Apple iPhone 4S Reactions: Expert's views

Matt Hill, Deputy Editor, T3

Seven times the graphics capabilities of the iPhone 4, the same dual-core A5 chip that's in the iPad 2, 8-megapixel camera with vastly improved lens and light filters, voice-recognition beyond what anyone's seen on a handset – you have to ask what more people can ask of Apple?

Well, "make it look a bit different" seems to be the answer, as there was palpable disappointment across the internet, with the firm's shares falling 4%, during its 'Let's Talk About iPhone' event. Expectations have clearly got out of control - the iPhone 4S is more of an upgrade on the iPhone 4 than the 4 was on the 3GS.

It raises Apple's game again, only to a technical par with its competitors but, importantly and often ignored, with a consistent and ever-intuitive ecosystem that makes the most of those technical advancements.

What else were they really supposed to do? We knew iOS 5 and iCloud were imminent, and this was always an event about a new, improved phone to make the most of that. Apple has delivered, regardless of the monicker.

The iPhone 5 will have its own big day, away from the iBluster of clouds and new OSs. If Tim Cook and co had shaved off the edges of the handset and called it the iPhone 5, it would have been embraced to the world's style-tech bosom.

Damn our ever-increasing focus on aesthetics and surface details over and above anything else. Personally, I blame Apple.

David James, CEO, mxData

At mxData we believe the announcement of the iPhone 4Sand a new version of the iOS will generally be well received by the industry and especially by app development companies such as ourselves. Smartphones are becoming adopted by more and more consumers, who want to access information wherever they are, and I believe the iPhone 4S will again raise the standard of smartphones allowing more of us to work, rest and play while on the move.

Developing for multiple operating systems is not straightforward, but all the leading players provide great platforms for us to develop ground breaking applications. At mxData our development teams have been busy preparing for the latest iPhone release for some months now and are really excited about the future of the industry.

More expert views and opinions to follow...

What do you make of the Apple iPhone 4S, major disappointment or welcomed overhaul? Let us know via the comments box below.