I don’t think anyone out there really thinks Apple isn’t going to sell millions of these devices; yet ‘experts’ were ‘underwhelmed’. List of new features included with the iPhone 4s:

• Improved the best-in-class camera
• Updated A5 – dual core chip
• iOS5
• Siri Assistant

If this is already the ‘best’ smartphone in the world (Apple’s market valuation would not be anywhere near what it is without the iPhone) how are these kinds of improvements underwhelming?

Logically, they wouldn’t seem to be. On appearances; the lack of the Steve Jobs type presentation would seem to be a major factor in the ‘disappointment’ that seems to be resonating with tech writers. When your entire company is essentially a vertically integrated marketing company; the second that appearances start to crack — you start hemorrhaging mind-share.

Also, curiously enough, the ’4s’ part of the model name seems to have contributed to the malaise. There were numerous rumors leading up to today’s announcement that the iPhone 5 would be announced, along with a cheaper ‘iPhone 4s’. Tech writers and Apple faithful seem to sop up every unfounded claim and rumor like so much gravy; Apple’s well documented tight-lippedness with their products almost encourages wild speculation and here say.

It’s my contention that the rumors leading up to this announcement worked to the opposite effect that they usually do; had Apple announced an iPhone 5 instead of what most people were already considering a ‘cheaper’ version of the iPhone — the iPhone 4s — due to the rumors; I don’t think the stock or disappointment would be where it was following the keynote.