2011 has been a bumper year for smartphones with the introduction of some great features and technologies. In the last 12 months, we have seen the introduction of dual-core processors and new editions of the iPhone and Android operating systems. We take a look at some of the best devices released in this period, including the magnificent iPhone 4S.
The Samsung Galaxy S2 has been the most popular device for the last year thanks to a combination of high specifications and excellent marketing. At the time of launch, the model was the slimmest phone available to attract the public and the fact that it offers a dual-core processor and an updated version of Google’s Android operating system means that it’s almost impossible to ignore this great device. A large 4.3-inch Super AMOLED screen offers benefits in a number of areas and makes watching movies an immersive experience and browsing the web a pleasant affair. Even though the 480 x 800 screen resolution is lower than what’s offered on other devices like the iPhone 4S, it’s still considered the best screen available thanks to its excellent color reproduction and wide viewing angles.
In the second half of the year we received excellent new devices from HTC and the model that stood out was the excellent Sensation XE. Rather than focus on display quality, HTC took a different approach and aimed to make this the best model for audio performance and they didn’t fail. Beats Audio technology is incorporated to enhance music playback and has an excellent effect with the model producing a depth of sound you wouldn’t normally associate with a mobile phone. A pair of headphones worth £80 are also supplied with the device. Other areas of the phone are equally impressive and include a 1.5Ghz processor and 1080P video capture. Only time will tell if this model is as popular as the Samsung, but in terms of specifications, there is little to choose between the two models.
Our favorite model of the year has to be the big iPhone 4S. The iPhone 4 was a popular model and Apple developers improved various aspects of the phone to improve the user experience and leave us with a really hard to beat device. One of the features on this model that dwarfs what rival brands can offer is the new Siri voice command service. This is the best example of speech recognition technology we’ve come across and allows you to perform almost any task on the phone without physically touching the phone. The new iOS5 operating system that the model uses incorporates 200 improvements over the previous version and the biggest change comes in the form of a new Notification Center that keeps you aware of everything that happens in the world around you. The high-quality Retina display is back, and digital photography has been upgraded to 8-megapixel resolution.
Some excellent models have been released in 2011 and the three we have discussed are hands down the best. Although there is little to choose between the three in terms of specifications, the iPhone 4S stands out thanks to some excellent features and the modern glass design it uses.