Today Apple unveiled iPhone OS 3.0. What seems to be a major update. With over 13 million users worldwide, the iPhone now has a real, unstoppable following and with iPhone OS 3.0 seems to have a real platform to support those users. And if you include the iPod Touch (which also runs iPhone OS) the total number of users is an overwhelming 30 million devices. Apple has finally addressed some major concerns for users and developers and added some amazing new innovations improving the experience for developers and users alike.
Starting with the “it’s about time” features
Cut, Copy, Paste…it’s about time! After much too much time, the iPhone platform has gotten away without having what I believed to be basic functionality. Cut, Copy, Paste. My HTC 85xx from almost 4 years ago running Windoze Mobile had this! Anyway, it’s here, and it’s about as easy-to-use as they could make it. Beginning with a “double-tap” to select your text. This feature works automatically in all apps supporting plain text and web text. And if you make a mistake cutting, copying or pasting you can simply ‘shake’ the device to undo!
MMS Messaging…another smartphone standard NOT standard on the iPhone, Multi-Media Messaging or (MMS). The iPhone will soon get this functionality as well. Breathing an “it’s about time” sigh.
Stereo Bluetooth…trying to hold back my excitement to express a little frustration…It’s about time Apple! Although, it will only work on a new iPhone rumored to come out in the summer. Ok, this feature, I believe, has been a key detractor in getting someone to switch to the iPhone. Adding this one will clearly move the iPhone into that “finally, now it does what I want, so I can switch” category. Even though I wish I could put this under the “nifty new stuff” category, I can’t, this one is long overdue no matter how you look at it.
Ok on to the nifty new stuff
Subscriptions. Starting with iPhone OS 3.0 you will now be able to pay for apps via a subscription model. This is a common billing method for app developers on other mobile platforms and is long overdue. This in itself will open up a world of opportunity for would-be iPhone developers and should prove to be a real opportunity for even more growth for the iPhone’s market.
Bluetooth. Developers will now be able to interact intimately with bluetooth devices from their apps. This is sure to open up the iPhone to additional uses such as scientific research, external device control, medical purposes. For example, a demonstration from LifeScan showed their bluetooth glucose meter wirelessly communicating with a diabetes management application running on the iPhone. Expanded Bluetooth capabilities also include peer-to-peer connectivity without the need for availability of a wi-fi network.
Push notifications. iPhone apps can now take advanatage of a long awaited feature…Push Notifications. Have a message waiting somewhere other than email? An event or task? Custom alerts? You can now be notified without being logged into these services independently. I suspect a new version of the iPhone Facebook App, for example, to be updated with this functionality.
In-game voice chat. The iPhone has found a secondary and very powerful market as a mobile gaming platform. The new capability of in-game voice chat is sure to solidify the leadership position in this key market and enhance the mobile gaming experience, making it feel more like console gaming platforms that use similar “in-game voice” features.
Spotlight. Apple has brought their universal search technology to the iPhone. Adding search to almost all of the built-in iPhone apps, also added a “Spotlight” app allowing you to search the entire device in one place. This is a very powerful, practical feature…I wonder how fast it will be.
Still missing
3G bluetooth tethering. Another battery draining, AT&T network resource hogging feature. I took my MacBook Pro and my 3G iPhone to a business meeting with a client at a cafe and couldn’t access the Internet. This was inconvenient and somewhat embarassing considering I am a technology consultant by trade. Yet another capability my Windows Mobile device had 4 years ago, but the ‘cutting edge’ iPhone does not. As much as I love my iPhone I will continue to rip on my favorite technology company for blatantly leaving out a key capability of a modern smartphone.
Flash. Another understanding is that Apple did not want limited Flash capability on the iPhone as is available on other smartphones. The iPhone is being touted as a mobile computing platform. I do believe Apple is working with Adobe on delivering a more complete version of Flash.
Overall, the iPhone is a great phone. In most respects it is cutting edge, friendly and even fun to use. The new features and capabilities unveiled today make it a more complete, well-rounded solution. If the pricing stays the same, I think whatever new phone is being released this summer will be a hit!
iPhone 3.0 is great, when can I get my hands on it?
Developers will get a beta release of the iPhone 3.0 SDK today. However, users will not be able to take advantage of iPhone OS 3.0 until it is released this summer. The update will be free to all iPhone owners and will cost $9.95 for iPod Touch owners.