Apple Announces iPhone 4S

Apple has revealed the all-new iPhone 4S, which is essentially the same external design and screen as the iPhone 4, but the guts have changed significantly. The iPhone 4S now sports an A5 processor, the same chip used in the iPad 2. This makes the iPhone 4S 2x faster, with graphics up to 7x faster than the iPhone 4.

Major features include:

-Improved battery life: 3g 8 hours, 2G 14 hours, 3G browsing 6 hours, WiFi Browsing 9 hours, 10 hours video, 40 hours music

-Faster downloads: 2x faster download speed, speeds match real-world 4G speeds according to Apple. World phone: iPhone 4S is both GSM and CDMA.

-All new camera with an 8 MP sensor (3264 x 2448), 60% more pixels, backside illuminated so 73% more light, one third quicker, IR filter for more accurate colors, 5 elements in the lens assembly, 30% sharper, will go to f/2,4. New Image Signal Processor for face detection and 26% better auto white balance. Time to first photo for the iPhone 4S is 1.1 seconds; shot to shot is 0.5 seconds. Compared to HTC Sensation (2.1, 1.3), Galaxy S II (2.0, 1.8) and Droid Bionic (3.7, 1.6), the iPhone 4S is very fast.

-Video capability: 1080P HD video recording, with image stabilization and temporal noise reduction

-AirPlay mirroring, so you can put your game on the big screen, wired or wireless, HD video.

-Voice feature: Siri, understands natural language. Can make appointments, check your calanedar, read off text messages and reply, answer many basic questions using various tools like Maps or Wolfram Alpha, all very intelligently. Takes dictation, too, but that requires a data connection. Works out of the box, gets better as it learns your voice. English (US, UK, Australia), French, and German, and more languages and services coming. Natural language, conversational, contextual, personal, works with built-in apps.

Pre-orders start this Friday, October 7, and it will become available October 14 in the U.S., Canada, Australia, UK, France, Germany, and Japan. The U.S. providers will be AT&T, Verizon, and now Sprint. 22 more countries will be added by October 28, and 70 countries by the end of the year.

Pricing: iPhone 4s 16GB will be $199, 32 GB $299, 64GB $399, with two-year contract. The iPhone 4 is now $99 for 8GB, and the iPhone 3GS is free on a two-year contract.

Also announced: New pricing for the iPod Touch. iOS 5 with Retina Display, HD video, and a gyroscope. $199 for the 8GB touch (down from $229), and same prices for these versions: $299 for 32 GB, $399 for 64GB.

This story appeared on IndustryGamers.