The iPhone 4S was announced on the 4th of October with a mixed response from the public.
Lets have a look at the new exciting features that IOS 5 and the iPhone 4S bring.

From a hardware perspective, the iPhone 4S packs quite a punch in comparison to the regular iPhone 4.  The most notable addition is the A5 processor (seen in the iPad 2).  Furthermore, the 4S now comes with a dual GPU and an 8 mega-pixel camera.  The dual-core graphics will allow game developers to produce some really exciting games exclusively for the 4S. Apple claims that the iPhone 4S will be seven times faster than a regular iPhone 4 in terms of games. Infinity Blade 2 will be one of the exclusive titles that will only be available for the iPhone 4S.

The new camera has some interesting features. Not only is it an 8 mega-pixel camera, but the new lens system will allow for 1080p video recording.  The new camera app links directly to applications such as Facebook and Twitter, making posting far easier. Another welcome addition is an actual camera button: all you need to do is press + and you can take photos.

The battery life of the new phone has increased slightly, even though the components of the new iPhone are more power hungry. Apparently, 8 hours talking time with a 3G network will not be a problem.

The biggest criticism to the iPhone 4S was the design. The phone looks exactly the same as the iPhone 4. The iPhone 4S will be available in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB capacities.

On the software front, IOS 5 will definitely improve on an already sleek operating system. IOS 5 will be available for download for iPad, iTouch and iPhone.  The first huge feature from IOS 5 is iMessage. Apple’s very own messaging system will definitely sway some Blackberry users to the Apple stable. All IOS devices will support iMessage, meaning conversations can be transferred between the iPad and the iPhone.  A new Safari browser, iCloud, and a new mail app means that IOS 5 will ensure that you are always up to date and have an excellent experience browsing the Web.
Another exciting feature that will ship with IOS 5 and the iPhone 4S only is Siri. Siri is a personal assistant in the palm of your hands. Siri will be able to answer questions about traffic conditions, weather and more, as well as to act as your reminder service. (Traffic and weather-wide, support for the app in South Africa is still under a question mark.) A new game centre will also complement the dual-core graphics that the iPhone 4S is equipped with. Many features of the new game centre bring IOS 5 up to speed with the Windows 7 mobile operating system.

A new notification system and Twitter integration to IOS 5 will mean better connectivity and general user friendliness.

IOS 5 has definitely improved an already impressive operating system, although rivals such as the Android operating system already have most of the features IOS 5 is introducing. The competition is fierce… so it comes down to preference.

Sadly, it was not an iPhone 5 announcement that graced us on Tuesday.

Will the iPhone 4S suffice?
Will you be getting one?