TORONTO – It’s clear Apple doesn’t believe in the old saying, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
The iPhone 4, which until last week was Apple’s top-of-the-line mobile phone and still one of the most powerful on the market, is by no means outdated. It’s fast, beautifully designed and has countless apps available to download that make it a joy to use.
Most of its users probably weren’t itching for an upgrade and were completely content with the slick best-selling device.
Still, it was due for an update, whether it really needed one or not.
Every year, like clockwork, Apple unveils a new version of its phone and so the iPhone 4, which was first released last summer, now has a more powerful twin. The iPhone 4S looks virtually identical to its predecessor but packs a lot more gadgetry within its svelte body.
Apple’s biggest fans have probably already bought one – whether they needed it or not – but for the average consumer, it’s not necessarily a must buy. Especially considering the most expensive 64-gigabyte version sells for a whopping $849 without a contract, or $369 if you’re willing to be shackled to a mobile provider for three years, an eternity in tech time.
The new iPhone 4S boasts double the processing power of the iPhone 4, which doesn’t really mean much today. Side by side tests with the iPhone 4 show a mostly negligible speed boost that is only noticeable when comparing the launch times of some apps. And even then the time saved is measured in fractions of seconds. But app developers are already working to take advantage of the processor inside the iPhone 4S and eventually the iPhone 4 will start to lag behind. And it probably won’t be too long before that happens.
The ability to shoot photos and videos has also been improved considerably with the iPhone 4S, with a new eight megapixel camera and 1080p high definition video capture. Mobile phones are getting closer and closer to replacing point-and-shoot digital cameras, although they’re not quite there yet. I’d be happy to have an iPhone 4S on hand to snap an impromptu shot while walking around, and that photo would likely be sharp enough to get printed and framed. But I still wouldn’t give up on my dedicated camera, and anyone willing to spend more than $300 on a feature-rich digital shooter probably won’t be trading theirs in for an iPhone either. Not yet at least.
The most notable software feature of the new iPhone 4S is Siri, a virtual personal assistant based on voice recognition technology. Users can simply speak into their phone to save time on finger taps and swipes. Siri will take dictation for emails and messages, place calls, and set up calendar entries and appointment reminders. You can also ask Siri for the weather forecast, what time it is in a foreign city, or anything you want, really. Apple foresaw that users would ask Siri some silly questions and programmed cute answers for queries about the meaning of life, pop culture references and other somewhat obvious one-liners.
Get breaking National news
Most of the time it works smoothly; the software translates what is said and effortlessly completes your tasks. It’s incredibly convenient to tell Siri something like, “Set a reminder for my doctor’s appointment on November 23rd at 9 a.m.” and have it quickly inputted for you, rather than having to find the right app, browse to the date and then type everything in on the virtual keyboard. And then correct the inevitable typos.
But there are times when the software just can’t grasp what you’re saying. Even during a scripted demo I was given by Apple, Siri repeatedly failed to do what she was told, much to the presenter’s embarrassment. Still, it works more often than it doesn’t and when Siri performs, it’s a great feature.
While some are hailing Siri’s abilities as “revolutionary,” it’s worth noting that Apple is not the first to introduce mobile voice recognition features. Google’s Android users have had access to a similar app, Voice Actions for Android, for more than a year. Even the BlackBerry, which is rarely applauded for being innovative anymore, has long had voice commands available to users thanks to Google Maps and Google Voice Search apps (which are also available for Nokia and Microsoft phones). They work very well, and I consistently use them to search for locations on a map or get directions, rather than typing.
But Apple has a knack for looking like the leader even when it’s not (just ask the company Creative, which was a leading MP3 player manufacturer before the iPod came along and took over the market). Even those who have used similar voice recognition tools before are likely to be impressed by Siri.
Siri is part of a software update for Apple’s iOS mobile operating system, which was released in tandem with the iPhone 4S. The iOS 5 update includes a number of new software features that make the iPhone more fun to use – including a BlackBerry Messenger clone called iMessage and an Android-inspired notification system that alerts you to new messages or social media activity – but Siri is the only one that’s exclusive to the iPhone 4S.
So if you think you need to have Siri, you’ll definitely want the iPhone 4S, which also has top-of-the-line hardware that will keep it from becoming outdated for a while.
But given that the iPhone 4 is far from sluggish, owners may want to see what Apple comes out with next – probably next summer, if the new-phone-once
a-year trend holds – before upgrading.
And those looking at choosing between the two phones might find the “old” one suits their needs just fine, and at a cheaper price. Some carriers are offering the eight-gigabyte iPhone 4 for as little as $50 with a three-year contract, or about $110 cheaper than the lowest-end iPhone 4S on a contract. Or you can buy an unlocked iPhone 4 – which will work with any mobile provider – for $549, compared to $649 for the cheapest iPhone 4S.
Although it’s a steep price to pay upfront, buying an unlocked phone offers the flexibility to seek out mobile plans without a contract and travel without having to pay roaming fees – just buy an inexpensive local SIM card and pay-as-you-go service where ever you go. Having an unlocked phone also makes it easier to sell it online if you decide you must upgrade to the latest and greatest.
After all, we’re probably less than a year away from the iPhone 5.
Comments
Want to discuss? Please read our Commenting Policy first.