Highlights of Apple's iPhone OS 3.0 Preview: Copy and Paste, A2DP, MMS, Much More

[boyreinvented]

With this rumoured price cut in the UK to clear stock before the new iphone and with this new OS on the way it sounds about time to finally get an iphone 3G.

I always wait for this stage in the sales cycle as most of the rest of the time I regard the iphone as over priced in the UK. Not sure what the price is like in the US.

How is it overpriced when you can get it free on pay monthly contracts that are shorter than any other iphone contract worldwide? Why get an iPhone now, when new phones are about 3 months away? Wouldn't you rather see what new hardware brings first and then make an informed decision about what type of iPhone to buy?

 

[42gb]

So, because apple adds features, ones you have NO idea about, your going to buy a device in the hopes that some day, at some time, they will add that certain feature?

Well, that makes sense.

What im saying is if you have no reason to beleive they will add a certain functionality (other than you wanting it) why would anyone EXPECT them to add it?

Who are you to question people's motivations?

This is what I hear: "You're buying the iPhone for the wrong reasons! You may love it and look forward to its continuing evolution, but I think you lack a clear understanding of when new features will be added! Why doesn't all of this uncertainty scare you? I just peed myself." =p

I hear your basic point, but I think you're ignoring basic market principles. There is a lot of demand for certain features, and competitive pressure to add those features, and no major technical barriers to adding those features. I think it's safe to say that all of the features people have been clamoring for will be added, and as of today most of them have.

There is, however, no guarantee that Apple will add new, highly anticipated features with any sense of urgency. Apple is sloooooow, so anyone who expects that the one feature they desperately need is right around the corner probably drank too much kool-aid.

 

[monkeytennis]

With this rumoured price cut in the UK to clear stock before the new iphone and with this new OS on the way it sounds about time to finally get an iphone 3G.

I always wait for this stage in the sales cycle as most of the rest of the time I regard the iphone as over priced in the UK. Not sure what the price is like in the US.

I disagree - I think UK iPhone users get a much better deal than almost every other country, especially once you factor in text & call costs.

 

[Altharion]

ACID test

I don't know if it has been said before, but Mobile Safari scores 97/100 in Acid3 in 3.0 beta (it was about 74/100 in 2.2)

 

[diamond.g]

easily by using different protocols that adds line of code to the new devices that won't use it therefore adding pointless bloatware to most devices, remember they're trying NOT to be microsoft.

OK, to the people who own a 1st gen iPhone, I understand your disappointment in lack of MMS but I think the post by MrCubes below is the closest/most realistic explanation as to why you've been left out.

To summarize, he says that the MMS spec for EDGE was a mess and it was substantially tightened up for 3G. Apple purchased a complete 3G stack from a third party who specializes in cell phone hardware - so it likely has had the ability to send and receive MMS messages for a while but they had no user interface / lower layer code to support it. What I think MasterNile is getting at is that technically YES - Apple could have supported MMS for 1st gen iPhones but it simply did not make business sense. With the 3G spec, they have to write one module for it and it should work worldwide. With EDGE, the spec was not defined as well and so there are a number of different implementations out in the wild - so they'd have to reinvent the wheel 3, 4, or more different times. That costs real money. No doubt Apple has the talent to do it, it just doesn't make sense (hence why there is a solution in the jailbroken world). On top of that, there's always the chance that one of their implementations isn't perfect and the end-user gets a bad experience from it - which can negatively impact Apple. From a beancounter's perspective, not only did it not cost them money to support it but it provides a handy excuse to get early adopters to upgrade: the proverbial win-win. I think if it was truly as easy as these arm-chair computer engineers on this forum think it is, Apple would have done it.

The lesson to take away from this is if you're an early adopter, be prepared for buyer's remorse. It may not be immediate but eventually you will be left out one way or another. I've never bought anything that has been a first gen - and I absolutely lusted for the iPhone when it was first announced in January 2007. I finally broke down January of this year when my RAZR finally bit the big one and got a 3G and have never looked back.

My advice is to wait for the iPhone Dev Team to jailbreak the 3.0 OS and use one of the many MMS apps out there.

So what happens to those iPhone 3G owners who send an MMS in a coverage area without 3G?

It's a load of BS on Apples part. If your going to give us OS 3.0, give it to us right. Don't force us to upgrade! MMS can be sent over GPRS/EDGE/3G

Beanboy has asked the same question I did. So when those 3G users lose 3G service, they can no longer send or receive MMS. Does anyone really thing Apple would be that stupid? Seriously?

I can understand that. ATT wants 1st Gen iPhone users on 3G in order to make more money. Apple wants 1st Gen iPhone users to buy new phones for more money. I just think from a consumer stand point that if i want MMS on my 1st Gen i gotta pay more when i shouldn't have to.

