X

Apple iPhone 4S unveiled (roundup)

The wait is over. Apple announces the next incarnation of its smartphone--an iPhone 4S. We've got you covered on all things iPhone.

CNET News staff
9 min read

Apple iPhone 4S (photos)

See all photos

The wait is over. Apple announces the next incarnation of its smartphone--an iPhone 4S. We've got you covered on all things iPhone.

Apple's next iPhone makes its debut

The company shows off the iPhone 4S, which is essentially the current model with newer components. It also sets a release time for iCloud and iOS 5, and cuts the prices on the iPods.
• Photos: Apple raises curtain on new iPhone
(Posted in Apple by Roger Cheng)
October 4, 2011 11:58 AM PDT

iPhone 4S letdown: Why it doesn't matter

Those looking for a complete overhaul of the iPhone 4 with the iPhone 4S were likely disappointed, but the move was standard operating procedure for Apple, which has a bigger end game in mind.
(Posted in Apple by Josh Lowensohn)
October, 5 2011 12:00 AM PDT

iPhone 4S first take

The Apple iPhone 4S is finally official. Though not dramatically different from the iPhone 4, the 4S features a faster processor, better graphics performance, and more. Find out more in our First Take.
• Apple's iPod lineup (2011)
(Posted in iPhone Atlas by Bonnie Cha and Kent German)
October 4, 2011 11:18 AM PDT


Preorder problems trip up iPhone 4S sales in U.S.

Despite suffering through myriad problems last year, Apple and AT&T still had issues from the get-go with preorders for Apple's upcoming iPhone 4S.
• AT&T: 200,000 iPhone 4S preorders in 12 hours
• Where, how, and when to buy the iPhone 4S
• Will iPhone 4S preorders melt online stores again?
(Posted in Apple Talk by Josh Lowensohn)
October 7, 2011 1:39 AM PDT

Unlocked iPhone 4S coming in November

Along with contract versions of the iPhone 4S, Apple this morning slips in the fact that it will begin offering an unlocked version of the device next month.
(Posted in Apple Talk by Josh Lowensohn)
October 7, 2011 1:14 AM PDT

If you want blazing speed, iPhone 4S may not be for you

If you're already on a Verizon Wireless or Sprint Nextel 4G device, moving to the new Apple phone could leave you disappointed, CNET's Roger Cheng explains.
• Sprint confirms unlimited data plan for iPhone 4S
• You should wait online, not in line, for the iPhone 4S
(Posted in Apple by Roger Cheng)
October 5, 2011 12:52 PM PDT

Apple iPhone 4S gets lukewarm analyst response

Wall Street analysts offer a mixed reaction to the new iPhone 4S, but that may only mean that Apple has low expectations to hurdle.
(Posted in Between the Lines by Larry Dignan)
October 5, 2011 8:43 AM PDT

Moneywatch: Apple stock falls on iPhone fail but still a bargain

Sure, the iPhone 4S may not be the breakthrough people were hoping for. But Apple investors should step back and take a deep breath.
•Apple stock feels impact of iPhone 4S
(Posted in Investment Insights by Dan Burrows)
October, 5 2011 4:00 AM PDT

Samsung targets iPhone 4S in France, Italy

The mobile phone maker is filing preliminary injunctions in France and Italy to block the sale of Apple's new iPhone 4S.
(Posted in Wireless by Lance Whitney)
October, 5 2011 4:34 AM PDT

iPod Nano watch gets facelift

Doubling as a watch thanks to special bands created by iWatchz and other companies, the iPod Nano now has 16 new clock faces to choose from, along with a fitness tracker.
(Posted in Apple by Lance Whitney)
October, 5 2011 6:14 AM PDT

Apple iPhone event (live blog)

New iPhone 4S features an A5 chip, 8 hours of 3G talk time, and both GSM and CDMA. It goes on sale October 14.
• Video: Tim Cook takes the stage as Apple's CEO
• Video: Apple unveils the iPhone 4S world phone
(Posted in Apple by Josh Lowensohn)
October 4, 2011 4:10 AM PDT

Apple raises curtain on new iPhone (photos)

