Expert’s Rating
Pros
Cons
Our Verdict
If you want an iPhone but do n’t require to bear out the premium for the newer models , the iPhone 4S is still a great selection . We bang lots of people ( some of the Macworld squad included ) that are perfectly glad with their iPhone 4S two age on . It takes good photographs , is speedy enough for most people , will be able-bodied to function iOS 7 and is really good - look . Its downfalls are the smaller exhibit and the wretched quality front - face tv camera , as well as the fact that it still uses the elderly 30 - pin connector that ’s been supplant by the Lightning connection in newer models . Battery life is also a concern , but the newer iPhones do n’t offer up much in the direction of an improvement here .
Apple ’s iPhone 4S may not be the newest iPhone available , but it ’s still a popular selection among smartphone buyer . In fact , the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S together made up almost one-half of all US iPhone sales before the launching of theiPhone 5sandiPhone 5c , despite the neweriPhone 5‘s availability .
First launched in October 2011 , the iPhone 4S was replaced as Apple ’s marquee phone by the larger - screened iPhone 5 , which launched in September 2012 . The iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c were unveiled on 10 September 2013 , and will be available to purchase on 20 September .
The iPhone 5 was drop from Apple ’s iPhone business line - up with the launching of the two new iPhones , but the iPhone 4S lives on , and is a tatty alternative for those who are glad with an aged iPhone if it means a low price .
iPhone history
This iPhone has been exchange with a newer manakin . ascertain links below to our follow-up of all iPhone good example , include the latest generation.iPhone 16is expected to set in motion in September 2024 ( seewhen is the honorable prison term to buy a new iPhone ) , whileiPhone SE ( 4th generation)andiPhone 17are probable to appear in 2025 . Find out aboutApple ’s September event detailsandhow to watch the Apple September event bouncy stream ; or for other Apple products , learn more about all thenew Apple products coming this yearandwhen is the next Apple event . You might also care ouriPhone buying guide , expert iPhone dealsandcomparison of every iPhone that is usable to buy today .
How much does the iPhone 4S cost?
From Apple , the iPhone 4S be £ 349 , and is usable in black or white-hot . It ’ll send with iOS 7 instal and is only usable as an 8 GB version .
That ’s significantly brassy than Apple ’s young iPhones . The iPhone 5c is uncommitted from £ 469 , while the iPhone 5sw sick ready you back at least £ 549 from Apple .
What’s the difference between iPhone 4S, iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s?
The most detectable difference between the iPhone 4S and the iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s is the self-aggrandizing screen door size . Plus , the iPhone 5s has a thinner intention with an aluminium backplate , while the iPhone 5c has a colourful polycarbonate eggshell .
Above : Apple ’s two young iPhones . iPhone 5c ( left ) and iPhone 5s ( rightfield ) .
When it comes to features , the iPhone 4S lacks the photographic camera improvements found in the iPhone 5s , and does n’t have the iPhone 5s ’s raw fingerprint sensor , either . Plus , the iPhone 4s has a less powerful processor than both the iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s models , has a less impressive battery animation , does n’t confirm 4 G and uses the older 30 - pin bob connecter .
you could watch out ouriPhone 5c hands - on reviewandiPhone 5s men - on reviewfor more entropy about the new iPhones .
We ’ve had our iPhone 4S for two year , and this reviewer expend it on a daily basis . record on for a closer flavour at the iPhone 4S , its specs and lineament and how they liken to Apple ’s newfangled example , and how the iPhone 4S fares two class on .
iPhone 4S review: Design
The iPhone 4S , despite being two years sure-enough , is still a beneficial - looking firearm of outfit . We use a blanched framework , but there is also a black model available .
It still look and feel expensive , and , while it ’s thicker than the raw iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s models , it ’s still only 9.3 millimeter ( the iPhone 5s is just 7.6 millimetre thick ) . It does feel grueling though , at 140 gm .
What ’s worth remembering , though , is that the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c both have 4 in silver screen , rather than the iPhone 4S ’s 3.5 in display . We regain that the small display mean the iPhone 4s correspond in our sack nicely , and is comfortable to carry around in a small suitcase . Of course , there are disadvantages to having the smaller sieve , but we ’ll come to that later .
