Hints at iPhone Copy and Paste in Firmware 2.1?

MacRumors · Jul 25, 2008, 11:02 AM

The new iPhone 2.1 Beta Firmware that was released to some iPhone developers yesterday has been found to have hints at an upcoming Copy and Paste feature. According to MacNN:

Quote:

One notes that in exploring the Localizable.strings entry under English.lproj in the current iPhone WebKit framework, there are entries for several commands the firmware does not currently support, including cutting, copying and pasting.

Apple's Greg Joswiak recently said that a copy/paste feature has simply not been high enough on the priority list so far, but suggested that there it could be coming in the future. Previously one engineer had revealed that Apple had been working on iPhone copy/paste but that the exact implementation had not been decided.

Now with the introduction of 3rd party iPhone applications such as WordPress for iPhone, basic copy and paste functionality has become even more important.

Article Link

Sky Blue · Jul 25, 2008, 11:03 AM

yay, an end to the whining.

dejo · Jul 25, 2008, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sky Blue

yay, an end to the whining.

I doubt it. Even once it's released, there'll be whiners because it's not implemented exactly like they wanted it to be.

Ntombi · Jul 25, 2008, 11:06 AM

Oh, I so hope this is true!

4God · Jul 25, 2008, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sky Blue

yay, an end to the whining.

Well, it should be but I doubt it though. Whiners whine, that's what they do.

Glad to see copy and paste though.

aosman · Jul 25, 2008, 11:06 AM

Finally. As much as this feature is long overdue, people's whining was getting very annoying.

.:R2theT · 01:09 PM

**** cut and paste. Low on the list of priorities? How about just getting this 2.0 software to some level of stability. 2.0, as it is, should never have been released into the wild. Apple is pushing too fast and dropping the ball more and more!

brewno · Jul 25, 2008, 11:09 AM

Nice, that's awesome. All I need now is skype and TomTom. :P

elbirth · Jul 25, 2008, 11:10 AM

this will be really cool. before I had an iPhone I was of the idea that you didn't really need copy and paste on a mobile device because it's not meant to be a full-blown computer with all the bells and whistles- just enough to get you by when you're on the go. Then after having used it for a couple weeks now, I do admit that copy & paste would be incredibly useful in a lot of situations- even when posting on forums and wanting to quote multiple people, for example. Or give someone a URL in an email you want to quickly reply to, etc.

I'm not holding my breath, but it'll be sweet if this does come out in the next firmware release.. wonder how long it'll be until they get it out

sushi · Jul 25, 2008, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dejo

I doubt it. Even once it's released, there'll be whiners because it's not implemented exactly like they wanted it to be.

So true.

Quote:

Originally Posted by .:R2theT

F**k cut and paste. Low on the list of priorities? How about just getting this 2.0 software to some level of stability. 2.0, as it is, should never have been released into the wild. Apple is pushing too fast and dropping the ball more and more!

Calm down.

Version 2.0 is working fine for some.

Part of the problem is 3rd party apps.

It will get better.

Sweetbike40 · Jul 25, 2008, 11:11 AM

I'd like this for sure. Can't even count how many times i need to copy paste something.

geerlingguy · Jul 25, 2008, 11:11 AM

I don't need copy and paste 99% of the time, but that missing 1% of the time is killer. Most of the time, I end up pulling out my pen and writing something (like a link) down, then re-typing the whole thing on the iPhone... a laborious process to say the least (when there are numbers, letters and signs). I still avoid doing most blogging or such things when I'm on my iPhone.

MisterK · Jul 25, 2008, 11:12 AM

I'm a little worried about the implementation. Yes.. I've seen that video on Youtube where someone fakes a copy/paste on an iPhone, but I'm not convinced that's the best implementation on a touch screen. I'm really not sure how Apple will implement it and I think it's a harder thing to take back and show people a new way later. However they do this, it will have to be elegant.

solipsism · Jul 25, 2008, 11:13 AM

1) Are there no such localization strings in previous versions of mobile Safari?

