What to expect from iPhone 3.0
UPDATE: To see what will and won't be in the new iPhone OS when it's released this summer, you can read our summary here or follow our link to the Quicktime video here.
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The first thing to remember about Apple's (AAPL) iPhone 3.0 special event, announced last Thursday and scheduled for Tuesday at 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m PT), is that it has been billed as "an advance preview."
That means no new software — and certainly no new hardware — is likely to be released to the public today. What Apple is hosting an invitation-only event for developers so they can learn about a new iPhone SDK (software development kit) and get a sneak peek at the third major build of the iPhone's basic operating system.
Steve Jobs hosted a similar event on March 6, 2008 — the "iPhone Software Roadmap" — at which he released a beta version of the first SDK and previewed iPhone 2.0. Both represented major advances over the original iPhone, but end users didn't see the benefits until four months later, with the release of the iPhone 3G and the launch of the App Store on July 11, 2008. iPhone 2.0 introduced dozens of enhancements (and more than a few problems), but the most important advance turned out to be the SDK and the tens of thousands of third-party iPhone applications it has since spawned.
So what can we expect from Tuesday's event?
Most of the advance speculation has centered on iPhone 3.0. Among the new features rumored or expected — but, remember, not necessarily available right away — are:
- Copy and paste. Better two years late than never, according to multiple sources. See, for example, here and here.
- Push notification. So Facebook, say, could alert you when you have a new message. This was promised in June 2008, but not yet delivered.
- MMS — Multimedia Messaging Service. So you can forward those pictures sent to you by friends with far less sophisticated cell phones. Maybe yes, maybe no.
- Better mail program. Why can't you search past messages? Read them in landscape mode? Delete them en masse?
- Internet sharing. For those times when your iPhone has access but your laptop doesn't. Apple and AT&T have both said so-called "tethering" is coming real soon now.
- Bluetooth support. Currently available only for phone headsets. Could be expanded to support wireless keyboards, speaker systems, file exchanges, syncing etc.
- Flash support. So you'd see videos and dancing advertisements instead of those little blue cubes. Adobe (ADBE) says its Flash Player software is ready and waiting for Apple's approval.
- Better App management. The current interface is barely capable of organizing 148 applications, never mind 28,000.
- Voice dialing and turn-by-turn directions. Quick, before iPhone users cause any more traffic accidents.
- Video capture. It can be done without modifying the built-in camera as iPhone Video Recorder, an application available only for jailbroken iPhones, has shown.
- A new browser. The current version of iPhone Safari is nearly two years old and starting to get a little long in the tooth.
Owners of competing smartphones snicker when they read these lists; Microsoft's (MSFT) Windows Mobile and Research in Motion's (RIMM) BlackBerry have had many of these features for years. According to one report, Apple's primary motivation for introducing the improvements now is to head off competition from the forthcoming Palm (PALM) Pre.
But what none of the competing smartphones have is an SDK that's as easy to use as Apple's or an App Store that makes marketing and distributing applications so painless — and profitable.
Which is why the first part of Tuesday's event — the opportunity for developers to learn about the new SDK — may turn out to be the more significant.
As Seth Weintraub notes in his widely circulated Computerworld blog, developers are going to need some lead time if Apple plans to introduce a new piece of mobile hardware — an Apple tablet, as he suggests, or a more advanced iPhone or iPod touch.
Much less has been written about what that new SDK might include (and most of it is pretty technical), but among the improvements developers are looking for are:
- Better syncing between apps. So those 28,000 applications could share data among themselves.
- Better calendar and t0-do list support. So an e-mail invitation could be automatically added to your iCal.
- More background operation. So you could check your e-mail, for example, without interrupting that Internet radio show you were listening to.
After that, the requests quickly go over this reporter's head. Ars Technica contributor Erica Sadun, for example, is asking for improved AVFoundation, CFNetwork frameworks, expanded UIKit objects and an improved Interface Builder (link), but we're at a loss to explain what all that means.
