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Apple's iPhone 4S.

(Credit: Apple)

Wall Street analysts weighed in on Apple's iPhone 4S launch as a "mildly disappointing," but acknowledged the device will be a big hit.

Like the tech blogs, the reaction to the iPhone 4S was decidedly mixed. The major gripes were that Apple didn't release and iPhone 5 even though few analysts noted what they'd want from such a device. The lack of 4G was an issue for many.

Apple Releases Long Awaited iPhone 5/4S Information

Well folks, today is the day. Apple finally released information about the iPhone 5,
and all speculations can be put to rest. The iPhone 4S (not iPhone 5) is set to hit
stores on October 14, just ten days from now, with preorders starting on October
7th for qualifying customers. Which rumors become reality, and which were just
rumors? Read on to find out how many of your predictions are true!

Apple iPhone 5? Nope. It's the 4S [Updated]

Apple has announced its next iPhone and it won't be called the iPhone 5, but rather the iPhone 4S.

From the outside, the iPhone 4S looks just like the iPhone 4 -- which may disappoint some hoping for a new form factor.

On the inside however, the iPhone 4S is a new device, said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing.

Most notably, perhaps, is the addition of Apple's dual-core A5 chip, which is built by Samsung.

The A5 in the iPhone 4S will offer seven-times faster graphics for better mobile gameplay and is "up to" twice as fast overall as the A4 chip in the iPhone 4, Schiller said.

Live coverage: Apple iPhone 4S

The iPhone 4S battery life will also be the best of any iPhone thus far, with eight hours of talk time and 40 hours of music listening capability.

The iPhone 4S has a new wireless system that can "intelligently switch" between its two antennas to "make even better call quality," Schiller said.

So what does that mean exactly? Apple is promising that users will be able to download data much faster than before using HSDPA cellular technology. The iPhone 4S won't be a 4G phone, but it will have 4G-like download speeds and send and receive data a lot faster.

As expected, the iPhone 4S will also have an upgraded camera -- 8-megapixels -- capable of shooting images at a resolution of 3,264x2,448 pixels. That's 60% more pixels than the iPhone 4's 5-megapixel camera.

Apple said the 4S' sensor is much better too with a "five element lens." Schiller said: "Here we've really gone overboard," with an f/2.4 aperture which will improve photo quality in low light situations.

Schiller even said the iPhone 4S takes photos a lot faster than its rivals too. The Droid Bionic takes 3.7 seconds to take a pic, Schiller said, while the iPhone 4S takes just 1.1 seconds.

The camera will shoot better video too -- at a high-definition resolution of 1080p.

Apple has yet to say just how much the iPhone 4S will cost, on what carriers it will be available or when it will be released. [Updated 4:10 p.m.: We've got release and pricing info here and carrier info (yes, Sprint is getting the iPhone) here.]

Apple iPhone 4S available for pre-order at Carphone Warehouse and Best Buy

Both retailers will be stocking the latest iPhone from 14 October but customers can pre-order the device from today

Carphone Warehouse and Best Buy have confirmed that they will be stocking the new iPhone 4S. The device is expected in selected stores and online on 14 October, but it is available for pre-order from today (7 October).

The retailer warned that initial stock levels will be limited, but new customers can pre-order the black and white versions of the handset from today on Orange, Vodafone and T-Mobile from free on a £46 per month contract.

Both Carphone and Best Buy will stock the 16GB, 32GB and brand new 64GB versions. More networks are expected to follow in the coming days. Carphone Warehouse and Best Buy will also be stocking the new 8GB version of the iPhone 4 from 14 October.

The phone includes a dual-core A5 processor, used in the iPad 2, alongside a new dual-core GPU which will increase the speed of its graphics up to seven times faster than the iPhone 4. The key new addition to the iPhone 4S is the integration of Siri – a voice-controlled personal assistant that allows you to complete tasks on your phone via spoken commands.

The new iPhone 4S offer of eight hours of 3G talk time, six hours of browsing, nine on Wi-Fi, 10 hours of video, and 40 hours of music, meaning battery life has been extended. Plus, photography fans will enjoy the integration of an 8-megapixel camera, with a backside illuminated CMOS sensor for better low light performance.

Andrew Harrison, CEO of Carphone Warehouse and Best Buy said: ‘There has been more anticipation than ever surrounding the unveiling of the iPhone 4S. Tuesday’s announcement marks another milestone in the history of a truly iconic mobile device. We’ve seen a lot of eager customers asking when it will be available and we are doing our best to offer as many devices as possible for both new and existing customers. The exciting new developments, especially the introduction of Siri, will no doubt be a huge draw for iPhone fans.’

Apple iPhone buyer's guide: Comparing 4, 4S with top Android phones

Apple's iPhone 4S may not look new on the outside when compared with the iPhone 4, but on the inside, the guts of the phone, there is a lot of newness going on.

Still, as the iPhone 4S is now available for pre-order and hitting stores Oct. 14, many iPhone owners are left with questions:

Should I upgrade? Is it worth it? Should I wait another year for the iPhone 5, or whatever next year's iPhone will be called?

I should know, I've been peppered with these questions myself on Twitter and Facebook and in text messages from readers and friends alike.

And I've even been thinking about this personally as well. I am one of the few people left out there who still uses a first-generation Apple iPhone as my personal smartphone. A friend called me a hipster on Wednesday morning when she learned I've been using the same iPhone since 2007. I have a BlackBerry I use for work email and calls.

