Apple just given us a sneak peak of its next generation iPhone OS.
iPhone OS 4.0 will include 100 new features for iPhone users and more than 1500 new APIs for app developers.
Apple previewed the following new features in iPhone OS 4.0 during the special event that was held at the Yerba Buena Centre for Arts in San Francisco:
Multitasking:
iPhone users will finally be able to run iPhone apps in the background. To achieve this Apple will be offering developers seven multitasking services, which will allow their iPhone app to run in the background while preserving performance and battery life.
Folders:
Users will be able to organize iPhone apps on their iPhone home screen into folders. Users will be able to drag and drop apps into folders.
This means iPhone users will be able to install 2160 apps instead of the current limit of 180 iPhone apps.
Better Mail app:
You will now be able to see messages from multiple email accounts in a unified inbox. iPhone OS 4.0 will also allow you to organize messages by threads, and even be able to open attachments in third-party iPhone apps.
iBooks:
iBooks app will be available on the App Store for iPhone and iPod Touch users so they will be able to browse, buy, and read ebooks.
New Enterprise features:
iPhone OS 4.0 also brings new enterprise features such as data protection, wireless app distribution, mobile device management, SSL VPN support, allows users to set up multiple Exchange ActiveSync accounts and will also work with Exchange Server 2010.
New APIs, iAd, Game Centre:
iPhone OS 4.0 includes more than 1500 new APIs for app developers.
Apple has also launched iAd, mobile advertising platform for iPhone apps.
Apple has also announced that it plans to launch Game Center, the social gaming network later this year and has provided GameKit APIs in iPhone OS 4.0 to develop for Game Center.
Availability and Compatibility:
Unfortunately, iPhone OS 4.0 will be available only to iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, second and third generation iPod Touch users. Also the multitasking feature will be available only to iPhone 3GS and the third-generation iPod Touch (32GB and 64GB models from late 2009) users.
Steve Jobs clarified in the Q&A session that Multitasking won't be available on iPhone 3G and iPhone 2G as the hardware just couldn’t support it. This is definitely going to make many iPhone users unhappy.
Apple has released iPhone OS 4.0 beta to developers of its iPhone Developer program. It will be released to iPhone and iPod Touch users in summer and iPad users in fall.
There are many features that Apple didn't talk about, but don't worry, we'll let you know as soon as we get more information on the features that were not announced. So stay tuned here at iPhone Hacks or follow us on Twitter or subscribe to our RSS feed.
As always, let us know what you think about the features previewed in iPhone OS 4.0? How would you rate it?
Why are they releasing the iPad version in fall?? I would expect they release it at the same time..that pissed me off a bit..
I think they'll unify the iPhone and iPad platform in iPhone OS 4.0 and need more time for it. We had speculated about this:
http://www.iphonehacks.com/2010/03/will-iphone-os-40-unify-the-iphone-and-ipad-platforms.html
But you're right, it's a little disappointing.
Unifying it is fine, but if there is barely a difference between the two now (cause iPad is just 3.2) i would expect they actually release it for iPad as well, and then leave the unification for later. Its not like they will have a massive media event just for the unification anyway.
Its just surprising because they just launched this product that they are trying to push so hard, but they make the more inferior product (in terms of price) get such a huge update a good 3 months before the iPad..it really makes little sense to me.
Apple is finally starting to negate some major reasons to jailbreak. 3.0 was a start, but 4.0 really hit the nail on the head. Of course, so long as Apple keeps things closed, there will always be reasons to jailbreak.
I would have liked to hear something about calendar appointments/meetings, email attachments, and bluetooth enhancements to name a few things that were not discussed. Maybe in 5.0.
I think the only reason to still jailbreak for most people today would be to have customizable backgrounds and OBEX file transfer for bluetooth…..otherwise categories is there as folders, multitasking is there and obviously they are are both better than their JB alternatives.
However, props to the Categories and Multitasking JB developers for doing such a fantastic job without having the resources for R&D. amazing!
3g user. yes I'm upset about no mutitasking for me. But at the same time I only have like two more months for this contract to be over with. So I'll see if I stay when 4g comes out.
