With the release of the iPhone 5, iPhone 5s and finally, the iPhone 5c there's always that 'I must upgrade to the latest' feeling out there but there's still plenty of folks wondering if the iPhone 4S is still a good device to purchase, given that carriers that still offer them are giving them away and resale sites like Craigslist, Kijiji and others have plenty of them for sale.
Unless you are one of those that cares about specs, I think the 4S is probably the best value of all the current iPhones.
At this point, I still think the iPhone 4S is a perfect device for anyone looking to get into the Apple ecosystem for minimal cost as, they do indeed make a great 'iOS starter device' and many folks in the iMore Forums tend to agree with that as well. That being said, it is getting to be a little dated and if you're comparing devices, the age will show.
If long term support is a concern though, your best bet may be to go with an iPhone 5c as that device will almost inevitably have longer life support than the iPhone 4S but cost is also a factor there as well with the iPhone 5c selling for generally $99 (or less) and of course, that's with a contract.
It is a good phone. That being said, it is getting to be a little dated. 2 years is a LONG time in tech!
Overall, aside from a small amount of individuals who say they have issues with running iOS 7 on the iPhone 4S, the general consensus appears to be that it's still a worthwhile purchase. It's just when you start talking about the next iteration of iOS that becomes a little wishy washy as maybe not all features will be supported, if at all, once it arrives.
What do you all think though? Is the iPhone 4S still something you can wholeheartedly reccomend to someone looking to get into the Apple ecosystem or looking for a genuinely 'cheap' iPhone? Have your say in the iMore Forums or in the comments.

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