, and simply gives you a humorous reply. Which is funny at first, but loses the humor after a couple of weeks. Here’s another take on the topic: http://www.forbes.com/sites/benzingainsights/2011/10/17/is-siri-seriously-awesome-or-seriously-flawed/
iCloud
iCloud is Apple’s replacement of MobileMe. It is available on all new iPhone, iPad and Mac purchases, and automatically and securely stores everything on your device’s hard drive. Access to music, apps, photos is much easier from any other device. One downfall, though, is that some MobileMe users are finding that after MobileMe created its own user ID, it has been difficult for them to “sync up.” Equally frustrating is the fact that iCloud doesn’t recognize other mail accounts that don’t contain a me.com email address. Again, like Siri, one would hope these issues were hashed out before the launch.
In the final analysis, the iPhone 4S will of course be a huge commercial success. But, are the upgrades worth the wait? In the end, it depends on who you ask. If you’re a Mac-addict, forever in need of the most up-to-date and coolest toy, then of course, it’s worth the wait. With its improvements in power, efficiency, speed, software and upgrades, the 4S is an impressive machine. However, if you’re able to get all you need from your old 3G(S), there’s really nothing completely revolutionary about the iPhone 4S. As an evolutionary device, it’s still pretty cool.