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Is the "iPhone 4S" and the "iPhone 5" one and the same?

Since MacRumors already has a thread regarding the BGR article on their front page, I've changed this thread's name to asking the question: is iPh4S and iPh5 one and the same? Which I think is an offshoot topic of the BGR article. Mods, don't close this thread!

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Muad'Dib said:
I tend to believe the WSJ over some analyst. I gonna say we see 2 devices.
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WSJ said two devices?
 
aluren said:
It's all about the looks. Changing the looks = brand new. Same looks = slight upgrade. Kinda similar to cars and redesigns. I think alot more people care about the looks than anything else so they can show off what they bought. Who is going to see an A5 chip or an 8mp camera on a 4S?

But I would much prefer internal upgrades than external. I only care about how the phone works for me, not how others will judge me. I mean, come on, faster processor and ram will save you time by loading everything faster. There is no better upgrades than this in technology.
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For a lot of us, it's not about what other people think. I don't give a $&#* what anybody thinks of the phone I have...I just get bored very easily, and need change in my electronics or it just gets old.

Also, just from a comfort perspective, the iPhone 4 never has felt very good in my hands. Too sharp. Needs curved sides to feel right.

When the iPhone 4 can handle everything that a slightly upgraded phone can, there is no point in upgrading to the new phone.
 
theperipheral said:
For a lot of us, it's not about what other people think. I don't give a $&#* what anybody thinks of the phone I have...I just get bored very easily, and need change in my electronics or it just gets old.

Also, just from a comfort perspective, the iPhone 4 never has felt very good in my hands. Too sharp. Needs curved sides to feel right.

When the iPhone 4 can handle everything that a slightly upgraded phone can, there is no point in upgrading to the new phone.
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well said
 
Actually this could be the case. Having bumped internals and a slight case redesign. I can see it happening. But it'll definitely be called the iPhone 5, not the 4S.
 
Agent-P said:
Actually this could be the case. Having bumped internals and a slight case redesign. I can see it happening. But it'll definitely be called the iPhone 5, not the 4S.
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I agree.

I think the term "4S" derived from Apple's own testing the internal hardware in iPhone 4 cases for obvious security and secrecy reasons, and the news sites just ran with that. Then when hints of a redesign started floating, they separated the two things into its own possibilities. There may never have been a plan to ever release a "4S."
 
onthecouchagain said:
WSJ said two devices?
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Crap, I may have confused my articles. Still looking.

So far, WSJ said Sprint will be getting the next iPhone. Other sources said there were 2.

Man, I hope I'm not wrong....still looking. I could've swore it was WSJ. :confused:

I may have to eat my words.

Edit: Found what I was thinking of. This story:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903327904576526690675657466.html

This part may be why I thought this story mentioned 2 phones. But now I see it only refers to the iPhone 5 and the iPhone 4. No 4s.
Sprint will also carry the iPhone 4, starting at the same time, one person familiar with the situation said.
Click to expand...
 
onthecouchagain said:
I agree.

I think the term "4S" derived from Apple's own testing the internal hardware in iPhone 4 cases for obvious security and secrecy reasons, and the news sites just ran with that. Then when hints of a redesign started floating, they separated the two things into its own possibilities. There may never have been a plan to ever release a "4S."
Click to expand...

And I think the only reason the 3GS was called that in the first place was to line up the names back with the iPhone generation number. The 3G messed up the naming structure since it was the second generation iPhone. So Apple released the 3GS as a kind of placeholder device. Then when the fourth generation device was released, they called it the iPhone 4. I think from now on we'll see proper names (ie iPhone 5, iPhone 6, etc.)
 
theperipheral said:
For a lot of us, it's not about what other people think. I don't give a $&#* what anybody thinks of the phone I have...I just get bored very easily, and need change in my electronics or it just gets old.

Also, just from a comfort perspective, the iPhone 4 never has felt very good in my hands. Too sharp. Needs curved sides to feel right.

When the iPhone 4 can handle everything that a slightly upgraded phone can, there is no point in upgrading to the new phone.
Click to expand...

With a (much) faster processor and more RAM, there would be plenty that the "slightly" upgraded phone could do that the iPhone 4 couldn't.
 
@Maud, good find.

Judging from everything we've got, my theory feels pretty sound, but who knows!
 
You know what else I think is possible? Apple may "silently" update the internals of the current iPhone 4. Meaning, all new iPhone 4's (not "4S") that ship shortly after the iPod/iPhone event will have slightly upgraded internals, so they can still be affordable (mid/low market) but still bumped up a little bit. I think they'll keep the name "4" and sell two iPhones: the 4 for marked down price (like the 3GS is now), and the 5 (aka 4S) for regular.

Boom?
 
cyks said:
With a (much) faster processor and more RAM, there would be plenty that the "slightly" upgraded phone could do that the iPhone 4 couldn't.
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People are using iOS5 just fine right now on their 4's. I'm sure at some point, there will be some benefit to having the A5, but that benefit will only actually be noticed by the few people who play intense games on the phone or something like that.