The iPhone 4S does n’t have the aluminium backplate that the iPhone 5s sport , but has a completely shabu back instead .
iPhone 4S review: Display
The iPhone 4S 3.5 in exhibit is 960 - by-640 pixels , with a screen resolution of 326 picture element per inch , making it Retina standard , meaning that the average human eye ca n’t see individual pixels at normal viewing distance .
In equivalence , the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c both share the same 4 in Retina display , at 1146 - by-640 pixels and , again 326ppi .
This means you ’ll still get the same crisp motion-picture show from your iPhone 4S as you would from your iPhone 5s or iPhone 5c , but you ’ll get an supererogatory 0.5 in diagonally if you choose for one of the New models . We find the iPhone 4S ’s smaller showing perfectly fair to middling for consider images , using apps and browsing the World Wide Web .
A disadvantage to the small display is that it has a 3:2 aspect ratio . The 4 in display that the iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s sport has a 16:9 aspect ration like your HTDV , which is perfect for wide - silver screen video showing .
Another difference that make out with the smaller show is that you ’ll get four rows of app icons on your Home page , instead of the five rows that the 4 in video display allow .
iPhone 4S review: Cameras
The rear - facing tv camera in the iPhone 4S is an 8 - megapixel iSight television camera . It has an f/2.4 aperture and can shoot 1080p video .
Comparing the iPhone 4S television camera first to the iPhone 5c , there is n’t much difference . The 5c has the iPhone 5 ’s camera , which means the only difference between for the iPhone 4S is the want of a azure crystal lens system cover , which Apple claims offers noise reduction , decipherable and sharper images and practiced low - light images .
The iPhone 5s television camera , on the other hand , is much improved . It still has 8 - megapixels , but they ’re bigger at 1.5 micrometer . The camera also has a f/2.2 aperture and a double - LED flash , which signify massively improved low - lighter photos .
We utilize the iPhone 4S to take photo on a regular basis . The images as they ’re shot are not always outstanding , but apps such as Camera+ and Snapseed mean the photos can be improved quite importantly with some redaction . you may see some examples of our ( unedited ) iPhone 4S photographs below .
Above : An example of the iPhone 4S ’s tv camera carrying out indoors .
Above : An example of the iPhone 4S camera carrying into action alfresco ( on a not very courteous day , mind )
As keen lensman , the new television camera in the iPhone 5s is one of the things that could win over us to ditch our iPhone 4S in favour of an iPhone 5s . However , if the camera is n’t a boastful factor in your decision , you ’ll feel that the iPhone 4S photo are still quite telling and ideal for break down photos to , for example .
When we get our hand on the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c , we ’ll test the camera and update this review with compare images so you may see how different the photographs will be to those learn using an iPhone 4S.
The front - facing camera , which Apple calls the FaceTime Camera , is much less telling now that it ’s two year old . It ’s VGA - quality , which means it captures 640 - by-480 pixel range of a function and video . For FaceTime , it ’s sufficient , but if you desire to take a pic with it ( what with the grow ‘ selfie ’ tendency ) you might be disappoint by the quality of the image it produces .
The iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s have significantly improved front - face cameras . They ’re 1.2 - megapixels ( 1280 - by-960 pixels ) and can capture 720p HD video .
iPhone 4S review: Performance
Apple ’s iPhone 4S is power by an Apple - designed dual - essence A5 processor . It ’s the same processor that you ’ll find in the iPad 2 . While not as rapid as the iPhone 5c A6 central processor or the A7 processor found in the new iPhone 5s , it ’s not dim either .
Geekbench scores of the iPhone 4S average at 635 , which is much wearisome than the 1655 that the iPhone 5 scores . The iPhone 5s is apparently twice as fast as the iPhone 5 , which will make the 4S noticeably much ho-hum than the newest flagship iPhone .
We ’ve line up the iPhone 4S can treat most of the tasks we need to carry out fleetly , but if fastness is top of your priority list then the iPhone 4S credibly is n’t for you .
Apple claims that the iPhone 4S provide up to eight hours of talk clip on 3 gravitational constant , up to 200 hours on understudy , up to six hours of 3 1000 internet browse or up to nine hour of WiFi internet browse . For video playback , Apple pronounce the iPhone 4S ’s battery will last for up to 10 hour , and audio playback can continue for up to 40 hours .
That ’s all well and good , but how does that translate into every sidereal day liveliness ? We ’re not realistically sound to spend 10 unanimous hours watching videos on our iPhone 4S and not doing anything else with it , for example .
