Apple introduces dual-core, 8MP iPhone 4S
The big announcement coming out of Cupertino today is Apple's latest iPhone model, the 4S, which is an incremental upgrade to the popular iPhone 4 that adds a new dual-core processor and GPU, higher resolution 8 megapixel camera with new image capture features, and a baseband radio capable of supporting both GSM and CDMA wireless frequencies.
Available in black and white varieties like the iPhone 4, the new 4S will come with 16GB of storage for $199, 32GB for $299, and 64GB for $399 on October 14 through Verizon Wireless, AT&T, and now Sprint-Nextel, thanks to the new baseband chip.
Outwardly, the iPhone 4S looks nearly identical to the iPhone 4, with the same Retina Display and Gorilla Glass shell. The major differences are inside of the device. It's powered by Apple's own Dual-core A5 CPU, and has a dual-core GPU, which is supposed to be up to 7x faster than the iPhone 4.
The camera, a strong differentiator for the iPhone, uses an 8 megapixel sensor (3264 x 2448) with 60% more pixels, and an f2.4 lens. It is capable of 1080p video capture and includes digital image stabilization and temporal noise reduction.
The baseband radio, which has been the source of all of the iPhone 5 rumors, unifies GSM and CDMA into a single chip, and is capable of HSPA+ speeds of 5.8Mbps up/7.2Mbps down with a 14.4Mbps maximum. Apple says this new baseband, processor, and battery combo can yield up to 8 hours of talk time.
The announcement Apple spent the most time on was Siri, a voice-activated interface for iPhone that is exclusive to the 4S, which we intend on diving more deeply into, comparing it with Android's long-established voice interface.
Specs:
Chassis
4.5" x 2.31" x 0.37"
Weight: 4.9 oz.
Display
3.5" (960 x 640)
800:1 contrast ratio
500 cd/m2 max brightness
Camera
8-megapixel camera
Autofocus
Face detection in still images
LED flash
Video recording, HD (1080p) up to 30 frames per second with audio
Video stabilization
Front camera with VGA-quality photos and video at up to 30 frames per second
Photo and video geotagging
Wireless
UMTS/HSDPA/HSUPA (850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz)
GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
CDMA EV-DO Rev. A (800, 1900 MHz)
802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi (2.4GHz only for N)
Bluetooth 4.0
AGPS