首先让我们挑明了说一句：如果你期望iPhone 4S的设计能改头换面，达到让人惊艳的地步，那么你可能要失望了。iPhone 4S的工艺设计在方方面面都与iPhone 4没什么区别，正反面使用的都是相同的康宁大猩猩玻璃，还是那块相同的3.5英寸视网膜显示屏，天线也是与iPhone 4貌似没什么区别的“大包围”金属天线。

    这也就是为什么有些人——比如《霍芬顿邮报》（The Huffington Post），会认为iPhone 4S的发布“令人深感失望。”之前传言的4英寸大屏和泪珠式设计哪儿去了？传说中的iPhone 5哪儿去了？我们许多人都被各种谣言忽悠了，或是一厢情愿地认为新款iPhone就应该搭载一些我们期望的功能，或是被网上山寨的假模型糊弄了。要不就是纠结于iPhone 4S这个名字，而忽略了iPhone 4S究竟是怎样一款手机。

    造成这种局面，也有一部分是苹果公司（Apple）自己的原因。苹果近年来正处在飞黄腾达的时期。iPad引爆了一个之前几乎根本不存在的平板电脑市场，它上市仅仅一年，便卖出了1,470万台。同时苹果预计还将公布Mac笔记本的销量。苹果对iPad和Mac都积极进行升级，首先是推出了iPad 2，然后又推出了新款的11英寸和13英寸的MacBook Air笔记本。在平板和笔记本领域，苹果的创新程度都远超竞争对手。正是因为这个原因，人们对最新款iPhone的期待才会空前高涨。

    其实iPhone 4S的外观并不差劲——只是缺乏新意。如果你恰好对它的外观很满意，那么你也不是什么少数派。据苹果公司公布的数据，iPhone 4S发布后短短三天，这款智能手机的销量就超过了400万台，是去年iPhone 4刚刚发布时的135%。部分分析人士曾经预测，很多用户可能不会出手购买iPhone 4S，而会等待明年苹果推出的新款iPhone，但iPhone 4S预订火爆的事实却毫无客气地给了他们以迎面痛击。讨厌iPhone 4S的设计的人可能会说，iPhone 4S的设计了无新意。但事实上，即便是现在，也很少有哪款智能手机的视觉吸引力能达到iPhone 4和iPhone 4S的程度。

    iPhone 4S的硬件性能

    正如先前的评测所显示的那样，iPhone 4S与iPhone 4的不同之处在于，它搭载了一款双核A5处理器，一个800万像素摄像头，能够拍摄1080P高清视频。（白色版64GB iPhone 4S的价格为399美元。）为了便于评测，我们会主要关注iPhone 4S的独特之处。虽说iPhone 4S搭载的iOS5操作系统对通知系统进行了升级，而且支持iCloud云服务，标志着一次重大的软件升级，但是某些老款的iPhone机型也可以升级到iOS5系统，所以操作系统并不是我们这次评测的重点。

    iPhone 4S搭载的双核处理器与iPad 2相同，有了这款双核处理器，你会发现iPhone 4S的速度比iPhone 4有了明显的提升，对之前使用iPhone 3GS等老机型的用户来说尤其如此。这两款机型的运行速度有着天壤之别。不过和iPhone 4对比的话，差距则不算太明显。应用在iPhone 4S上打开得更快，运行得更流畅，尤其是它在处理图形应用上显得特别出色。比如在使用地图应用时，只要把摄像头对准街边的建筑，程序就会瞬间做出反应。【在未来的几个月里，升级后的《无尽之剑2》（Infinity Blade 2）等游戏会更加突显出iPhone 4S硬件强悍的图形处理能力】此外无论是用3G还是用WiFi上网，iPhone 4S的网页载入速度都快于老款iPhone，而且在使用虚拟键盘打字时，几乎没有任何迟滞。

