iPhone 5? Nope... Say Hello To The iPhone 4S

iPhone 4S Introduced

APPLE unveiled the iPHONE 4S at a press conference TUESDAY in CUPERTINO, CA.  In his first major event since taking over for STEVE JOBS, APPLE CEO TIM COOK made the announcement, joking, "This is my first product launch since being named CEO. I'm sure you didn't know that," but the announcement disappointed  those expecting a major revision of the hardware.  The new phone does have more power and better specifications, and will be available for the first time on SPRINT, but is not the "iPHONE 5" some analysts were predicting.

The stock market didn't react well to the lack of an iPHONE 5 announcement, and have shown displeasure with APPLE shares taking a dip on the NASDAQ.

The iPHONE 4S has the same external elements of the iPHONE 4, including retina display and glass back, but with improved performance due to the dual core A5 chip and new antenna system.  The phone has both CDMA and GSM capability, making it a "world phone," but the phone does not use LTE or Wimax and SVP of Worldwide Product Marketing PHIL SCHILLER declined to take a position on what constitutes 4G.

An 8 megapixel camera is included, with an improved sensor to rival stand-alone point-and-shoot digital cameras and 1080p video.  And the widely anticipated voice control system, SIRI, which APPLE acquired last year, made an appearance but as a beta demo, while dictation capabilities have been added to the new model.  Pricing is at $199 for 16GB, $299 for 32GB, and a new 64GB model at $399, all with two-year contract; the iPHONE 4 8GB model will continue being sold for a reduced price of $99 with contract, and iPHONE 3GS will be free with contract.  Pre-orders will be taken on OCTOBER 7th, with release on the 14th on SPRINT, AT&T, and VERIZON.

iOS5's release has been set for OCTOBER 12th, and will include iCLOUD, which will be integrated into APPLE's apps and will store content and push and sync it to all iOS devices for free (for iOS and LION users).  Included is iTUNES MATCH, which will scan a user's iTUNES library and make it available across devices, which will be available at the end of OCTOBER for $24.99.

The iPOD line is getting a refresh for iPOD NANO, with the ability to use larger icons, additional built-in fitness features, and clock faces, at 8GB for $129 and 16GB for $149 ($30 cheaper than previous NANOs); and the iPOD TOUCH with retina display (8GB at $199, 32GB at $299, and 64GB at $399).

Among the other items introduced by APPLE were Newsstand, the rumored magazine and newspaper app; deeper Twitter integration into iOS; iMessage, a new instant messaging program similar to BLACKBERRY's service and available on all iOS devices; a location-based Reminders program; printed greeting cards in iPhoto; an improved Camera app; and "Find My Friends," a locator app showing where friends and family are at a given time.

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