# iphone 4S just announced **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 4, 2011, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-4s-just-announced/598595 "2011-10-04T19:31:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Candyman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Candyman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candyman74)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-4s-just-announced/598595/41 "2011-10-05T13:12:03Z")
> [@Galileo](#): > > Strange example that Apple used. You don’t need Wolfram Alpha to get current exchange rates. A Google search provides the conversion, and the voice feature is already available on Android phones. (Also on current iPhones but not as easily accessed.) Well, I don’t really care which site it uses to get the info, as long as it does so. I was more about wishing it read the answer to you. I can imagine using Siri when driving, but if I have to then look at the phone and read the answer it reduces its usefulness in that situation. Basically, I was hoping for a little more “voice only” stuff, not a hybrid of voice and display. That wouldn’t work for everything, obviously, but for some things with a factual answer it would be great. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-4s-just-announced/598595/42 "2011-10-05T14:08:00Z")
> [@Unintentionally\_Blank](#): > > That’s been their plan, I suspect. Iphone +1 isn’t DRAMATICALLY better than iPhone, so that the people with iPhone are content waiting for iPhone +2 > > I have iPhone -1 and will wait until something happens to it before buying iPhone +1 or +2 But in some cases, iPhone +1 is dramatically better. The 3G was much better than the 1 and the 4 was much better than the 3GS. 3G-\>3GS and 4-\>4S were more incremental. Oh well, let the rumors and speculation begin on the next one. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-4s-just-announced/598595/43 "2011-10-05T17:09:30Z")
Wait wait wait-- since I can’t read for comprehension: the iPhone 5 is coming out in 7 days? I thought it was going to be pushed back a year now? ---
**Author:** ![Unintentionally\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unintentionally_blank/32/5418_2.png) [@Unintentionally\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unintentionally_Blank)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-4s-just-announced/598595/44 "2011-10-05T17:20:11Z")
Yes…only call it a ‘4S’ instead of a 5. It’s guts are all new™, but it looks like last year’s fashions. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-4s-just-announced/598595/45 "2011-10-05T17:30:54Z")
😛 Ok, so I realize the 4s is coming out in a few days, but the redesigned fancier 5 isn’t due out for a year? ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-4s-just-announced/598595/46 "2011-10-05T17:43:59Z")
Well, I don’t see myself ever going back to an iPhone, and this is no exception, though I will say that I’m in the minority because I VASTLY prefer how the iPhone 4/4S looks compared to the 2G/3G/3GS. I like the “squarer” shape…it has character, dammit! But honestly, even by the low standard I judge iPhones by now (I kid, I kid :D) this really isn’t that great…but again, as others said, it’s meant to be minor upgrades, like the 3GS…but again, some of these upgrades are software based and there’s n practical reason they can’t be used on other iOS devices (the iPhone 3GS had something similar, right? Some software feature that could have, in theory, been implemented on the 3G but never was.) Still no real 4G, no surprise there. Well…unless you count HSPA+ as “4G,” which I don’t…it barely gets better than regular HSPA at even a small distance from a nearby tower…would have expected LTE in their Sprint and/or Verizon variants…but maybe they didn’t want to make any one carrier model so vastly different that it would be “preferable” to the other ones? Sticking with my trusted Android phone…and Samsung is announcing something cool in a few days, most likely the rumored Nexus-Prime phone…too bad I’m still several months away from an upgrade. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-4s-just-announced/598595/47 "2011-10-05T18:07:22Z")
There’s a lot of disappointment that the iPhone 4S looks just like the iPhone 4. But isn’t that simply because there’s little improvement to be made? I mean the iPhone 4 is basically just a rectangular piece of glass with a metal frame. How would you improve the look of the thing? (As for me, I still have an iPhone 3GS and I kind of like the curvy back, so that I can feel it in my pocket and know which is the front and which is the back.) ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-4s-just-announced/598595/48 "2011-10-05T18:34:21Z")
> [@Candyman74](#): > > Is “Apple has 28% while lots of other companies added together have 43%” really a relevant metric? Apple’s competing with each of the other companies, but they’re not all one mega-company. OK, I’ll rephrase it: Apple has 28%, Google has 43%. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-4s-just-announced/598595/49 "2011-10-05T19:06:31Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I mean the iPhone 4 is basically just a rectangular piece of glass with a metal frame. How would you improve the look of the thing? For some way-out-there ideas, visit one of the many [iphone concept sites](http://www.toxel.com/inspiration/2009/02/15/10-beautiful-apple-iphone-concepts/). I like the transparent one, but I realize that’s very difficult to do because you have to actually SEE the icons and screen in order to interact with them. Perhaps just the outer 5mm or so around the edge could be clear glass? The iphone air is an interesting concept. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-4s-just-announced/598595/50 "2011-10-05T19:23:45Z")
