On its release, the iPhone 4s could easily have been called “iPhone 5”, such was the upgrade in the hardware specs from the iPhone 4. A dual core processor which really does offer twice the performance over the iPhone 4, better mobile reception, full HD 1080p video capabilities, a quad band antenna for worldwide use, up to 64GM of storage, 802.11n wifi, Bluetooth 4.0 and the ground-breaking “Siri” which set new standards for mobile voice interaction.
In short, the iPhone 4s was such a step up that it took the world of smartphones by storm. From the subtle curves and rounded edges of the iPhone 3, the iPhone 4 models suddenly introduced sharper, cleaner lines and smooth sleek surfaces. So smooth and sleek, in fact, that there was a danger that the device was always in danger of sliding off any surfaces that weren’t completely level.
Apple had always led the way in display technology and resolution, and the iPhone 4s was no exception. Although introduced on the iPhone 4, the Retina Display suddenly had a device worthy of it. Coupled with the ability to shoot 1080p video at 30fps, the iPhone 4s took the idea of an all-in-one device a significant step further.
The release of iOS 5 to coincide with the iPhone 4s not only introduced Siri to the world, it paired beautifully with the new dual core processor to provide a much smoother, much faster user experience than the original iPhone 4. Also, the camera, a long time sticking point when compared to Apple’s competitors saw an upgrade from 5mp to 8mp, finally providing decent image resolution.
Apple’s proprietary iOS had begun to outrun the hardware specs on the earlier models, but the iPhone 4s changed all that. From previously good performance, suddenly it was much more difficult to outpace the software. In truth, it although it never really felt overly-sluggish in everyday use, when compared to the iPhone 4s, going back to the iPhone 4 suddenly feels like a distinctive backwards step in terms of speed.
It was the iPhone 4s which opened the way for technical innovations previously unseen on Apple devices. The 4s made iOS 6 not just possible but inevitable, and Apple were able to bring features like OTA (Over the Air) updates and the revolutionary iCloud dedicated online storage which was free to all iOS 6 users. None of this would have happened had the iPhone 4s not broken through the limits previously in place.
That the iPhone 4s is still a serious competitor to all but the high-end models some three and a half years after its release is testament to all the necessary elements coming together to produce a smartphone more than worthy of the name.
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