iPhone 4S Review

The iPhone 4S wasn’t quite what many expected, and to be fair, we did contribute to the iPhone 5 hype by reporting on the various pre-launch rumors, but now the iPhone 4S is here, and it is selling well. The question is: how good is it, and is it for you? While the hardware changes are few, some are significant, and the iPhone 4S has the advantage of using a largely proven design, which is “mostly” compatible with existing accessories. It also has the most apps, and often the best apps. But is that enough to counter a relentless Android eco-system that improves day after day? After the announcement of the Droid RAZR and the Galaxy Nexus , this is a legitimate question.

In this review, I will go over the pros and cons of the iPhone 4S, including the new A5 processor, the low-light camera and of course… Siri, Apple’s virtual assistant. Are you ready? Let’s take the iPhone 4S for a ride.

Context

We all use smartphones differently, so it’s important that I tell you what I do with my smartphone: I typically check my email often with the built-in email app (via Microsoft Exchange), and I reply moderately because the virtual keyboard is slow, even on large displays. I browse the web several times a day to check on news sites, but I rarely watch movies or play music. I don’t call much – maybe 10mn a day, if at all. On the “apps” side, I have a couple of social networks, a receipts manager, but I rarely play games or do something super-intensive. This usage pattern will affect battery life and the perception of what features are useful.

External design (“same same”, excellent)

iPhone 4 legacy : the iPhone 4S looks, and feels, just like an iPhone 4. Although there are minor differences that may make some smartphone cases not compatible (my Belkin transparent case is not compatible for example), both phones feel extremely similar. I don’t think that covering this aspect further will do any good (you like it, or you don’t), except for one aspect: the display size.

Computer Lingo Dictionary - News


iPhone 4S Review
iPhone 4S Review

In general, it's best to use words from the dictionary, and if you use foreign words, foreign names or technical lingo, things will break very quickly. For instance, try to get Siri to understand “Hubert” (pronounced U-bear) and you'll see what I mean.




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