iPhone 4S with Steve Jobs

iPhone 4S with Steve Jobs

Two huge things happened in the world of Apple this week – the launch of the iPhone 4S and the passing of Steve Jobs –  so I’m going to choose one question about each of them.

The first question comes from Facebook user XaZavia P – “Why do you think Apple did not introduce an iPhone 5, but a 4S?”

It’s a question on many people’s minds and one that, I admit, is puzzling me as well. If you’ve been watching my videos or reading my articles, you’ll know that I fully expected an iPhone 5. I thought the idea of a 4S was absurd – why would Apple make us wait so long only to release a tweaked iPhone 4? When I tuned in to the October 4th event, I did so with the thought that I would see a device with a teardrop shaped aluminum body with a larger screen and an 8 megapixel camera.

iPhone 4S with Steve Jobs

In retrospect, it’s clear that I was being a bit too optimistic. I, like many of you, got taken in by the massive amount of rumors and failed to look objectively at the situation. Now, though, I can see that an iPhone 4S isn’t such a terrible idea after all (obviously it wasn’t – pre-orders are at a record-breaking high).

If I had to guess at the top reason Apple chose to go with the 4S as opposed to the 5, I’d say that the iPhone 5 just probably isn’t ready yet. There’s no doubt in my mind that an iPhone 5 is in the works. Though, Apple has a history of perfectionism – it’s not going to sacrifice either the aesthetic aspects or the technical specs of the device for anything, and the company is more than willing to delay a gadget’s release date until it’s absolutely perfect.

The 4S was probably much easier to manufacture and design because most of the hard work was already done when the iPhone 4 was first created. The physical design and look of the 4S are identical to the 4, so there was no need to change anything (aside from tweaking the antennae). The A5 chip has been around since the iPad 2, so all Apple had to do was toss it into the 4S. In fact, the only real physical change the company had to worry about was the camera, and it’s had more than enough time to fit it into the iPhone 4 body.

The second question comes from Facebook user Gabriel F. – “What do you think the fate of Apple will be now that Steve Jobs is gone?”

Steve Jobs was a genius and he’s the main reason Apple is what it is today. There’s no getting around that. With that in mind, though, Jobs had not been in the best of health for quite some time, and there’s no way that he did not envision and plan for a time when Apple would have to carry on without him.

Jobs spent his time heading Apple surrounding himself with people who shared his opinions, goals and views for the company’s future. Sure, he was the driving force behind many of our favorite gadgets, but he certainly didn’t do it alone. Many immensely talented people still call Apple their home – people like Jony Ive, Scott Forstall, and Tim Cook – and they’re going to use everything they learned from Steve Jobs to continue Apple down the path that he set it on.

iPhone 4S with Steve Jobs

Obviously Steve’s resignation as CEO a few months ago was a blow to the company, and his death this past week was no less than devastating, but I believe Apple will be alright. The iPhone 4S has shattered all previous pre-order records, with AT&T reportedly processing 200,000 pre-orders in the first 12 hours. This, I think, is only the beginning of what’s to come.

This is a new era for Apple. Granted, it’ll be different without Jobs at the wheel, but I honestly believe it’ll be great magical.