Apple CEO Tim Cook has revealed the latest version of the company’s iPhone device. The iPhone 4S has a faster processor than its predecessor, a new camera and a longer battery life but the appearance remains similar to the iPhone 4.
Its iOS5 operating system was announced by Steve Jobs in June, so features like the iMessage instant messaging service have been anticipated for several months, although intelligent voice control - called Siri - made its debut in Tim Cook’s announcement.
Also available will be iCloud, a cloud-based service that works with an iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac or PC to store iTunes music, photos and documents online. The basic service is free.
Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing, said “iPhone 4S plus iOS 5 plus iCloud is a breakthrough combination that makes the iPhone 4S the best iPhone ever. While our competitors try to imitate iPhone with a checklist of features, only iPhone can deliver these breakthrough innovations that work seamlessly together.”
The iPhone 4S will go on sale from Friday 14th October in the UK, with pre-orders from 7th October. SIM-free pricing starts at £499 for the 16GB model. iOS5 will be available for existing iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS customers from 12th October; iCloud will also launch on this date.