“The Apple iPhone 4S is among the recommended models in our newly updated Ratings of smart phones. Apple’s newest smart phone performed very well in our tests, and while it closely resembles the iPhone 4 in appearance, it doesn’t suffer the reception problem we found in its predecessor in special tests in our labs,” Mike Gikas reports for Consumer Reports.
“In special reception tests of the iPhone 4S that duplicated those we did on the iPhone 4, the newer phone did not display the same reception flaw, which involves a loss of signal strength when you touch a spot on the phone’s lower left side while you’re in an area with a weak signal,” Gikas reports. “Overall, the new iPhone 4S scores higher in the Ratings than the iPhone 4, thanks to such enhancements as an upgraded camera, a faster “dual-core” processor, and the addition of the intriguing Siri voice-activated feature, which accepts and responds to verbal commands in a conversational manner, using a synthetic-sounding female voice.”
“These pluses were not enough, however, to allow the iPhone 4S to outscore the best new Android-based phones in our Ratings. Those top scorers included the Samsung Galaxy S II phones, the Motorola Droid Bionic, and several other phones that boast larger displays than the iPhone 4S and run on faster 4G networks. (Technically, only the AT&T version of the iPhone 4S supports 4G, running on the carrier’s HSPA+ network at download speeds of about 14 megabits per second, the bottom rung of what is considered to be 4G network speed.) Other phones that topped the iPhone 4S include the LG Thrill ($100 on AT&T), which has the ability to capture stills and videos in 3D, as well as display them on its 4.3-inch 3D display, and the Motorola Droid Bionic ($300 on Verizon), which also has a superb 4.3-inch, high-resolution (540 x 960) display, with excellent keypad readability under most lighting conditions, even in bright light.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: The CR idiots recommend, over iPhone 4S, phones that have “4G’ because “4” is bigger than “3” even though users would be lucky to find 4G networks in most places. Just as Android settlers would be lucky to find the best apps which, even under the same names, are often watered-down versions on the increasingly fragmented Android OS. Just as they would be lucky to find vehicle integration that approaches that of iPhone. And what of security? Overall user experience? Ease-of-use? iCloud capabilities? Siri? Hello, Siri? Etc., etc., etc.
Consumer Reports remains moronic in their testing criteria. The bottom line is that Consumer Reports has no idea what really matters to end users and therefore their “recommendations” are meaningless.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Dan K.” for the heads up.]
