Thursday, February 2, 2012

new iphone 5 update.

It’s not the most shocking suggestion that has surfaced about the iPhone 5, but there is new substantive info linking the latest and greatest Apple handset to the company’s Worldwide Developers Conference in June. In addition, new speculation has surfaced about what might make the new device worthy of a numerical upgrade that the iPhone 4S couldn’t achieve. One such nugget is that the touch panel will have what’s called “glass-to-glass” technology.

Saturday, January 28, 2012

iphone applications and the newest IPhone

Speculation about Apple's next generation phone, including various specifications and a predicted name ("iPhone 5"), were widespread in the time preceding its debut.[12] After the iPhone 4S was announced, there was some disappointment about the new phone's name.[12] As early as May 2011, some leaks had a fairly accurate description of the product including the name "iPhone 4S", the A5 chip, HSDPA,[13] new/better camera, and Sprint carrying.[14]
There were no external differences between the iPhone 4 and 4S; all changes were internal.[15] It has been described as a "dramatic leap forward in technological innovation and sophistication...".[12]
The keynote was the first in which Tim Cook led since the Verizon keynote earlier in the year. It was also Cook's first product launch without Apple co-founder, Steve Jobs, whose health was deteriorating and who died the day after the announcement of iPhone 4S. Tim Carmody of Wired praised Cook for focusing on company achievements, calling him a "global business thinker" and a "taskmaster".[16] One unique aspect was that the whole management team of several people took turns discussing the new products.

Reception

Initial reaction to the iPhone 4S announcement was generally favorable. Echoing technology pundits, Reuters suggested that the lack of a more radical departure from the iPhone 4 could open new market opportunities for rivals.[17] Shares of Samsung Electronics, HTC and Nokia gained on Wednesday after the 4S was announced, while Apple stock fell. However, later in the day Apple shares rebounded ending with a 1% gain.[18][17]
Analyst C. K. Lu of Gartner believed that Apple no longer had the leading edge and that the 4S would only sell due to brand loyalty, as fans had been expecting an iPhone 5 with a thinner profile, edge-to-edge screen, and stronger features.[17] These same fans had also wanted a cheaper, stripped-down iPhone 4.[15] The German phone company Deutsche Telekom said they were "satisfied" with consumer interest.[19]
With the launch of the pre-order, AT&T said that the demand for the iPhone 4S was "extraordinary".[20] Over 200,000 pre-orders were placed within 12 hours of release through AT&T. In addition, AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint sold-out pre-order stock by October 8, 2011 and by October 9 there was a 1-2 week estimate on new pre-orders to be filled. On October 20, 2011 AT&T surpassed 1 million iPhone 4S activations.[21]
On October 10th, Apple announced that over one million iPhone 4Ss had been pre-ordered within the first 24 hours of it being on sale, beating the 600,000 device record set by the iPhone 4.[22][23] The 16-month wait between the iPhone 4 and 4S may have contributed to overwhelming sales as well.[24][25]
By October 11, early reviews of the iPhone 4S were released. Reviewers noted the software voice assistant, camera system, and processing speeds as significant advantages over the prior model.[26] Retrevo surveyed more than 1,300 U.S. consumers and reported that 71 percent of all smartphone owners were not disappointed by the new iPhone 4S but 47 percent or almost a half of current iPhone 4 owners were; 12 percent were hoping for a bigger display, 21 percent wanted a refreshed design, and 29 percent desired 4G.[27]
Unlike prior iPhone models, the sales of the iPhone 4 had not climaxed before the 4S introduction.[28] For example, the 3G model came out when sales of the first iPhone had declined to less than half their peak.[28] In addition, iPhone 4 users had high marks for being satisfied with their phone.[28] Nevertheless, they wanted even more from Apple forgetting that from Apple's perspective the iPhone 4 was still a hit and that new users may not be bothered by the look and feel staying the same, because they did not formerly own an iPhone 4.[28]
On October 17, 2011, Apple had announced that four million copies iPhone 4S were sold in the first three days of release, and 25 million iOS users had upgraded to the version supported by the iPhone 4S, iOS 5. Philip W. Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing, stated that the “iPhone 4S is off to a great start with more than four million sold in its first weekend—the most ever for a phone and more than double the iPhone 4 launch during its first three days.”[2]
On October 19, 2011, private wireless carrier C Spire Wireless announced they will be beginning selling the 4S as well in the United States. Currently, it is the smallest provider and first privately-held carrier to offer the 4S.[8]

