India Gadget Reviews

The Apple iPhone 4S allows you to send and receive messages and carry out phone calls using a number of different formats. This is achieved via both the standard formats as well as those provided by apps downloaded from the AppStore. In this article I will look at some of the communication apps available, so you can take advantage of the benefits they bring.

The FaceTime app makes its first appearance on the iPhone 4S, working alongside the handset's built in front facing camera. You can only use the app if the person you are speaking to has a device with FaceTime (iPhone 4S, iPad, iPad 2 etc) and a front facing camera. If they have, then you can carry out video calls over a Wi-Fi network, so you can not only hear them but also see them in real time. This app is especially useful if you are contacting someone oversees, as you can avoid the notoriously high call charges associated with calling foreign number on a telephone. Because it is free, this app comes highly recommended.

This is an app which allows you to send and receive SMS and MMS messages for free. Most iPhone 4S tariffs have an allowance of free messages included, but if you go over this allowance, an app like WhatsApp can be very useful. Because the app uses a 3G or Wi-Fi connection, messages incur no charges (although data charges may apply when using 3G in certain situations. To be sure, use Wi-Fi whenever possible). This app costs £0.69 from the AppStore and I think this is very good value as you can use it to send an unlimited number of text messages and media messages. You can only send messages using this app if your intended recipient also has WhatsApp installed on their phone. WhatsApp is also available for other operating systems like Android, so can also be used on phones like the Samsung Galaxy S2, for example.

As you can see, there are more options for communication on the iPhone 4S than the standard phone and message features. If you use apps like those outlined above wisely, you can significantly reduce your monthly phone bill. These kinds of apps are great for those who have lower allowances on their tariff or who use a Pay As You Go plan. There are many more such apps on the AppStore which allow you to communicate for free using an iPhone 4S; be sure to check out my other articles for details on some of these.