Apple has announced the iPhone 4S, their fifth iPhone and the successor to the iPhone 4.  Like the 3G and the 3GS, the iPhone 4S shares the same design as its predecessor, but with significantly upgraded internals.  Along with the iPhone 4S itself, Apple confirmed iOS 5′s release date, a new app, a new iCloud service and Siri, a personal assistant for the new phone at yesterday’s event.

We’ve collected together everything you could want to know about the iPhone 4S and all the other event announcements right here, so you don’t have to go searching for the information!  We’ll start with the iPhone 4S’s specs:

• 3.5″ Retina Display with 960 x 640 pixel resolution and 326ppi.  Same as the iPhone 4.
• A5 dual-core processor, twice as fast as the iPhone 4 and with seven times faster graphics.
• 8 megapixel camera with 1080p/30fps video recording, face detection and video stabilization.
• Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, GPS and a digital compass.
• 16GB, 32GB or 64GB.
• Black or white casing.
• GSM/CDMA world phone design.
• 8 hours 3G talktime, 200 hours standby.
• AirPlay mirroring to Apple TV.
• 140 grams.

Here’s Apple’s introduction video showing all the major hardware changes, Siri and iOS 5.

Siri.

Some may recognize the Siri name, as it was a standalone company until Apple purchased it earlier this year.  Apple has used their technology to integrate the Siri personal assistant into the iPhone 4S, and it’s looking very interesting indeed.  Using voice recognition, you’ll be able to ask your phone to complete a variety of tasks, from creating and sending messages to mapping routes, and Siri will comply.

The technology understands questions can be phrased in many different ways, and can even follow conversations, meaning you don’t have to repeat yourself as you go along.  A long press of the Home button activates Siri, and it’s arguably the most impressive piece of new technology inside the 4S.  Could it be as game-changing as Apple clearly believes?

Of course, how well it works in real-life will only be discovered once the phone is out, and we’re hoping all the current voice recognition systems problems – inaccuracy in noisy environments, problematic accents and so on – have been ironed out.

iOS 5.

The iPhone 4S will ship with iOS 5 onboard, while existing iPhone 4, 3GS, iPad, iPad 2 and 3rd/4th generation iPod Touch owners will be able to download it for free on the 12th October.  We’ve been through the top ten features found in iOS 5 when it was launched at WWDC, which you can read here, or take a look at Apple’s own explanatory video below.

Cards.

A new application ready for release on the 12th October.  Cards will turn your iPhone’s photos into greeting cards, print them, then send them out.  There will be 21 designs to choose from, and the high-quality cards will feature embossed detailing, plus the letter will be tracked using the US Post Office’s system, and a notification sent to your phone when it’s about to be delivered.

This could be a US-only service at launch, as Apple only quoted US pricing at the event.  One card sent in the US will cost $2.99, while international destinations will cost $4.99.

iCloud.

Apple’s much-talked about cloud-based storage system is baked into iOS 5, and will backup just about every aspect of your phone’s data, from apps and music to calendars, documents and photos; then spread them over your other Apple devices for complete, instant availability.  While this kind of system is already used by other providers, Apple has made it almost invisible, so users won’t even know it’s there – a big step forward in the usability of this type of feature.  Check out Apple’s video below.

Find my Friends.

An extension of Find My iPhone, and a part of iCloud, Find My Friends tracks the location of your friends or family, making meeting up much easier.  Privacy controls will be included along with parental restrictions, plus the option to turn the service off.

Infinity Blade II.

To demonstrate the iPhone 4S’s improved graphics and speed, Epic Games will release the sequel to Infinity Blade.  The game will feature several gameplay tweaks including the ability to use two swords during a battle, plus a wide variety of impressive graphical touches and lighting effects.  The on-stage demo showed many of these off, and you can see them for yourself in the official trailer for the game below.  It’s going to be released on the 1st December.

Apple Event Video.

If you’d like to see the entire Apple special event, you can view it here.