Design

An iPhone 3GS pictured beside an iPhone 4S.
An iPhone 3GS (top) compared to an iPhone 4S (bottom). The 3GS has a semi-curved back (like the iPhone 3G), while the 4S has a flat back (like the iPhone 4).
The iPhone 4S retains almost all of the same design features as its predecessor, the iPhone 4.[15] The front and back are both flat, the screen being made of glass. There is a camera on the back and the sides are stainless steel with metal buttons. It keeps the 3.5 inch (8.89 cm) screen of past iPhones with the "home" button at the bottom.[29]
The iPhone 4S comes in two colors, black and white. It is an amalgamation of a hand-held computer, cell-phone, GPS, digital/video camera, and music player into one device, powered by a rechargeable 1432mAh lithium-polymer battery.[30]
A version without a camera has been released for the Singapore Army, where cameras have been banned from army camps since 2007.[31] The camera-less iPhones can be purchased by anyone, not just army corps.[32]

 Hardware

Antenna

An iPhone 4 on top of an iPhone 4S.
Comparison between iPhone 4 hardware (top) and iPhone 4S hardware (bottom). Notice the repositioned antennae (the visible stainless steel which forms the perimeter around the phone).
Improving on the external stainless steel, dual-antenna design of its predecessor, the iPhone 4, Apple has redesigned the antenna in the iPhone 4S so that the cellular radio in the phone can alternate between two antennas, depending on which is sending/receiving the best signal. These two antennas form part of the stainless steel band that covers the sides of the iPhone 4 and 4S.[33]
The bands on the iPhone 4 are divided into four antennas, cellular, Bluetooth, GPS, and Wi-Fi. In both the iPhone 4 and 4S, the cellular (GSM) antenna is divided into two. Therefore, if the iPhone 4S is gripped in such a way as to attenuate one piece of the cellular antenna, the radio will switch to the other piece that isn’t being gripped.[34]
The iPhone 4S can support a maximum output theoretically of up to 14.4 Mbps with HSDPA as a result of an upgraded radio chip inside the phone, in addition to being a world phone, so both CDMA and GSM customers can roam internationally on GSM networks.[35] It also supports Bluetooth 4.0.[6]

 Camera

The camera on the back side of the iPhone 4S beside the iPhone 4 camera
The iPhone 4S features an 8 megapixel camera and 1080p video recording.
The camera on the iPhone 4S can shoot 8 MP stills (3264 by 2448 pixels) and record 1080p videos at 30 frames per second with upgraded quality[36] (30% better clarity, 26% better white balance, color accuracy) due to an additional lens, IR filter, a wider f/2.4 aperture, and Image signal processor (built-in A5).[35][37]
The camera can now be accessed directly from the lock screen, and the volume up button as a shutter trigger. The built-in gyroscope is able to stabilize the camera while recording video. Other features of the camera are macro (for close up pictures) and faster capture including being able to take its first picture in 1.1 seconds and the next half a second later.[35][15]

 Input and output (I/O)

Like the iPhone 4 the 3.5 inch 960 by 640 pixel Retina display supports multitouch, a technology that allows multiple simultaneous touch inputs. Siri, a voice control feature exclusive to the iPhone 4S, interprets voice commands and can give visual and auditory feedback.[38] The iPhone 4S has two volume buttons and a vibrate on/off switch on the left side.[13]
On the top left there is a 3.5 mm headphone jack and the lock/power button is situated on the top right edge of the device.[13] The right side of the device is devoid of inputs except for a SIM card slot. The bottom of the device features a speaker output on the right and a microphone input on the left with Apple's proprietary 30-pin dock connector in the center.[13] The top left on the back of the device houses an 8 megapixel f/2.4 aperture camera with an LED flash.
The iPhone 4S supports video out via AirPlay and various Apple A/V cables.[35] Supported video formats include such as H.264 (1080p 30 fps max.), MPEG-4 video, and motion JPEG (M-JPEG).[35]
In addition to user inputs, the device also has several other sensors, such as a 3-axis gyroscope that allows it to detect its orientation.[6]

