apple-history.com / iPhone 4S

apple-history / iPhone 4S

# iPhone 4S

Essentials

Family: iOS

Codename: ?

Minimum OS: iOS 5.0

Maximum OS: iOS 8.4

Introduced: October 2011

Terminated: September 2014

Processor

CPU: Apple A5 (ARM Cortex-A9)

CPU Speed: 800 MHz

CPU Cores: 2

FPU: integrated

Bus Speed: ?

Register Width: 32-bit

Data Bus Width: 64-bit

Address Bus Width: 32-bit

Level 1 Cache: 32 kB data, 32 kB instruction

Level 2 Cache: 1 MB on-processor

Onboard RAM: 512 MB

Maximum RAM: 512 MB

Video

Screen: 3.5" multi-touch

GPU: dual-core PowerVR SGX543MP2 (via A5)

Max Resolution: 960x640 ("Retina")

Video Out: composite, component, VGA, HDMI (via Dock Connector adaptors), AirPlay

Camera: 8 MP back (w/LED flash), VGA front

Storage

Flash Drive: 16/32/64 GB

Input/Output

USB: via Dock Connector

Audio Out: stereo 16 bit mini

Speaker: mono

Microphone: mono

Sensors: Accelerometer, Proximity sensor, Ambient light sensor, Three-axis gyro

Networking

Wi-Fi: 802.11b/g/n

Bluetooth: 4.0

Cellular:

- GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
- UMTS/HSDPA/HSUPA (850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz)
- CDMA EV-DO Rev. A (800, 1900 MHz)

Location: GPS, Digital Compass

Miscellaneous

Battery Life:

- Talk 8 hrs (3G)/14 hrs (EDGE)
- Standby 200 hrs
- Internet 6 hrs (3G)/10 hrs (Wi-Fi)
- Video 10 hrs
- Audio 40 hrs

Dimensions: 4.5" H x 2.31" W x 0.37" D

Weight: 0.31 lbs.

Introduced in October 2011, the iPhone 4S represented a significant under-the-hood hardware upgrade from the original iPhone 4. Apple claimed a 2x CPU and 9x GPU performance improvement as a result of the inclusion of the custom-designed A5 system-on-a-chip (which first appeared in the iPad 2). The iPhone 4s included both the CDMA-compatability of the iPhone 4 (CDMA), making it a true "world phone." It also included the minor case redesign, which, along with internal antenna design improvements, eliminated the "grip-of-death" commonly reported with the original iPhone.

Other improvements included an 8 Megapixel camera, with improved contrast and color balance, Bluetooth 4.0, and a new voice-activated assistant, called "Siri." The iPhone shipped in both white and black, with a two-year contract in the with either AT&T, Verizon, or (for the first time) Sprint, at three price points (no-contact in parentheses):

- 16 GB / $199 ($649)
- 32 GB / $299 ($749)
- 64 GB / $399 ($849)

In September 2012, with the introduction of the iPhone 5, the subsidized price for the 16 GB models was dropped to $99, and all other models were discontinued. In September 2013, the 16 GB models were replaced with a single black 8GB "4s" model (with a change in capitalzation to match the branding of the iPhone 5s), which was made available for free with a 2-year contract. It was discontinued in September 2014, when the iPhone 5c became Apple's free-tier phone.

Picture Credits:
Apple, Inc.