2) If the localization strings are only in mobile Safari, not in other apps, then cut/copy/paste won't carry over apps in the iPhone.

twoodcc · Jul 25, 2008, 11:15 AM

now this will make many people happy. i'm looking forward to this

solipsism · Jul 25, 2008, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MisterK

I'm a little worried about the implementation. Yes.. I've seen that video on Youtube where someone fakes a copy/paste on an iPhone, but I'm not convinced that's the best implementation on a touch screen. I'm really not sure how Apple will implement it and I think it's a harder thing to take back and show people a new way later. However they do this, it will have to be elegant.

The best method I can figure is by holding down the Home button and tapping the screen at the start point and then at the end point. At which time a message appears asking you if you want to cut or copy the text.

Pasting would be performed by holding down the Home button and then double-tapping at the correct location. This does limit it to text only, and not to images, but I think Apple should take baby steps with this as there is no easy solution that is going to be as user-friendly as using a physical keyboard and mouse.

I think there needs to be a robust Clipboard for the iPhone that you can access like the Notes app. Meaning, a clipboard that holds multiple data sets in memory and one that can be manually edited for future use and quick access pasting.

ipodtouchy333 · Jul 25, 2008, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sky Blue

yay, an end to the whining.

An end to the whining? Where is MMS ?!

fastbite · Jul 25, 2008, 11:20 AM

I need it, so bring it on!

InkMaster · Jul 25, 2008, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sushi

Part of the problem is 3rd party apps.

Doubt that, 90% of the problems I've had are all on Apple's part... Lagging default apps, maps loading extremely sluggishly, needing to restart the device couple of times a day because it starts crawling while doing anything. Scrolling lists is extremely jerky/laggy... the list goes on and has nothing to do w/ 3rd party apps. If anything the apps worked perfectly fine for me for the most part...

Mydel · Jul 25, 2008, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brewno

Nice, that's awesome. All I need now is skype and TomTom. :P

I would love skype!! I have unlimited 3G, so I dont understand why it is not an option.

Merthyrboy · Jul 25, 2008, 11:29 AM

The word press will be really good. Don't really need the copy and paste I don't think.

MrCatMan · Jul 25, 2008, 11:29 AM

Bring it on!

Sky Blue · Jul 25, 2008, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ipodtouchy333

An end to the whining? Where is MMS ?!

oh yeah, forgot about that

crackermac · Jul 25, 2008, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mydel

I would love skype!! I have unlimited 3G, so I dont understand why it is not an option.

Sorry, they already said you won't be able to do VOIP over cell network. Only WiFi.

Surely · Jul 25, 2008, 11:30 AM

Good. But stability first please.

Slow loading and response to input is getting old.

Jul 25, 2008, 11:06 AM	#4
Ntombi macrumors 68000 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Bostonian exiled in SoCal	Oh, I so hope this is true! __________________ 2.53 GHz 13" MacBook Pro 5.5 gen White iPod 32GB White iPhone 3GS Switching to AT&T? PM me for a $25 gift card!

Jul 25, 2008, 11:07 AM	#7
.:R2theT macrumors regular Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: VR6	**** cut and paste. Low on the list of priorities? How about just getting this 2.0 software to some level of stability. 2.0, as it is, should never have been released into the wild. Apple is pushing too fast and dropping the ball more and more! __________________ A creative man is motivated by the desire to achieve, not by the desire to beat others. - Ayn Rand Last edited by AmbitiousLemon : Jul 25, 2008 at 01:09 PM.