In any event, our questions should be answered soon enough. My colleague Jon Fortt will be live-blogging the show for Fortune.com, as will several other sites. (9to5 Mac says it will be displaying four live-blog feeds at once.)
We'll be monitoring the special event from our leafy backyard in Brooklyn and will post a summary of the key findings as soon as we know what they are.
See also: What's on your iPhone 3.0 wish list?
how about the ability to change the ring when email, voicemail and whatnot comes in? I love my ringtones, but I want a different ring when an email comes in. The one thats available is getting on my nerves.
Other than that, I'm pumped about this! mms AND video? Now I'll be set!!!!
I like the idea about grouping apps, I mean, I try my best to group them on the same page, but it'd be nice if I could ACTUALLY group.
This is directed @ Paul from vicoria.
The article specifically states:
"Internet sharing. For those times when your iPhone has access but your laptop doesn’t. Apple and AT&T have both said so-called “tethering” is coming real soon now. "
This would also account for using it as "3g Modem" on the go.
Hi folks, we are looking for beta testers to install iPhone OS 3.0 firmware and test our applications. If you are interested and would like to try it before this summer, you can join us here : http://tinyurl.com/macgeekblog
Cheers, skr3dii
Hi folks, we are looking for beta testers to install iPhone OS 3.0 firmware and test our applications. If you are interested and would like to try it before this summer, you can join us here : http://tinyurl.com/macgeekblog
Cheers, skr3dii
What about being able to use the Iphone as a 3g modem for your Notebook PC? It has been left out… again!
In a market that is increasingly relying on mobile connectivity, you'd think the egalitarians at Apple would allow consumers to make the most of their 3g connections. So many other phones have this capability yet Apple in infinite wisdom (with some encouragement from the likes of AT&T) have decided to leave this useful and arguably essential feature out. Instead, they include moronic features like MMS, used mainly by teenagers, a goldmine for telcos!
I have loved owning and using the first Iphone, and was really looking forward to the next incarnation of what is mostly a unique mobile experience, but v3.0 only serves (to me) to demonstrate Apple's eagerness to protect behemoth telcos profit margins, on services that cost a tiny fraction of what a consumer is ultimately charged.
What a backwards, pandering step from a company that tries to convince us the consumer is everything.
I am confused about the "poor" service provided by ATT. I have had service from Sprint, Alltel, Verizon(before they merged), ATT then Cingular, and back to ATT. I have had more success with ATT than any others…Sprint was by far the worst. Reception with ATT and Alltel were about the same…the problem with Verizon is everything has a hidden fee…I ended up paying way more than I was initially led to believe. ATT rocks…Apple is the reason for the extra charges on the iphone…it was part of the contract for ATT to have rights to their service
I am confused about the "poor" service provided by ATT. I have had service from Sprint, Alltel, Verizon(before they merged), ATT then Cingular, and back to ATT. I have had more success with ATT than any others…Sprint was by far the worst. Reception with ATT and Alltel were about the same…the problem with Verizon is everything has a hidden fee…I ended up paying way more than I was initially led to believe. ATT rocks…Apple is the reason for the extra charges on the iphone…it was part of the contract for ATT to have rights to their service
i think the best part about 3.0 is its ability to pair external hardware with your iphone. it creates so many opportunities for developers limiting them only by their imaginations. apple's presentation of 3.0 showed how a blood glucose meter could be connected via usb or bluetooth inputing the information into a custom app for that hardware that helps track and manage your diabetes. i hope more bluetooth webcams are developed like ecamm's BT-1 that are able to pair with iphone so apps like ichat and skype will be developed in the app store enabling a fully functional mobile webchat platform. yay! i'm excited for this update. and for the record… i love at&t… at least where i live.
i think the best part about 3.0 is its ability to pair external hardware with your iphone. it creates so many opportunities for developers limiting them only by their imaginations. apple's presentation of 3.0 showed how a blood glucose meter could be connected via usb or bluetooth inputing the information into a custom app for that hardware that helps track and manage your diabetes. i hope more bluetooth webcams are developed like ecamm's BT-1 that are able to pair with iphone so apps like ichat and skype will be developed in the app store enabling a fully functional mobile webchat platform. yay! i'm excited for this update. and for the record… i love at&t… at least where i live.