[And here’s one I just threw together](https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/abw_VJNkpMZoPSKuASr_4Q?feat=directlink), using parts from that concept site. I moved the home button to the back (right where the index finger would be so it’s still easy to click with the left hand) resulting in a much larger screen. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-4s-just-announced/598595/51 "2011-10-05T19:32:09Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > There’s a lot of disappointment that the iPhone 4S looks just like the iPhone 4. But isn’t that simply because there’s little improvement to be made? I mean the iPhone 4 is basically just a rectangular piece of glass with a metal frame. How would you improve the look of the thing? I think the lack of a bigger screen and next generation speed capabilities are people’s biggest complaints. But then, most people would complain if you hung them with a new rope. ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-4s-just-announced/598595/52 "2011-10-05T20:22:09Z")
There’s a CNN article bemoaning the lack of innovation in this new model: > **[Five reasons people are calling the iPhone 4S a dud | CNN Business](https://www.cnn.com/2011/10/05/tech/mobile/iphone-4s-dud/index.html?hpt=hp_t2)** > > Usually a cause for techno-euphoria, Apple’s iPhone-a-palooza event on Tuesday had an unintended and unlikely effect: It made some corners of the Internet mad. What gets me is the last line: > [@](#): > > For status seekers, what good is flashing your new iPhone if it looks just like the old one? This is actually brilliant on Apple’s part. If you’re a status seeker, you can’t show it off by just whipping the phone out. You also have to explain why this phone is better than your neighbor’s identical phone. It’s status by evangelism rather than status by show. Everyone who buys the new one becomes an Apple sales rep by default. Super crafty! The article also mentions that people are disappointed by the lack of a teardrop-shaped back. Say what? Apple doesn’t make products that have a big booty on them nowadays. They make smooth, sleek, discreet, tiny, symmetrical products. Looking at their product lineup, I wonder why anyone would even begin to expect a weird form factor like a teardrop shape. It’s not happening in Apple’s world. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-4s-just-announced/598595/53 "2011-10-05T20:24:53Z")
What does a teardrop-shaped back look like? I’m having trouble picturing it. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-4s-just-announced/598595/54 "2011-10-05T20:40:25Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > What does a teardrop-shaped back look like? I’m having trouble picturing it. [This site](http://rdsbc.blogspot.com/2011/04/iphone-5-rumor-new-tear-drop-design.html) has a picture showing what they think it’ll be toward the bottom. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-4s-just-announced/598595/55 "2011-10-05T20:47:09Z")
The teardrop rumor was so prevalent that a lot of second party case manufacturers made tens of thousands of them to have them ready for the launch. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-4s-just-announced/598595/56 "2011-10-05T21:15:14Z")
> [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > [This site](http://rdsbc.blogspot.com/2011/04/iphone-5-rumor-new-tear-drop-design.html) has a picture showing what they think it’ll be toward the bottom. So basically wedge-shaped. I don’t really see the advantage, as the design limits the battery size and therefore the capacity. ---
**Author:** ![Candyman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Candyman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candyman74)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-4s-just-announced/598595/57 "2011-10-05T21:43:10Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > OK, I’ll rephrase it: Apple has 28%, Google has 43%. But isn’t Android open source? So Google doesn’t make any money from it. I’d rather have Apple’s 28%! Does Google make actual phones? What percentage do they have with them? ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-4s-just-announced/598595/58 "2011-10-05T22:23:54Z")
IOS 5 and iCloud may solve a number of issues we’ve had in managing a small fleet of iPads. That’s quite a bit more exciting than the iPhone 5-1S ---
**Author:** ![Amblydoper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/fbc32d/32.png) [@Amblydoper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amblydoper)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-4s-just-announced/598595/59 "2011-10-06T00:56:52Z")
> [@Candyman74](#): > > But isn’t Android open source? So Google doesn’t make any money from it. I’d rather have Apple’s 28%! > > Does Google make actual phones? What percentage do they have with them? Its not open source. Microsoft actually makes more money from the sale of some Android phones then Google does. As for who is making money and who isn’t… [http://www.asymco.com/2011/07/29/apple-captured-two-thirds-of-available-mobile-phone-profits-in-q2/](http://www.asymco.com/2011/07/29/apple-captured-two-thirds-of-available-mobile-phone-profits-in-q2/) Apple could still be winning that game with far less market share. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-4s-just-announced/598595/60 "2011-10-06T01:22:00Z")
> [@Finagle](#): > > I think the lack of a bigger screen and next generation speed capabilities are people’s biggest complaints. But then, most people would complain if you hung them with a new rope. Faster would certainly be nicer, but my biggest complaint with any current gen is the processing speed. Jumping up to an A5 is huge. Their new network speeds aren’t quite LTE, but they’re awfully damn fast. Plus, LTE eats straight through battery life - yeah, you can turn it off (actually, you can turn it off extremely easily on the fly with an Android, not so much with iOS), but that’s a bit of a pain. What it comes down to is how often are you around a charger, when you are around a charger are you somehow also not around wifi, and how much is speed important to you versus battery life? I’m not sure it’s that big of a deal. Plenty of my 4G friends have it turned off at all times. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-4s-just-announced/598595.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-4s-just-announced/598595.md?page=4)