iPhone 4S: Everything you need to know

 The ‘Lets talk iPhone’ event has finally taken place. While Apple did not launch an iPhone 5, it did come out with a new iPhone. The new iPhone called the iPhone 4S, packs in many revamped features, although I would not call it a fully revamped model.

Lets start with the reason behind the launch of the iPhone 4S. It’s pretty simple. Remember the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS? Apple did the same thing some years back when it launched the iPhone 3GS while people were waiting for the iPhone 4.

Apple would never have launched an iPhone 5 right now, since carrier contracts are two years long for the iPhone 4 subscribers. In countries like U.S., both mobile phone companies and consumers rely on carriers to sell/purchase a phone. These carriers provide people with data plans, which help them, get a phone for cheap, sometimes even free. But, when you sign up for a carrier plan you cannot switch to a different phone before your plan ends (They have to recover the cost of the phone, don’t they?) or it will definitely cost you hard as you will have to keep on with payments (same thing if you presently buy an iPhone 4 from Airtel, Aircel or Vodafone in India). It’s funny how, amongst so many iPhone 5 rumors and suspected leaks; major tech bloggers and press analysts completely missed the train on that one. 

So, as most of Apple’s established consumer base wouldn’t have opted for the iPhone 5, Apple made a correct business decision by launching a iPhone 4S. Moreover, by endowing the iPhone 4S with services such as iOS 5, iCloud and an A5 chip, Apple seems to be testing the waters for an iPhone 5.

The most interesting thing about the iPhone 4S is quite obviously its price. Priced at $199 (Around Rs. 10,000), it seems a slick deal. Apple has shattered its own price ceiling with this phone, the first one that we would call a budget iPhone.

 Even though we wouldn’t go as far to say that it is the revolutionary phone that we were waiting for, but it doesn’t even disappoint, if you look at its price tag and the things on offer.

Well, the iPhone 4S comes with a 3.5-inch screen quite similar to the iPhone 4. In fact, the phone looks like almost a twin of the iPhone 4. It is not the outside of the phone that has changed, but the inside.

The iPhone 4S comes with a dual-core A5 chip that powered the iPad 2.
It comes with an 8-megapixel camera, an upgrade from the previous 5-megpixel one. Apple has never disappointed with the camera, and with 5 lenses, an increased aperture size and gyro sensor, face detection, lock screen access an accelerometer, it seems quite a package. Along with that, Apple packs in a video editing software that lets you edit videos right on your iPhone.

Moreover, Apple has packed in to antennas instead of one, to provide enhanced signal strength with your iPhone.

Coming to the software, Apple keeps it exciting here too. The iPhone 4S comes with the iOS 5, Apple’s new operating system. The iOS 5 seems an intuitive OS, with apps such as Newsstand, twitter integration and what not.

But the most prominent feature of the iOS 5 is its Siri Assistant, which helps you work your iPhone just using voice commands. So , you can schedule an appointment or reply to a text message just by giving a voice command. 

Furthermore, Apple offers you 5 GB Cloud storage via iCloud, where you can store all your iTunes Store purchases and your documents. It can automatically sync your iPhone 4S and connect with other devices without using a PC.

Altogether, the iPhone seems an exciting budget phone. It hits the U.S. shelves by October 14 and is expected to arrive in India by February 2011.