Apple iPhone '4S' Announced | Dual Core, iOS5, 8MP, 1080p Rec, 14.4Mbps HSPA+...

[flinchy]

Originally Posted by HeXa

the 2.1 and 2.3.3 updates made a HUGE improvement to it (if you aren't a CM user)

it's still the slowest (mainstream) android phone they've ever released, according to all the benchmarks

and my personal 'oh my fucking god it wont stop lagging'-ometer.

[eukaryote:)]

Originally Posted by MyDixiesNormous

What are you? 16?

No one gives a shit about iphones. You think because I place my phone on the table when I sit down at a cafe im trying to show off to the ladies?? FFS, get your head out of you arse. I also chuck my keys and wallet on the table as well.

Check it out girls, thats the key to a Subaru...

I also used to put my motorola startac and my nec fido on the table as well. I got so much pussy it wasnt funny.

You have no idea about marketing. Maybe you should have completed high school, because i'm pretty sure in year 10 even I was taught the basics of market dynamics

Toughen up princess. Market perception is everything.

[jlien]

Originally Posted by Dark Passenger

i cant understand why siri isnt available on the iphone 4 where did this info come from?

Because it's suppose to be a selling point of the 4s.

Btw, does anyone have a link to a video of the presentation?

[HeXa]

Originally Posted by MyDixiesNormous

I also used to put my motorola startac and my nec fido on the table as well. I got so much pussy it wasnt funny.

could be true for a StarTAC..... it was pimp

[Syphon]

Originally Posted by Silent Remorse

In the US the phones are locked to carriers for 2 years, so they are sold on their upfront cost. I.E. You pay nothing for the 3GS handset, just the plan charges.

Same as our post-paid plans here, although we usually pay incremental charges.

yeah, we can/could get 3gs on $29 plan for $0, and the 4 on $59 plan for $0. I wonder how the 4S will affect pricing

[Rezin]

Originally Posted by Silent Remorse

...

Ah, that image is based on plans. Makes more sense now.

[Nam Taf]

Originally Posted by Slugoid

That's funny. Antenna improvements? More like a fix that should of been done 16 months ago.

The only real "improvements" is the A5 chip and camera, end of story.

Except that the antenna was fixed shortly after the whole overblown antenna issue appeared. This is quite literally an upgraded antenna by specifications, not just in that it works whereas the 4's did not.

What's more, The A5 chip also comes with double the RAM and a new dual-core video processor so I can't see how you could possibly call the chip and camera the only improvements. It's the ipad 2 specs in phone form factor, which speaks volumes for what's been happening for the last year or so to get it down to size.

There's so much stupidity and misinformation in this thread, it's startling. No wonder many of you bought in to the baseless iphone 5 rumours.

Originally Posted by Slugoid

Apple shares drop 4.75% after the unveiling of the iPhone 4S. This is saying something .

Yeh, it says 'buy the rumour, sell the truth', just like almost every company that has a major public unveiling like how Apple structure their new releases. The 'intelligent' point you think you're making isn't actually being made by your argument.

[Sciby]

It's a bit frustrating - I've been holding out for 6 months with my old 3G to see what the next iphone would be... now I'm kinda stuck - it's not much better than cheaper options like the SGS2... but it's well made and I do like iOS more than the times I've used Android (a HTC Aria that work gave me, being the most exposure)

I really like the concept of Siri, but who knows how it is in practice... but the idea looks great. I've ordered an SGS2 through Virgin... maybe I'll regret it and sell the thing... or maybe not. The simple fact is that I need a phone nowish and I'm not convinced that the 4S is worth the cash, regardless of how much I like them.

[MyDixiesNormous]

Originally Posted by eukaryote:)

You have no idea about marketing. Maybe you should have completed high school, because i'm pretty sure in year 10 even I was taught the basics of market dynamics

Toughen up princess. Market perception is everything.

Lol, and your the one that continues to push the perception and believe it.