The whole OS update is a disappointment for me.
The only thing that could get me to upgrade the OS is the Game Center and even that update is not of much interest to me. I'll hold on my jailbroken 3G thank you very much.
-I already got Folders installed (Categories)
-Got MultiTasking (Circutous)
-Better mail (I can already save attachments)
-Got switching Wallpapers (BossPaper)
and so much more
-QuickSMS Send/Receive
-Call/SMS firewall
-Phone Shake call answering
-Quick Settings change (SB Settings)
-Wifi-Scanners (now only available on Jailbroken phones)
-Password lock on apps
-Haptic feedback
-New Gestures/button presses
-File downloads in Safari
-Video download in Youtube
-Picture display in contacts
-Expose like access to apps pages
-Support for 3rd party not licensed audio/video cables
-……..
Hopefully iphone for verizon is next.
Well, there are still a lot of small reasons to jailbreak. Maybe alone none are enough to make me do it, but when combined, they are significant: SBSettings, LockInfo, QuickReply (for test messages), GV Mobile, Inspell, Elert, etc. Geez, now that I think of it, there are probably still some very good reasons to jailbreak.
So how the 6 hour battery life working for you? I have a 3g aswell with like half of what you have and my battery sucks balls
Apple seems to be a year behind the jailbreaking community. Most of the things that they want to improve on have already been possible with jailbreak
They've been possible through JB, yes, but Apples methods to it will be far more efficient, cleaner, prettier, and far less buggy!
Plus remember, they only talked about a handful of the 100 new user features.
Still no radio app
People still jailbreak to get full customization of the Phone & free apps…
there are radio apps…try "ooTunes"
Thank u thank u thank apple…..ive been debating the HTC EVO 4g since i heard about it….now i know for sure im done with u….The iphone 3g hardware not being able to handle multitasking is as laughable as the iphone 2g not being able to handle picture messaging. DONE and not coming back.
Yeah, but they are all for streaming. I want hardware radio, the 3gs even has it.
Same old boring layout, my jailbroken iphone still does more then 4.0. Apple clearly doesn't see how close android is up there ass and they keep putting out these weak updates. Maybe when everyone is walking around with the HTC EVO in there pocket they'll wake up.
I don't think anyone realizes that Apple knows what they're doing… Go ahead, buy your POS Android phone and when the battery is worse, you don't even get calls, and you pay more to have Verizon or Sprint I will only thank you for opening up more bandwidth. Multitasking is possible with 3g however IT IS BUGGY AS F*CK!!! Winterboard ALONE on a 3G makes it really sluggish. I sold my old 3g to a friend who has T-Mobile and when I saw him the other day his phone was SOOOO SLOW. I took WB off and all he could say was "Holy crap my phone is actually working!? I can play Doodle Jump and its not choppy at all!! I don't care THAT much about a wallpaper and icons, MY PHONE WORKS GREAT NOW!" So really, you call apple chape and YOU won't even upgrade! Any other phone is out dated month to month. Look at the Voyager, PalmPre, HTC, MoTo, you name it there's a new model every month that's better than the last. In 3 years Apple has released 3 phones, all that have been MAJORLY improved. ALL which out of the box work FLAWLESS. How many blackberry's have come out in JUST the past year!? I can think of at least 5. Don't get me wrong, I love hacking my phone for the extras but people who don't actually know what they're doing will only cause it to crash. Apple doesn't need that bad rep. So if you don't like iPhone, go elsewhere. I promise, you'll be back.
Yeah, you are right in that sense.
Though you have to hand it to apple, 4.0 was more than i expected. Especially the GameCenter thing….whoa that was literally out of the blue! They are really pushing the competition against the PSP and DS..
Such a very nice topic about this article i read this artilce and agree with this artilce.
Force Factor
Such a wonderful topic for me.I read this article and agree with this article.Thanks to talking us about this article.
Bactium
Nice topic for me.
Stimelex
Such a wonderful topic for me.I read this article and agree with this article.Thanks to talking us about this article.
dermalift
Really nice topic for me.
Get Slim Acai