“Sixteen months of pent-up demand, and Apple gives us this? Consumers wanted the iPhone 5,” Andy Vuong reports for The Denver Post. “They got the iFail 4S, as it was quickly dubbed by the Twittersphere because Apple’s new smartphone features the same old design.”
MacDailyNews Take: Well, there’s a nice smooth media reception. Denver-area Apple Stores, you can cancel your October 14th stanchion orders.
“With so much hype leading up to new chief executive Tim Cook’s first product launch, Apple needed to unleash something special,” Vuong reports. “It didn’t deliver. The iPhone 4S is not thinner, and is slightly heavier, than its predecessor. It doesn’t feature a bigger, 4-inch touchscreen that’s been available on Android smartphones for more than a year, an update that analysts and consumers had expected. Like its predecessor, the iPhone 4S will boast a 3.5-inch display.”
Vuong reports, “In fact, the HTC Evo, released last year, still beats the iPhone 4S on two key features: screen size and access to a high-speed 4G mobile network. ‘Apple has been able to wow the world year after year since the iPhone was first introduced four years ago,’ said independent telecom analyst Jeff Kagan. ‘Not this time… This iPhone is really not much different than the current iPhone. So un-Apple like.'”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Debacle. Not the device, but the way Apple led it to the media slaughter.
Related articles:
The iPhone 4S is what Apple on cruise control looks like or something – October 5, 2011
iPhone 4S: Where Apple screwed up (what happened to the silver model?!) – October 5, 2011
It’s what’s inside Apple’s iPhone 4S that counts – October 5, 2011
Analyst: iPhone 4S is incremental stopgap; Apple saving ‘iPhone 5′ name for 4G LTE model in 2012 – October 5, 2011
New Apple iPhone 4S fails to wow investors, fans – October 4, 2011
Apple underwhelms with iPhone 4S – October 4, 2011
The writer of the article is a bloody moron. Not much different from the iPhone 4? I beg to differ…
Up until 2 years ago I was the strongest opponent to using Apple products, then I got to play on an iPhone 3GS and I was angry that I had prevented myself from trying Apple’s products for so long. Got myself an iPhone and love it to this day.
I must admit that I have was anxious for the 4th October announcement and was slightly disappointed when it didn’t say iPhone 5 but all in all the iPhone 4S is a nice machine. I think there were too many rumours going around causing a mass determination of what to expect on October 4.
If you read around as to why there’s no iPhone 5 you will find Apple had good reason to wait. Based on other patents Apple has filed and other technologies they’ve been working on the iPhone 5 will be brilliant. There are a few hurdles with the network providers that are also holding up the works.
As for the small screen and weight issues well……I think they are very minor, I like the size and feel of the iPhone 4. I’ve held a phone with a 4inch screen and it starts to become harder to use than iPhone 4 and let’s not forget having to use android for an OS, yuk. Don’t get me started on that OS.
I have the iPhone 3GS and am upgrading to the 4S because the S models are a huge improvement over the initial release of that model. I loved the look of the 4 and am very very happy that the look is maintained. The tear drop rumoured 5 did not appeal at all but I would have possibly got it if it had the rumoured features.
These media hounds are pathetic. What happened to their cries of “don’t judge a book by its cover.” This abject failure belongs to the media for their inability to see value beyond a shiny wrapper.
I think the iPhone 4S is a nice update to the 4. But – and this is where Apple screwed up – it did NOT merit a media invite. They should have just updated this on their web site home page. They got expectations up too high by inviting the media to a ‘special event’ that was not so special at all.
Where’s my 4-inch screen? WAAH!! I want my 4-inch screen!! SNIFFLE!! Apple sucks!! WAAHHHH!!! Where’s my extra half-inch of screen? WAAHHH!! All the kids at school have 4-inch screens!! SNIFFLE! SNIFFLE!
So far I can’t say I have read a single intelligent word written about this new iPhone by a website – bar none.
Ted Landau at Mac Observer.
