iPhone 4S

iPhone 4S. It is a smartphone designed and marketed by Apple Inc. as the fifth generation of the iPhone. Unveiled on October 4, 2011, at Apple's Cupertino campus, it served as an incremental update to the iPhone 4 while introducing several key new features. The device was officially released on October 14, 2011, in the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan.

History and release

The development of the device followed the highly successful launch of the iPhone 4, which faced some public relations challenges like the Antennagate controversy. Its announcement, the final major product keynote presented by then-CEO Steve Jobs before his death, was held at the Town Hall auditorium on Apple's campus. Pre-orders began on October 7, 2011, and set a then-record for the online store, with over one million units sold in the first 24 hours. Initial retail release was met with long lines at Apple Stores worldwide, including flagship locations in New York City, London, and Tokyo. The launch also marked its simultaneous availability on multiple U.S. carriers, including AT&T, Verizon Wireless, and for the first time, Sprint.

Specifications

The device was powered by the new Apple A5 system-on-a-chip, which featured a dual-core 1 GHz ARM Cortex-A9 CPU and a dual-core PowerVR SGX543MP2 GPU, offering significantly improved graphics performance. It retained the 3.5-inch Retina Display with a 960 × 640 pixel resolution, first introduced on the iPhone 4. A major upgrade was its camera system, an 8 MP sensor with a backside-illuminated CMOS design, capable of recording 1080p Video at 30 frames per second. It supported both GSM and CDMA networks globally, incorporated Bluetooth 4.0 for low-energy connectivity, and utilized a 1432 mAh Li-ion battery.

Software

It launched with iOS 5, which introduced major new features like the Notification Center, iMessage, and iCloud integration, moving away from dependency on iTunes. The most defining software feature was Siri, an intelligent voice-controlled personal assistant, which was initially in beta and supported languages including English, French, and German. The operating system also brought deep Twitter integration and a new Reminders app. It received long-term software support, with its final major update being iOS 9, released in 2015, though performance on this later OS was often criticized.

Reception and legacy

Critical reception was overwhelmingly positive, with reviewers from The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and Engadget praising the vastly improved camera, faster performance, and the novelty of Siri. It achieved massive commercial success, selling over four million units in its first weekend and helping Apple Inc. report record-breaking quarterly earnings. Its longevity is a significant part of its legacy, as it remained in production for nearly three years and continued to receive iOS updates longer than many contemporary Android devices. The model is often remembered as the last iPhone with a 3.5-inch screen and the iconic glass-and-stainless-steel design pioneered by Jonathan Ive.

Issues and controversies

Shortly after launch, some users reported significant battery life drainage issues with iOS 5, which Apple Inc. addressed in subsequent software updates. A more persistent problem involved Siri's reliability, with complaints about its accuracy, requirement for a data connection, and privacy concerns regarding voice data storage. Some early units exhibited a yellow tint on the Retina Display, a manufacturing issue attributed to the adhesive used in the screen assembly. Furthermore, the device was named in several class-action lawsuits, including one related to Siri's advertised functionality and another concerning the device's 4G data performance claims on the Sprint network.

Category:IPhone Category:2011 in technology Category:Products introduced in 2011