# iPhone 4S

Hacker Approved page: https://hackerapproved.com/p/iphone-4s/

9 people recommended iPhone 4S in Hacker News comments, 1 had mixed feelings and none criticized it, November 2025 to October 2026. It was recommended in 5 of 12 months, in 8 threads. It does not meet the Hacker Approved badge rule.

**Verdict:** People recommend it for its compact one-handed size, realistic camera photos and accurate typing. The most common caveat is poor battery life and inability to run modern apps.

Summary written by Claude from 9 comments.

## Why people recommend it

- Realistic, appealing camera photos (3 comments in the sample): "The 4S has the best iPhone camera in terms of realistic looking photos." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49796980)) "But for "out of the camera" JPGs, the 4S is still supreme." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49783440)) "I also miss how the 4S camera looked" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50038559))
- Compact, comfortable, one-handed size (2 comments in the sample): "Perfect size, fits well in my hand, operable with one thumb." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46324217)) "The 4S was the last true one-handed option in my opinion." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49093518))

## What people warn about

- Poor battery, can't run modern apps (1 comment in the sample): "such horrible battery life or could run modern apps" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49635382))

## Other smartphones people recommend

- [Apple iPhone](https://hackerapproved.com/p/iphone/): 438 recommend, 190 mixed, 789 criticize
- [Fairphone](https://hackerapproved.com/p/fairphone/): 110 recommend, 42 mixed, 94 criticize
- [iPhone 13 mini](https://hackerapproved.com/p/iphone-13-mini/): 105 recommend, 32 mixed, 44 criticize
- [Apple iPhone Pro](https://hackerapproved.com/p/iphone-17-pro/): 90 recommend, 45 mixed, 138 criticize

## The badge

A product earns the Hacker Approved badge when at least 10 people recommend it, recommenders outnumber critics at least 2 to 1 (mixed feelings count toward neither side), it was recommended in at least 4 of the 12 months and in at least 5 different threads, and no single thread supplies more than half of the people who recommend it. Health and money products are never badged.

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "iPhone 4S", https://hackerapproved.com/p/iphone-4s/ (9 recommend, 1 mixed, 0 criticize; Hacker News comments, November 2025 to October 2026).

Counts updated 2 Nov 2026, with data through October 31, 2026.