iPhone 4S Hands-Ons and First Impressions

[aduteau]

I own an iphone 4 and have been following rumor after rumor after rumor...

What? same small screen, design, no LTE..

Joe "Hey I see you have the iphone 4."
Me "No, its the new iphone 4s"
Joe "It looks exactly like my iphone 4."
Me "yup"

So ..... if it would of had a new design ... you talking and showing the new iPhone to "Joe" would have made you feel good inside ??? You are willing to pay large amount of money ... but just to brag, show off and feel good inside ? I dont see everyone going nuts because de iMac or Mac pro dont change design ... but a Phone that we bring along everywhere with us, is like social status ???

I guess that's why the majority of people are going off the walls here in the forums about no bigger screen of complete redesign....

 

[junkster]

I wonder how much of the perceived zip is psychological? I have an iPhone 4, and there are only two times when I think of it as anything less an providing instantaneous response:

1. A few script-heavy websites.
2. Sometimes after waking up from sleep, the animation of the icons flying back onto the screen chugs. No way is that an across the board performance issue; smells more like a bug than anything.

What are people seeing that makes them think "wow, this is so much faster?"

 

[Northgrove]

Yup. And they're not selling anywhere near the iPhone. The 3GS is outselling them all. That's embarrassing.

Screen size ranks just slightly behind "OMG WE NEED FLASH" in the list of things that geeks care about, but nobody else does.

Excuse me, but this geek hates Flash with a passion.

 

[gpat]

Yup. And they're not selling anywhere near the iPhone. The 3GS is outselling them all. That's embarrassing.

Screen size ranks just slightly behind "OMG WE NEED FLASH" in the list of things that geeks care about, but nobody else does.

I'm talking about the size. You're talking about the whole package. That's a big difference. I'm saying that browsing and movies are better on a bigger screen, you're taking in consideration elements like fragmentation, app base, precedent loyalty, and a lot more.

 

[voonyx]

Yup. And they're not selling anywhere near the iPhone. The 3GS is outselling them all. That's embarrassing.

Screen size ranks just slightly behind "OMG WE NEED FLASH" in the list of things that geeks care about, but nobody else does.

Don't forget "ZOMG OPEN SOURCE!!!"

 

[Gaelinic]

Just a question. Is Siri bundled with the ios 5 update or is it exclusive to the 4s? I'm wondering if I can get Siri on my current iPhone 4.

Thanks.

 

[HONDAxACURA]

Loving the Siri, but I think it will be awesome if Apple could push this technology to the OSX. Can't wait, 10.8

 

[saturn88]

1. LTE
2. Removable battery
3. Screen size
4. True multitasking
5. Themes - this one STILL baffles me

That good enough? I could go on...

6. 1280x720 330ppi SAMOLED+ HD display on the prime coming (already on the Galaxy SII v2 coming out shortly in Europe
7. Flash support

I would add:

8. NFC
9. 1GB of RAM

 

[Taz Mangus]

I just had a good look at the new Samsung Galaxy S II this morning. We have one at work which we use for testing purposes. I did a side by side comparison of it to the iPhone 4 we also have at work. The Samsung is lighter in my hands but does not have the same solid feel that the iPhone 4 does. There is a definate cheap feel to the Samsung. I look at the screen size difference and it is not that big a deal. Yes, the Samsung is slightly larger. On paper it is a good thing to boast about. I will take the higher res screen that the iPhone has over the lower res slightly larger screen that the Samsung has. On the thickness issue, I placed both the iPhone and Samsung on a table, and I could not see any difference in the thickness of both. In the end the Samsung Galaxy S II had the same look and feel to it as the multitude of other Android phones out on the market do, cheap. I don't see the leaps and bounds that some people are proclaiming that the Samsung has over the iPhone. If anything the Samsung looks outdated when compared to the iPhone 4/4s. I am glad Apple did not change the two side glass enclosure on the iPhone 4s.

 

[igazza]

I'm wondering if I can get Siri on my current iPhone 4.

Thanks.

nope. 4S only.

 

[cwwilson]

Give me Siri or give me death!!!

*dies waiting for it to come to iPhone 4*

 

[odditie]

http://english.cri.cn/6966/2010/02/06/1821s548398.htm

Just sayin'...

 

[Ubuntu]

That's what I thought too. Will people not purchase a new improved MacBook Pro because it's still in the same shell as last years? I think not.

So is the phone a fashion accessory that they want it looking different?

Or is it because people seeing them using it in public at first glance won't know they are using the LATEST model?

Scary thing is one of my friends is just like that. He spilt a drink on his first MBP and was waiting for the refresh, but because it looks the same he's now waiting for the next refresh. Its really, really silly.

 

[neonmd]

Psychology of Buying

It seems to me that the same people that are disappointed with yesterday's presentation are the same type of person that buys something because it has the latest and greatest acronym with the biggest screen possible and the faster engine. I used to be one of those people.
The market seems to be changing though. People don't seem to be consuming TV's with ever larger screen sizes, 42-46 inches seems to be the right size for most people. There is clearly a market for something bigger and those that want them but when I look around my house I have one larger TV and multiple in the former category.
Many that read and post here care about technology and what powers it but honestly most that buy and use these devices do not. They want these devices to be simple and work every time they use them. They want them aesthetically attractive. Many, not all, I know had no interested in a larger screen if it meant the bulky devices they see currently but improving functionality and many of the other added features announced yesterday were things that would make them buy a new device.
I wanted a bigger screen because old habits die hard but if these features really work and I can edit a document I am working on at work while driving home on my iPhone while making appointments and reminders and answering texts all with my voice and then when I get there it is all available on my home computer when I open the files or calendar or iPad with iMessage then regardless what the technology is behind the screen or the size or the speed of the data network(that I rarely rely on anyway because my current ip4 is almost always connected to a wifi network anyway) I will have a 4s by next month.
Cars were technology once and people bought them because of the size of the engine and the horsepower. Now people buy them because they work, are pleasing to drive, are reliable and look nice.

