Verizon iPhone

Waiting to buy an iPhone 4S could have its perks. After all, if you're out of your mobile contract and you've decided to see how things pan out with the new iPhone, there will be more information out there in the coming weeks. Choosing a carrier is no different, and now that the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S are available on three different wireless networks there are more factors involved in the decision.

For some, comparing the costs of each carrier's calling and data plans will be a primary concern. Others will jump right to the big question: who has the fastest download speeds?

When it comes to battery life, Apple's official iPhone 4S specs are a little bit dodgy. According to Apple, the iPhone 4S has one-hour of extra 3G talk time than its predecessor, but the same battery life as the iPhone 4 when it comes to basically every other feature. iLounge decided to investigate how the iPhone 4S improves upon the iPhone 4 in some categories, and how it falls short in others. The tech site put the devices through an extensive battery test and discovered the iPhone 4 actually has a slight edge over the 4S when it comes to battery usage.

In a 3G Data test the iPhone 4S failed to outlast the iPhone 4 in Audio Playback, Video Playback, and Video Recording. The iPhones were pretty even for FaceTime and Wi-Fi with the iPhone 4S clocking in slightly better for Cellular Calls. The chart above shows some of the comparisons for AT&T.

Now that the iPhone 4S will be available on three different US carriers, it's time to revisit data and voice plans available with each company. Aside from differences in their networks, AT&T, Verizon and now Sprint have a variety of pricing structures available to meet your mobile needs. Overall, with AT&T and Verizon offering the iPhone for some time now the two competitors have similar pricing, although Verizon offers more tiers for data and messaging.

Sprint enters the game with higher prices for single and family voice calling, however their data option is cheap and simple. A flat ten bucks every month gets you unlimited data and messaging. AT&T and Verizon charge extra for text or MMS message packages and stopped offering unlimited data plans on the iPhone long ago. It remains to be seen if Sprint's unbeatable data plan pricing can attract iPhone 4S customers looking for unlimited data.

It looks a lot like the iPhone 4, but Tim Cook promised the latest Apple iPhone is "all new inside." The Apple CEO unveiled the iPhone 4S (not the iPhone 5) in Cupertino on Tuesday. The new iPhone features a dual-core A5 processor, 8-megapixel camera, and GSM and CDMA radios.

The iPhone 4S offers 8-hours of talk time (3G), and six hours of web browsing time (3G). It also features image stabilization, facial recognition, 1080p video recording capabilities and the new Siri voice control feature.

The iPhone 4S will be available in the US from AT&T, Verizon and Sprint on October 14th. Pre-orders begin this Friday, October 7th. The 16GB model will cost you $199, the 32GB version is $299 and 64GB version will retail for $399.

Tim Cook is ready to host Apple's big iPhone event tomorrow at 10am PT, 1pm ET, but will the redesigned iPhone 5 and Steve Jobs be making an appearance? Word is Jobs is too sick to attend, and recent evidence points to the iPhone 4S being Apple's next device, not the rumored iPhone 5 with "teardrop" design.

Both the iPhone 4S and iPhone 5 have been popping up in random carrier and store inventories. A 16GB Sprint Apple iPhone showed up in a questionable Radio Shack leak, and the German carrier Vodafone added an 8GB iPhone 4 and three iPhone 4S models (16GB / 32GB / 64GB) to their website.