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Marquette Wire

The student news site of Marquette University

Marquette Wire

The student news site of Marquette University

Marquette Wire

IPhone 4S gets mediocre ovation

IPhone 4S
Apple CEO Tim Cook announced the new iPhone 4S Tuesday, ending speculation that an iPhone 5 would be released. Photo by Paul Sakuma/Associated Press.

Tuesday, Apple unveiled the iPhone 4S, a souped-up offspring of their highly popular iPhone 4. The touchscreen smartphone, which will be on the market a week from Friday, has been met with mixed criticism and praise since its unveiling.

The announcement marked Apple’s first major product event since the resignation of longtime CEO Steve Jobs, who passed away Wednesday.

Some criticism of the phone stems from speculation prior to the announcement that Apple would be introducing a newly designed iPhone 5 instead. The company opted for an update rather than an overhaul, disappointing those looking for a next generation phone from Apple.

Ginny Mies, an associate editor for PCWorld.com, said she found the release of the 4S to be “underwhelming.”

“The main thing about Apple events is that there are all sorts of rumors and speculation coming into it,” Mies said. “So when a new edition iPhone 5 wasn’t introduced there was a feeling of a letdown.”

Mies said buzz in the technological world was that Apple may have been planning to release a 4G iPhone. 4G phones, including some Google-powered Android phones, run on a network capable of faster streaming and downloading. Mies said the 4S could download at speeds comparable to 4G phones, but only on the AT&T network.

While the outer design and exterior of the iPhone 4S remain unchanged from the earlier iPhone 4, the inside has been modified to work at higher speeds through the use of a dual core processor. Apple said the new processor will provide up to seven times better graphical performance than the processor in the iPhone 4.

“It’s a whole new phone under the hood,” said Erica Sadun, a writer for The Unofficial Apple Weblog.

Along with the enhanced speeds, the 4S can shoot full high-definition (1080p) video and 8 megapixel still photos. An enhanced voice reminder and control system called Siri is also one of the major additions.

Sadun said she was planning to buy the new iPhone, adding she hoped Apple would offer it on her old contract. With a two-year contract, the 16 GB 4S will cost $199. Apple is offering a 32 GB version for $299 and a 64 GB version for $399.

Unlike many, Sadun said she had expected the company to present an upgrade rather than a new model, similar to the way the company offered an iPhone 3S before the iPhone 4.

The 4S will be now be offered on the Sprint network, a change that makes T-Mobile the only major service provider not offering the iPhone.

George Cady, a junior in the College of Business Administration and self-proclaimed Apple enthusiast, said while he was disappointed an iPhone 5 was not released, he finds some of the features of the 4S enticing enough to try it out.

“I think a lot of people will buy it just because it’s an Apple product,” he said. “But if you can get a jailbroken one without the contract, that would be a good deal.”

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