    大家也非常关注iPhone 4S的800万像素摄像头，据称它可以捕捉更多的光线，拍摄的照片效果更加清晰。甚至还有人说，它可以取代许多专业的傻瓜相机。当然，我们并不是说有了iPhone 4S就可以把自己的傻瓜相机拿到eBay上一卖了之，但是iPhone 4S在日光下照出的照片的确要比以往任何一款iPhone都更加明亮、清晰。它在夜间拍摄的照片的清晰度也更高，而且总的来说颗粒感也更轻了，这一点在下方的样片对比中就能看出来。另外iPhone 4S的快门速度变得更短，再加上高清动态范围（HDR）功能，拍照变得异常轻松。美中不足的是iPhone 4S仍然延袭了iPhone 4那款模糊的、低解析度的前置摄像头。

    Let's get this out-of-the-way first: If you were expecting a mind-blowing revamp with the iPhone 4S, you may be disappointed. Everything about its industrial design will be familiar -- it sports the same gorilla glass front and back, the same 3.5-inch-sized Retina display and a similar-looking metal band surrounding it.

    That's why some, like The Huffington Post, found the announcement "hugely disappointing." Where was the larger screen? What about the oft-rumored teardrop design? Where was the iPhone 5? Many of us became so preoccupied with rumors, wishlist features, unfounded mockups and the number attached to the name that they ignored what the 4S was and harped on what it wasn't.

    Part of that may be due to Apple (AAPL) itself. If you haven't noticed lately, it's been on a roll. The iPad exploded the virtually nonexistent tablet market, selling 14.7 million units during its first year on the market. Meanwhile, Apple is expected to report record Mac sales. On both fronts, the company has rather aggressively updated, first with the iPad 2 and then with the new 11-inch and 13-inch MacBook Airs. In both areas, the company has innovated far enough ahead that its competition is still trying to catch up. Given all that activity, expectations for the newest iPhone were at an all-time high.

    The 4S's look isn't a bad thing -- it's just very familiar. And if you're happy with it, you won't be alone. The company reported sales of more than 4 million units during the smartphone's first three days, 135% more than the launch of the iPhone 4 last year. That already flies in the faces of some analysts who predicted users might skip this upgrade and wait until next year. Haters will say the 4S design is more of the same, but let's face it: there are few smartphones that make a visual statement quite like the iPhone 4's -- and now the iPhone 4S' -- even now.

    What's inside

    As earlier reviews suggested, the real changes reside within the 4S's familiar chassis including a dual-core A5 processor, 8-megapixel camera and 1080p (a.k.a. HD) video recording capability. (Apple loaned us the $399 64 GB iPhone 4S in white.) For our reviewing purposes, we'll focus on what's unique to the 4S, and while iOS5 with its updated notifications system and iCloud support mark a major software upgrade, its availability on some older iPhone models means it'll be less of the focus here.

    With that dual core processor -- similar to the one in the iPad 2 -- you'll obviously notice a speed increase, more so if you're upgrading from an older phone like, say, the 3GS. The difference between the two should be night and day. If you're an iPhone 4 owner, it's less a jolt and more of a speed bump. Apps generally launch faster and zip along, and more graphics-focused programs like Maps respond instantly as you zoom further in on street blocks. (Games like Infinity Blade 2 will better show off the 4S' new graphics power in the coming months as they are updated to take advantage of the hardware.) Web pages, overall, load more quickly whether over 3G or WiFi, and there's little-to-no lag as you tap away on the virtual keyboard.

    There's been a lot of talk about the new 8-megapixel camera, which reportedly captures more light and provides sharper images. It's even been suggested that it could replace many dedicated point-and-shoot cameras. We wouldn't go so far as to tell you to put that $250 camera on eBay, but the 4S consistently took brighter, clearer photos in sunlight than any previous iPhone before. Images taken in the evening also turned out better, with sharper definition of objects and overall less graininess, as you can see below. A faster shutter speed with the high dynamic range (HDR) option off makes shooting a breeze. Unfortunately, the front-facing camera doesn't fare as well: it's still the same fuzzy, low VGA resolution.

