Millions have already purchased Apple Inc.'s fifth generation handset, the iPhone 4S. While the iPhone 4S does look identical to the previous model (yup, sadly, there's no design change), the improved processor and camera, as well as a built-in digital assistant, Siri, have impressed many. Apple has been known to provide amazing and revolutionary computing devices. But it doesn't mean that a product as meticulously designed like the iPhone 4S won't be free of any issues.

Apple on Oct. 12 released the iPhone 4S, which sports a 3.5-inch screen; an 8-megapixel, 1080p high-definition camera; an A5 dual-core chip processor that is seven times faster than the graphics processor in the iPhone 4; 512 MB of RAM; two antennae to transmit and receive data; CDMA and GSM connectivity; 8 hours of 3G talk-time; and new applications like Siri and Find My Friends. Siri is a voice-recognition system that turns the device into a hands-free personal assistant. The iPhone 4S uses the iOS 5 platform.

Over four million people have ordered the iPhone 4S in the first three days. The phone is available for $199 on a two-year contract with networks. A contract-free or unlocked iPhone 4S will be available in shelves starting at $649 in November.

The hyped iPhone 5 is expected to be released in 2012. The phone is expected to have a bigger screen (similar in size to the Samsung Galaxy Nexus or the Motorola Droid RAZR), external design changes (a teardrop or curved screen), a quad-core processor (which will make the handset as powerful as desktops), a longer-lasting battery, 4G LTE capability (for quicker downloading), near field communication chips (for mobile payments), a new platform, and a more advanced version of SIRI. According to an analyst at Rodman & Renshaw, the iPhone 5 was the last project that Steve Jobs was intimately involved with from concept to final design.

Given that an iPhone 5 designed by Jobs is already in the pipeline, the iPhone 4S could be an interim model and an iPhone 5 could be released 4 to 12 months from now.

Before upgrading or switching to an iPhone 4S, click on the slideshow for a list of the issues surrounding the iPhone 4S.

If you still think that the iPhone 4S is still the best smartphone there is notwithstanding the issues outlined above, then now you'd have to decide: do you want it in black or white?

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