What’s new with Apple’s iPhone 4S?

TORONTO – Excitement and anticipation gripped tech gurus,
investors and journalists attending Apple’s first major product unveiling at
the company’s California headquarters on Tuesday.

But Apple’s latest product announcement, rumored to be the
new iPhone 5, wasn’t quite what some iPhone devotees were expecting.

Instead, Apple CEO Tim Cook unveiled the iPhone 4S, a revamped
iPhone 4 with an improved camera and faster processor, among other features.

So what’s new and exciting with Apple’s latest device? Global’s
tech guru Steve Makris weighs in.

Q: What’s new with
the iPhone 4S? 

A:  The coolest new feature is the Siri voice
command, an intelligent assistant that recognizes simple language like: “What’s
the weather like today?” or “Find me a Greek restaurant” or “Wake me up
tomorrow at 6 am” is very cool.

I like that you
won’t need a computer to launch your purchased new iPhone 4S. It’s a world
phone running both GSM and CDMA keeping things simple. The “Find my
Friends” feature is cool for locating where friends and loved one are on a
screen map or if your child got to school (with their iPhone off course.)

It’s improved
performance like twice as fast as the iPhone 4, seven times better graphics,
longer battery life  battery life (like 8
hours talk time on 3G,  14 hours 2G, 6
hours 3G browsing, 9 hours Wi-Fi browsing)  is welcome.

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Downloads are twice
as fast, now Mbps 14.4. Apple claims its matching HSDPA speeds but hands-on
experience will tell if the new Samsung Galaxy II S X will beat that. 

The iPhone 4S has a
larger and better quality  HD Video
camera, catching up with competitors, plus a larger 8 megapixel camera which is
more light sensitive and takes pictures faster than any competitor.

AirPlay now plays
media content from the iPhone S.

Q: I have an iPhone
4, do I need to upgrade?  

A: The new iOS 5
software upgrade, available October 12, will work for current 3Gs, iPhone4,
iPad and recent iPod Touch owners.

Q: What cool
features will the new iOS 5 have? 

A: Apple’s iOS 5
will offer more functionality to devices like being able to text with iMessage
on newer iPod Touch models which are not phones. Location-based reminders and
easy synchronization of music or movies you buy from iTunes to your iPad or
iMac or MacBook are also welcome.

Apple’s new iCloud
service, launching October 12, will be an online hub for seamlessly storing and
pushing your music, photos, apps, contacts, calendars, documents to all your devices
like iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac or PC. For example, if you take a photo with
one device, it can automatically upload to the iCloud and then be available to
see in your other Internet-connected devices. In essence, this is a very well
structured and thought-out network connecting so many factors in the Apple
family.   

Q:  How will Apple’s new device impact RIM’s
BlackBerry and other competitor’s phones? 

A:  RIM still has a hold on the fastest and most
secure mobile business model. Apple’s new iCloud service did not address a
business component today.

Folks I talk to who
use both BlackBerry phones and iPhones in business environments find BlackBerry
with its BlackBerry Enterprise Server still delivers email faster than
competitors whose smartphones are integrated in the office.

I think Apple has an
opportunity to capture business users, but is not taking advantage of that yet.
It’s still a consumer phone.  Android is
still the fastest consumer phone while Windows Phone 7 and BlackBerry are
trying to keep their current customers.

Q: There’s lots of
buzz about Android phones, including the Samsung Galaxy S II. How will this
device hold up against Apple’s iPhone 4S? 

A: The Samsung Galaxy
S II phone is the Korean electronics giant’s best phone in Canada. The Galaxy S
II X version, exclusive to TELUS Mobility and available soon, is the first
phone in Canada rated for dual cell HSPA+ speeds of up to 42 megabits per
second, in essence, twice as fast as competitors.    

Q: Will this new
iPhone set a new standard for mobile phones and the way we communicate and
connect?  

In some ways, yes.
But it’s more an evolutionary smartphone. iPhone 4S is an enhanced, faster
iPhone 4, but shares the spotlight with a much better iOS 5 which currently is
the smartest phone software on the market. Perhaps that’s why Apple didn’t call
it the iPhone 5!