    iPhone 4S的视频摄相头也有了明显的进步。它可以拍摄1080p的高清视频。视频的每一帧都像照片一样清晰，而且成像稳定，这样一来，我就没必要总是带着我的Flip Ultra HD高清摄相机了。有了iOS5系统，现在我们终于可以更直接地调用摄像头：在锁屏状态下，只要按两下Home键就可以唤醒相机。另外还可以把音量大小键当成拍照快捷键。

    考虑到选择的运营商和居住地的不同，通话质量和下载速度也会有些差异。比如美国电话电报公司（AT&T）在旧金山是出了名的不给力，但iPhone 4S在这里的表现还是可圈可点的。虽说通话质量比起iPhone 4并没有出现明显的提高（比较好，但称不上非常好），而且依然出现了通话中断的情况，但是下载速度却的确提高了。尽管iPhone 4S在技术上还算不上4G设备，但网页和应用的下载速度总的来说还是要快于iPhone 4，不过在该区域内还是比不上威瑞森（Verizon）的4G网络。

    Siri语音助手

    iPhone 4S最大的亮点在于它独有的智能语音识别助手（Siri）。现在看来，Siri还有一个最讨喜的地方，那就是它有时会跟你玩一点冷幽默。我在拿到评测机之后才几个小时，就问“她”（如果调到“英国英语”模式，则是个男版的“他”）愿不愿意嫁给我，结果Siri答道：“我才刚认识你。”如果你追问下去，她就会说：“我的终端授权协议里不包含结婚这项服务。”而且如果问她一个20世纪最大的悬疑问题之一——“舔多少下才能舔到一个tootsie pop夹芯棒棒糖的芯？”她还会一本正经地告诉你答案：3,481下。

    如果不恶搞的话，Siri也的确会出色地帮人解决一些实际的问题。比如，如果你问它最近的寿司店在哪里，它就会按远近程度列出一个清单；如果问她其中哪家最好，它就会根据网友的评价进行筛选。另外通过Siri发短信或写比较短的电子邮件也很方便，虽说我也注意到标点符号并不是它的强项。另外Siri还可以帮忙安排预约，甚至避免约会撞车。我以前从没有在iPhone上用过日历应用，不过现在由于有了Siri，我开始使用日历应用了。

    不过Siri也不是完美无缺。苹果公司称这款应用现在仍然是测试版，我们在评测中也暴露出了这一点。Siri有的时候听不懂我在说什么，哪怕在很安静的环境下也是如此。苹果公司表示，等到Siri熟悉了用户的说话习惯之后，这种现象就会改观。而且它的逻辑也不是完全不会出错的。有一次我叫它“给我爸爸打电话。”Siri列出了一个选项：“你是要打爸爸的工作电话、爸爸的家庭电话，还是打给（我的同事）亚当•拉辛斯基。”（我和亚当可没有亲戚关系。）

    用户很快就会发现Siri的局限性，这也挺让人沮丧。因为Siri的确会使某些任务变得简单得多，这样一来人们就会想让它做更多的事，或者想弄清楚它究竟能做多少工作。Siri可以帮忙查找电影院，但查不到电影的放映时间。它可以帮忙发短信，但是不能添加联系人。Siri的许多缺点未来都会得到修正。但现在它能做的事还不是太多，这还是挺遗憾的。

    最后

    iPhone 4S是不是值得购买呢？这要看情况。

    我能看出为什么Siri对消费者来说有很大的吸引力。苹果为我们展现了一个诱人的前景，Siri为我们提供了一个非常简单的用户界面，有了Siri，许多与iPhone的互动都可以通过语音来完成。只要是它能做到的事，它都做得很好。（比如现在用Siri搜索餐馆、安排预约都是小菜一碟。）但Siri显然还处于早期阶段，在执行任何任务的时候，它都可能出现许多状况，跟“老式的”的触屏手机相差无己。它给人的感觉虽然是一项智能的尖端技术，但仍然处在萌芽期，短期之内难成气候。