[Hyram]

Originally Posted by Sciby

I really like the concept of Siri, but who knows how it is in practice...

As someone who spent many years following speech recognition research, and someone who spent some time with the original Siri (through a US proxy so its response times were slow) before Apple bought the company just over a year ago, I can tell you this:

Siri is the closest you will ever have to having a personal secretary in your pocket. The fact that you get a powerful, intelligent personal assistant you can converse with in natural, context-laden spoken language with every iPhone 4S is going to double's Apple sales.

Here's an example of how Siri slots into the iPhone's functionality:

*annoying downloaded ringtone*
*glance to see who's calling, swipe to unlock*
"G'day Tony."
"Hey Eric, how's things?"
"Good mate, good, what's up?"
"Not much, just thought I'd bug you to see if you've got those Frankston proofs yet."
"Dunno. Siri, has there been any email from Mitchelson's this morning?"
"There are two emails from Tony Mitchelson in your in-box, two with attachments."
"Thanks, yeah, seems they're there mate, I'll go over them in a bit 'n get back to you with an okay."
"Well you can forget the second one, Eric, they've wanted another change. Can I catch up with you around three?"
"Don't see why not, Siri, appointment with Tony Mitchelson at three today."
"The requested time slot is unavailable."
"Bugger. Siri, what is scheduled from three onward?"
"Currently. Three fifteen, pick up Andrea from day care. Four pee em, pick up Alan from soccer training. Four--"
"Stop. Never have kids, Tony, I tell ya *laughs*"
"When did you get an American secretary, Eric? She sounds hot."
"*laughs* Mate, its a program in the new iPhone, best thing ever, and the missus never gets jealous."
"Shit, eh. G'day Siri!"
"Hello Tony."
"Fark!"
"*laughs* Look, afternoon's buggered, mate, got time for a late lunch?"
"Sure."
"You'll love this, mate, Siri, find me an Italian restaurant between Mitchelson's and here that is open for lunch."
"Checking."
"You're shittin' me."
"There is one Italian restaurant found. Would you like further information displayed?"
"Yes. Siri, send a copy of the information to Tony Mitchelson."
"Information card sent."
*distant SMS tone*
"Holy shit, Eric! A program does all this?"
"Yeah, I'll show you how it works over calzone & some red, I'll see you at Amici's in twenty, okay?"

No, I'm not shittin' ya, Siri really is capable of this level of interaction. Siri is double-ended; the bulk of Siri runs in Apple's cloudspace, whilst the input module in the iPhone listens for its keyphrase and uses a Markov filter running in one of the PowerVR cores to convert any subsequent voice input into word-symbols. The assembled string of word-symbols is passed through the basic response list to see if there is a local command, if it doesn't find a match the string is sent to the cloud, along with a context string-set, for advanced processing.

Siri is a game changer, mark my words.

[jezza323]

if Siri is that powerful then I will surely be moving the 4s back up the list of candidates for my next phone

[switchblade327]

Originally Posted by 2SHY

Honestly, what were you expecting? New iPhone 5? No. Just an update to bring in line with current spec Android Phones.

I think iOS might become like Nokia's Symbion as it runs out of NEW ideas for the phone. Nokia consistently brought out new phones with the same Symbian OS for ages. Apple's iOS is doing the same.

Aren't Apple meant to lead and not follow? Isn't this the crux of their legal stoush with Samsung? Sheesh.. look what happened to Nokia - anyone old enough to remember the 2210 then the 2210i...

Originally Posted by Jobe

I don't understand the hate... it seems comparable to current offerings on the market.

See above.. where's the leadership? Why release a phone with all that hype just to be comparable

Originally Posted by vindicator

People who have never owned an iPhone.

On my 4th - 2 x iPhone3 and 2 x iPhone4 (+ iPad1 3G) and was eagerly looking to update to the "5" in the coming months.. I am seriously considering a Blackberry Torch..