See all photos

Rumor roundup scorecard: iPhone 4S edition

Now that the dust has settled and we know the real details of the iPhone 4S, we look back at some of the claims that were made in the months leading up to the event to see what the rumor mill got right--and what it didn't.
• Hard Candy bet on iPhone 5 goes south
(Posted in Apple by Josh Lowensohn)
October 4, 2011 3:06 PM PDT

The 5 biggest disappointments of the iPhone 4S

The new iPhone 4S is here, but not everybody's happy about it. We run down some of the iPhone 5's most-wanted features that you won't find in the 4S.
• iPhone 4 vs. iPhone 4s (comparison chart)
• Video: iPhone 4S packs new features but underwhelms
• Early reactions to Apple's iPhone news
(Posted in iPhone Atlas by David Carnoy)
October 4, 2011 2:00 PM PDT

Branded iPhone 5 won't arrive until LTE, analysts say

opinion That branded iPhone 5 that everyone has been waiting for won't arrive until next year because, among other reasons, Apple is holding out for LTE to be fully baked for compact smartphones like the iPhone.
(Posted in Nanotech: The Circuits by Brooke Crothers)
October 4, 2011 10:05 PM PDT

iPhone 4S still means trouble for rival handset makers

No, there aren't dramatic changes to the iPhone. But it, alongside the cheaper iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS still pose a major threat to the rest of the smartphone world.
• Will iPhone 4 owners upgrade to 4S?
• How to pick a carrier for the iPhone 4S (infographic)
(Posted in Apple by Roger Cheng)
October 4, 2011 1:46 PM PDT

The real reason there's no iPhone 5: The carriers

opinion Apple's iPhone 4S may have hit with a disappointing thud, but it's part of the iPhone strategy the company has employed all along: a clever shell game to outsmart carrier contracts and sell phones every year.
(Posted in Molly Rants by Molly Wood)
October 4, 2011 4:15 PM PDT

Watch this: iPhone 4S packs new features but underwhelms

What the iPhone 4S means for the carriers

iPhone madness is upon us. And the new iPhone 4S is likely to sell like hotcakes when it's released next week. So who will be the big winners and who will be the losers?
(Posted in Apple by Marguerite Reardon)
October 4, 2011 5:07 PM PDT

Do Apple's new features mean startup roadkill?

opinion With additions like a location-based Find My Friends apps, Apple's jumping in where loads of others are gaining traction or trying hard.
(Posted in Apple by Paul Sloan)
October 4, 2011 5:40 PM PDT

Is iPhone 4S the beginning of the end of point-and-shoot cameras?

Apple's improved camera is one of the new iPhone's biggest stories--and it could be bad news for makers of cameras that don't happen to be phones.
(Posted in Challengers by Harry McCracken)
October 4, 2011 4:32 PM PDT


Apple.com down after iPhone announcement

Post-iPhone announcement outage at Apple.com follows live-blogging problems during the event. The Apple Store is taken down intentionally, as usual.
(Posted in Apple by Elinor Mills)
October 4, 2011 2:41 PM PDT

Apple's hard new reality: Elvis has left the house

commentary Disappointment over the iPhone 4S, a nice iteration of a super product, points to a bigger problem of style over substance
(Posted in Apple by Charles Cooper)
October 4, 2011 4:22 PM PDT

How Apple co-opted the Internet

commentary Can a hardware company make it in an Internet world? Apple is on the verge of getting the Web very right--for Apple--with iCloud.
(Posted in Apple by Rafe Needleman)
October 4, 2011 1:40 PM PDT

The iPhone 4S is not a camera killer, even if it has a killer camera

Apple has stepped up the photo skills of the iPhone in its latest iteration, but the only camera you'll ever want? I don't think so.
• iPhone 4S: Apple rethinks the inside
• How Apple's new iPhone 4S changes gaming
(Posted in Crave by Lori Grunin)
October 4, 2011 1:07 PM PDT

