iPhone 4S - what's in a name?
/Why can't a new iPhone by any other name but iPhone 5 end up being a disappointment? The new iPhone 4S, which goes on pre-order after midnight October 7, 2011 for delivery on October 14th seems to have disappointed many and it comes down to not looking beyond the name and external appearance. Yes, there are other smartphones out there and many, way too many, android devices...that all have very high specs too. The iPhone 4S is a worthy contender and is not a victim of the Android fragmentation that makes no two Android phones similar. The iPhone does what it does extremely well, now even better, and if you pick up any iPhone, you know how to use it.
Compare iPhone models 2011
As those who have read through the specs know, the only thing that has remained unchanged about the upcoming iPhone is the external appearance along with keeping the 4 in the name. The processor is double the speed, GSM data speed has been doubled to a theoretical max of 14.4 Mbps from 7.2, graphics are up to 7X faster, the camera is now 1080p for video, 8Mp for photos, has a light sensor that captures 73% more light vs iPhone 4, time to take the pictures is much faster now, maximum storage is 64Gb instead of 32, and Siri voice control has played catch up with other devices and maybe surpassed many.
Steve Jobs 1995-2011
Why can't people look past the name? If it were called 5 instead of 4S would people go WOW! Keeping te same form factor gives us instant access to all the cases out there rather than making is wait for new ones. Was the Keynote delivery not enthusiastic enough to make people think this is magical? Was Tim Cook not as exuberant in his delivery as the now late Steve Jobs? Guess what, Steve Jobs was on his death bed while all the Apple top guns were doing the Keynote - how enthusiastic could they possibly be under those circumstances?
Every year there will be evoluationary changes in smartphones. The iPhone 4S makes huge advances over the iPhone 4 and is the logical next step. Look for a radical new design next year which will take advantage of true 4G networks that are just now beginning to pop-up across north america. What will also need to evolve is battery technology that will allow the future iPhone 5 to get through the day...technology that isn't here yet.
In honour of Steve Jobs consider either buying the iPhone 4S or making a donation to your local cancer society....or both!
Just 24 hrs after opening for pre-orders on Friday October 7, pre-orders have sold out for the iPhone 4S. You can still pre-order but it just means it won't arrive on launch day of October 14th. There will also be inventory at Apple Stores and your local carriers on launch day.
This confirms the question going through my head after midnight last Thursday while seeing all systems jammed with people trying to pre-order: main stream press got this totally wrong for those who didn't look at the specs but just the name. This is a big evolution from iPhone 4 and people have been waiting for its release.