Best of 2011: Recap from the iPhone 4 Event

*This week, we're celebrating the end of 2011 by paying tribute to our most popular stories of the year. The countdown continues today with the number one, most viewed story of 2011:

Recap from the iPhone 4 Event

(originally posted October 4th)

Written by Nadia Ibanez

We’ve been refreshing our favorite news writers’ websites and blogs for any standout updates during Apple’s press conference today regarding a new iPhone announcement. And we have to say, everything has been pretty blah. Here’s what we’ve learned so far from the event:

·         Apple now has 357 stores in 11 countries

·         The original iPod was unveiled in the same meeting space 10 years ago

·         There will be a free iOS update on October 12

·         New Cards program lets users create and mail cards from an iPhone and     iPod touch. Apple will print, stamp and mail it starting at $2.99 if mailing in the U.S.; $4.99 if mailing internationally

·         iCloud ships October 12

·         iTunes Match allows an entire music library to be visible and streamed on an iPad for $24.99 a year

·         Find My Friends new app allows users to see the location of friends and family if they agree to share their location with you. Parental restrictions allow parents to forbid kids from turning it off

·         Two new updates for iPod nano

·         Siri will be the newest Voice program to allow for more efficient use of the iPhone

And for what everyone has been waiting for, news about the new iPhone:

The new iPhone, dubbed iPhone 4GS will look just like the 4 with an A5 chip to speed up apps and games. Other features include 1080p HD video, a first for Apple. The 4GS camera will have an 8MP sensor as rumored, making for 60 percent more pixels and 73 percent more light per pixel than the iPhone 4. Other fancy features include face detection, white balance and faster photo taking capabilities – we’re talking 1.1 seconds to take a photo.

The iPhone 3GS will be free with a two-year contract; the iPhone 4 is down to $99 for the 8GB model. Prices for the iPhone 4GS will be $199 for the 16GB and $299 for the 32GB model. No iPhone 5 today. I guess we’ll have to wait until next year for something more grandiose.