Apple’s decision to stick with the same form factor for its
latest iPhone
received mixed reactions from the public when it was announced. There
were some who were expecting a larger display and a new look, but were
disappointed. While others felt the bump in specs on the inside was
enough to keep Apple in step with its competitors in the smartphone
arena.
It’s not the first time Apple stuck with the same design on its smartphones; they did as much with the
iPhone 3GS, the successor of the
iPhone 3G. But are there enough merits for the new version, or should we keep the old?
iPhone 4 vs iPhone 4S Design
From the front and rear glass panels to the sleek steel band,
everything on the outside still feels the same. As expected, the
dimensions are also the same – 115.2 x 58.6 x 9.3mm. However, the
iPhone 4S is a tad heavier, coming in at 140g, compared to the 137g of its predecessor.
One slight change in the design would be the placement of the buttons
on the left spine. As seen in this picture comparison, the iPhone 4S’
mute button and the volume keys are raised just a little bit compared to
the older model (GSM variant). It is quite a minute difference.
However, protective cases that have these precise button openings for
the
iPhone 4
may not necessarily fit the newer version. For CDMA variants, some
users have noted that their version of iPhone 4 cases will also likely
fit the 4S.
Aside from this negligible difference, the design of both phones are
identical. Their speaker and microphone placements, camera (front and
back) locations, are pretty much one and the same – so much so that you
can mistake one for the other at first glance.
iPhone 4 vs iPhone 4S Hardware Specifications
While the two devices share many similarities, there are notable differences when it comes to hardware, as you can see below.
iPhone 4 vs iPhone 4S Software iOS 5 And Siri
Apple’s new iOS5 contains a horde of new features. The good news is
that iPhone 4 owners shouldn’t feel left behind. With the exception of
Siri, every feature on iOS5 such as the new Notifications available;
apps like Newsstand, iMessage, Reminders; and additional camera options
can also be found on the iPhone 4. The difference is that the iPhone 4S
is noticeably snappier and faster, thanks to its new A5 chip.
Siri is Apple’s new intelligent software voice-recognition assistant
and exclusive to the iPhone 4S. While some users have shown that Siri
runs just fine on an iPhone 4, connecting to Apple’s servers have proven
to be a futile attempt as it only accepts commands from the UID of an
iPhone 4S handset.
When Apple demoed the application, the company noted that it is still
in beta and currently only supports English, (US, UK, Australian)
German, and French. Those outside the US may not be able to fully
utilize its function as well, but Apple is working on allowing more
users to experience Siri’s full potential.
Some of the cool things Siri can do is type messages as the user
dictates it then send it to the recipient, set an alarm, place a
reminder, and even do some light researching for you. One user even
managed to let Siri start a car, although the setup was pretty
complicated.
Despite all its capabilities, it still remains to be seen whether
Siri will become a game changer: it is, after all, still in beta, the
video below shows Siri in action.
iPhone 4 vs iPhone 4S Camera Comparison
While most of it’s physical appearances may not have changed, Apple made sure that the iPhone 4S got souped up under the hood.
First on the list would be the camera – which went from 5 megapixels on
the iPhone 4 to 8 megapixels, a move that would bring it on par with its
competitors. The new 1080p video resolution is also a welcome
development. Aside from increasing the photo and video resolution, the
4S uses a 5 element lens that should result in sharper images via
optics.
The new iPhone’s lens also totes an aperture of f/2.4, new CMOS
sensor with backside illumination, and a new Hybrid IR filter for better
color rendering. All these improvements turn the iPhone 4S into a very
capable digital camera replacement for the regular user. Taking shots
proved to be very snappy, colors were more accurate, the dynamic range
was wider, and had less noise despite the higher resolution sensor over
the iPhone 4, the video below was shot on the iPhone 4S in full HD at
1080p.
iPhone 4 vs iPhone 4S Processor And Speed
With the iPhone 4S getting the A5 chip also found on the iPad 2, the
operating speed and graphics display, as expected, went up another
notch. The iPhone 4 is no slouch in the speed category as well, but
Apple’s latest gem just feels faster especially when using apps that
require a lot of graphics. The PowerVR SGX543MP2 graphics on the iPhone
4S is quoted to be “seven times better” than the PowerVR SGX 535 on the
iPhone 4.
iPhone 4 vs iPhone 4S Battery Life
The iPhone 4S has a new, slightly higher capacity battery, though the
advertised battery times by Apple shows that the battery life between
the two devices are almost identical. Talk time is rated at 14 hours
(2G) and 8 hours (3G) on the iPhone 4S while its predecessor had the
same 2G talk time and 7 hours on 3G. Stand-by time on the 4S is 200
hours both on 2G and 3G while the iPhone 4 had a better time of 300
hours on both bands.
While the iPhone 4S should have no battery problems as indicated by
the spec sheet, many users are complaining of a shorter battery life.
The problem seems to be a software issue and Apple has recently released
the iOS 5.0.1 update to fix it. Some users have claimed that the update
have somehow addressed their battery problems. But for those who still
experience them, Apple has released iOS 5.1 to developers which may
hopefully put an end to users’ battery woes.
iPhone 4 vs iPhone 4S Reception, Call Quality And Data Speeds
With the iPhone 4 “antennagate” issue that blew up the Internet last
year, Apple seemed to have learned its lesson. They’ve now made sure
that the iPhone 4S is up to par in terms of call quality and reception.
The infamous death grip is no longer an issue and users can, thankfully,
use their phone even without a bumper case on. In terms of data speed,
the 4S’ HSDPA is rated at 14.4 Mbps: double that of the previous
version. On HSUPA, the two devices are almost identical with the latest
version at 5.8 Mbps and the iPhone 4 at 5.7 Mbps. It is worth noting
that Apple dubs its latest offering as a world phone, which means it
supports both CDMA and GSM.
iPhone 4 vs iPhone 4S Price
A quick glance at the Apple website shows the iPhone 4S is for sale
at $199 for the 16GB version, $299 for the 32GB, and $399 for the 64GB.
The iPhone4 at 8GB is being sold for $99. All prices come with a network
contract.
Conclusion
After a rundown of the two iPhone models, it’s quite obvious the
latest version packs a lot of improved features. It should also be
faster in pretty much all aspects, all while being enclosed in a
familiar shell. And while there is nothing really revolutionary about it
for some, the iPhone 4S has enough to lure majority of consumers with
its fast processor, good camera, and the availability of tons of apps.
This is quite a tough one to call if you already own an iPhone 4,
although if you use your iPhone for taking a lot of photos, then the new
8 megapixel camera may be worth the upgrade.
The addition of Siri to the iPhone 4S isn’t really a deal breaker,
and you can probably live without it, as it is still in beta at the
moment, and more of a novelty than a useful tool.
Whether you choose the iPhone 4 or the iPhone 4S, they are both great
smartphones, and you get many of the features, Siri excluded on the
iPhone 4, as you do on the iPhone 4S thanks to Apple’s iOS 5.
copied from http://www.geeky-gadgets.com/the-difference-between-the-iphone-4-and-iphone-4s/ :)