For the normal user, a slightly upgraded iPhone 4 will be unnoticeably different than the 4. There are a lot of people that just want something new...not for anybody else, not for functionality, but they just want something new. I've had the 4 since launch, and it's awesome, but it's old now. I want something fresh to look at, to feel. It's the same reason people buy new clothes, or go to new restaurants...they just want something else.
 
How were we "mislead"?

I guess my only comment is that many people feel we were mislead somehow into thinking the next iPhone would be a major redisign. Who mislead us? In my opinion, those who feel mislead only mislead themselves. Apple never promised anything (well not until Oct 4th or so).

Me personally, I can't wait for the announcment, I do not currently have an iPhone (couldn't justify the data costs before) and this version will be my first. I love the look of the current version and will be very happy with whatever they put in it.

I don't care what they call the next iPhone, 4S, 5 or something else. I sure hope the Oct 4th rumor is correct and they are available immediately after announcement (I know, wishful thinking).
 
Smtevo said:
If this happens then see ya Apple, hello Samsung Galaxy 2. This will hit apple hard if they only release a 4s.
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I think you've gotten spoiled by Apple's innovation, so if they don't come out with something that's revolutionary every refresh, you're disappointed.

With that said, I would be surprised if it's only a 4S, because we've waited so long.
 
I have been using a droidX for the past 2 years and was looking forward to the iphone5 as long as the screen was larger. My wife has an iphone4 and cant stand looking at that small screen, I have to squint. When I first got the droid I thought it might be to large but its great for surfing/email/videos and fits well in a pocket.
 
jsbaugh said:
I have been using a droidX for the past 2 years and was looking forward to the iphone5 as long as the screen was larger. My wife has an iphone4 and cant stand looking at that small screen, I have to squint. When I first got the droid I thought it might be to large but its great for surfing/email/videos and fits well in a pocket.
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You may still well get your wish. I believe the new iPhone will have a larger screen. There never was a "4S". The "4S" will probably just be a silently upgraded 4 that sells alongside the 5.
 
There's only gonna be a 4S, and it's gonna be what you'd expect a 4S to be - same body as the 4 with upgraded internals ie. processor, RAM, camera and radios. Not sure what the 4S=5 stuff means. The supposed '5' is totally different. Likely a fake or the sixth-generation handset. It was never supposed to launch this year.
 
applefan289 said:
I think you've gotten spoiled by Apple's innovation, so if they don't come out with something that's revolutionary every refresh, you're disappointed.

With that said, I would be surprised if it's only a 4S, because we've waited so long.
Click to expand...

Yes it is a disappointment considering the rate at which tech it progressing. If there was no Android then Apple could sit back and do minor upgrades but that's not the case anymore. They could get away with that back with the 3GS but that was before Android was coming out with a new phone every other day. If Apple is only doing a refresh once a year it better be one hell of a refresh to keep up.
 
applefan289 said:
I think you've gotten spoiled by Apple's innovation, so if they don't come out with something that's revolutionary every refresh, you're disappointed.

With that said, I would be surprised if it's only a 4S, because we've waited so long.
Click to expand...

If the new iPhone, whatever it's going to be called. Doesn't have at least a 4" screen I will go with the Galaxy S2 the next day.
 
Dubthedankest said:
There's only gonna be a 4S, and it's gonna be what you'd expect a 4S to be - same body as the 4 with upgraded internals ie. processor, RAM, camera and radios. Not sure what the 4S=5 stuff means. The supposed '5' is totally different. Likely a fake or the sixth-generation handset. It was never supposed to launch this year.
Click to expand...

4S=5 meaning... I think we'll see one new iPhone this year, and it'll be a combination of what we all think the 4S and 5 will be. The internals of this new phone will be upgraded to A5 chip, 8 MP camera, and maybe more RAM (rumored properties of the "4S") but it will not be in the body of the iPhone 4; it'll be in the body of a slightly redesigned phone (which is a rumored property of the "5" but without the supposedly major internal upgrades). This would explain the new case leaks, which seem fairly credible.

So the new iPhone, which will be called "iPhone 5" will really just be the features of 4S and 5 together in one. There never was meant to be a separate "4S" phone. I believe the "4S" is just a byproduct of internal Apple testing of new specs purposefully hidden for secrecy reasons in the body of an iPh4.

I also think the current iPhone 4 might get a slight spec bump, but retain its "4" name. This will sell alongside the new 5.

Hope that clarifies my theory.
 
can remember saying the same when apple released the 3gs after the 3g with the smallest of upgrades
to my knowledge despite the rumblings, the 3gs went on to be a pretty damn successful phone for apple and still is
for me i would get the 4s in an heartbeat if those specs rumoured were to be true (as long as it was available in White)
 
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