Comparison of 'iPhone 4S' Antenna Band to GSM and CDMA iPhone 4

[SirHaakon]

It is, but as a single added feature, that's a minor upgrade. Having much more processing power to do something with that Internet access (the 3GS runs iOS 5 flawlessly, the 3G couldn't even handle iOS 4), video recording capabilities (which dumbphones had at that point), voice control, the compass was a much more featureful and meaningful upgrade.

You're denigrating the 3G -> 3GS upgrade because of the case, admit it. The case means nothing.

No, it has nothing to do with the case. I find it funny that you're boiling down arguably the biggest update to the phone into "well that's just a single added feature." That's like saying, "well, yeah... the car got wheels, but that was just a single feature." Sure, processing power increases over time but that's just a given. Each iteration is going to bring a faster processor, that isn't a "feature." Come on, really... the 3GS brought a compass and some anti-oil coating to the screen. It sounds to me like you were just one of the suckers who bought one and is still trying 2 years later to justify it. Admit it.

 

[Harmush]

Someone piles up some spare parts from the current model iPhone and it's a surprise?

 

[deconstruct60]

Agreed. So tell me why, if I'm upgrade-eligible right now, why I wouldn't just wait until I need the A5 processor to upgrade?

People who pay subscription pricing have payments for the phone built into their month bill. After 1.5-2 years you have paid off the phone. That's one reason they want you to upgrade into another for which you have to spend another 1.5-2 years paying off.

If at the end of your pay-off period you continue to hand money to the cellular serverice they aren't going to complain. It is just higher profits for them. Over time they will get a bit nervous so will throw even bigger "special" discounts at you.

No sense ruining an upgrade credit

You are paying for the upgrade credit whether you use it or not.

when you can wait for a phone with better specs (LTE, NFC, better screen, better build materials) later, in time for iOS features that require it.

As with all computers in general.... if you just wait you can always get something slightly better "next year". If your phone is older then probably move up. If your phone is newer (and doesn't have any diminished features in iOS4 ) then can just wait.

 

[Mr. Gates]

its the same...


moving on

 

[emaja]

it's gonna be a laughing stock at retail stores if they JUST release a 4S.

Customer walks up to salesperson:

Customer:

"Whats the difference between the 4 and the 4S?"

Salesperson:

"The 4S is slightly faster and the pictures you can take with it are unnecessarily and unnoticeably larger in resolution!"

Customer:

Ok, I'll take the iPhone 4.

Courtesans and gentle fops, meet the world's worst salesman.

 

[sennekuyl]

No matter what phone is released, no matter what it looks like or what the "new stuff" is, it's going to be an iPhone 5. There is no iPhone 4S.

I don't get how you are so sure about this. It seems to be a subjective opinion delivered as fact.

Nor is the 'fixing the naming with the iphone4' that people go on with as obvious as they make out. If Apple felt there was a reason to append letters or suffixes to the naming scheme to differentiate major upgrades from minor updates, they will. It doesn't mean the naming scheme is broken. Broken would be naming the next phone iphone2, or whatever. Jumping around without any chance of sequence is broken; stretching or extending the standard sequence isn't broken. I like you KnightWRX; you are normally informative and intuitive, but that mentality appears silly.

 

[vitzr]

This whole thing is nuts. You are going to see an 8 gig iphone 4 and an iPhone 4g in 16 and 32. Quit with the "low end cloud storage baby iPhone 4.5s".

Edit: Did you all forget the 3G->3GS transition? Its cheaper for Apple to use all the same machinery and as many similar parts as possible.

It is cheaper and that's a great thing for those of us who are shareholders. The profits Apple will make by not incurring any significant design costs to make a completely new model represent a substantial savings. They won't even have to charge Apple Tax to make a very handsome profit.

This time it's a chance for Apple to boast about how much they made (again) and how much they saved by going with a iP4 form factor. At least they are being honest, and talking about the new antenna so there might not be Antennagate this year.

