iPhone 4S

[Sean Aaron]

I think most people feel that a "top of the line" current generation phone must at a minimum have a larger screen (4.3" or bigger) and "4G" whether it be HSPA+ or LTE or what have you.

Larger screen? No thanks, it's big enough already; I'd rather not be holding a tablet to my ear.

And is 4G actually rolled out anywhere? 3G finally seems to be fully deployed in the UK; I cannot see networks over here splashing out on network upgrades in the near future.

 

[Sheep]

Larger screen? No thanks, it's big enough already; I'd rather not be holding a tablet to my ear.

FACT: You don't need to make the iPhone that much larger to include a larger screen. All this talk about 4" or 4.3" being too big to pocket comes from fanboys who can't accept that anything different from their phone might also be perfectly reasonable.

 

[Chaos Descending]

The largest cities in the US now have 4G coverage, and it's expanding literally daily.

4.3" screens don't actually seem huge to me, for a smart-phone it seems about ideal. Small enough to carry in a pocket still, and large enough that I can make some good use of the screens real-estate when doing smartphone stuff.

 

[23skidoo]

I just saw an ad for the 4S featuring that Siri "personal assistant". Good god, man, it's 2011 surely they'd be able to create a synthesized voice that doesn't sound like Ananova from back in 1999. I mean, the "Victoria" voice I use to have Word documents read to me on my Mac has more inflection. And that particular synthesizer has been around for a good 10 years. With the increase of technology if I'm gonna have something like Siri it should be sounding like Angelina Jolie by now.

Alex

 

[Dukhat]

I think you've gotten it wrong a bit, IMHO.

I think most people feel that a "top of the line" current generation phone must at a minimum have a larger screen (4.3" or bigger) and "4G" whether it be HSPA+ or LTE or what have you.

I don''t think it's a matter of cosmetics at all.

A slightly larger screen would be a cosmetic change, would it not?

And anyway, the current size of the iPhone, IMHO, is perfect. Larger phones with larger screens tend to feel like I'm holding one of those old-fashioned PDAs, but without the stylus. Very awkward and unwieldy, and not pants-pocket friendly.

And as for 4G...okay, you got me there, but I'd bet that's the only internal thing that the average person would care about when buying a new iPhone. And it's not like 4G is guaranteed in whatever area you happen to be in when making a phone call.

 

[Chaos Descending]

4G is not a cosmetic change, (as you did indeed touch upon), of course.

I would say a larger screen is in a grey area between a cosmetic change and a functional change. The larger screen DEFINITELY enhances the user experience more than a change in the color of the case (for example) would.

The 3GS -> 4 (externally) was just a cosmetic change, for example.

 

[Sean Aaron]

What would actually make this phone a worthwhile upgrade is the superior battery life. We'll see if I get an offer to take one from my provider.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

 

[Meredith]

Rest in Peace Mr. Steve Jobs.

 

[Meredith]

Rest in Peace Mr. Steve Jobs.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Laws only work if everyone is honest,

That's nonsensical - if everyone is honest, laws are unnecessary.

 

[Amasov]

What was the time frame between the announcement of the 3GS and the 4? I didn't have an iPhone at the time, so I wasn't really following Apple's developments too much back then.

 

[Chaos Descending]

Almost exactly one year.

Early June 2009 for 3GS.

Late June 2010 for 4.

 

[Awesome Possum]

I'm getting one, it'll be my first iPhone. I doubt I'll get it first day, maybe around Nov/Dec.

 

[Sean Aaron]

My girl is getting one as well; hers is an upgrade from the 3G, so it's time.

 

[Awesome Possum]

I went and talked to Verizon about upgrading today. It will be a weird process. I'm adding a line, giving the old phone to my brother, swap the numbers and data. and then setting up the iPhone. But then I'll have the 4S and he'll have a Droid 1. Then if he's unhappy with it I'll transfer my upgrade (due in March) to him.

Why won't they just shut up and take my money?
Please note that I do understand how buying phones on contract work and why they get annoyed when you try to change things.

 

[Kataaran]

I'm waiting for delivery of mine now, upgrading from a 3GS. I decided not to wait for the 5 and the inevitable antenna-or-something-similar problems. Also, with the same case design it already has a load of accessories available for it.

 

[Tom Hendricks]

I like your thinking, why wait for the attenna problem, when you can get the iPhone 4s and it attenna problem right now.

I'm waiting for delivery of mine now, upgrading from a 3GS. I decided not to wait for the 5 and the inevitable antenna-or-something-similar problems. Also, with the same case design it already has a load of accessories available for it.

 

[Dukhat]

There's not a single person I know who owns an iPhone 4 who's ever once complained about a bad antenna or dropped calls. And I know a lot of people with iPhone 4's.

 

[Kataaran]

I like your thinking, why wait for the attenna problem, when you can get the iPhone 4s and it attenna problem right now.

I'm waiting for delivery of mine now, upgrading from a 3GS. I decided not to wait for the 5 and the inevitable antenna-or-something-similar problems. Also, with the same case design it already has a load of accessories available for it.

You seem to be ignoring the part where Apple updated the antenna.