Despite the disappointment felt by die-hard iPhone enthusiasts everywhere when Apple announced there will not yet be an iPhone 5, the iPhone 4S appears poised for grand success. There is compelling evidence that once again, the iPhone will surpass expectations and continue to be the most innovative and popular smartphone on the planet.
The Siri Application ? With the iPhone 4S, Apple unveils its latest version of a virtual assistant, which some are touting as a significant advancement in aritifical intelligence. If this is true, gadget and technology geeks are going to be drooling over the new features of this application. Siri uses voice recognition software to organize and perform daily activities on command such as “send mom a text” or “make restaurant reservations for 8:00 p.m.” While voice recognition technology is far from new, the general consensus is that Siri utilizes it a lot better than most. It reduces past recognization problems, such as those due to background noise interference or nuances in pronounciation. It also understands meaning and context, another big improvement over past voice recognition software.
Voice-to-text support ? Using the microphone, users speak their message, and send it to Apple. Within moments, Apple will send you back your message, fully dictated into text.
Faster Processing ? The apple A4 processor is being upgraded to a dual-core, and Apple is currently boasting that this advancement will make the iPhone 4S up to 7x faster than its predecessor.
FaceTime ? A new feature which is basically the iPhone’s version of the webcam, letting you talk face-to-face, in real time with others. There is a separate camera facing the user, so pictures can be taken and sent to the someone on the other end, without interrupting face-to-face contact.
The 8-MP Camera and IR Filter ? A major upgrade from the iPhone 4’s 5MP, the built-in camera in the iPhone 4S is likely to blow away users with beautiful image resolution and optimal video quality (also upgraded from 720p to 1080p.) This, along with the hybrid infrared filter which adjusts to its environment, can improve the quality and look of pictures taken during either day or night.
The iPhone 4S is a World Phone ? While the iPhone 4S will not support LTE networks, it does contain chips for supporting CDMA and GSM networks, and use a seamlessly alternating antennae to do so. Global roaming is made a reality, as traveling users do not have to switch phones as they move across countries.
Steve Jobs and Apple, Inc. ? Sadly, Apple’s founder and former CEO passed away on October 5, 2011. We predict that this loss will not deter Apple fanatics ? at least not yet. Dedicated fans will remain loyal, and in honor of his passing, many iPhone lovers everywhere are likely jump at the next chance to upgrade. Both Steve Jobs and his company are cultural icons, which trudged through a myriad of financial setbacks to yield superior, beautifully designed computers and electronic devices. Apple, Inc. is Steve Job’s legacy, and millions of true zealots are likely to continue supporting Apple products ? as long as they remain innovative, intuitive, artsy, and relevant.
Simply put, consumers need to see what the iPhone can really do before they let their hopes drop completely. Even without a complete model redesign, new advancements, applications, and features make the iPhone 4S a very tantalizing upgrade.