Personally, I don't think that AT&T is all that bad. I've never had a lack of coverage anywhere in my state or my bordering states (Ga. 4 ex.) however, my phone bill did just jump $20 for no apparent reason!?! It would be nice to see other carriers offer plans just to add a little competition to the market, and the updates like mms, copy/paste, ect should have been released in July 2008!!! Hopefully, it's worth the wait.
3.0 firmware update sounds good. But the biggest improvement would be choice of carriers for us customers.
Time to unlock the iphone from AT&T.
3.0 firmware update sounds good. But the biggest improvement would be choice of carriers for us customers.
Time to unlock the iphone from AT&T.
My biggest problem is AT&T. Many that think that a CDMA version would be cool forget how battery-intense this standard is (you'd likely have to carry your charger at all times if the iPhone was on Verizon, since even GSM 3G sucks the life out of it swiftly).
Basically, the state of AT&T mirrors the state of US infrastructure — it's ridden with potholes. I live in New York City and struggle with the basic wireless signal. Yes, I don't have service in my apartment — haven't had it on AT&T ever (which is why I used other carriers, but went back to get an iPhone).
Therefore, Apple should put pressure on AT&T to do something about their shoddy service in even the most populated areas of the US. Maybe a trip to Europe or two would aid this.
No other phone comes even close to the number and quality of applications available – and now they're going to be a quantum leap ahead of that! Plus, there's the Ipod Touch, which is selling like hotcakes because it also can use App Store applications.
THAT'S why Apple is leaving its competition in the dust.
No other phone comes even close to the number and quality of applications available – and now they're going to be a quantum leap ahead of that! Plus, there's the Ipod Touch, which is selling like hotcakes because it also can use App Store applications.
THAT'S why Apple is leaving its competition in the dust.
The ability to create directories or sub-directories with drag and drop functionality.
I have a lot of Apps on my Iphone and its getting cluttered. It would be nice if I could create a folder on the desktop or background call it i.e (games, utilities, etc), and then have the ability to drag and drop the specific app into its folder for better organization.
The ability to create directories or sub-directories with drag and drop functionality.
I have a lot of Apps on my Iphone and its getting cluttered. It would be nice if I could create a folder on the desktop or background call it i.e (games, utilities, etc), and then have the ability to drag and drop the specific app into its folder for better organization.
Overall, it sounds great. Admittedly, some of these features aren't spectacular…other phones already feature them…but this will definitely keep Iphone in the race. It should be interesting to hear what else is coming this summer…you can be sure Apple won't stop with just these upgrades. The market is a shambles and everyone is pulling out every trick they can to keep us consumers spending. The good news is that we benefit in the short term…as long as we can afford the toys.
Overall, it sounds great. Admittedly, some of these features aren't spectacular…other phones already feature them…but this will definitely keep Iphone in the race. It should be interesting to hear what else is coming this summer…you can be sure Apple won't stop with just these upgrades. The market is a shambles and everyone is pulling out every trick they can to keep us consumers spending. The good news is that we benefit in the short term…as long as we can afford the toys.
I have a version 1 iphone and look forward to upgrading but there is an error in the article.
This comment "none of the competing smartphones have is an SDK that’s as easy to use", actually windows mobile uses visual studio (.net) which is alot easier than apple's sdk.
I have a version 1 iphone and look forward to upgrading but there is an error in the article.
This comment "none of the competing smartphones have is an SDK that’s as easy to use", actually windows mobile uses visual studio (.net) which is alot easier than apple's sdk.
get some customization to the screen
i jailbroke my iphone before they made the app store, and they had some very cool main screen and icon customization options
get some customization to the screen
i jailbroke my iphone before they made the app store, and they had some very cool main screen and icon customization options
Go to Settings, Mail, Contacts, Calendars, and select Show. Change it to 25 Recent Messages. Then you only have 25 messages to delete! Ingenuity, people 
You shouldn't need ingenuity, of course, that's the point of a good UI but for now, you can get around the lack of an en masse delete feature.