 Power and battery

The iPhone 4S is stated to have 200 hours standby time (iPhone 4 300 hours), 8 hours talk time on 3G (iPhone 4-7 hours), 14 hours talk time on 2G, 6 hours 3G browsing, and 9 hours Wi-Fi browsing.[35][6][39]

 Processor, memory, and storage

The iPhone 4S has a dual-core Apple A5 processor,[35] compared to the one-core Apple A4 processor used in the iPhone 4. It has 512 MB of RAM, the same as its predecessor.[4] Maximum available storage size increased to 64 GB whilst the 32 GB and 16 GB model options were retained. The screen is the same as the prior generation iPhones; 3.5 inch, 640×960 resolution (Apple's "retina" design).[35]
The improvement in interactive multimedia applications was obvious compared to its predecessor.[15] However, applications that take more advantage of the new specs will take time to be developed and released.[15] In one early review it scored 677 in a Geekbench benchmark speedtest compared to 380 for the iPhone 4, higher being better.[40]

 Features

The screen shown when the user first purchases an iPhone 4S. It is the setup screen.
Shown is the iPhone 4S's setup screen. The iPhone 4S is the first iPhone that does not need to connect to iTunes in order to be activated, due to iOS 5.

 Gaming

The iPhone 4S uses the Apple A5 system-on-a-chip that uses an Imagination Technologies PowerVR SGX graphics processing unit, which features pixel, vertex, and geometry shader hardware, supporting OpenGL ES 2.0.. The SGX543 is an improved version of the GPU used in the iPhone 4S’ predecessor, the iPhone 4. However, the iPhone 4S uses a dual-core model, the SGX543, that is integrated with the Apple A5 SoC in the same way as the iPad 2.[41]
Apple’s claim that the iPhone 4S can process graphics up to “seven times faster” than the iPhone 4 was corroborated by Epic Games President Mike Capps.[42] At the “Let’s Talk iPhone” event held by Apple on October 4, 2011, Capps demonstrated Epic Games’ Infinity Blade 2, the sequel to Infinity Blade, on an iPhone 4S. Capps boasted that the game uses Epic Games’ Unreal Engine 3 and features the same graphic techniques used in the Xbox 360 game Gears of War 3.[43]
Gaming on the iPhone 4S has been likened to the PlayStation Vita,[44] that features the same SGX GPU only in a quad-core configuration, and the Nintendo 3DS handheld game consoles. Further, the iPhone 4S’ ability to process 30 million polygons per second has been compared to the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360 home video game consoles that can process 275 million and 500 million polygons per second respectively.[41]
CVG’s deputy editor Andy Robinson told TechRadar that the “[iPhone 4S] is certainly laying down some serious credibility for the iPhone as a core gaming device. Not only is it now pushing out games that simply eclipse the [Nintendo 3DS] visually, but features like cloud saving and TV streaming support are really exciting for gamers.”[41]
Senior Gaming Analyst at Jon Peddie Research Ted Pollak believes the biggest improvement to gaming on the iPhone 4S is the voice control features, noting that “one of the features that Nintendogs players loved was the ability to talk to it. There’s no reason why a game like that couldn’t be done on the iPhone 4S, and much more sophisticated given the voice control shown.”[45]