We ’ve set up that we need to charge our iPhone 4S every Clarence Day , without doubt . Often , doubly a day . If we ’re heading out to a concert and want to take plenty of pictures and picture , we unremarkably carry a battery booster amplifier with us .
Our long commute filled with Twitter and Facebook browsing sucks a good chunk out of our battery animation , and we often plug our iPhone 4S in to charge while we ’re in the federal agency before maneuver back home . If we do n’t , and contrive on using our iPhone 4S for profound browse during the minute long commute back abode , we ’re often left with just 10 per centime battery life by the clock time we sit around down for dinner party .
The battery life is one of the iPhone 4S ’s biggest ruin . That say , the iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s do n’t have exceptional bombardment life history either , though Apple has made some improvement . The talk clip has been promote from eight hours to 10 , for example , and internet use is also one or two minute improve .
There are some whoremaster to help better your iPhone 4S ’s battery living , such as turn off location Service and 3 g-force , for example , but it ’s not ideal .
The iPhone 4S camera does also have image stabilization for video and face - sleuthing , which help you stay in direction .
iPhone 4S review: Siri
The iPhone 4S has Siri , just like the iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s . However , how much you ’ll really use the vox - activated personal assistant is a unlike affair .
On paper , Siri sounds great . you could use it to search the web , call citizenry , send text messages , get answers to quick question and find out whether you ’ll need to take an umbrella with you to work today .
Honestly , we hardly ever utilise it . At first , we postulate it all sorts ( including “ Who let the dogs out ? ” and “ Where can I bury a dead body ” ) . But those are n’t particularly pragmatic uses for the lineament . Now , we use it to set up alarms ( “ Wake me up at 6.30 ” ) or sometimes to call someone ( “ Call Ryan ” )
We ’ve attempted to habituate it while out and about , but the requisite of cyberspace connection means sometimes we ca n’t even get Siri to listen . iOS 7 is going to bring advance to Siri , but we ’ll have to hold off until we ’ve tried them before we pass judgement on that . Io 7 does imply that Siri will be come out of genus Beta , too . It ’s been beta software program since it launched with the iPhone 4S in 2011 .
One good matter is that Siri infer us pretty well , and does n’t contend to process what we ’re enunciate unless it ’s a really complicated prison term or we ’ve spoken too quickly .
Another reason you might want to verbalise to the iPhone 4S is to practice the Dictation feature . You ’ll regain it when you ’re typing messages or email . you may tap the Dictation ikon to the left of the space bar to have the iPhone 4S transcribe whatever you say . You ’ll need to say your punctuation too , though .
If you have n’t got access to the cyberspace ( either through 3 G or WiFi ) , you wo n’t be able to use the Dictation feature , though , as it send what you say to a server that psychoanalyze your delivery and converts it into voice communication . If you are on-line , it ’s a quick summons , though .
iPhone 4S: iOS 7
Good tidings is , iPhone 4S will be able to runiOS 7 , Apple ’s Modern mobile operating system . Io 7 has been completely redesign , and has lot of new features , many of which will benefit iPhone 4S users just as much as substance abuser of the young iPhones .
Above : iOS 7 will lend a whole raw look to iPhones and iPads .
New characteristic include Control Center , which gives well-fixed access code to lots of options and functions , improved Multitasking , new Camera and Photos apps and meliorate Safari .
There will be some feature that iPhone 4S owners miss out on though . Filters in the Camera app will only be usable on iPhone 5 or later , as will AirDrop .
For more data about iOS 7 , watch out ourpreview here .
iPhone 4S : Some final note
As we mentioned , our iPhone 4S is two years old . If you bribe one from Apple , it ’ll be brand new , so wo n’t have any of the problems we ’re about to mention directly away . However , they ’re worth bearing in mind if you ’re plan on getting a 24 calendar month contract , as you could set out experience the same trouble before your contract ’s up .
Our iPhone 4S still works , but there are some pain in the neck that come with its age . The shelling is sometimes unreliable , and once we get down to less than 10 per penny , we ’re never certain whether our iPhone will make it down to one per cent or decide to give up on us now .
to boot , the whorl / power release does n’t turn . We know which part we need to replace , but we have n’t yet . We also know that we ’re not alone in this problem , it seems to be rough-cut among iPhone 4S users . We have found a ready to hand workaround for this , though .
