iPhone 4s

Apple introduced a new crop of mobile products today, and they’re all kind of familiar looking. The iPod touch and iPod Nano have barely changed, while the shiny new iPhone 4S looks exactly like an iPhone 4.

But under the hood it has a couple of major improvements, including a faster processor, a better camera, and faster mobile broadband.

The new phone has the same Apple A5 dual core processor as the iPad 2. The company says it should offer overall performance that’s as much as twice as fast as the A4 chip in the iPhone 4. It should also offer up to 7 times the graphics performance.

The iPhone 4s will also support HSPA+ mobile broadband networks with download speeds up to 14.4 Mbps. Apple isn’t going to bother calling the feature “4G,” but instead says it will offer faster speeds — which is true. It’s a world phone which will support both CMDA and GSM networks.

The phone has a new 8MP camera which will be able to shoot 1080p HD video. It will have real-time image stabilization, and Apple says the iPhone 4s will be able to snap photos more quickly than other cameras.

Without acknowledging that there was ever a problem with reception on the iPhone 4, the new iPhone 4s will be able to automatically switch between two included antennas depending on how you hold it.

Finally, Apple showed off a new voice recognition feature called Siri, which will let you perform a wide range of activities, including dictating to your device instead of typing on the keyboard. You can also ask your phone to schedule appointments, find nearby restaurants, or perform other actions.

The new phone will be available on October 14th from AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon. It will go up for pre-order on October 7th.

Here’s the new on-contract pricing:

  • 16GB for $199
  • 32GB for $299
  • 64GB for $399

Apple will also continue to offer the iPhone 4 with a new 8GB model going for $99 on contract. The iPhone 3GS will continue to be available as well… but an 8GB version will now be free when you sign up for a contract.

Prices for the iPhone 4s start at $449 if you forego the contract. The iPhone 4 will start at $349, while the iPhone 3GS will run $199 without a contract.

iPod touch

The company also updated the iPod touch line today… a little bit. Apple will introduce a new white model to go with the black iPod touch. And the iPod touch is getting a cheaper price tag. The 8GB model now starts at $199. A 32GB iPod touch runs $299 and a 64GB model costs $399.

Apple is not upgrading the screen, camera, or processor on the iPod touch.

iPod Nano

Finally, Apple introduced a software update for the iPod Nano. The new software replaces the grid interface with large icons that you can scroll between to switch functions — making better use of the screen real estate. The update will also include 16 clock faces for people that like to use the iPad Nano as a wristwatch by attaching a watch band.

Apple will also offer a new model with built-in fitness features, allowing you to track your walks or runs without plugging in an external sensor.

The new iPod Nano will cost $129 for an 8GB model or $149 for a 16GB model.

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4 replies on “Apple unveils next-gen iPhone, iPod touch, iPod nano”

  1. The 4S looks like a nice upgrade if you have a 3GS, but not so much if you have an iPhone4.  I think that’s probably who Apple is targeting since people with an iPhone4 are still under contract.

    Now that everyone has seen what the iPhone will be like for the next year or so it will be interesting to see what Android and Windows bring out.  The hardware is going to be surpassed quickly I think.

    I guess the next event is next week?  People are saying Samsung and Google are going to unveil the new Nexus and Ice Cream Sandwich.

  2. The new iPhone has an 8 MP camera at Æ’2.8 aperture. That’s nice. I think Apple could easily dominate the point and shoot camera market if they wanted to.

  3. I thought Cook would be his own man but instead this is the same pony show jobs directed.  All Cook needed was a old worn out dirty pair of levis, and faded mock turtle neck sweater with the sleeves pushed up a bit, nasty sneakers and to lose about 100 lbs and this could have passed for a jobs pony show.

    However I am sure everybody got their fill of Kool-aid be it toxic from jobs or homebrewed from Cook.

    1. It wasn’t that bad but remember most of this showing was already set into motion long before Steve passed the company reigns to Cook.  So it may be 2013 before we see if he really changes anything.

      However, I seriously doubt Steve would have left someone in charge who didn’t share his vision for the company and also remember Steve is not retired yet and is still part of Apple.  So can still apply influence behind the scenes.

      All that said, yes there was the usual exaggerations but Siri looks like a serious contender against Google Voice and something Apple has long been lacking.

      We’re still probably a decade or two from anything like IronMan’s Jarvis AI but having more hands free options is certainly a welcome change.

      While iOS 5 is the bigger deal right now rather than the hardware.  Bringing in improvements that many have been demanding since the first iPhone.  Though it remains to be seen whether the advancement will be enough to prevent the competition from starting to eat into their market share.

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