Jul 25, 2008, 11:09 AM	#8
brewno macrumors regular Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Montreal, Canada	Nice, that's awesome. All I need now is skype and TomTom. :P __________________ Blog - Flickr White iPhone \| MBP 15" Matte 2.2 \| iMac 24" 2.8 \| 10.6.1 \| Video iPod 60Gb \| iPod Touch 8Gb \| iPod HiFi \| Canon XSi

Jul 25, 2008, 11:10 AM	#9
elbirth macrumors 65816 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: North Carolina, US	this will be really cool. before I had an iPhone I was of the idea that you didn't really need copy and paste on a mobile device because it's not meant to be a full-blown computer with all the bells and whistles- just enough to get you by when you're on the go. Then after having used it for a couple weeks now, I do admit that copy & paste would be incredibly useful in a lot of situations- even when posting on forums and wanting to quote multiple people, for example. Or give someone a URL in an email you want to quickly reply to, etc. I'm not holding my breath, but it'll be sweet if this does come out in the next firmware release.. wonder how long it'll be until they get it out __________________ 15" MacBook Pro 2GHz Core Duo, 2GB RAM Mac Pro 2 x 3GHz Quad-Core Xeon, 6GB RAM, 3 24" LCDs iPhone 3G - Black, 16GB

Jul 25, 2008, 11:11 AM	#11
Sweetbike40 macrumors 6502a Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: NY/NJ	I'd like this for sure. Can't even count how many times i need to copy paste something. __________________ SR MBP 17", Power Mac G5 16g iPod Touch (sold) 8g Pink Nano 3G iPhone 8g

Jul 25, 2008, 11:03 AM	#2
Sky Blue macrumors 68040 Join Date: Jan 2005	yay, an end to the whining.

Jul 25, 2008, 11:06 AM	#6
aosman macrumors 6502 Join Date: Jan 2008	Finally. As much as this feature is long overdue, people's whining was getting very annoying.

Jul 25, 2008, 11:11 AM	#12
geerlingguy macrumors 6502 Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: The Midwest, USA	I don't need copy and paste 99% of the time, but that missing 1% of the time is killer. Most of the time, I end up pulling out my pen and writing something (like a link) down, then re-typing the whole thing on the iPhone... a laborious process to say the least (when there are numbers, letters and signs). I still avoid doing most blogging or such things when I'm on my iPhone. __________________ Midwestern Mac, LLC \| Life is a Prayer.com 2.8 iMac 24" + 2.0 Aluminum MacBook + 2 TB + iPhone 3G + D90 + D40 + Xbox 360 + Much much more

Jul 25, 2008, 11:12 AM	#13
MisterK macrumors member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Ottawa, Canada	Awesome... But... I'm a little worried about the implementation. Yes.. I've seen that video on Youtube where someone fakes a copy/paste on an iPhone, but I'm not convinced that's the best implementation on a touch screen. I'm really not sure how Apple will implement it and I think it's a harder thing to take back and show people a new way later. However they do this, it will have to be elegant.

Jul 25, 2008, 11:13 AM	#14
solipsism macrumors regular Join Date: Jan 2008	1) Are there no such localization strings in previous versions of mobile Safari? 2) If the localization strings are only in mobile Safari, not in other apps, then cut/copy/paste won't carry over apps in the iPhone.

Jul 25, 2008, 11:15 AM	#15
twoodcc macrumors 603 Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Right side of wrong	now this will make many people happy. i'm looking forward to this __________________ tville pump Smarter than the average bear

Jul 25, 2008, 11:20 AM	#18
fastbite macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: London	I need it, so bring it on! __________________ If the movie is a turkey, stuff it! http://www.turkeyornot.com/

Jul 25, 2008, 11:29 AM	#21
Merthyrboy macrumors newbie Join Date: Jul 2008	The word press will be really good. Don't really need the copy and paste I don't think.

Jul 25, 2008, 11:29 AM	#22
MrCatMan macrumors member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: UK	Bring it on!

Jul 25, 2008, 11:30 AM	#25
Surely macrumors 68040 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: West Los Angeles, CA	Good. But stability first please. Slow loading and response to input is getting old. __________________ MacBook iPhone 3G S⃣ 32GB "You'll have to speak up; I'm wearing a towel."

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