Unless Apples agreement with AT&T for profit sharing (for the 1st gen iPhone owners service) ends after 2 years, Apple stands to make more money by keeping 1st gen owners on the 1st gen phone. Think about it. Not only did Apple get 400-600 dollars, but they also get (rumors) like 10 bucks a month. That is an extra 240 bucks that Apple doesn't see with the 3G. And if the service agreement sharing doesn't end they just keep getting money. Unless everyone here believes that Apple is getting 600-800 bucks from AT&T for each iPhone 3G.

Note that you can't get the Xbox Dashboard update without an Xbox Live account. This is not a coincidence.

Not true. There are a ton of 360s not connected to the internet, they all can get the dashboard update. It is included in some of the popular games that go to press after the dashboard update has been released. Or the user can burn a dashboard update disc from microsofts website.

 

[iSamurai]

...so what's the hardware limitation to MMS for the 1st generation iPhone? (I don't think you need 3G to send an MMS)

 

[Oliver.m]

This update looks so good. I'm not really bothered about MMS but i think being able to forward SMS messages is going to be so useful.

I also can't wait for TomTom to release an iPhone version now they are able to. I remember seeing a demo of it before somewhere so hopefully it won't be far off.

 

[69650]

Because it was nearly 1am here in the UK (yes, a place that exists outside of the USA) when I posted that and nothing in the page 1 summary appealed to me enough to stay up and watch the entire keynote, which having scanned through was boring as Hell.

So I thought I'd simply ask a question regarding one often requested feature which I thought would be included in any summary, and as it turned out it was worth me asking.

Unfortunately I forgot there's always somebody online prepared to answer with a smartarse comment.

The Live Blog was so boring I fell asleep half way through.

 

[iGarth]

Not true. There are a ton of 360s not connected to the internet, they all can get the dashboard update. It is included in some of the popular games that go to press after the dashboard update has been released. Or the user can burn a dashboard update disc from microsofts website.

Just checked Xbox.com and you're right. That's interesting, I wasn't aware of download option.

Not sure how they are rationalising it then, perhaps arguing it doesn't actually provide any additional functionality (unless you're connected to Xbox Live?), just a revised UI..?

 

[diamond.g]

Just checked Xbox.com and you're right. That's interesting, I wasn't aware of download option.

Not sure how they are rationalising it then, perhaps arguing it doesn't actually provide any additional functionality (unless you're connected to Xbox Live?), just a revised UI..?

Bug fixes and some new features.

 

[sintra1]

From the Q&A:

Q: Where do you stand on tethering?
A: There’s two pieces needed to support that: client side and working with carriers. We’re absolutely supporting tethering in the client side in iPhone 3.0, but we’re working with carriers around the world to see when they can add tethering support on their networks. But we are building that support into iPhone 3.0.

Are they seriously telling these lies publicly? Carriers (at least in Europe) support tethering for at least 5 years!!! What exactly is Apple working with the carriers on? What a ********.

Actually not quite true most Mobile network consumer contracts explicitly EXCLUDE the right to tether an internet enabled phone and Laptop in Europe.

If your operator observes "excessive" use they have the obligation to investigate and you may find yourself being billed at some astronomical rate for ALL minutes used for breach of contract FACT.

Tethering contracts are available but DO have an extra cost of several Tens of Pounds/Euros over the standard contracts.

Now the very fact the hardware from Nokia and others allow bluetooth tethering with the built-in bluetooth profiles out of the box is a different matter, as these companies phones are generally sold/supplied by differing operators. Carriers can however lock and disable functions and do so in some countries as well.

Regretably Apples business model in the US and UK especially where they have struck Network exclusive deals with AT&T and O2 has certainly resulted in the tethering profile being disabled.
What they are probably working on is a software process that can be enabled by the Carrier on receipt of appropriate payment and subject to contract etc........

 

[richard.mac]

what about To Do syncing? i use them much more than Notes and To Dos are integrated into Notes.

 

[headfuzz]

I also can't wait for TomTom to release an iPhone version now they are able to. I remember seeing a demo of it before somewhere so hopefully it won't be far off.

Amen, brother.

The day I can finally retire my Xda Orbit (rebadged HTC P3300) because I no longer need it for satnav I will be very happy.

 

[nibbet]

The MMS hardware limitation is a software one as they are more than capable of sending and receiving MMS. This is false differentiation by apple and an attempt to force you to upgrade.

True but welcome to sales 101

 

[ashjamben]

looks interesting.

i hope they bring out a new iphone for the launch aswell. not because a new one is needed or anything, just because i'll be able to get an early upgrade, instead of waiting a year for the end of my contract cos mine was nicked

 

[nibbet]

what about To Do syncing? i use them much more than Notes and To Dos are integrated into Notes.

I'm with you on this. How ever I purchased ToDo by Appigo and use Toodledo to ssnyc my Todos from my computer.