Go to Settings, Mail, Contacts, Calendars, and select Show. Change it to 25 Recent Messages. Then you only have 25 messages to delete! Ingenuity, people
You shouldn't need ingenuity, of course, that's the point of a good UI but for now, you can get around the lack of an en masse delete feature.
I'm a gamer that works in advertising… so Flash all the way!!! I can't believe it hasn't been added already. For that matter, I can't believe the Wii doesn't support Flash.
I'm a gamer that works in advertising… so Flash all the way!!! I can't believe it hasn't been added already. For that matter, I can't believe the Wii doesn't support Flash.
To John & everyone else who thinks there is a so called "en masse" deletion:
That is not deleting "en masse" because you still have to go and check each and every box. "En masse" here refers to the possibility of having a "check all" button. There is no check all button anywhere on the iphone. Currently, you have to hit edit and then proceed with check marking EACH and every item you need to delete/edit. What's so difficult about having a "check all" button?
To John & everyone else who thinks there is a so called "en masse" deletion:
That is not deleting "en masse" because you still have to go and check each and every box. "En masse" here refers to the possibility of having a "check all" button. There is no check all button anywhere on the iphone. Currently, you have to hit edit and then proceed with check marking EACH and every item you need to delete/edit. What's so difficult about having a "check all" button?
Just Jailbreak your iPhone and you get ur self half of those features already.
C'mon Aplle work a little harder!!
Just Jailbreak your iPhone and you get ur self half of those features already.
C'mon Aplle work a little harder!!
My renewal for Verizon is here… but not the iPhone. After 8 years with Verizon, I'll gladly renew for another 2 years. Service is king these days. All the hooopla and glitter doesn't mean squat without service. Especially when something like 80% of my cell use is business related.
My renewal for Verizon is here… but not the iPhone. After 8 years with Verizon, I'll gladly renew for another 2 years. Service is king these days. All the hooopla and glitter doesn't mean squat without service. Especially when something like 80% of my cell use is business related.
how about key stroke recognition. I foudn that the samsung eternity did a better job on the keystroke recognition.
how about key stroke recognition. I foudn that the samsung eternity did a better job on the keystroke recognition.
Apple has done more with the iPhone in two years than Microsoft has done with WM since it came out. And the reasons that Apple is very conservative on features is that they want to make sure that they have stability, security, and responsiveness – which all these data sharing features can interfere with (even cut-and-paste). I want Flash too, but it's a huge memory and bandwidth hog. We'll probably need an iPhone 3 with more RAM and ATT will need to be prepared at the network level.
Apple has done more with the iPhone in two years than Microsoft has done with WM since it came out. And the reasons that Apple is very conservative on features is that they want to make sure that they have stability, security, and responsiveness – which all these data sharing features can interfere with (even cut-and-paste). I want Flash too, but it's a huge memory and bandwidth hog. We'll probably need an iPhone 3 with more RAM and ATT will need to be prepared at the network level.
There should be a balance between the device and what network(ATT) can handle to provide better user experience. I think most of the iphone users using wi-fi networks, which offsets the load on network, So apple may provide data intensive apps like video recording, mms..Etc. Lets see:)
There should be a balance between the device and what network(ATT) can handle to provide better user experience. I think most of the iphone users using wi-fi networks, which offsets the load on network, So apple may provide data intensive apps like video recording, mms..Etc. Lets see:)
" Delete then en masse?"
you can..also had to find out pretty late..just click on "edit" and delete several mails by check marks
i want a faster way to turn off/on 3G mode
" Delete then en masse?"
you can..also had to find out pretty late..just click on "edit" and delete several mails by check marks
i want a faster way to turn off/on 3G mode
how about the ability to change the email notification ring to something other than the pre-programmed alert!
how about the ability to change the email notification ring to something other than the pre-programmed alert!
