IMHO – size does matter, Apple
Is a 3.5in screen big enough in an age of plus-size smartphones? Not likely
It’s a bit small, isn’t it? As the dust settles on the iPhone 4S launch, that’s our overarching complaint. Despite bringing its flagship iDevice in line with the top brass of the smartphone army with an 8MP cam, dual-core processor and a smattering of potentially killer features (we’re looking at you, iMessage, iCloud and Siri), Apple’s missed the memo on screen sizes.
The company’s stuck with the iPhone 4’s stark (and beautiful) form factor for the 4S, but that 3.5in screen just doesn’t measure up to its next-gen rivals – even if its Retina Display still leads the pack at 326ppi resolution. Samsung’s Nexus Prime is rumoured to get a 4.6in, 320ppi Super AMOLED display, while its forthcoming Galaxy Note has a whopping 5.3in screen. HTC’s Sensation has a 4.3in stretch of glass on it, while LG’s forthcoming Optimus LTE is expected to put up 4.5in of front. In that company, the iPhone 4S is starting to look awkwardly dwarfish, chinless. Weak, even.
It’s got girth, we’ll give the iPhone 4S that. But when did we start wanting fat phones? Next to the Weight Watcher of the week, Samsung’s 8.49mm thin Galaxy S II, the iPhone 4S must be stroking its 9.3mm gut and wondering whether it should cut down on the biscuits. It’s no dealbreaker – the extra heft gives the iPhone a satisfying solidity – but that pot belly’s certainly no turn on.
Figure and face aside, the iPhone 4S features everything we could’ve wanted: an 8MP camera, 1080p video recording and a massive speed boost courtesy of that dual-core A5 processor mean the iPhone 4S is a powerhouse to be reckoned with. Siri has the potential to be life-changing. And let’s not forget those millions of apps, still the best reason to stand by your iPhone. Even if she has let herself go a bit.
Also
iPhone 4S: What we wanted, what we got
New video! Tim Cook iPhone 4S Apple keynote announcement
Dan Grabham
Editor-in-Chief 
