Apple has released the first beta version of iOS 4.2 (build 8C5091e) and iOS SDK 4.2 to developers of iOS Developer Program.
iOS 4.2 Beta is available for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. iOS 4.2 will finally bring iOS 4 features such as multitasking, folders to the iPad.
Steve Jobs had given us a glimpse of some of the new features that will be available in iOS 4.2 at the September 1 special event:
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iOS 4 features such as multitasking, folders, Game Centre for iPad users.
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Wireless printing
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It will also bring the AirPlay feature to iDevices, which will allow you to stream video, music, and photos over Wi-Fi especially useful if you have the second generation Apple TV
Apple is calling their new wireless printing feature AirPrint:
AirPrint automatically finds printers on local networks and can print text, photos and graphics to them wirelessly over Wi-Fi without the need to install drivers or download software. HP’s existing and upcoming ePrint enabled printers will be the first to support printing direct from iOS devices.
According to Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing:
AirPrint is Apple’s powerful new printing architecture that matches the simplicity of iOS—no set up, no configuration, no printer drivers and no software to download.
iPad, iPhone and iPod touch users can simply tap to print their documents or photos wirelessly to an HP ePrint printer or to a printer shared on a Mac or PC.
AirPrint will work only with iPad, iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS and iPod touch (second generation and later) so iPhone 3G users will again be disappointed.
We have seen apps from HP etc that allow you to print wirelessly from your iDevice but including the feature natively thus making it directly accessible from iOS apps will make it one of the killer features of iOS. Isn’t it amazing how new features like AirPrint can be enabled on a smartphone with just a software update?
iPhone users who want to jailbreak and unlock their iPhone should avoid upgrading to iOS 4.1 for now.
Update 1:
It looks like for some unknown reason the AirPrint feature in iOS 4.2 beta also requires users to install the latest Mac OS X 10.6.5 beta.
Update 2:
You can checkout couple of video walkthroughs of iOS 4.2 on the iPad:
Update 3:
Apple has changed the functionality of the physical switch that was used for screen orientation in iOS 4.2 beta. It has been repurposed it as a mute switch. You can now control the screen orientation via the orientation button available in task switcher, which is part of the multitasking feature introduced in iOS 4.2 for the iPad. Do you like this change?
Update 4:
iPad users can access seven apps in the task switcher in landscape mode and six apps in portrait mode.
We will let you know if the beta version of iOS 4.2 reveals any interesting new features.
Kool
kewlllllll
i bought a 3g in feb 2010, whta fool i am lol
lol yes
Will it actually let us disable persistent wi-fi? As it's a major problem for battery life in iOS 4.1.
No question I would use the physical switch *much* more often as a mute button than an orientation lock.
theres a typo
WIRELESSLY PRINTING
Wirelessly Print??
otherwise,
yeah looks amazing!! cant wait.
Thanks Shrivastsa, have corrected it
if your still using a 3g iphone you should be disappointed in yourself
….still using 2008 tech how dare you :0
some of us are still paying off our phones VIA plan and aren't allowed to upgrade, and some of us are waiting for Apple to fix a phone before spending a large sum of money for a phone.
When Apple finally fixed the death-grip issue and proximity sensor issue, i will spend my weekly pack on the phone, until then i'm happy with my 3G, i can wait tillt he iPhone 5i if it takes that long, i'm not DESPERATE to buy a new phone just cause its an upgraded version, its always smart to wait a year before upgrading so allt he bugs are fixed. Idiots use beta versions and complain its unstable :p
It is nothing but wireless.Sounds a bit disappointing.
there's still a huge typo, it says PRINT, don't you mean SYNC, or CLOUD IT UP, or some other crap?
If you're always waiting a year…then aren't you always one generation behind the current model when it comes to iphone/itouch…
Greenpois0n is coming out with a hack soon……
OK So Apple you can do all this neat stuff for us IPhone users, but why won't you make a simple addition to the text message alert tones, we can download thousands of songs for ring-tones and set them to whoever we want but not for text messages.
iphone 4 isnt beta fool
Hmmm … I am quite used to use the physical switcher to lock screen orientation, I do not need to switch to silent mode that often on the iPad since it is not a phone. I wonder if Apple would give us the choice in settings to choose which action can be done through the physical switcher, or some hacker could do it instead.
Oh yes I am back iPhonehacks, it is been a while
it’s good!
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I like it!