Originally Posted by Oblong Cheese

There's only so much you can do with a 3.5" touchscreen phone in terms of shoe-horning features in. What were all the fanboys expecting? An integrated dishwasher?

More advanced hand gestures (the MBA I am writing this on had a touchpad of similar size)? scanning abilities? NFC?

Originally Posted by minushuman

Does it have NFC?

This! No it doesn't because...

Originally Posted by Oblong Cheese

I have read a lot about the potential of NFC, but none of the manufacturers are implementing it. It's one of those 'great in theory' technologies at the moment; evidently there are manufacturing and/or usage restraints that make it an undesirable technology for manufacturers. I understand that Apple are sometimes 'first' to do things, but when you have the likes of Samsung, HTC, Sony, Nokia, etc all avoiding NFC for their own product lines as well as Apple, surely that indicates implementation problems with the technology?

....all major handset manufacturers except for Apple are members of the NFC Forum and they all have working and interoperable kit, some for at least 2 years.. I need to STFU at this point for non disclosure reasons but all are investing in a major way.. expect a large announcement involving key players in the coming months..

Originally Posted by hak

a technology like NFC which involves channelling payments need to be agreed upon a standard and supported by the likes of global banks, VISA, Mastercard, AMEX and retailers.
It cost a lot more money in terms of marketing and contracts rather than the chip itself.

Love the uniformed... see above this stuff has been agreed and implemented for quite some time... card schemes are on board (and by association, banks), handset manufacturers are on board, chip manufacturers are on board, transport ticketing providers are on board, the "new" payments players (google, paypal etc) are on board and they are all investing..

Apple is doing their own thing.. likely will need your device tethered to a PC and iTunes to make a payment - LOL

Originally Posted by hak

Apple is a software company

Apple is a hardware company... this is why they charge $29 for their O/S and $1029+ for their PCs.. this is why their O/S's only run on their hardware..

Originally Posted by flinchy

you haven't seen the iphone 3 /3gs? (and EVERY other smartphone pretty much)

where the glass is slightly sunken into the case and it pretty much has to land completely flat to get damaged

where the 4/4s land on the ground fullstop it's massive damage risk.

I broke my 3G "sunken" buy it taking a corner hit from about waist height (I missed my pocket) on it's first ever drop onto a concrete floor - shattered top corner and buckled the headphone jack so that the mic no longer worked..

Originally Posted by Hyram

Siri is a game changer, mark my words.

Can I tell it to execute that god awful spell checker and kill those annoying (and now modal) dialog boxes that seem to pester you incesantly? now *THAT* would be a game changer

[eukaryote:)]

Originally Posted by MyDixiesNormous

Lol, and your the one that continues to push the perception and believe it.

It's what they try for market perception. If i believed it, i'd have an iphone, not a android sgs2

[MyDixiesNormous]

Originally Posted by eukaryote:)

It's what they try for market perception. If i believed it, i'd have an iphone, not a android sgs2

Thats my whole point, they can try all they like, but the only people who believe it are the tweeners. No self respecting adult actually gives a shit what phone they or someone else has.

The majority of people want a phone that has great user experience, barring itunes, the iphone delivers it. I bought a iphone for my wife because I never wanted to be asked a question about how to use it. My old man's 65yr old missus bought an iphone and I have not had her ask one question about it.

A guy at work that has a SGS2 told me he heard a SGS3 might be coming out soon. I've spent no time looking into it but when it is announced I will look very seriously at it. As long as they dont bring out an SGS2S. But then again they never would, they dont play catchup and litigate like apple does.

[akashra]

I just can't believe that Siri won't screw up every second word it tries to recognise. Companies spend millions of dollars on voice activated phone systems, yet we're expected to believe a $1,000 device that lives in our pockets is going to do as good a job as the woeful job those systems already do?

Apple can claim it's great, but I think its reputation has already been soured by existing poor systems, so it's going to need to prove itself.