One of the most common issues being discussed regarding the iPhone 4S is whether there’s any point in iPhone 4 owners bothering with an upgrade.

Riding a wave of resentment fuelled by the blogosphere, some critics had been anticipating the iPhone 5 to tread the red carpet come October 4, not the iPhone 4S deals we are about to see, and they have been polemical in their assessment of the new device.

Some consumers are now wondering whether they should buy the new iPhone, or wait around for the much-vaunted 5 to debut sometime down the line. Others still are scrupulously devouring literature concerning the new Google Nexus Prime. So who exactly is this handset for?

First, a word on the grindingly familiar backlash against the new iPhone; it’s not strictly a backlash. It is mild disappointment, prompted as it was by misleading information circulating on the blogosphere about just what the Cupertino Crew would unveil at Apple’s Headquarters. And everyone not exactly shares the ennui. Positive reviews from Slashgear, Tech Radar and Endgadget, not to mention many ordinary consumers, have given the 4S its fair share of good press.

Mark Hirst, Managing Director of Best Mobile Contracts, perhaps sums it up best: “The iPhone 4S is an evolutionary device that will do no harm in encouraging people to switch to Apple and iOS. New features such as Siri and iOS 5 will help improve the functionality of the iPhone, as well as improve the features that they can offer.”

With the iPhone currently shipping to 105 countries and 228 carrier networks, and with some analysts – including Bill Choi at Janney Capital Markets – predicting sales of 107 million iPhones in 2012, don’t expect the bitten Apple to be biting the dust anytime soon.

As to the question regarding whom the 4S is for, the answer is a predictable one: you. Everyone. Ignore the bah humbug naysayers opining that iPhone 4 owners won’t upgrade, because they will, and in droves. Can anyone honestly say they wouldn’t like their phone to be twice as fast? Because the 4S’s dual-core processor is, in fact, double the speed of its predecessor’s, and the graphics are seven times as quick. In terms of graphics, the old iPhone 4 is like a Robin Reliant compared to the 4S’s Ferrari 599 GTB.

Race the supercar itself, if you like, because the iPhone 4S’s AirPlay feature will make gaming a joy like never before. Incorporating four-player split-screen racing, the 4S will use its new and mighty graphics to let you play racing games with three other iPhone holders, while one iPhone ‘hosts’ the event by plugging into your TV. Who needs a Wii?

Throw in the laudatory Siri Assistant, a tool that will enable users to send texts by talking them, and ask their phone whether they should wear a jacket when going outside, and we’re talking serious hardware. The new iCloud feature will also enable users to store their work, personal and purchased content on Apple’s own ‘Cloud’, making them available across all of the company’s products.

Who is it for? Probably not for a Scrooge anyway, or the rest of the world, however, it’ll do just fine.