 

[BC2009]

Off-topic, but no way! Just because the nano has a touch screen, does not make it an iPod touch. It doesn't even have iOS. the touch and nano are completely different products for different needs.

Re-read his post. The "iPad Nano" is what he said. He means they'll rebrand the iPod Touch to iPad Nano and add 3G.

What he said.

My error. Didn't know about this iPad Nano business.

There is no iPad Nano, that was his own speculation.

Right, I am speculating that Apple is getting ready to wind down the "iPod" brand in favor of the more popular "iPhone" and "iPad" brands. Then first evidence of this is the removal of "iPod" app from iPhone in iOS 5 (now you have separate music and videos apps). Secondly, many of those supposed "iPhone 5" mockups look very much like a tiny iPad. So I figured the iPod Touch is as much a tablet as the "Dell Streak" yet the media does not count the former as a tablet, but does count the latter. Gruber recently speculated that Apple would just get rid of the iPod Touch and replace it with a pay-as-you-go non-contract low-end iPhone. He may be right about that, but I just get the feeling that the iPod Touch is about to evolve into something else. I have dubbed that the "iPad Nano".

 

[sanford]

Hmm. My 4 got stolen a couple weeks ago. I went back to my 3GS since it's so close to a new release of some sort. I like the 3GS better than the 4. If it bears out to run iOS 5 as well as all the developers say it does -- and apparently from all the videos, it really does run iOS 5 like a champ -- and Apple doesn't do something less 4-ish with the 5, I may well keep the 3GS until the 6 is released.

I wouldn't want to go back to my original iPhone -- I skipped the 3G -- but going back to the 3GS, the only thing I've noticed is I like it better. And I'm not just painting a rosy picture: I had to go back to the 3GS previously, while waiting to get my 4 in for warranty replacement; I liked the 3GS better then, too, even when I knew I'd be getting a replacement 4 from Apple in a matter of days.

No, it has nothing to do with the case. I find it funny that you're boiling down arguably the biggest update to the phone into "well that's just a single added feature." That's like saying, "well, yeah... the car got wheels, but that was just a single feature." Sure, processing power increases over time but that's just a given. Each iteration is going to bring a faster processor, that isn't a "feature." Come on, really... the 3GS brought a compass and some anti-oil coating to the screen. It sounds to me like you were just one of the suckers who bought one and is still trying 2 years later to justify it. Admit it.

 

[BC2009]

What sort of VAST IMPROVEMENTS can be made to the iPhone 4? Boost its speed, boost the megapixels and resolution of the camera...what other VAST IMPROVEMENTS can be made internally? The phone is perfect in almost every way.

If they don't redesign, they better have something UNBELIEVABLE to add to the 4. I'm talking like ridiculous unbelievable makes my willy big sort of unbelievable.

I agree that the iPhone 4 is a great phone, but with all gadgets and computers they need to get faster with each release to keep up with the software that keeps pushing the limits. My 3Gs is a great phone, but the current software that is supported for iPhone 3GS typically runs far better on an iPhone 4.

I want to see a dual core processor with a decent bump in RAM. Dual core is great, but RAM is probably the biggest thing. The iPhone 4 has 512MB, and I'd like to see a full 1GB of RAM to keep more things active for multitasking and run some more impressive apps. One of the major reasons I upgraded my iPad to an iPad 2 was the bump in RAM (though I had hoped for a full 1GB, only got 512MB).

So to me, RAM and CPU represent some vast improvements. The camera is great, but there is also room for improvement there as well since technology has improved a bit in lens that will allow it to better take advantage of an 8MP sensor.

As far as screen goes, I don't want any change in resolution. But if Apple were to get the screen slightly larger I would be ecstatic because my fingers are a bit on the large side.

