Bites from the Apple: iPhone 3.0 Previewed

Today, Apple released the development hounds and gave a preview of what the next iteration of the iPhone operating system--iPhone 3.0--will look like when it when it becomes official sometime this summer. First off, answers to the two most burning questions surround:

• Yes, copy and paste capabilities are included.
• No new iPhone hardware (or Mac tablet/netbook).

The object of today's event was to release the Software Developer's Kit (SDK), which will make it possible for software authors to write code for the new iPhone 3.0 platform. The iPhone 3.0 software is in beta right now, and it will be released at some undetermined point this summer (sometime between June and the end of August--and TidBITS reminds us it's "seldom wise to assume the earliest possible date that counts as 'summer.'") It will be available as a free upgrade for current iPhone 3G owners, while iPod touch customers once again get the shaft and have to pay $10 for the upgrade. Owners of the original iPhone (or, as I like to call it, the OG iPhone) will also be able to get the iPhone 3.0 software as a free upgrade, but not all features of the new platform will be available (looks like it will be time for me to upgrade my hardware).

While the jump to the iPhone 2.0 platform from the original iPhone software (covered here last year) seemed to rocket things forward with the introduction of the App Store as well as location capabilities in the GPS-enabled iPhone 3G, this jump to iPhone 3.0 feels more like a moon shot compared to last year's orbital flight. And where iPhone 2.0 was focused largely on what third-party developers could bring to the table, iPhone 3.0 brings more focus on internal improvements in addition to opening things up even more to developers. Here are a handful of highlights from the over 100 new features announced today:

• Copy and Paste. It's system-wide, meaning something copied within one app can be pasted there or in another app. In addition to text, you can also copy images to be pasted into email. And there's even a shake-to-undo function.

  

• Spotlight Search. In addition to searching within some of the main iPhone applications such as Mail, Calendar and iPod, you can also search data across all supported apps using Spotlight search (which is found in the Mac OS).

• Stereo Bluetooth. You'll now be able to use A2DP-enabled Bluetooth stereo headphones and compatible speaker docks to wirelessly stream music from the iPhone (not available for OG iPhones).

• MMS. The Multimedia Messaging Service (or MMS) is now supported, enabling you to receive not only photos via a new Messages application (with SMS text messaging still included) but also sending contact info via the VCard standard (again, not available on OG iPhones).

• Tethering. The iPhone 3.0 software will support the ability to use your iPhone 3G as a modem for your laptop, enabling you to access the interwebs wherever you have 3G connectivity. However, Gizmodo notes that during the Q&A portion of today's events, Apple has put the onus of actually implementing tethering capabilities on the carriers--the iPhone 3.0 software will support it, but it's up to AT&T and other carriers around the world to provide the service (at an extra charge, of course).

• Note Syncing. You'll finally be able to synchronize the notes you take on your iPhone via iTunes. No syncing of to-dos, but I'm sure Apple is more than happy to let developers reap the benefits of the myriad to-do apps that are available.

• GPS into Apps. While turn-by-turn directions aren't directly enabled by iPhone 3.0, the phone's core location capabilities can now be accessed by developers, meaning a third-party navigation solution should be forthcoming.

• Bonjour. Apple's Bonjour networking protocol has been added, which will enable peer-to-peer connectivity via automatic Bluetooth discovery in order to exchange files as well as play games with other iPhone owners. However, don't even think about sharing music files.

• In-App Subscriptions.. Developers can now design apps where additional content--such as higher levels of a game--can be purchased through the iPhone app. CNet notes that "this was demoed on the upcoming EA title The Sims 3, which will let users buy items for their virtual character using an in-game store interface."

• Push Notification. After initially being promised as part of last year's iPhone 2.0 software, iPhone 3.0 has a newly revamped push notification feature that allows third party servers to send an update via text or sound, and this works in the background (i.e., you don't have to have the app open) much like how the current SMS messaging app works. And, as Ars Technica reports, it sounds like the biggest stumbling block to making this happen over the last year was battery life concern:

  Third-party servers can send text or sound notifications to Apple's server, which then pushes them to a user's iPhone. (Apple executive Scott) Forstall said Apple prefers this approach to allowing background processes because of battery life. The company's testing with BlackBerry and Windows Mobile devices showed an 80 percent decrease in standby battery life when using background processes. Push Notifications, on the other hand, only resulted in a 23 percent decrease.

• And a slew of others... including hotspot automatic log-in, a Voice Memo app, shake-to-shuffle music (much like Sony Ericsson's Walkman phones, like the W760a), new calendar format support (CalDAV and .ics), YouTube account log-in, and a landscape keyboard in apps like Mail, Messages, and Notes.

What's missing? Flash, of course. But Apple continues to tout the streaming H.264 video from sites like YouTube, CBS Mobile and BBC as a replacement. We'll be honing in on all the new features and offer more info as things shake out in our regular Friday edition of Bites.

--Agen G.N. Schmitz

Comments

[amjadbut on March 18, 2009 at 04:14 AM]

If you're from UK and want to unlock your iPhone, here's an iPhone 3G unlock service for you. They can now fully unlock the iPhone 3G for use on any network, just in time for the iPhone 3G PAGO release in the UK which was released today, Tuesday 16th September! The bargain price for this service? Just 29.99 DIY or 59.

[Conrad Archer on March 18, 2009 at 06:11 AM]

I want a Kindle but two things keep me from buying one now:

(1) the price (I am retired on fixed income).

(2) cut and paste == I write a bit and want to be able to cut and past material from my source to my computer word processor. Kindle gives me no advantage over a book at this time.

Keep the gears grinding.

[b adams on March 18, 2009 at 02:07 PM]

One note: The 3G has an inferior quality screen. I would upgrade to new hardware but only if the original glass is available. (It is a big difference.)

[Grimmy on March 18, 2009 at 02:16 PM]

What about Hotmail integration, for Pete's sake?

[Iowaboy on March 18, 2009 at 02:48 PM]

One of the most important new features is support of external devices. Now the iPhone will run anything you can plug it in to. The possibilities are literally endless, from stereos to medical equipment and tons of other stuff. Anything that can export structured telemetry will be the eyes and ears of the iPhone.