 

[gloryunited]

The "problem" now might be not enough choices.

If someone prefers a bigger screen like SGS2 but also likes the iOS experience, he has no choices. It all comes down to priorities and compromises. screen size? stability? range of apps? appearance?

I personally love the iPhone 4 design but I am still using a dumb-phone. The 4S is now faster and better, so I will definitely be getting it. Simple for me.

 

[adildacoolset]

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.

Haha, I listed the features people don't appreciate. People down voted me!

 

[osx11]

I feel like apple has dug itself a very deep hole over the past 10 years with their 'dock connector' accessories. Every stereo system, alarm clock,.......comes with an iPod/iPhone dock. This means that the iPhone/iPod will never get any increases in width. Having said that, we might same day see the screen go to 4 inches, but I think that is as high as it is going to go.

 

[neech7]

Lots of people blindly buy an Android phone because it’s “free”

Lots of people pay $200 or more upfront and sign a 2 year contact for an Android phone.

 

[adildacoolset]

* No LTE (no simultaneous voice and data on Verizon)
* No WiMax (no simultaneous voice and data on Sprint)
* No HSPA+ (iPhone now is officially the slowest phone that can be bought for $100+)
* No NFC
* No OLED
* Slow processor (I expect them to clock it at 800MHz)
* No screen size choices
* No dual-band WiFi
* Only 512MB of RAM (expected)
* Mediocre front face camera (VGA vs 2 MP for Samsung Galaxy SII)
* No support for memory cards

The only feature where iPhone still stands out is screen resolution but even this one is going to be bested in exactly one week (Samsung Nexus Prime - 1280x720 resolution and LG has a similar model)

Haha, very funny about the processor... If you actually saw Infinity blade 2, you would be embarrassed

 

[Eager Beaver]

Haha, very funny about the processor... If you actually saw Infinity blade 2, you would be embarrassed

Wait til YOU see it, (or try to) ...................... on a 3.5" screen

 

[BrokenChairs]

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.

DONT worry Tim Cook knows that you will be out of that cycle in 4 years...... Sorry bro..

Obviously you don't read properly

But back to the iPhone 4S - ok. It's a new phone. It doesn't excite me or grab me to go out and purchase it. There's nothing drastically new about it that is making me thinking of upgrading. For me, it's like buying a new iMac. I could if I wanted to, but I'm happy with my 3 year old model. It still does what I want it to do, no complaints.

 

[illjazz]

I don't understand the whiners. Seriously, I don't.

Gruber said it better than I could if I tried, so I'll quote him:

By Any Other Name ★

Marco Arment:

Would as many people be disappointed if Apple had released the same device but called it the iPhone 5?

Likewise, why the disappointment in no new form factor? The iPhone 4S internals are cutting edge. The external design is still the best-looking device on the market. The new-form-factor “iPhone 5” everyone was hoping for had the same internal specs — dual core A5, improved camera — as the actual iPhone 4S, right?

What's with the obsession with a new exterior? What good would that have done for you, exactly? The ONLY difference between the iPhone 4S as it is and an iPhone 5 would have been a different external design. The internals would have been exactly the same. So those of you who are complaining... are you essentially saying that Apple somehow betrayed you by actually making the phone you wanted but with no new case design?
That just makes no sense to me.

 

[usasalazar]

R.I.P. Steve

Steve has passed. Long live Steve!

 

[snakeboy309]

apple... why do u ignore ur users?

Its sad really how the iphone just now caught up with the evo and android. My evo had the 8mp camera first. And one major pesky problem apple can't seem to figure out is removable storage. That is a major fall back for you apple. The nonremovable batery means

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Its sad really how the iphone just now caught up with the evo and android. My evo had the 8mp camera first. And one major pesky problem apple can't seem to figure out is removable storage. That is a major fall back for you apple. The nonremovable battery means when your apple battery dies from over use it'll cost u to replace it I can go on ebay and replace mine for 8 bucks, and do it all buy my self. As for battery life my evo tends to last me up to 10hrs on 4g. Oh and the android market is quickly excelling over apples and most android phones are open source right out of the box.

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Its sad really how the iphone just now caught up with the evo and android. My evo had the 8mp camera first. And one major pesky problem apple can't seem to figure out is removable storage. That is a major fall back for you apple. The nonremovable battery means when your apple battery dies from over use it'll cost u to replace it I can go on ebay and replace mine for 8 bucks, and do it all buy my self. As for battery life my evo tends to last me up to 10hrs on 4g. Oh and the android market is quickly excelling over apples and most android phones are open source right out of the box.

 

[bpaluzzi]

Its sad really how the iphone just now caught up with the evo and android. My evo had the 8mp camera first. And one major pesky problem apple can't seem to figure out is removable storage. That is a major fall back for you apple. The nonremovable battery means when your apple battery dies from over use it'll cost u to replace it I can go on ebay and replace mine for 8 bucks, and do it all buy my self. As for battery life my evo tends to last me up to 10hrs on 4g. Oh and the android market is quickly excelling over apples and most android phones are open source right out of the box.

What's sad is that you're making the same tired arguments that geeks have been making for the last 4 years. People like you will never understand what's really important for a phone. Removable storage and battery? Is this 2007?

The Android market is nowhere near as successful as the Apple, and Android is not open source, regardless of what Google tries to claim.