iPhone 4S 32GB in White Review
By Samuel Cook on November 1st, 2011
However, lack of a redesign aside, the phone is one powerful piece of kit, with its appeal augmented by the new iOS 5. The new operating system can be installed on the 3GS (albeit at slower speeds), the iPhone 4 and the 4S. It is, however, a system that is fully optimised to operate with the latter.
This is particularly true of Siri, a piece of advanced voice activation software that is currently exclusive to the 4S. It is able to understand not only commands, but also questions relating to information you’ll need on a day to day basis – such as the weather outside, the temperature or where to find local restaurants. This should not be dismissed as just another voice activation gimmick. Though it could certainly still do with some improvements, it is a glimpse into the future of smart phones as a whole, becoming more than just a phone (in fact the Siri is closer to being a personalised PA).
Other new additions on the iOS 5 include iMessage, Notification centre and iCloud. iMessage allows you to quickly and smoothly communicate with other Apple device users. This includes those with iPads. The iCloud essentially removes the need to ever connect your phone with a PC or Mac again. It allows for on the fly OS updates, whilst backing your phone up a virtual space to protect your content. In addition, this space can also be used to transfer photos and other media content between Apple devices. A picture put up via your iPhone can in turn be downloaded onto your iPad or Mac.
One other disappointment with the iPhone 4S was the lack of 4G support. Whilst this is indeed a shame (especially with the latest HTC phones featuring 4G), there have been some respectable improvements made to the phone’s 3G. The 4S runs using Verizon’s 3G EV-DO Rev. A network. Of course like always speeds will vary depending on your location, but across the board it seems that network connectivity is at the very least more reliable, and a difference in speed can certainly be felt.