Anyone who doubts that we are a nation of morons should be convinced by the stupid, ignorant outcry that has accompanied the launch of the new iPhone. “Give us a bigger screen, but also make the iPhone smaller and lighter.” You know… Bald, but with hair. It’s ridiculous.
Personally, I was quite impressed by the many changes under the hood. The built-in voice-recognition technology is especially intriguing. My advice to the nay-sayers is: Go out and get yourself an Android. That’s exactly what you deserve!
Well said!
Anatomy of a smear campaign: iPhone 4S is the Sarah Palin of smartphones.
Ugh.
Well THAT explains the lipstick on my phone!
-wait……
Nonsense. Unlike Sarah Palin, with the iPhone 4S (or any model, really), I really *can* see Russia from my house.
No, you have to lie when you say the iPhone 4S is useless.
iPhone 4s is a great, great phone- Sarah Palin is a psychotic, moronic chunk of feces on a stick.
My, aren’t we a sexist heterophobe….!
You’re kidding, right? @Aauramac has described Sarah Palin with painful accuracy. She is beyond dumb and psychotic; and if you support her, you are a danger to yourself and others. Simple as that. You are free to disagree.
Shit on a stick? That’s accurate?
No wonder y’all can’t see the real world.
And I’m a ‘danger’? Get real.
The danger is on the way, and it dam sure isn’t me.
(also, thanks for allowing me to disagree)
Idiots !!! that is what they are !!!!!!! These writers will never stop until they gain attention !!!
Here’s a prediction for you: the iPhone 4S will be the best selling iPhone ever. Not to mention that it’s a world phone, which means Apple only needs to make one kind, hence more profit. And it’s on Sprint now.
This “bungling” is something that will only matter to us super-geeks. Apple is going to be fine.
As far as this obsession with making the screen a half an inch bigger: it can’t be done with Apple’s current crop of apps. They’d all have to be rewritten, at great expense, or the device would simply have slightly larger pixels. What is the point? The screen size is here to stay, and it won’t be changed for the iPhone 5 either.
World phone? Siri seems to work for English with American accent but what about the other languages? The rest of the world…
Very reminiscent of the initial iPad reaction. Wait until people see iOS 5 and iCloud and Siri, etc. etc. running on it, then we’ll see what they say.
Screen size? Really? Isn’t that part of the problem with Android is the fragmentation of all the different screen sizes? Want a bigger screen? Buy an iPad.
No, not really. Different *screen resolutions* (number of vertical and horizontal pixels, irrespective of pixel density) is partly to blame for the Android fragmentation.
“In fact, the HTC Evo, released last year, still beats the iPhone 4S on two key features: screen size and access to a high-speed 4G mobile network”
Both so called key features don’t matter much. Both don’t give you a real function in real world. It would be nice to have them, but iOS 5 camera Siri has much higher value in real world. Why people are sooo addicted with numbers? The more I think of it, the more I realize apple has made the best choice.
I have this image of a horse, now dead, with “Apple iPhone PR” branded into its hindquarters being beaten continuously.
If you think the Apple failed to “manage expectations” leading up to the launch of the iPhone 4S, or can see a universe where Apple would have done anything differently, you’re either trolling or you really don’t know the company.
Here is the thing… Maybe the Apple could have handled the morons known more commonly as “reporters,” but I believe that the numbers (sales) will out them as morons. The iPhone 4S is spectacular! Who cares what it was named. It is the greatest phone in existence and will remain so until the Apple releases the iPhone 5. Reporters jump on the band wagon and regurgitate what they see being printed by other rags. They will all look foolish as the more intelligent Apple Prosumers purchase the latest and greatest iPhone.
iPhone 4, more than one year after its release, was the most popular smartphone in the world. Apple improved it significantly with dual cores, better graphics, better camera, both GSM and CDMA in one device, the ability to run Siri, and much more.
