I debated about whether or not to even cover this today but I decided I will but from a different angle. Apple has announced the features of iPhone OS 3.0 and they do not impress me no matter how much fanboys out there try to spin it.
- Cut and Paste (I can’t believe this is finally a “feature”)
- New Spotlight that searches all of the phone
- 3G tethering to a computer, will need to have carrier support before functional
- Landscape keyboard
- MMS (multimedia messaging)
- Support for 2 new calendar types, .ics (same as iCal) and CalDAV (Google and Yahoo)
- Improved stocks application
- Stereo Bluetooth A2DP audio
- Sync notes with iTunes
- Automatic login for Safari
- Shake to shuffle music
- WiFi auto login
- Safari now has Anti-Phishing capabilities
- Extended Parental Controls
New Applications
- Voice Memo
- Send and Receive files
None of those new additions impress me at all except Parental Controls. The others are all expected in any mobile OS and are just a given that it will contain them. Seriously MMS? Copy & Paste? Auto logins? What I would like to know is how this actually gets a “3.0″ version number! This at most should be a .1 bump in versions. Maybe I am just being overly critical but I am really not seeing where this is a decent release that justifies all the buzz it has received.
The only place where Apple deserves a little credit on this one is some of the API’s that they have opened for the iPhone with this release. There are 1,000 new API’s for developers to utilize that will give them access to more features that will enhance the device further. Yet again many of these are actually expected API’s and should not really be flaunted as Steve Job’s gift to mortal man.
The OS will be a free upgrade for iPhone owners but iPod touch owners will have to pony up $9.95 if they want to get it. My friend Adam said it best “Apple is a genius, who else can get their users to actually pay for copy and paste support?”.
No Comment