iPhone 4S Hands-Ons and First Impressions

[marksman]

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I clicked on google news and the main article says:

"Apple Underwhelms With iPhone 4S"

That's gotta hurt for apple. This is like the first time I've seen bad publicity about an Apple product. Galaxy SII and Nexus Prime will be this years winners. People who buy Apple products are the most likely to be swayed by these types of headlines.

Winners in what way? The 3GS, the 4 and the 4s will outsell both of them, each on their own. So if that is winning I want to be a loser like apple.

 

[charlituna]

and not look like a pacemaker or an erection....

sounds like you need to take a trip to the doctor

 

[MarkLal]

Most likely. But if you buy it for GSM you can't switch it to CDMA. Why, who knows.

The more curious question is if you can go the other way. I can switch my SIM cards from phone to phone no issues with my GSMs (all ATT). So it seems that there doesn't need to be a system link between the SIM and the IMEI number. But I am told that under CDMA because there is no SIM the ID number has to be what is on file as the active number. And once you set it for Verizon or Sprint, that's it. you can't change it. Thus there's no such thing as an unlocked CDMA phone.

It's possible that once you set it for one or the other service type in the software you can't swap it. At least not if you start with GSM and are trying to go CDMA.

But is the reverse true. Or could I buy it for CDMA because Verizon is the best here at home but when I take my 1-2 week to wherever outside the country where there is no CDMA, can I pop in a SIM card and use a local service. Would that work even if I was under a Verizon Contract or would I need to buy it full price/no commitment even for Verizon.

Or if I move and Verizon sucks where I go, could I reset the phone as a GSM.

May be you din't understand my initial question. If apple offers an unlocked version of 4S like they currently do for the 4, will that unlocked 4S work and have support on T-Mobile's 4G(HSPA+) network since the 4S's antenna supports 2100 Mhz band?

 

[SockRolid]

The average consumer just wants an iPhone.

Here's what I find amazing: Apple could have announced the SAME EXACT phone they announced today and named it "iPhone 5" and most people would have been happier than pigs in slop. [...]

Here's what I find amazing: most consumers just want the latest iPhone, as seen on TV. They'll just run out and get it no matter what it's called.

I also find it amazing that Apple is now the world's #1 smart phone vendor. In terms of units sold and in terms of profit, after just four years. PC World and Business Wire have both reported that fact.

 

[charlituna]

May be you din't understand my initial question. If apple offers an unlocked version of 4S like they currently do for the 4, will that unlocked 4S work and have support on T-Mobile's 4G(HSPA+) network since the 4S's antenna supports 2100 Mhz band?

Given that folks have been jail breaking their iPhones and using T-Mobile voice for ages, you've got a good chance. But since T-Mobile isn't an official carrier Apple won't be providing the answer to that anymore than they do about using any other not ATT GSM service in the US.

stay tuned and you might get the answer from someone that tried it. Or if you have the cash, buy one, try it and return it the week later if it doesn't work. They don't charge a return fee anymore so you won't be out anything.

 

[KingCrimson]

Here's what I find amazing: most consumers just want the latest iPhone, as seen on TV. They'll just run out and get it no matter what it's called.

I also find it amazing that Apple is now the world's #1 smart phone vendor. In terms of units sold and in terms of profit, after just four years. PC World and Business Wire have both reported that fact.

How long have Samsung & HTC been in the smartphone business? I think that Samsung will have the crown of "global smartphone king" very soon.

 

[charlituna]

Steve Jobs would have been more bold and rushed an IP5.

No he wouldn't anymore than he rushed for the 3gs to be anything more than what it was.

remember, this phone wasn't designed overnight. More like starting an easy year ago when Steve Jobs was pre medical leave CEO. Continuing through the period when he was on leave but still the last vote. He created this phone, not Tim Cook. If he had wanted to give us this unicorn fart powered mythic iPhone 5 he would have from day one.

 

[KingCrimson]

No he wouldn't anymore than he rushed for the 3gs to be anything more than what it was.

remember, this phone wasn't designed overnight. More like starting an easy year ago when Steve Jobs was pre medical leave CEO. Continuing through the period when he was on leave but still the last vote. He created this phone, not Tim Cook. If he had wanted to give us this unicorn fart powered mythic iPhone 5 he would have from day one.

Does anyone believe Tim Cook can design anything? He's a glorified bean-counter and I predict this is the beginning of a long slide down for Apple. Just like when Bill Gates handed the reigns of Microsoft over to bean-counter Ballmer.

 

[SandynJosh]

I have a 3GS which I dutifully went out and purchased in June of 2009.

In February of this year, I became eligible for an upgrade. I said, no, I'll wait.

Verizon iPhone came out. Me, who gets no service in my apartment on said 3GS, said no, I'll wait.

White iPhone came out. I said, no, I'll wait.

