Tech lovers, rejoice! Apple, currently the most profitable technology company in the world, released the newest version of its iPhone on October 14. This model, the 4s, retains many of the same features as previous incarnations, but adds a few exciting upgrades.
Siri, what Apple calls “an intelligent assistant” on its website, is one of the most buzzed about new applications. Users can ask the program any question they want, from “What’s today’s forecast?” to “Where can I buy some great boots?” and receive an accurate response. Siri also sets reminders, edits users’ personal calendars, makes calls, and more.
The iPhone 4s also boasts an improved camera, which Apple says “might just be the best camera ever on a phone.” Photo quality is set at eight megapixels, up from five on the iPhone 4. There is improved motion blur and face recognition for all of those action shots. The high definition camcorder records in 1080p, similar to what would be found on a high end flat screen television.
Potential buyers should also be aware of iCloud, a service that allows users to store data like music, contacts, and mail in the “cloud”, Apple’s external servers, and sync them with multiple devices like their laptops and phones.
After the death of Steve Jobs earlier this month, the technology and media worlds are closely watching to see where the company he founded and built goes from here. “He was the owner of the company, but he wasn’t the only person with ideas and skills in Apple,” commented Henry Buntz (’13).
Many consumers and analysts were disappointed that this new iPhone model was simply an upgrade to the existing one, not a totally new iPhone 5. Unsurprisingly, Apple’s stock fell 5% in the wake of the iPhone announcement. In real money, that’s $22 billion, according to NewsOk.com.
“I think the new iPhone is just a professionally jailbroken version of the last one, with somewhat better software,” said Elizabeth Burgess (’13).
Most people who already own an iPhone 4 would more than likely be better off in not buying a new phone. The difference between the current model and its predecessor is so small that paying hundreds of dollars for an iPhone 4s would not make financial sense. Those who have older iPhone models, or who are looking to make the jump to an Apple product, could take this as a good time to upgrade.
The iPhone 4s retails for $199, $299, and $399 for the 8, 16, and 32 gigabyte models on AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint.