Break out those trumpets and let’s hear that drum roll people, Apple’s OS 4.0 is here, well not exactly here, here, but it’s been officially announced, no scratch that... it’s been previewed. They’ve also released a beta version of the software to iPhone Developer Program members. It includes an updated Software Development Kit (SDK) with over 1,500 new Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and over 100 new features that will be available to iPhone and iPod Touch users this summer. Here’s some more information on what’s on the OS 4.0 menu:
Multitasking –
It’s going to be grand as users will be able to have apps running even when the handset is in Sleep Mode. They even spoke about multitasking with third party apps while managing to preserve battery life and still allowing the foreground app to perform at its peak. Intriguing no! The UI looks really simple and why shouldn’t it be right? All you have to do is double tap the home button and Presto, the apps running in the back ground will be displayed at the bottom. Just click on the one you wish to use.
Here’s the catch though, OS 4.0 delivers a total of just seven new multitasking services that include:
- Background audio - Allows your app to play audio continuously. So customers can listen to your app while they surf the web, play games, and more.
- Voice over IP - Users can receive VoIP calls and have conversations while using another app and even receive calls when their phones are in asleep.
- Background location - Navigation apps can now continue to guide users who are listening to their iPods, or using other apps.
- Push notifications - Receive alerts from your remote servers even when your app isn't running.
- Local notifications - Your app can now alert users of scheduled events and alarms in the background, no servers required.
- Task finishing - If your app is in mid-task and you nee to do something else, the app can now remain running to finish the task. Great for uploading and downloading data and getting other stuff done simultaneously.
- Fast app switching - Will allow users to leave your app and come right back to where you were when you left - no more reloading.
You know how pages and pages of apps can be quite a pain and you’ll have to keep scrolling through all of them just to find the one you need? Well third party apps form the Jailbroken sector, allowing for the creation of folders so you could easily categorize your stuff. Now Apple’s got its Folder option so you can have much neater page views and possibly, instead of multiple pages, you’ll have just one, with a bunch of folders.
It’s pretty simple to create folders, simply drag one app icon onto another, and a new folder is automatically created. The folder is automatically given a name based on the App Store category of that app, such as “Games”. These can be renamed if required. Users can also create and manage iPhone folders on their Mac or PC using iTunes 9.2. This has been a long time coming.
Access to iBooks –
For iPhone users jealous of the iPad’s new iBook book store and corresponding eBook reader, let go of your green feelings as OS 4.0 brings the iBook store to your hand held mobile device now. You can access and download your favorite titles right on the device. Of course, reading won’t be as convenient as on the iPad’s much larger screen, but I’m sure we’ll get by.
Game Center –
This is Apple’s new social gaming network that will soon be available for iPhone and iPod touch. It’s not fully ready just yet so you’ll have to be a little patient. If you’re an Apple iPhone user, that’ll come naturally now. At the event though, Apple did have a developer preview of Game Center, which contains a set of APIs that allows developers to create apps with the ability to invite friends to play a game, start a multiplayer game through matchmaking and even track achievements and compare high scores on a leader board. It’s an interesting concept and I’m quite looking forward to its official launch. That should make the iPhone’s gaming capabilities even more endearing.
Unified inbox for email –
I’m not entirely sure having all messages from all my email accounts displayed together in a single inbox is such a good idea, but I’m sure there are quite a few who would think otherwise. However Apple has thought of that apparently and their solution is that you’ll be able to quickly switch between inboxes to see messages from any single account with just a few taps. This I’ve got to see.
Another mail enhancement is that you can now thread messages by conversation, making it easier to stay on top of email discussions, as well as open email attachments with compatible apps from the App Store.
Enhanced Enterprise support –
That was all fun and games but now getting down to ‘Business’, the new enterprise features in iPhone OS 4 include improvements in security, scalability and compatibility. It’s a got a new Mobile Device Management service that users can have integrated with third party servers to wirelessly configure, query and even wipe or lock iPhones. Sounds real good so far. Seems like Apple has taken a notion from some of the budget Java mobiles in terms of security by including a password protection for mail messages and attachments stored on the iPhone. Other than that iPhone OS 4 also allows IT managers to set up multiple Exchange ActiveSync accounts, compatible with Exchange Server 2010 and it also includes support for forthcoming SSL VPN applications from Juniper Networks and Cisco. My data feels safer already.
iAd mobile advertising platform –
Apple’s new mobile advertising platform, combines the emotion of TV ads with the interactivity of web ads. iAd is capable of displaying full-screen video and interactive ad content without ever leaving the app, and letting users return to their app anytime they choose. This negates the pain of clicking on something that looks interesting, leaving the app to go to the web-browser to view the advertisers' web page and returning to the app again. iPhone OS 4 lets developers easily embed iAd opportunities within their apps, and the ads are wirelessly delivered to the device. Apple will sell and serve the ads, and developers will receive an industry-standard 60 percent of iAd revenue. Not bad.
Some of the smaller but notable updates include -
Improved Spotlight Search – The latest in Apple’s very handy Spotlight search is the addition of a direct Web or Wikipedia search option. It’s taken Apple quite a while to include this functionality since Android has toted this option for some time now. But better late then never I guess.
Spell Check – This will make typing a little faster than it already was and your information more accurate. I know my editor will just love this.
Bluetooth keyboard support – This feature is already supported on the iPad, but you’ll now be able to use it with your handset as well.
User Defined Backgrounds - Now you'll be able have a background for all your screens and not just your lock screen. Imagine, something so simple that jailbroken apps like Winetrboard were able to create took Apple this long.
Tap to focus for video and 5x Digital Zoom for Camera – For 3G users enjoying the video recording capabilities of the new handset, OS 4.0 adds a ‘Tap to Focus’ feature. Apple has even gone and added 5x of digital zoom for the still camera.
Playlist creation and nested playlist – For the iPod lovers you’ll now be able to create a custom playlist on your device itself without having to hook it up to iTunes.
An iPad version of OS 4.0 isn’t available just yet, not that it matters to us seeing as we haven’t got the device itself. However an update will be out for the ‘Oversized iPod Touch’ by this Fall which could be either September or October.
The iPhone OS 4 beta software and SDK are available immediately for the iPhone Developer Program members at developer.apple.com. iPhone OS 4 will be available as a software update to iPhone and iPod touch users this summer.
If you’re satisfied with all of the new updates, good, we all know there’s plenty more that should have been included but Apple likes to take the whole ‘baby steps’ bit very very literally. But here’s some bad news, iPhone 3G users, which is presumably what most of the users in this country are right now, will be able to update their handsets soon, but multi tasking is not supported. Ain’t that a ‘Bi**h! It’s only supported on the 3GS or third generation iPod touch (late 2009 models with 32GB or 64GB).
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