It doesn’t really matter what the media says, it matters what consumers buy. The majority of existing iPhone owners who will upgrade are upgrading from iPhone 3GS (or older). iPhone 4 owners are still under their two-year contracts, at least until next June. Yes, you can sell it on eBay and use that money to get an iPhone 4S, but most customers will not do that.
iPhone 3GS to iPhone 4 is a great upgrade, so imagine how they will feel about an iPhone 4S. For customers who are new to iPhone, they will be beyond thrilled with iPhone 4S. Over 90% of customers are “Very Satisfied” or “Satisfied” with iPhone 4; imagine how they will feel about an iPhone 4S.
iPhone 4S targets iPhone 3GS owners and new iPhone customers. Perfect shot. The NEXT iPhone will target current iPhone 4 owners.
That’s me, 3GS to 4S and damn happy about it! Sure, a radical new case would be interesting, but it’s kind of like complaining about the Mac pro case design.
The media leads the general public by the nose. Look at the empty suit in the White House – sorry, silly me, on the golf course – for proof.
Nice comment Ken1w. Please post it to the Denver Post link.
Expectations (from the usual suspects) lead to disappointment. “Those who say don’t know. Those who know don’t say.” Agreed on whether Apple handled the “unveiling” appropriately.
I actually like the design of the 4.
Change for the sake of change is not always good.
I kept my first generation iPhone and passed on the 3G because of several reasons, one being I never liked the design as much.
(I eventually got a 3GS because ATT finally turned on 3G in my neck of the woods)
Andy thought he’d have an easy assignment trashing the new iPhone.
Too bad he can’t remember his history. As George Santayana said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
I meant to quote that.
So did I!
MDN give it up, you’re making it clear that you’ve really gotten infected by the political elements you try to bring in.
Not all dual cores are equal ( hint A5: exclusively designed by Appleton kick ass)
Did I miss the memo? When has the Dever Post been the voice of customer opinion? What defines this yahoo’s expectation especially in an environment where the WSJ reports rumors? I too would have liked a larger screen but this was an upgrade in many ways. Is LTE nation wide? Is NFC widely used?
Does this really boil down to the name 4s versus 5? Or, are the nerds upset that the iPhone 4s doesn’t come with a feature that gives them some nookie after they go see the new Tron flick?
I love the iPhone 4S. I plan to buy two 16G models, one for ATT and one for Sprint. Apple’s event yesterday was uplifting. There will be lines and I will be in the one at the St. Louis Galleria. SIRI digital assistant is just mind-bending. iCloud eliminates my need to buy the 64G iPhone S. I am totally psyched!
The hype is the fault of the critics. Mdn expects apple to control the blog hype. When has apple ever got into explaining and correcting the critics on their release before their release. Apple would be auto correcting every Tom, Dick and Jane just so they don’t over hype their not yet released product. The iphone4s will break new records with even higher customer satisfaction. Where will the critics be then?
Apple might have done themselves a favor by NOT having a media event. Usually with processor bumps or other incremental improvements to their product lines the item just shows up in the store.
Not too many iOS devices have been received favorably by pundits. The first iPhone was considered slow because it was on the Edge network and no one would use it because it had no keyboard. The iphone 3G and 3GS were considered incremental updates. The first iPad was derisively called a big iPhone with a name that brought images of feminie products.
In fact, the reaction to iPhone 4GS reminds of the hate spewed by pundits and detractors on the iPad when it was introduced. In all cases the detractors were wrong and the iOS devices they belittled became best sellers that shook up the industry.
The 4S will become a bestseller, but I don’t think it’ll shake up the industry. Siri might start the ball rolling, but it’s like the long-forgotten “My voice is my password” feature in OS9 or thereabouts–people generally are self-conscious about saying stuff one-way, even though they don’t have a problem spilling every sordid detail of their lives over the phone to their BFFs in a crowded bus or subway.
The introduction of Siri technology into the iUniverse (I’d be surprised if this wasn’t incorporated in the iPad eventually) warranted the media invite. That alone makes this a pretty major upgrade, if not earthshaking.
And maybe there’s no 4G capability because Apple wants to be sure the network can handle the demand? They waited on 3G till they were sure…and there are still plenty of pockets where EDGE still pops up.