Siri

The iPhone 4S introduced a new automated voice control system called "Siri", unique to the 4S,[15] that allows the user to give the iPhone commands, which it can execute and respond to. For example, iPhone commands such as "What is the weather going to be like?" will generate a response such as "The weather is to be cloudy and rainy and drop to 54 degrees today". These commands can vary greatly and control almost every section of the phone. The commands given do not have to be specific and can be used with natural language. Siri can be accessed by holding down the home button for an extra amount of time (compared to using the regular function). An impact of Siri, as pointed out by Apple video messages, is that it is much easier and/or possible for people to use device functions while driving, exercising, or when they have their hands full.[12] It also means people with trouble reading, seeing, or typing can access the phone more easily.[12]
Its not clear what the impact of Siri speaking in public will be, but it does not have to speak out loud and can be used with headphones.[15] One interface feature of Siri is that it can be activated by holding the phone to a person's head.[26] The iPhone 4S has a proximity sensor.[6]
At launch Siri supports French, English, and German languages.[15] In one early review, German Siri handled the language well but needed more information from supporting databases, such as route information and possibly the Wolfram Alpha "Computational Knowledge Engine".[15][46] One early review noted its good performance in English, although it did confuse "4" and "for" at one point. The New York Times said Siri's ability to comprehend was "mind-blowing".[26]
The Harvard Business School described Siri as the new phone's most interesting feature, and how well it works could make or break it.[47] Apple says the A5 is a reason why Siri may not come to other devices even with iOS 5 upgrades. However, some gadget reviewers believes otherwise. Several smartphone reviewing sites have pointed out that Apple is making Siri exclusive to the iPhone 4S because that is the only selling point of the phone compared to the prior iPhone 4.
Siri is supported by the A5 chip[15] and currently an iPhone 4S exclusive.[15] Siri also needs internet access to function.[6] When used for the first time, Siri does not require setup but does adapt to a user's voice over time, and can also be taught certain things directly.[48] A number of aspects of the software can be configured, such as language and its voice feedback ability (its ability to talk back).[48]
At launch Apple said Siri is still in Beta, and it has a certain set of abilities with restrictions, such as being able to dictate texts but not emails, and only controlling certain apps.[26][49] Nevertheless one area it may be useful is driving and exercise activities.[15] It is integrated with Apple's Find My Friends program (which debuted at the same time as the 4S), so Siri can potentially answer questions like "Where is my wife?"[48] When it is enabled, Apple's Find My Friends lets a social group know where each other are and Siri can use this information to answer questions.[48] Siri can be taught information, so it knows who a person is referring to when they use generic terminology on that device.[48]
Recently iPhone 4S users reported that there is a security Loophole in iPhone's Siri which allows unauthorized users to bypass the passcode lock to perform tasks like making calls and sending messages with the help of Siri. However, this loophole can be dissolved simply by changing settings on the iPhone 4S.[50]
The British English voice for Siri is provided by Jon Briggs.[51]

Messaging

On the iPhone 4S, texting can be done aided by the voice assistant which allows speech-to-text.[12] In addition to regular texting, messaging on the iPhone 4S is supported by iMessage, a specialized instant messaging program and service that allows unlimited texting to other Apple iOS 5 products. This supports the inclusion of media in text messages, integration with the device's voice controlled software assistant, and read receipts for sent messages. iMessages are in blue, and regular texts in green in the screen bubbles.[26]
Input to the computer comes from a keyboard displayed on the multi-touch screen or by voice-to text by speaking into the microphone. Entered text is supported by predictive and suggestion software as well as a spell checker, that includes many regional dialects like Swiss spoken French.[6]
Since Siri can send text messages, a person can text and drive without taking their eyes off the road, as shown in Apple's video ad.[12] Another example, is that a person can ask Siri for information while they are cooking and their hands are messy.[12] It also makes it much easier for people with physical disabilities such as blindness to compose and send text messages.[12]

Language

At announcement plans were in place for the iPhone 4S to support many languages from around the world. Different features have different language requirements, such as keyboards compared to the word predictor and spell-checker, which needs a large dictionary of words. Language support is related to the iOS 5 operating system that the device launched with, although not always. The Siri digital assistant supported French, English, and German at launch.[48] Since it uses a software based keyboard supported by the multi-touch display, it can support many different keyboard layouts without having to change physically. The iPhone 4S can display different languages and scripts at the same time.[35]

Network

The device is a world phone and can work on both GSM & CDMA networks.[35] On a 2G (on GSM) network it supports up to 14 hours of talk time.[35] It can download at maximum rate of 14.4 Mbps on a HSPA+ network such as AT&T Mobility's. On CDMA networks however it is limited to 3.1 Mbps, this includes Verizons Wireless.[35]

Operating system

iPhone 4S was announced with Apple’s iOS 5 operating system, which Apple claims as having over 200 new features compared to the prior version. On the 4S, the Apple A5 processor and iOS 5 work together to support many subsystems of the device, such as data processing for the camera. Some major tasks performed include browsing the internet with Safari, voice assistance with Siri, cellular communications, media playback, and applications.
It supports PC and Mac freedom, where updates can be downloaded by over-the-air to the device.[52] Another feature is the ability to have Apple send a real card in the mail with the Apple Cards application.[52]