    如果你是从第一款iPhone、iPhone 3G或iPhone 3GS升级过来的，那么iPhone 4S的运行速度和高质量的摄像头会让你十分享受。不过如果你已经有了一台iPhone 4，那么升级到iPhone 4S会不会让你感到那么兴奋，就比较难以确定了，尤其是如果你今年年初刚买了一台威瑞森版iPhone 4的话。因为iPhone 4S的变化不够吸引人，感觉有点换汤不换药，也许是因为iPhone 4一开始用起来就没什么可挑剔的。不管怎样，iPhone 4S还是有很多讨人喜欢的地方，哪怕它所做的改进只是渐进性的，而不是革命性的。

    译者：朴成奎

    The video camera got a bump, too. Now it captures video in 1080p. Video is every bit as clear as stills, and thanks to image stabilization, I don't need to carry my Flip Ultra HD around anymore. With iOS5, you finally have more direct access to the camera: double tap the home button when the phone is off, and a camera icon appears. You can also press the volume up button to snap shots.

    Depending on which mobile carrier you're with and where you live, you'll get different results with call quality and download speeds. In San Francisco, where AT&T is notoriously spotty, the 4S did fine. We didn't notice a huge improvement in call quality (good, not great), and we still experienced dropped calls. Download speeds fared better. While the 4S isn't technically a 4G-labeled device, downloads of web sites and apps were generally quicker than the iPhone 4, though not as fast as Verizon's 4G network in the area.

    A Siri-ous voice assistant

    Much has already been made of Siri, the voice recognition "intelligent assistant" that's exclusive to the 4S. It seems one of her (of if you switch to the English UK option, his) best assets is an especially dry sense of humor. Ask Siri to marry you as I did mere hours after receiving the phone to review, and it'll say that it hardly knows you. Push the subject, and it'll claim that her "End User Licensing Agreement does not cover marriage." And if you ask it about one of the 20th century's biggest mysteries -- "how many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie pop?" -- you'll get an answer (3,481).

    When you're not kidding around, Siri's also good at performing some practical tasks. Ask it where the nearest sushi place is, and it'll present a list of sushi restaurants in descending order based on proximity; ask it which one is the best, and it'll sort those nearby restaurants by rating. Siri is also handy with basic text message dictation and short emails, though I've noticed punctuation isn't its strong suit. Likewise, scheduling appointments and even avoiding double-bookings, is much easier. I didn't use the calendar app on the iPhone, but because of Siri, I do now.

    But Siri isn't without its quirks. Apple says the app is still in beta, and our experiences bore that out. Siri sometimes has problems understanding what I'm saying, even if I'm in a quiet setting. Apple says that situation will improve as Siri adapts to the way you speak. Its logic isn't entirely foolproof, either. When I asked it to "call dad," it presented me with three dialing options: "Dad work, Dad home, or [colleague] Adam Lashinsky." (For the record, Adam and I aren't related.)

    You also run into its limitations quickly, which will also be frustrating. Because Siri makes certain tasks much easier, you try to push the boundaries and figure out just how many tasks you can offload. You can look up movie theaters, but you can't look up show times. You can send texts, though you can't add contacts. Many of Siri's shortcomings ought to be fixed in the future. It's just a shame you can't do more with it now.

    In the end

    Whether the iPhone 4S warrants a purchase all depends.

    I can see why Siri is a big draw. Apple's offering a tantalizing future: a simple, streamlined user interface where many interactions with the iPhone are conducted via voice. And what it does do, it often does well. (Looking up restaurants and booking appointments are a breeze now.) But Siri is clearly still in its early days, and for every task it can do, you'll run into just as many situations where you're better off navigating the "old-fashioned" touchscreen way. It feels like a smart, nascent piece of technology that can't grow up soon enough.

    If you own the original iPhone, 3G, or 3GS, you'll enjoy the speed gains and quality camera. If you own an iPhone 4, the upgrade path is less certain, especially if you just bought a Verizon iPhone earlier this year. The improvements will seem far less dramatic and more iterative, probably because using the iPhone 4 never felt like a drag to begin with. Either way, there's a lot to like, even if the changes are evolutionary, not revolutionary.