The biggest upgrade they should work on is getting together with Verizon! I ported over to AT&T just to get the iPhone 3g, but cancelled 2 weeks later because AT&T service is THE WORST! Dropped calls & no signal throughout Phoenix & Tucson area. I loved the iPhone though!
The biggest upgrade they should work on is getting together with Verizon! I ported over to AT&T just to get the iPhone 3g, but cancelled 2 weeks later because AT&T service is THE WORST! Dropped calls & no signal throughout Phoenix & Tucson area. I loved the iPhone though!
I had been anxiously waiting for Apple to start filling in all the gaps that basic phones have had for years (MMS, Video, etc), but they've waited so long to do so, and there are so many competitors that have these features, that it's unlikely I'll even buy an Iphone at all. The Iphone has some very nice features, but they're selling a beautiful car with all the lastest upgrades that has only one tire. No matter how many features you put in it, I'm not buying without all four.
I had been anxiously waiting for Apple to start filling in all the gaps that basic phones have had for years (MMS, Video, etc), but they've waited so long to do so, and there are so many competitors that have these features, that it's unlikely I'll even buy an Iphone at all. The Iphone has some very nice features, but they're selling a beautiful car with all the lastest upgrades that has only one tire. No matter how many features you put in it, I'm not buying without all four.
The missing ability I have been most surprised by is that birthdays from my "contacts" list don't automatically show up in my calendar…seems like a no-brainer to me…and most likely very easy to do!
The missing ability I have been most surprised by is that birthdays from my "contacts" list don't automatically show up in my calendar…seems like a no-brainer to me…and most likely very easy to do!
Just a couple of notes – you can delete email currently "en masse" by pressing edit and selecting all of the emails you want to delete and then pressing delete – this was a 2.0 feature. And to Chris, music in games is the choice of the game developer, not Apple. And Greg from Chicagp, try holding your finger down on a photo in email (or Safari) – you will get a little message asking if you want to save the photo.
John
Just a couple of notes – you can delete email currently "en masse" by pressing edit and selecting all of the emails you want to delete and then pressing delete – this was a 2.0 feature. And to Chris, music in games is the choice of the game developer, not Apple. And Greg from Chicagp, try holding your finger down on a photo in email (or Safari) – you will get a little message asking if you want to save the photo.
John
Am I the only one who would benefit from enlarging font size for text messages so I don't have to look for my reading glasses every time I write or read text messages? Sounds like a no-brainer feature for me – had it with Blackberry.
Am I the only one who would benefit from enlarging font size for text messages so I don't have to look for my reading glasses every time I write or read text messages? Sounds like a no-brainer feature for me – had it with Blackberry.
OMG! this is amazing. i am so glad they are getting flash. sometimes i want to play games and i get that blue cube or nothing at all. Lovin it.
OMG! this is amazing. i am so glad they are getting flash. sometimes i want to play games and i get that blue cube or nothing at all. Lovin it.
Why no recognition for the google G1? It has an "app store" and all the other features that the iphone has…open source for developers….expandable memory? How come it is never mentioned in the comparisons? I own a G1 and my wife owns a iphone. I believe they are the same other than the fact that mine has an expandable memory. I think that these commentaries are skewed.
Why no recognition for the google G1? It has an "app store" and all the other features that the iphone has…open source for developers….expandable memory? How come it is never mentioned in the comparisons? I own a G1 and my wife owns a iphone. I believe they are the same other than the fact that mine has an expandable memory. I think that these commentaries are skewed.
I've got no problems with adding flash, but it would be nice to be prompted to enable/disable it the first time you visit a new domain. There are some sites where flash is a legitimate need, but many where it is only used to present distracting ads. Having the ability to disable it (and save some battery and bandwidth at the same time) would be nice.
