One of the new features of the iPhone 4S has been the faster HSDPA (14.4Mbps) data support for GSM networks. This theoretically allows the iPhone 4S to see much faster download speeds when on the right mobile carrier.
In the U.S., AT&T is the only network that could take advantage of the advanced capabilities of the new iPhone 4S communications chip, though there had been some debate about how much of an improvement users might see on AT&T's network. AT&T is purposefully vague about how fast their network can run, and the rollout for the faster speeds remains limited.
Two previous iPhone 4 users have emailed us with speed results that show significant improvements with their new iPhone 4S. The first reader located in New Jersey (image right) was able to obtain 7.71 Mbps down. He reports previous speeds on his iPhone for in the 1-2 Mbps range. Another reader in Iowa (image left) shows speeds up to 5.45 Mbps. He had only previously seen as high as 4 Mbps on his iPhone 4.
The improvements may only be seen in very specific geographic areas depending on AT&T's network support. Others have seen no significant change in their network speeds after upgrading from the 4 to 4S.
AT&T has even been calling this faster HSDPA support "4G", though there is some debate on the correctness of that term. Still, AT&T's present network is capable of much faster speeds than both Sprint's and Verizon's.
Thursday February 5, 2026 12:22 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld.
The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld.
Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
Thursday February 5, 2026 12:54 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026.
"I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
Friday February 6, 2026 3:06 pm PST by Juli Clover
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do.
The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up.
Upgraded Architecture
The next-generation...
Saturday February 7, 2026 9:26 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple today shared an ad that shows how the upgraded Center Stage front camera on the latest iPhones improves the process of taking a group selfie.
"Watch how the new front facing camera on iPhone 17 Pro takes group selfies that automatically expand and rotate as more people come into frame," says Apple. While the ad is focused on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, the regular iPhone...
Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by Joe Rossignol
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April.
Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far.
iOS 26.3
iPhone to Android Transfer Tool
iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
Then why in real world use does Verizon load web pages faster than AT&T often? Is it because AT&T is just prone to packet loss, and has a slower back end?
In Manhattan, I was lucky to see 700k with the 3G, but I've been getting 2.5M regularly since Friday with the 4S. So I'm now getting about 1/3 of the theoretical max of 3G with my new "4G" iPhone 4S....
It's a lot better than it was, but where's my 14.4M? Maybe inside an AT&T laboratory...
"Still, AT&T's present network is capable of much faster speeds than both Sprint's and Verizon's."
OP should add "only when using an iPhone 4S". Verizon's EVDO rev. A 3G network that iPhone 4S connects to is in theory much slower than AT&T's 3G (even though AT&T calls it 4G) 3.1mbps to 14.4mpbs. But when looking at the whole network, Verizon's 4G LTE dominates AT&T in all but 4 markets where they are even in terms of LTE spectrum deployed (San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, Atlanta) In Chicago Verizon deployed 10x10Mhz LTe vs 5X5Mhz on AT&T's which gives Verizon 73.6mbps vs 39mbps theoretical throughput advantage. In real world testing Verizon's year old LTE network performs on par or better than AT&T completely unloaded LTE network. Verizon has over 160 markets blanketed with LTE and 5 LTE mobile smartphones vs AT&T's 5 markets and zero smartphones at the moment.
I wish I remembered where I saw this, but there was even an article comparing graphics downloaded on sites on Verizon and AT&T, each on an iPhone 4. The Verizon side had noticeable color banding and compression artifacts in the images.
