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Apple previews iPhone OS 3.0, featuring cut, copy and paste
Apple announced an update to the iPhone operating system at one of its love feasts in Cupertino today. The update will be available this summer as a free upgrade for the iPhone 3G, and for $9.95 for the iPod touch.
Top of the wish list was fulfilled with Cut/Copy and Paste, finally streamlining the OS with a feature that's been in Windows and Macintosh since their beginnings. The system will work by double-tapping or dragging across text, selecting cut, copy or paste in the bubble above it, and then using a similar routine to paste it into another place, or across applications.
What else is new in the upcoming iPhone OS 3.0?
Search: Last year Apple added search for contacts, and now there will be the ability to search your email, calendars, iTunes, and notes. Also added will be Spotlight, letting you search across the iPhone for a keyword.
MMS: the widely adopted Multimedia Messaging System will now work on the iPhone, letting you attach photos or audio clips to text messages for instant, you-are-there fun. You can also forward and delete messages.
Stereo Bluetooth: Inexplicably missing on the iPhone, now you'll be able to listen to stereo music over Bluetooth. Still missing: wireless synching via Bluetooth. The bad news? This stereo Bluetooth goodness and MMS won't work on iPhone 1.0.
Landscape typing in Apple Apps: Now you can turn your iPhone on its side and type with a larger touchscreen keyboards, a feature that was available in some situations but not in email. Finally.
Voice Memo: Record yourself a voice message, play it back easily.
Modified Google Maps application: now lets developers use Google Maps in their apps. But the big news is this will allow "turn-by-turn" applications, bringing GPS navigation to the iPhone. However, because of licensing issues, developers will be required to provide the maps.
Multiplayer connectivity: The iPhone will automagically discover other iPhones running the same app, and you can play games with them. Welcome to the social.
Accessories communication: Apps will be allowed to communicate with external accessories, such as a blood pressure cuff, FM tuner, or equalization for a docked speaker.
Push Notification: While Apple promised one-way background functionality ("push notification") last year but never delivered, Apple's SVP of iPhone software Scott Forstall says he means it this time.
No Background Processing: Apple tried running background processes on the iPhone, but the battery life was reduced by 80%, and there was a significat performance hit. That's why they're going with push notification, a one-way process that lets you know when you've received a message but requires you to open the application to respond.
New Apps: ESPN showed a streaming video application that also takes advantage of the iPhone's push capability, notifying users of sports scores. Electronic Arts demonstrated its The Sims 3 game, flaunting the iPhone's clean playback and animation capabilities. And, you can buy stuff within apps.
What's Missing: Still no support for Flash video and applications in Safari. No tethering, the ability to use the iPhone's 3G connection to get online with your laptop. Even though Apple says it's "supporting tethering on the client side," its providers aren't playing ball just yet. No video recording.
By hibuddy at 2:28 PM ON 03/17/09
hell yes!! MMS!! that's definitely up there with cut and paste!
By Capt Hal Jordan at 3:13 PM ON 03/17/09
So apple is finally adding what should have been on the phone to begin with huh? Most of these features were on my WM5 phone (i.e. MMS, Cut, copy and paste, search/contact search etc.) Understandably it's a big deal for iphone users, but normal for users of WM. I'll stick with my WM phone tho.
By Steven Meyer at 4:27 PM ON 03/17/09
This is cool.
Did anyone but me notice that the picture says Oceanic Flight 815, which is the airliner and flight number of the plane that crashed in TV Series: LOST! DVICE and/or whoever put that up there: I LOVE YOU!
By john reed at 5:43 PM ON 03/17/09
While I appreciate the new features available with the 3.0 software, I'm still going to keep my phone jailbroken as there are apps that I use daily that I don't see being supported.
By Faust at 12:17 AM ON 03/18/09
Do you think it will work with the 2g?
By californified04 at 6:43 AM ON 03/18/09
Tethering is in 3.0, its just up to the carriers how they want to do it. This was mentioned in the Q&A afterwords.
By The Top Bikes at 7:00 AM ON 03/18/09
woosh,
They Got It MMS And Copy Paste Thanks Apple,
I am thinking No Background Processing Will Increase The Battery Life or Not
By namelessme at 8:04 PM ON 03/18/09
I have video recording on my unlocked Iphone. Because I am its owner, not the other way around.
