OK, so it’s a little dissapointing that there’s no slimmer, bigger-screened iPhone 5 from Apple this year. Nonetheless, the iPhone 4S still managed to break pre-order records, and judging from the first round of reviews, it was a smart move by Apple to focus its energies on the iPhone’s software and internal components.
Just like the 3GS did a couple of years ago, the 4S delivers more functionality while carrying over an “old” form factor. Faster processor, better camera, Siri… Virtually all of the cool new stuff is on the inside.
As for that exterior… Even a year-plus after its debut, the iPhone 4 is still a great-looking gadget, if I do say so myself. But does the iPhone brand continue to impress?
Let’s see what others have to say.
Joshua Topolsky – This is my next…
8.6 out of 10
“The iPhone 4S is a great device for some, but what if you’re thinking of upgrading from an iPhone 4? That’s a tougher call. The phone is faster, to be sure, and has an amazing camera. And of course, you can’t get Siri unless you have a 4S… but I just don’t know if any of those reasons are compelling enough to convince previous buyers to upgrade.”
Tim Stevens – Engadget
“But it’s not all about the benchmarks, and we’ve been overall quite impressed by the performance of the 4S in general tasks. We remain continually impressed by the performance of the iPhone 4 — despite its aging assets, it still performs like a young smartphone in its prime. In other words, we’re not seeing a particularly strong difference between day-to-day usage of the two devices.”
Stephen Fry – The Guardian
“In a sad, sad week for Apple, come a new phone and a new operating system that between them show the company still at the top of its game, still innovating, still implementing new technologies at a level of perfection and fluency that is only possible when you make, design and control it all: device, chip architecture and operating system.”
Vincent Nguyen – SlashGear
“It’s a testament to the iPhone 4’s abilities that it could still hold its own against rivals – for consumers and reviewers alike – more than a year after its release. If challengers from the Android or Windows Phone camps were beginning to catch up, then the combination of the iPhone 4S and iOS 5 have comprehensively shifted the benchmark forward.”
David Pogue – The New York Times
“Android phones seem to come out every Tuesday at 3:45 p.m. Apple updates iOS and the iPhone only once a year. So Apple had a lot of catching up to do, even some leapfrogging. There are some rough spots here and there; for example, every now and then the 4S’s camera app gets stuck on its startup screen. And while the battery still gets you through one full day, standby time is shorter than before (200 hours versus 300). But over all, Apple has done an excellent job.”
Jason Snell – Macworld.com
“In the end, the iPhone 4S follows Apple’s recent trajectory of iPhone releases: It’s an object of some appeal to people who last upgraded their phones a year ago, and over the next year a great many of them will find it worthwhile to upgrade to the iPhone 4S. But to all those people who’ve been hanging on to their iPhone 3G or iPhone 3GS, the wait is over: It’s time to upgrade without any hesitation whatsoever.”
Walt Mossberg – Wall Street Journal
“The iPhone 4S is one of Apple’s less dramatic updates, but, when combined with the Siri, iOS 5 and iCloud features, it presents an attractive new offering to smartphone users. Some may be content to skip the new hardware and just enjoy the software and cloud features with older models. But those buying the phone will likely be happy with it.”
Brian X. Chen – Wired
8 out of 10
“With Siri and Apple’s new Reminders to-do list app, it’s unlikely I’ll forget anything important again because the process is so effortless… It’s kind of like having the unpaid intern of my dreams at my beck and call, organizing my life for me. I think Siri on the iPhone is a life changer, and this is only the beginning.”
Did we miss a review? Drop a link in the comments!
