Photography enthusiasts looking to use ink supplies to produce hard copies of their favourite snaps may be interested in a new device from Apple that includes an improved camera.

Yesterday (October 4th) at an event in California, the firm introduced the iPhone 4S, which includes an all-new eight-megapixel digital camera as one of its key features.

Apple stated the technology offers "the most advanced optics of any phone" and has 60 per cent more pixels than the existing iPhone 4 model for higher quality results.

"With iPhone 4S, the Camera app launches much faster and the shot to shot capability is twice as fast, so you'll never miss another shot," the company stated, while other features include a new custom lens, a larger aperture and an advanced filter for producing sharper, more accurate results.

One expert to look at the new device was Richard Kilpatrick of the British Journal of Photography, who suggested a new app that allows people to make personalised greetings cards will be a valuable addition to the gadget.