Welcome to October 2011, and the atmosphere around the iPhone 4S is a strange mix of technical awe and somber reflection following the passing of Steve Jobs. While many in the UK were disappointed that the design remains identical to the iPhone 4, the internal overhaul is so significant that it has kept Apple firmly at the top of the technical pile. It is still that familiar, beautiful ‘glass and steel sandwich,’ but it has been ‘redesigned on the inside’ with a new dual-antenna system that intelligently switches to prevent the ‘death grip’ signal issues of its predecessor.
The headline technical innovation is, of course, Siri. This ‘intelligent assistant’ is a landmark moment for mobile AI; you don’t just give it commands, you have a conversation. You can ask ‘Will I need an umbrella in London today?’ and Siri understands the context, location, and intent to provide an answer. It’s integrated throughout the OS, setting reminders, reading out texts, and even performing complex maths. While it still struggles with strong regional accents and requires a constant data connection to reach Apple’s servers, it is a glimpse of a frictionless, voice-driven future. Under the hood, the 4S is powered by the A5 dual-core chip (the same as the iPad 2), which Apple claims provides twice the processing power and up to seven times faster graphics.
The camera has also received a massive technical upgrade. It now features an 8-megapixel ‘back-illuminated’ sensor with a custom five-lens array and a wider f/2.4 aperture. The result is a camera that isn’t just higher resolution, but significantly better in low light, with a more accurate white balance and a blazing-fast startup time. It also introduces 1080p HD video recording with real-time electronic image stabilisation, a technical feat that makes your shaky handheld footage look remarkably professional. The screen remains the 3.5-inch Retina Display, which at 326 PPI is still one of the sharpest panels on the market, though it’s starting to feel a little cramped compared to the 4.3-inch giants from Samsung and HTC.
On the software side, the 4S launches with iOS 5, bringing the ‘Notification Center,’ ‘iMessage,’ and ‘iCloud’ into the mix. iCloud is the real technical glue here, automatically syncing your photos, contacts, and documents across all your Apple devices without ever needing a cable. Connectivity is upgraded to 14.4 Mbps HSDPA, and it is now a ‘world phone’ that works on both GSM and CDMA networks globally. Battery life is a highlight, with the A5 chip providing up to 8 hours of talk time on 3G. The iPhone 4S is the definitive ‘refined’ smartphone; it took the best design in the world and packed it with the most advanced optics and AI of its era. It is a sophisticated, powerful, and deeply intelligent device that proves that sometimes, what’s on the inside really does count.