By Apple Convert at 8:26 AM ON 03/19/09
What no voice dialing that's been available in wireless phones for years? Please, don't tell be about those useless 3rd party apps, I've tried them.
By Rassah at 9:47 AM ON 03/19/09
Wow. Surprising how a "list of new features" can be a surprising reminder of all the features that were MISSING from the iPhone, which were available in Windows Mobile. I didn't even think about many of those when coming up with iPhone v.s. WinMobile lists.
By martusmedia at 9:55 AM ON 03/19/09
"Oceanic Flight 815" is from the actual SDK presentation for developers. ABC does lost, Disney owns ABC, and Steve, well, him gots fingers in a whole lotta pies.
"a surprising reminder of all the features that were MISSING from the iPhone" and yet it still owned. It ruled above other phones. Imagine how badly your phone be pwned now! Strike back! Flail against the tide. But you will be assimilated. Oh yes, you will.
By nashtasimojaz at 10:05 AM ON 03/19/09
Apple still needs to fix the messaging area: you can not forward any received messages and you still have to go to a multimedia to download photos sent.
By kapstaad at 1:02 PM ON 03/19/09
So Apple claims they tried running background processes on the iPhone, and it reduced battery life 80%.
Say what?
It's the background processing on my iPhone 3G which allows me to listen to the iPod app while I'm surfing with Safari, and that doesn't reduce battery life by 80%.
It's background processing that allows the Phone app to suspend the iPod and Safari apps to announce an incoming call, and that doesn't reduce battery life by 80%.
BG processing doesn't reduce my G1's battery life by 80% either, nor did it significantly reduce battery life on my HTC Mogul, or my PPC6700 before that.
I'm sure Apple has their reason(s) for not allowing THIRD PARTY apps to run in the background, but how credulous do you have to be to buy the battery life story, when they've been background processing their own apps from the start?
By iCandy at 5:44 PM ON 03/19/09
While the software upgrades are definitely cool in mucho many ways, they've ignored the outcry (at least by my circle) to upgrade the iPod Touch hardware with an onboard speaker and mic, like the iPhone. That way if say someone wants to download Skype and still be able to answer the phone call like a real phone without using the "strings and things," one can do so. And you can't use Bluetooth to answer because the iPod Touch doesn't support it like the iPhone does... how convenient, yet how sad for the thousands of sales Apple could start kachinging courtesy all of us who don't want to pay AT&T just for texting and surfing the 3G... Major boo hoo! Still, one can make and receive a Skype call over the strings and things, I know.
By pixeltech at 6:56 PM ON 03/19/09
MMS! Yes, but, well... How about video MMS? "Photos or audio clips" can be accepted but what about those stupid little videos every RAZR owner is sending around and has done so for years? The video-hobbling is vexing, especially since jailbreaking enables it. Stop holding out on us!!!
Okay, A2DP ameliorates the pain... a little...
By Dud427 at 3:42 PM ON 03/20/09
The phone read :"Let me know which one of the 3 flights you wanna book?" then Oceanic Flight 815 is on there !! If you were familiar with the show Lost you would know not to take that one !!
By oliverames at 5:33 PM ON 03/20/09
In fact, tethering has just been found:
http://www.modmyi.com/forums/iphone-news/531121-how-enable-tethering-iphone-os-3-0-a.html
By KoshNaranek at 11:12 PM ON 03/21/09
Hmmm. My iPhone is jailbroken (it's MINE, MINE, MINE!), so I already have:
+ Cut/Paste
+ MMS
+ Video Recording
+ Voice memo (this was in the App Store)
+ Tethering (PDA net!)
+ Wardriving
+ Cydia & Installer
+ The capability of adding ANYTHING I WANT TO MY DEVICE (ringtones, music, apps, videos, etc)! :-)
I'll keep it the way it is for now...
By Vonstuben at 6:52 AM ON 03/26/09
I'm a little angry that they constantly make you feel bad for buying the Ipod touch, they want you to pay for the upgrade!? We've done that for about every major release of OS. Apple needs to wise up and treat all their customers equally.
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Vonstuben:
I'm a little angry that they constantly make you feel bad for buying the Ipod touch, they want you to pay for the u...More »