A dual-core CPU, the A5, the same one that powers Apple’s iPad. The performance difference will be most noticeable for intensive tasks like games and photo or video editing. Apple says graphics will be up to 7 times faster on the 4S.

Despite the CPU change, battery life remains almost unchanged: 4S can actually get up to 8 hours of talk time on 3G, (compared to 7 hours on iPhone 4). Standby time is one-third less, at 200 hours (300 hours for iPhone 4). Up to 9 hours of Internet access via Wi-Fi is one hour less than iPhone 4.

Cellular networking:

Dual-band “world phone” that can run on either CDMA or GSM networks; it seems like that in the U.S. that the 4S will be locked to the Verizon and Sprint CDMA networks.  Whether these phones can then roam to a GSM network overseas is still unclear.

Support for HSDPA+ 14.4Mbps on the downlink (iPhone 4 was 7.2Mbps); the uplink speed remains unchanged: HSUPA 5.8Mbps. It will not run on LTE networks.