The other internal improvements that would rock are the ability to do CDMA and GSM (3.5G) and LTE 4G (wishful, I know given the power draw on the current chips). I would also love to see a 64GB storage option and battery improvements while not glamorous are always always welcome -- a long battery life does more for the mobile phone experience then most people realize. Finally, graphics processing improvements can never be ignored as they effect just about everything you do when interacting with the iPhone UI since it is effectively rendered like a game is rendered using the hardware acceleration.

I could care less about the "exclusivity" of getting to show off a new form factor when I buy an iPhone 5, but it would be nice if Apple found a way to make the glass on the iPhone a bit more durable. I've seen too many cracked iPhone 4s and I hate having a case for my phone (maybe I will get a sleeve for it).

Anyway, if I see those kind of things I will be ecstatic. The LTE and bigger screen are "stretch goals" but would score huge huge points.

 

[jctevere]

I agree that the iPhone 4 is a great phone, but with all gadgets and computers they need to get faster with each release to keep up with the software that keeps pushing the limits. My 3Gs is a great phone, but the current software that is supported for iPhone 3GS typically runs far better on an iPhone 4.

I want to see a dual core processor with a decent bump in RAM. Dual core is great, but RAM is probably the biggest thing. The iPhone 4 has 512MB, and I'd like to see a full 1GB of RAM to keep more things active for multitasking and run some more impressive apps. One of the major reasons I upgraded my iPad to an iPad 2 was the bump in RAM (though I had hoped for a full 1GB, only got 512MB).

So to me, RAM and CPU represent some vast improvements. The camera is great, but there is also room for improvement there as well since technology has improved a bit in lens that will allow it to better take advantage of an 8MP sensor.

As far as screen goes, I don't want any change in resolution. But if Apple were to get the screen slightly larger I would be ecstatic because my fingers are a bit on the large side.

The other internal improvements that would rock are the ability to do CDMA and GSM (3.5G) and LTE 4G (wishful, I know given the power draw on the current chips). I would also love to see a 64GB storage option and battery improvements while not glamorous are always always welcome -- a long battery life does more for the mobile phone experience then most people realize. Finally, graphics processing improvements can never be ignored as they effect just about everything you do when interacting with the iPhone UI since it is effectively rendered like a game is rendered using the hardware acceleration.

I could care less about the "exclusivity" of getting to show off a new form factor when I buy an iPhone 5, but it would be nice if Apple found a way to make the glass on the iPhone a bit more durable. I've seen too many cracked iPhone 4s and I hate having a case for my phone (maybe I will get a sleeve for it).

Anyway, if I see those kind of things I will be ecstatic. The LTE and bigger screen are "stretch goals" but would score huge huge points.

I agree with you largely in part, up until the LTE part. I think that to only have 512mb of ram on the iphone 4 is a bit of a joke by today's standards. I think the processor is efficient enough, I don't think that dual core is necessary, but it would be welcomed. I too wouldn't mind a larger screen, but please, no HUGE ones like droid x, 4" TOPS. And yeah, 4G LTE would be cool to "Flaunt" and say you've got over other phones to give yourself a hard-on, but to be honest, its too early (especially considering the power draw and larger size). Verizon 4G network is still really limited and don't even get me started on anyone else's "4G network". I think its simply on the bottom of the pecking order.

I think that something that has been LARGELY ignored throughout all of the iPhone updates is the battery life. Perhaps this hasn't really changed much because battery technology has not really made vast improvements lately. But I would rather have a phone that can actually last an entire day of me using it than have a dual core processor, 4G LTE or some other B.S. performance feature.

What good is the ability to play a graphically intense and immersive game if you can't play it for more than an hour without plugging it in on a MOBILE PHONE?

Right now I woke up at 10am, have used my phone for about 45 minutes for GPS and iPod use (at the same time) and have made maybe 1 or two calls and opened 3 or 4 apps. It is now 2:30pm and I have a craptastic 40% battery life on a brand new iPhone 4 White that I have had for maybe 1 month and was fully charged this morning... That just simply isn't cutting it.