So, what phone is the right next-phone for me? What's the right phone for you? It can be a tough question to answer and there is a lot to consider -- including some of the top Android phones available, such as the Samsung Galaxy S II and the Motorola Droid Bionic. So, let's get to it.

What phone do you have now?

First thing we should take into consideration is the phone you already have. For the purposes of this blog post, we'll assume you either already have a smartphone or want (and can afford) a smartphone. If you can't afford a smartphone and the monthly data plan that goes along with it, then your choice is simple -- don't buy anything.

If you're already invested in the iOS ecosystem, with an iPhone filled with apps and games you love, then moving over to Android, Windows Phone or a BlackBerry wouldn't make a ton of sense.

An upgrade to the iPhone 4S may seem like a natural choice depending on which iPhone you have.

iPhone 4S versus iPhone 3GS or older

If you currently have an iPhone 3GS (or even an iPhone 3G or first-generation iPhone), which was first released in June 2009, I would say you'd be happy making an upgrade to the iPhone 4S. The jump between the handsets will likely be a big one and one that will make you happy with the iPhone 4 and 4S beautiful retina displays and the 4S' dual-core A5 processor, which even made the iPad 2 a standout performer from the first-generation iPad tablet.

Most 3GS owners are likely near or already at the end of their two-year data plans, so upgrading shouldn't be a hassle.

iPhone 4S versus iPhone 4

If you own an iPhone 4, upgrading to an iPhone 4S might not be as worthwhile. The iPhone 4 has the same retina display, and though it's running on the single-core A4 chip, it's still a speedy phone in its own right, widely considered one of the best smartphones on the market today.

One difference is that the iPhone 4S has an upgraded 8-megapixel camera that is capable of shooting 1080p video. The iPhone 4 has a 5-megapixel camera that can shoot up to 720p video. But is that worth agreeing to another two-year data plan and paying likely a much higher upgrade price for? I would say no.

In the past, AT&T has allowed iPhone owners to buy new iPhones at the same price as new customers. AT&T, Verizon and now Sprint may do the same for their existing customers, but I'm not sure -- still working on finding that out. If the carriers don't allow for this flat pricing, the iPhone could sell at its unsubsidized price, which would have a starting price of about $599. In the event that AT&T, Verizon and Sprint take this route, I don't think it'd be worth it.

How about Android, Windows Phone and BlackBerry?

If you're not invested in the iOS ecosystem, Android is worth a look. Many newer Android phones -- such as the HTC Incredible and EVO 3D, the Motorola Photon and Atrix and the Nexus S -- are great handsets and Android, while not offering as many apps as iOS, has a lot of great games, entertainment and productivity apps.

At this point, it's tough to recommend Windows Phone 7 as it doesn't offer the same level of depth in terms of available apps, though this is growing. If entertaining apps aren't as important to you, you may want to wait on Windows Phone because new handsets with improved specs (such as the HTC Titan) are on the way and they will run Windows Phone Mango, the latest version of Microsoft's OS that will make it more competitive with Android and iOS.

I've just started testing Mango and it's a great operating system -- more on this in future posts here on the Technology blog.

I also wouldn't recommend any of the new BlackBerry smartphones on the market as Research In Motion will launch new phones later this year or early next year that might even run Android apps.

Get hands-on yourself

All that being said, not all phones are created equal.

Before making any decisions, I suggest going to carrier stores (or Best Buy, Radio Shack and other retailers) so you can try phones in-hand. Find out if you like the screen size, the weight, the materials used and the reaction of the phones out there to your touch. Do some research and see what websites such as this Technology blog and others say about what you're interested in.

Also worth keeping in mind is the rumored debut next week of a new Samsung phone, which could be called the Nexus Prime and would be the first device to run Google's latest OS, Android Ice Cream Sandwich.

Here's a look at a few of the specs between the iPhone 4S and two of the top Android phones currently on the market -- Verizon's Motorola Droid Bionic and the Samsung Galaxy S II.

	Apple iPhone 4S	Samsung Galaxy S II	Motorola Droid Bionic
Carrier	AT&T/Sprint/Verizon	Sprint/T-Mobile/AT&T	Verizon
Price on 2-year contract	$199, $299 or $399 across carriers	$199 from Sprint, $229 from T-Mobile, $199 from AT&T	$299
Operating system	iOS 5	Android Gingerbread	Android Gingerbread
Processor	dual-core (GHz unknown)	1.2 GHz dual-core (1.5 GHz dual-core for T-Mobile)	1 GHz dual-core
RAM	unknown	1 gigabyte	1 gigabyte
Built-in storage	16 gigabytes, 32 gigabytes or 64 gigabytes	16 gigabytes	16 gigabytes
Expandable storage	No	MicroSD	MicroSD
Screen size	3.5 inches	4.5 inches for Sprint and T-Mobile, 4.3 inches for AT&T	4.3 inches
Screen resolution	960 x 640 pixels	800 x 480 pixels	960 x 540 pixels
Weight	4.9 oz	4.77 oz for Sprint and T-Mobile, 4.3 oz for AT&T	5.6 oz
Rear camera	8 megapixel photos and 1080p video	8 megapixel photos and 1080p video	8 megapixel photos and 1080p videos
Front camera	VGA photo and video	2 megapixel and VGA video	2 megapixel and VGA video
USB	Yes	Yes	Yes
HDMI	No	Yes	Yes