Meet the 2011 Apple iPod Touch

Apple announces a 2011 version of its iPod Touch, its pocket-size portable media player that runs iOS 5.
• Photos: Apple iPod Touch, fourth generation
• iPod Classic gets stay of execution
• Photos: Apple's iPod lineup 2011
(Posted in iPhone Atlas by Donald Bell)
October 4, 2011 12:57 PM PDT

Apple iPhone 4S personal assistant: Siri

Apple introduces its Siri voice recognition app, which uses natural language to help users search for a multitude of things on their iPhone 4S.
• Video: Siri on Sprint iPhone 4S
• Video: Apple introduces voice recognition app
(Posted in Apple by Marguerite Reardon)
October 4, 2011 12:13 PM PDT

Watch this: Live demo: Siri on Sprint iPhone 4S

ZDNet: Apple's iPhone 4S is swell, but pricing is the real killer app

Apple's iPhone 4S has some killer features, but the real neutron bomb on the industry is the price points for the latest device, iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS.
• ZDNet: Apple CEO Cook lets team, iPhone 4S do the talking
• ZDNet: iPhone Yes vs iPhone No
• BNET: Apple totally blows the phone market
(Posted in Between the Lines by Larry Dignan)
October 4, 2011 11:59 AM PDT

Apple 'working hard' to bring iCloud worldwide

Apple confirms that it is trying to obtain the rights to bring Match and other iCloud features to other countries by the end of the year.
(Posted in Apple by Greg Sandoval)
October 4, 2011 11:23 AM PDT

Apple unveils iPhone 4S

The company announces the iPhone 4S, which has the same design as the iPhone 4 but upgraded internal components.
• Apple: Sprint getting the iPhone
(Posted in Apple by Roger Cheng)
October 4, 2011 11:09 AM PDT

Apple's iPhone event = tech site fail

Interest in the newest iPhone is so high that tech news sites everywhere, including CNET, struggle to stay up. Some manage to keep going, while others limp along or fail altogether.
(Posted in Apple by Daniel Terdiman)
October 4, 2011 11:00 AM PDT

Apple iOS 5 and iCloud service to launch October 12

Apple says the iOS 5 update and iCloud storage service will be open for business on October 12.
• Apple takes baby steps with iOS 5
(Posted in Apple by Marguerite Reardon)
October 4, 2011 10:55 AM PDT

Apple: 18 billions apps have been downloaded

Apple says that more than 1 billion apps are downloaded each month.
(Posted in Apple by Roger Cheng)
October 4, 2011 10:33 AM PDT

Previous Coverage

ZDNet: Apple's new iPhone--it's all about the software

Apple will unveil a new iPhone as a shiny new object, but software will carry the device forward.
(Posted in Between the Lines by Larry Dignan)
October 4, 2011 5:53 AM PDT

Where to unload your old iPhone for top dollar (Ask Maggie)

As Apple prepares to announce its next iPhone, Ask Maggie offers advice on iPhone trade-ins and explains whether an HSPA+ iPhone will really be faster than a 3G iPhone.
(Posted in Signal Strength by Marguerite Reardon)
October 4, 2011 12:00 AM PDT

iPhone 5 rumor roundup

CNET tracks all the iPhone 5 rumors--from the likely to the crazy--that we've heard so far in 2011.
• Rumor of 64GB iPhone re-emerges
• New iPhone reportedly spotted in Apple's inventory
• New rumors say iPhone 5 to get larger screen, HSPA+
(Posted in iPhone Atlas by Kent German)
September 30, 2011 1:23 PM PDT

Forget Photoshop, this is a real iPhone 5 mock-up

Not satisfied with the abundance of Photoshop mock-ups for Apple's forthcoming iPhone 5, Giga Netzwerk blog benm.at has made a mock iPhone 5 using specs and rumors as guidelines.
(Posted in iPhone Atlas by Joe Aimonetti)
September 29, 2011 4:38 PM PDT

A translation of Apple's iPhone event invite

Apple's not-so-mysterious invitation for its event next week is actually filled with quite a few hints about what to expect beyond a new model of the iPhone.
(Posted in Apple Talk by Josh Lowensohn)
September 27, 2011 11:37 AM PDT

More resources:
iPhone Atlas
iPhone 5
iPhone 4
Crave