 

[gnasher729]

...so what's the hardware limitation to MMS for the 1st generation iPhone? (I don't think you need 3G to send an MMS)

There is no hardware limitation. As explained by someone else much better in a previous post, but probably too long to read: Apple can buy a perfectly working MMS solution for 3G for very little money, which they probably have done. MMS software before 3G is an absolute mess; the spec for it was unclear, there are dozens of incompatible implementations, there is no ready-made solution available to buy, so Apple would have to spend tons and tons of engineering to get a workable solution. Considering that Apple wouldn't make one penny from all this work, they concentrate on something else.

 

[gnasher729]

I would buy a new iPhone to be able to multi-task. I think tons of others would too.

Please explain to us what exactly this magical "multi-tasking" would buy you except slower programs, more problems with memory, and vastly reduced battery life?

My thoughts exactly. I sure hope they held back on features that would give away the next iPhone version. If the Palm Pre works as well as Palm says it will, I see no reason for a non-Mac user to purchase an iPhone. Where was the real innovation revealed in this press conference? I just don't see it...and I LOVE nearly all my Apple products and services ..... so I'm not trolling.

When you say "If the Palm Pre works as well as Palm says it will", do you mean as well as Palm said when they showed it to the public, or as well as Palm's lawyers said when they almost got a heart attack after viewing that show, because most of what they said was going to get them into legal trouble?

 

[Goona]

You have to hand it to Apple...

They sure know the definitions of the words BUSINESS and PROFIT.

As much as I would love to be amazed and awed at the added functionalities involved with the impending 3.0 "upgrade," I am just sick of Apple holding out on features it should have already had on the iPhone to begin with, just so they can suck people in later on and play the hero. Almost none of the features going to be added are at all revolutionary, and almost all of them can be found in some phones that have been out on the market for years. Yet all of a sudden MMS and copy and paste FINALLY appears and HALLELUJAH! Apple is GOD and is really working hard to please its customers! Please. It's just lame hyping up this OS as "even more advanced" when it's introducing very few things that are unique and integrating many that should already have been present at the first iteration of the phone. And don't make the claim that
"well, they'll sell more now that people see what they're putting into it" as this argument is pointless, Apple would ALREADY have sold more if they had most
of these things implemented in the first place.

Don't get me wrong, I love my 3G, I think it's an incredible piece of technology and I couldn't imagine switching to anything else at this point because for the
most part, i've been highly satisfied. I just find it kind of funny how much
Apple is being glorified all over again for releasing features that, and I can't
stress this enough, should have already been there since the first iPhone was
released and hyping these features as being advanced, cause they're not.
Apple is the only company that can be praised for injecting "brand new and
advanced features" into a particular product when similar products with
comparable/exact same features exist. This says a lot about Apple
fanboys...

So they shouldn't add the featres because other phones have them, name me one single phone that has every user requested feature, what about the features the iPhone has that others don't?

 

[Goona]

My thoughts exactly. I sure hope they held back on features that would give away the next iPhone version. If the Palm Pre works as well as Palm says it will, I see no reason for a non-Mac user to purchase an iPhone. Where was the real innovation revealed in this press conference? I just don't see it...and I LOVE nearly all my Apple products and services ..... so I'm not trolling.

What innovation did Palm bring to the table, you better hope your saviour Palm doesn't go bust before the Pre debuts.:

 

[Goona]

I'm regretting wasting the $300 on an iPod Touch with yet another 'must pay' update.

So then get an iPhone and pay 100 dollars every month like we do..

 

[jaw04005]

...so what's the hardware limitation to MMS for the 1st generation iPhone? (I don't think you need 3G to send an MMS)

For what it's worth, a verified member of Apple's developer tools team posted in a private forum elsewhere that Apple's implementation of MMS goes above and beyond standard MMS because it supports additional files (including audio and text documents). Apple wants their version of MMS to work just like e-mail, and therefore has special encoding requirements that the original iPhone doesn't support.

He did admit that picture messaging MMS would be possible with the original iPhone.

However, who knows if he's accurate.

Personally, I could careless about MMS, but I do think Apple should just implement standard MMS in the original iPhone and their so-called advanced MMS in the iPhone 3G and future revisions.

 

[Oh-es-Ten]

I don't know if it has been said before, but Mobile Safari scores 97/100 in Acid3 in 3.0 beta (it was about 74/100 in 2.2)

Wow - that is great. Thanks very much for letting us know that. Amazing to have that on such a small device and build of the browser. Apple has not been sitting around....

 

[hockeyhammer]

i need a dev. name

does anyone have an enroled iphone dev. acount name and password i can have? if you think thats stupid, can a developer upload a link or the file for 3.0 beta please!

 

[Gasu E.]

Definitely satire.

That's what I thought when I read it.