June came and went. iOS 5, but no iPhone

At this point, my mute button no longer works and my back case is cracked, making it almost impossible to sync on a non-dock. Best Buy would not fix it - as my warranty ran out exactly two years after I purchased the phone

July came and went

August came and went. My backlight burnt out due to being caught in a monsoon. So now, in addition to not being able to mute the phone or sync it in my car, I have to use a flashlight to read it (yes, I know I can fix it, but I am a very busy woman and just have not yet had the time to do so).

September came and finally a glimmer of hope that I will finally be on the right cycle for the freshest upgrade.

Nope. Unless I would like to wait another year to see the actual iPhone 5, I am now stuck on the -S cycle.

That, my friends, is why a lot of people are annoyed.

You poor thing, you, Let me get you a cookie.
It must be just dreadful to not have a life.

 

[apolloa]

Down 2.1 points and (.56%) at closing.
Down 0.23 points and (.06%) after hours

That looks pretty close to no change.

"eMailDataSource to have already taken over 100,000 pre-orders for its Kindle Fire. The seven-inch, heavily customized, Android-based tablet went up for pre-order on Monday and reached that figure by the end of its first day on sale. Compared to other tablet launches the figure is significant although it still trails the original iPad, which took 300,000 orders on its first day on sale for pre-order."

http://www.electronista.com/articles/11/10/04/amazon.on.fire.with.kindle.android.tablet/

You didn't come close to making your case.

Ah I see you 'attempted' to post counter links. Shame because numerous websites are reporting a drop in shares so you loose.

Oh and:

Amazon selling 50,000 Kindle Fire tablets a day?
Reports on Tuesday night suggest that Amazon has some serious envelope stuffing to do prior to the US Kindle Fire launch on November 15th. The Cult of Android website, claims to have gotten its hands-on internal inventory documents that say the company is selling 2,000 an hour, 50,000 a day. The report says that if this trend continues until launch day, it would have 2.5m pre-orders, beating the iPad 2 as the most successful tablet launch ever.

www.t3.com/news/tech-today-latest-iphone-4s-news-kindle-to-outsell-ipad

 

[swester]

That said, this is the biggest marketing blunder since New Coke.

Nothing like a bit of hyperbole, eh? Where were you for the Final Cut Pro X release? Now that was a blunder that pissed off a lot of people. The 4S is a brilliant move by Apple; it'll attract plenty of newcomers, it'll make some 3GS/4 customers move up, and by the time 5 is ready, the rest of the 4 users will be upgrading. You have to take a broader look at their overall strategy to understand the purpose of these seemingly "intermediate" releases.

 

[AidenShaw]

Your phone problem is your swollen head.
Have it checked ASAP, else it may burst.

Oh no!

 

[NovemberWhiskey]

Any reason why they had to wait until now to release these features? 4G i can understand. NFC I can understand.

Weren't all of these upgrades ready back in WWDC?

I also don't understand people trying to pass this off as revolutionary or people defending the 4s. If we, the customers, complain and light a fire under Apple, we are all going to get better products.

If their stock price drops on this announcement, and the community responds by voice and through sales, Apple is going to come back harder and stronger.

When you let them get away with mediocrity, that's what they will do.

Will the iphone 4s sell well? Probably. Will it be a great phone? Yes. Is that all we want to see from Apple? No.

You want Apple to start slipping just like they did back in the 80s/90s, then go ahead and be content with mediocrity.

Steve Jobs said himself that the reason why Apple fell is because MSFT caught up to their innovations, and innovating was the way to bring Apple back (said before he took over Apple again).

Android has caught up to Apple's innovations with the original iphone. I remember when I bought my 3gs, Android couldn't even do pinch-to-zoom for goodness sake. It was slow and choppy and buggy. NOT the case anymore.

Is Apple still smoother, cleaner and more fluid? YES. Does android still have bugs? Yes. But so did MSFT, and we all know how that story went.

I am an Apple fan, a Steve Jobs fan, and love the products. Typing this on my MBP right now.

But some of you guys are just crazy defending this release. You would be happy with anything.

 

[charlituna]

The 4S is a stop gap phone...until they can get the chips to run iPhone 5 on LTE/4G.

The chips already exist and if Apple felt the support was there for it they would have added it. But there are still huge areas without LTE, so they feel it isn't ready

----------

Sprint gives unlimited talk, text, roaming, and data for one set price.

Assuming they don't turn around two days before launch and announce new pricing effective the next day for all new contracts

 

[AidenShaw]

The chips already exist and if Apple felt the support was there for it they would have added it. But there are still huge areas without LTE, so they feel it isn't ready

But, there are still huge areas without AT&T 3G - but that didn't slow Apple down.

 

[BuzzMega]

Fears Assuaged

I am soooo glad that Apple didn't fall victim to the design stupidity inherent in the practice of Change Everything Every Year. The iP4 case was NOT the thing that needed change. It didn't need a weaker, dentable aluminum box. It didn't need swoopy curved edges. It didn't need to be an ounce lighter.