I've got no problems with adding flash, but it would be nice to be prompted to enable/disable it the first time you visit a new domain. There are some sites where flash is a legitimate need, but many where it is only used to present distracting ads. Having the ability to disable it (and save some battery and bandwidth at the same time) would be nice.
It would be really cool if Apple put the camera on the front of the iPhone and added iChat software. That would put you in video connection with Apple Computers and anyone with an iPhone or iPod Touch.
It would be really cool if Apple put the camera on the front of the iPhone and added iChat software. That would put you in video connection with Apple Computers and anyone with an iPhone or iPod Touch.
"Sounds like a solid update if even half of this stuff materializes. Just when the imitators and copy-cats think they were “catching up”, Apple manages to leave them in the dust once again. Heh."
are you kidding me? most of this stuff is apple "catching up" with windows mobile and blackberry!!
"Sounds like a solid update if even half of this stuff materializes. Just when the imitators and copy-cats think they were “catching up”, Apple manages to leave them in the dust once again. Heh."
are you kidding me? most of this stuff is apple "catching up" with windows mobile and blackberry!!
Harry, Microsofts WM finished 2008 with 50 million sold and Gartner predicted 25 million more WinMob smartphones for 2009 before the announcement of the huge contract between LG (the third largest phone maker in the world) and MS.
That is a killer market share and a growing user base, and way ahead of Apple's current and predicted.
The big boys are Rim, Symbian and MS WinMob, everyone else is very very far behind
Harry, Microsofts WM finished 2008 with 50 million sold and Gartner predicted 25 million more WinMob smartphones for 2009 before the announcement of the huge contract between LG (the third largest phone maker in the world) and MS.
That is a killer market share and a growing user base, and way ahead of Apple's current and predicted.
The big boys are Rim, Symbian and MS WinMob, everyone else is very very far behind
with a good flash update, we could get some streaming tv via hulu and the like…I think that might be the update I would like to see the most.
with a good flash update, we could get some streaming tv via hulu and the like…I think that might be the update I would like to see the most.
It is about time MMS might become a reality…. Such a great phone but so behind the text message world with SMS only…
It is about time MMS might become a reality…. Such a great phone but so behind the text message world with SMS only…
"Owners of competing smartphones snicker when they read these lists; Microsoft’s (MSFT) Windows Mobile"
Think MSFT will snicker until its market share makes to "other smart phones"?
Ayuh
"Owners of competing smartphones snicker when they read these lists; Microsoft’s (MSFT) Windows Mobile"
Think MSFT will snicker until its market share makes to "other smart phones"?
Ayuh
Why can I play games while listening to any song from my music folder. Instead I'm stuck listening to that elevator music they select for games 
Why can I play games while listening to any song from my music folder. Instead I'm stuck listening to that elevator music they select for games
16 gig's and I can't save an attachment…enough said!! I have MobileMe, but want files saved to my hard drive…just like saving photos!!!
16 gig's and I can't save an attachment…enough said!! I have MobileMe, but want files saved to my hard drive…just like saving photos!!!
Sounds like a solid update if even half of this stuff materializes. Just when the imitators and copy-cats think they were "catching up", Apple manages to leave them in the dust once again. Heh.
Sounds like a solid update if even half of this stuff materializes. Just when the imitators and copy-cats think they were "catching up", Apple manages to leave them in the dust once again. Heh.
All (any) of these new features would be very welcome. While the iphone was a ground breaking product in many areas, the lack of some common (for mobile phones) has been a signifigant omission for quite some time.
All (any) of these new features would be very welcome. While the iphone was a ground breaking product in many areas, the lack of some common (for mobile phones) has been a signifigant omission for quite some time.
how about the ability to change the ring when email, voicemail and whatnot comes in? I love my ringtones, but I want a different ring when an email comes in. The one thats available is getting on my nerves.
Other than that, I'm pumped about this! mms AND video? Now I'll be set!!!!
I like the idea about grouping apps, I mean, I try my best to group them on the same page, but it'd be nice if I could ACTUALLY group.