So MY wishlist, is an improved camera, improved video, improved 3G reliability & signal, possibly more ram and a slightly larger screen, and MUCH better battery life. Anything besides that is just icing on he cake (dual core, LTE, etc) as long as I can get all of the previously aforementioned items first.

On a bit of a side-note. Has anyone else been finding lately that the widespread AT&T network issues is really only isolated to the iPhone. I'm starting to think that it really isn't AT&T's fault, as much as it is apple's. I have other 3G enabled AT&T phones that have no problem and much better service in the same locations!

EDIT: Oh, and storage improvements would be nice too. I'm pushing the limit on my 32GB iPhone 4 right now (have about 20gb in music). I think 32gb would have been sufficient if the cloud service turned out to be streaming, but since it isn't, I don't think a cap at 32gb is cutting it anymore...

 

[BC2009]

Not really, since CDMA + GSM share bands.

Of course, the radio protocol doesn't matter. CDMA, WCDMA, or TDMA, the antenna doesn't care.

All that matters are the frequencies that it needs to support. In the USA, both the GSM and CDMA2000 carriers use the 850Mhz and 1900Mhz bands. In other words, the same antennas would work on both ATT and Verizon.

The difference comes when trying to support GSM usage outside the USA. Then you run into additional 900, 1800, 2100 bands.

Here is an interesting article talking about what you are saying..... Though they say that Verizon uses 800Mhz and AT&T uses 850Mhz.

 

[KnightWRX]

I don't get how you are so sure about this. It seems to be a subjective opinion delivered as fact.

The iPhone 4 was the 4th iPhone. It stands to reason the next one is iPhone 5, unless someone mucked up the order of numbers in the last few minutes.

Nor is the 'fixing the naming with the iphone4' that people go on with as obvious as they make out. If Apple felt there was a reason to append letters or suffixes to the naming scheme to differentiate major upgrades from minor updates, they will.

Except they never did so. The reason there was no iPhone 3 is that marketing wise, what would you prefer, the iPhone 3 (3GS being the 3rd iPhone) or the iPhone 3G (which was the 2nd iPhone) ...

Yes, it's my opinion. But frankly, I have little reason to doubt this will be so.

 

[kdarling]

Here is an interesting article talking about what you are saying..... Though they say that Verizon uses 800Mhz and AT&T uses 850Mhz.

Just the name is different.

About ten years ago, some GSM marketing genius started calling it the "850" band... partly because that's a little more accurate for the subset of 800 MHz band freqs being used, and partly to differentiate themselves from CDMA2000... but they're actually using the same freqs in what was (and is) normally called "the 800 MHz band".

 

[sennekuyl]

The iPhone 4 was the 4th iPhone. It stands to reason the next one is iPhone 5, unless someone mucked up the order of numbers in the last few minutes.



Except they never did so. The reason there was no iPhone 3 is that marketing wise, what would you prefer, the iPhone 3 (3GS being the 3rd iPhone) or the iPhone 3G (which was the 2nd iPhone) ...

Yes, it's my opinion. But frankly, I have little reason to doubt this will be so.

Yeah, funnily enough I agree that the next will be iphone5. Though as you pointed out Apple had marketing reasons to call the second phone 3g. [/end tangent]. Today, I'm probably going to agree with you that they 'fixed' the scheme.

Heh, it would really stomp some people if Apple called the 6th phone Iphone 5LTE because that is all that changes... . not that I think that will happen, just that there is not really a naming scheme except in retrospect.

 

[twoodcc]

i sure hope there are two phones released

 

[trerep]

so much for "members only"

BTW if you go to their website, on the right hand side the photos are right there and when you click on it, the headline says "Confidential Information"...just a little bit odd that they would have that on their homepage if it's "confidential"...

Image

it was so true... look at the address bar.. it also says iphone4s

4 months ago