The technology world was on tenterhooks. The announcement of an Apple press conference means a product unveiling. The first major announcement by new CEO Tim Cook led the rumour mill into overdrive. The expectation was for an iPhone 5.

Instead, the announcement was for the next generation of the iPhone 4S. Some may be disappointed with it but by integrating developments made via the iPad 2, like a dual core processor, the new IOS5 that Steve Jobs had talked about in the summer and interactive programmes like Siri voice recognition and iCloud it is a better, sleeker and faster iPhone, ironing out many of the problems users have found with the iPhone 4 deals.

But what were some of the rumoured features of the new iPhone ahead of the announcement, and will we see them in the future?

The display. One of the biggest competitors to the iPhone is the Samsung Galaxy SII. With its 4.3 inch display it is ideal for gamers and watching videos. Sony and Nokia have both unveiled newish models with a 4inch display and it was expected that Apple would follow suit. The iPhone 4S uses the same 3.5 Retina Display as last year's model.  It’s not the smallest in the smartphone world – that accolade goes to the Blackberry Bold with a 2.8 inch screen.

A revamp on the outside, as well as the inside. Rumours from China earlier in the year suggested a curvy new iPhone model with a metal back. New design is almost the key part of the excitement for a new iPhone launch. The jump to the iPhone 4, moving from a voluptuous design to a squarer, boxier and sleeker modern finish was eye-catching, and for many users you want people to know you’ve got the new model the minute you take it out of your pocket. Although hailed as the thinnest iPhone yet, the iPhone 4S still looks remarkably similar to its predecessor. The same happened with the iPhone 3G and the iPhone 3GS so hopes are still high for a design revamp when the actual iPhone 5 is unveiled.

The price. Back in February, the Wall Street Journal claimed there existed an iPhone nano. This was replaced in August with the rumour, which made it to Reuters, that an 8GB flash drive was being developed for the iPhone 4. Each suggested there would be a reduction in price, making the iPhone much more affordable. Yet Apple show no willingness to cut the cost and the rumours appear to have been just that. The iPhone 4S is the same price as the iPhone 4 and there is nothing to suggest the iPhone 5 would be any cheaper.

4G. The mobile auction for 4G may be imminent and one of the biggest game-changers for smartphone users. PC World suggested Apple was going to be first out of the blocks with the iPhone 5 including 4G technology in IOS5. There were even reports of 4G network engineers fitting out an Apple store. An exciting rumour, but unlikely since 4G will not be in the UK for at least another year and while integration will be important for the US, it’s likely this will feature on a later model. Could still be one for the iPhone 5, whenever that is.

It’ll be October. So what made people think it would be October anyway? Well a press conference announcement is exciting and usually means a new product. With Steve Jobs stepping down in the summer all fingers pointed to a launch in the Autumn, particularly since Apple missed its usual July announcement. However the company has been hampered by interruptions in technology development and delivery from Japan in the wake of the tsunami and earthquake. And the pattern of releasing a device, and then upgrading with an S version is a tried and tested path. Perhaps we all just wanted it too much.

So which rumours were right? The IOS5 operating system was right, along with the upgrades to camera and video. The voice recognition assistant and the iCloud were expected and both delivered. The integration of the iPad 2 dual core processor follows the Apple tradition of upgrading devices with self-made processors. iMessage was anticipated as well as a mimicry of the Android notification tray.

Mark Hirst Managing Director of Best Mobile Contracts, says, "Is the iPhone a revolutionary device? No, it is evolutionary, bringing in important upgrades such as dual core processing, a greatly improved graphics chip and Siri, a new voice recognition that learns with you. I look forward to seeing how the iPhone 4S works with iCloud, Apples cloud computing offering as well."