In all the time I've had the iP4, I've never complained about its shape, materials, weight or controls. (Except not having a shutter release on the volume switch.)

The things it actually did need--it got!

Now with 1080p30—Stabilized—and a better camera overall, the iPhone 4S is a much better tool for me (heavy into stills and video).

Too bad that the press and blog osphere were so intent on inventing the myth of the iPhone 5 without any real evidence. All the people who are bummed out by not hearing those words are now mad at Apple for not giving them something that never was going to happen.

Wake up, kids: Apple didn't short-change you. The blogosphere short-changed you. Perhaps we should rename it to being the blog-oyovitch.

YOU were lied to by the rumor mongers. And they were lied to by a bunch of dubious sources. The reality, that we now all know, is that there never, ever was going to be a different body—just all new interior technologies.

Maybe next year the bs will flow a bit slower?

 

[iWalrus]

I'm sorry... Did I miss something? Did Apple promise a bigger screen to come? I like this 4S. So many new features. Guys, seriously... It's getting tiresome; all this complaining over nothing.

Good to know that I'm not the only one who didn't go insane over something stupid. You should see what people are saying on the social networks....good God. The 4S is a ********* good phone. Apparently all everyone cares about is case design. -.-

 

[flux73]

Any reason why they had to wait until now to release these features? 4G i can understand. NFC I can understand.

Weren't all of these upgrades ready back in WWDC?

I also don't understand people trying to pass this off as revolutionary or people defending the 4s. If we, the customers, complain and light a fire under Apple, we are all going to get better products.

If their stock price drops on this announcement, and the community responds by voice and through sales, Apple is going to come back harder and stronger.

When you let them get away with mediocrity, that's what they will do.

Will the iphone 4s sell well? Probably. Will it be a great phone? Yes. Is that all we want to see from Apple? No.

You want Apple to start slipping just like they did back in the 80s/90s, then go ahead and be content with mediocrity.

Steve Jobs said himself that the reason why Apple fell is because MSFT caught up to their innovations, and innovating was the way to bring Apple back (said before he took over Apple again).

Android has caught up to Apple's innovations with the original iphone. I remember when I bought my 3gs, Android couldn't even do pinch-to-zoom for goodness sake. It was slow and choppy and buggy. NOT the case anymore.

Is Apple still smoother, cleaner and more fluid? YES. Does android still have bugs? Yes. But so did MSFT, and we all know how that story went.

I am an Apple fan, a Steve Jobs fan, and love the products. Typing this on my MBP right now.

But some of you guys are just crazy defending this release. You would be happy with anything.

You don't seem to be able to see past the lack of form factor change at all the underlying software and internal hardware changes. There was a lot presented, but you're stuck on something that I would argue is a lot less important than what was presented. Most especially Siri. Was there something wrong with the iPhone 4 form factor that you were unhappy with when it was first presented in June 2010?

 

[charlituna]

From 300 hours standby to 200 hours...

very few folks probably leave it in Standby with out plugging it in so probably not really an issue

----------

My upgrade eligibility date is November 25th, while my friend's date is not until February. Weird thing is, we both got our iPhone 4's on launch day (end of June 2010?),

how much are each of you paying. My guess is that you are unlimited across the board but your phone is base voice.

 

[diamond.g]

So Siri's current BETA status isn't precluding its usefulness? But we have an easy scapegoat for any bugs that may crop up...

 

[Peterg2]

I know Apple has pretty much been recession proof but actually it is probably a really good idea to wait for a redesigned 5 until next Spring. Hopefully people will feel better about springing for a hot new phone by then. Many contacts will be up and for older users and they just opened a hug door with Sprint. Having said that, the improvements today are MAJOR. HUGE. And I wouldn't want a bigger screen on my phone.

I am quite content to stick with my 4 but I think an iphone 5 in the 2nd quarter is somewhat unlikely. That would cause a bit of an uproar over here for sure If I were to bet - I have not been very successful at guessing on here of late - I would think early Q3 at the earliest. I think to have the 5 at the same time next year is really too long of a gap. Things *are* really advancing rapidly.

 

[charlituna]

I know Apple has pretty much been recession proof but actually it is probably a really good idea to wait for a redesigned 5 until next Spring.

assuming it is next spring. assuming it is redesigned.

these are two rather large assumptions that could both be very very wrong

 

[redkamel]

It doesn't appear that the stock manipulators...err I mean analysts on Wall Street like the new 4S...

"Apple gets no love from Wall Street for new iPhone"

"Apple’s iPhone 4S Opens the Door for Competitors"

"Apple Underwhelms With iPhone 4S"

"New Apple iPhone fails to wow investors, fans"

When has a stock market or analyst ever known anything about Apple?

 

[chrmjenkins]

So Siri's current BETA status isn't precluding its usefulness? But we have an easy scapegoat for any bugs that may crop up...

The beta model works just fine for google.

 

[adelaide887]

iphone 4s case

iphone 4s price is so cheap..... just suit for me....