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By Don Reisinger on 2011-10-19
With Apple’s iPhone 4S already breaking sales records -- the company says it sold 4 million units in the first three days after the smartphone's Oct. 14 launch -- and Sprint added to the list of wireless carriers offering the handset, you're probably looking to understand the key differences in Apple’s line of smartphones. For many enterprises now, the question is not "How do we keep these things out of the workplace?" but rather, "Which one should we offer employees?" Currently, Apple is selling the iPhone 3GS, which it launched two years ago, as well as last year’s iPhone 4. The iPhone 4S, which launched on Oct. 14, is also out there for the taking. Making that decision requires you to look hard at some of the key things that might sway such a decision. Here, we highlight 10 factors that may help you make up your mind about which Apple iPhone should be deployed in your operation:
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Pricing Matters As with anything else, choosing a new iPhone depends on its price. And thanks to the launch of the iPhone 4S, CIOs have a wide range of prices to choose from. The company’s iPhone 3GS is available for free with a two-year agreement. The iPhone 4 is $99 with a two-year deal. Depending on storage capacity (16GB, 32GB or 64GB), iPhone 4S can be purchased for $199 - $399.
Storage Options While the iPhone 4S comes with ample storage options, Apple has cut down iPhone 4 storage to 8GB. iPhone 3GS is also available with 8GB. (It’s worth noting that 16GB and 32GB versions of iPhone 4 can still be purchased for $149.99 and $199.99, respectively, while supplies last.)
iPhone 3GS: Old Design Although CIOs might not care, employees are looking for the latest and greatest and for them iPhone 3GS might be a non-starter. Unlike later models, the 3GS doesn’t feature a sleek, glass display. Instead, it features an outdated curved-plastic look.
Siri Rocks One of the most critically acclaimed new additions to Apple’s iOS 5 is Siri. The virtual personal assistant lets iPhone users give voice commands and then the service performs the requested tasks. However, Siri is currently only available for users of iPhone 4S.
App Support Applications are likely among the top reasons you're thinking of deploying the iPhone in your operations. It’s important to point out that most of the applications available in Apple’s App Store will work with the company’s entire product line. So, whether it’s the iPhone 3GS or iPhone 4S CIOs are after, any app should work with any of those devices.
Carrier Options In the U.S., iPhone 3GS is only available to AT&T customers, while iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S are offered to Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint customers. iPhone 4S is also a "world" phone, meaning it can work on CDMA networks as well as the GSM wireless networks used in most of the world.
Only iPhone 4S Has 64GB Especially in the enterprise, extra storage is always a welcome feature. As noted, iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 will only offer 8GB of storage going forward. iPhone 4S, however, has up to 64GB of storage. Granted, it’s expensive -- that model costs $399 -- but if your users need ample storage, you'll only find it with iPhone 4S.
Speeds and Feeds With the iPhone 4S, Apple claims users will be able to get up to 14.4 Mbps downlink speeds. Of course, there’s just one issue: Those speeds will only be possible on AT&T’s network. On all other networks, the iPhone 4S will deliver standard 3G speeds. Don’t forget that when shopping for a new iPhone.
Picture Quality iPhone 4S comes with a new 8-megapixel camera and faster shutter speeds than its predecessors. If that matters, then the iPhone 4S is an obvious choice. But for those of you who aren’t concerned with camera quality, there are plenty of other factors (like price) to consider.
iOS 5 Is Universally Supported Just about everyone wants to use Apple’s latest mobile operating system, iOS 5. With the exception of Siri, you won’t need to make any OS sacrifices when it comes to choosing a smartphone. iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 can both be upgraded to iOS 5, which is native on iPhone 4S.
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