Sept 9th: iTunes 8, iPhone Firmware 2.1... with Hidden Features?

[Hey Jude]

I am grateful that I seem to have avoided the most severe consequences of firmware upgrades, except for the somewhat frequent crashes to the home screen. If that issue is fixed, along the elimination of the ever so slight lag between functions, I will be a very happy camper indeed!

Oh, another vote for MMS, but I just don't see it included.

Jude

FWIW, I have approximately 12 apps on my phone, about 340 songs, two movies and three TV shows but my backups are usually no longer than 10 minutes or so.

 

[mrgreen4242]

What's your point? I stated what is holding the Touch back from getting GPS and you just repeated what I said but added some BS timeframe for signal lock and size for a single country's map. If you can't see that the HW would be pointless without the SW then I have no idea what you are doing in a tech-based forum. Again, FOR THIS TO HAPPEN THERE WOULD HAVE TO BE LOCAL MAPS AVAILABLE. Of course, your lack of comprehension probably reads that as I'm saying it's not going to happen. Which isn't, in any way, what I said.

I have NO IDEA what you are trying to drive home here. What is it you are trying to say? You really need to re-read the things you write and try to be a little more clear. I'm not the only one who responded to you with more or less the same thing - so I'm assuming we all got the same impression from your post. You seem to agree with what I say, but also think it's wrong, or as you say "BS". You list some hurdles to GPS in the touch, but when I point at that those hurdles are fairly minor (GPS acquisition time and size of some local software) you throw them back in my face as still being hurdles, but not explaining why.

Anyways, I really have no idea what you are trying to say, so I'm sure whatever response I, or anyone else makes, you'll just reply in some sort of nonsensical post telling me I'm not saying anything and that's not what you were talking about at all.

AGPS *is* real GPS. Its real GPS ASSISTED with towers so that it can find the satellites faster.

Sorry, what I meant was "Real" GPS as in "Just Plain Old" GPS that doesn't rely on any PAID for service. I feel like people don't immediate see the distinction between GPS and aGPS, as they, in the end, do the same thing. So, I feel compelled to preface GPS with a prefix (like we do with Assisted GPS) and I just just chose to use the word Real, rather than, say, Unassisted, or Traditional, or Standard, or something like that.

 

[Mac Dummy]

I'd love to see Itunes 8 have a bittorrent client built in. That might help speed up downloads of content that are large or are downloading on slower connections. Also Smart Playlists for Video would be a welcome addition. Being able to search a specific song or video and see how many playlists it appears in might be nice too.

 

[Chic0]

I hope that iTunes 8 lets you stream you iTunes Library to things other than iPod Touch and iPhone (I don't have either b/c of the hard drive limitation). I hope you can stream to your MacBook or our Mac at work. It would be so awesome not to have to take HD space on your MacBook and still have your music.

ps I really hope they release new MacBooks and MBPs on Tues.

There is this : http://www.simplifymedia.com/

I've installed this on powerbook + iphone. works well over wifi. not tried it using 3G yet tho

 

[TheManOfSilver]

iPods are still an important business for , so they're always going to be big news, but I'm set with my iPhone and don't really care ... so my personal wishlist for Tuesday is around 2.1:

• Faster, more stable OS
• Copy/paste
• Voice dialing (c'mon Apple, my first Nokia brick had this!!)
• Nike+ for iPhone
• Push Gmail (dreaming, I know)
• Easy switch modes (3G, Wifi, Airplane)
• Video recording

I would also love to see the new Macbooks, but I know I'll have to wait an extra week (until after the Back to School promo) at least for that.

 

[Riemann Zeta]

Video Recording will likely at this point be left to the App Store since the optics in the camera are so poor...there was a job listing for a camera engineer for the iPhone a few months back, but that persons work won't likely be until the next model.

I wish this was the case, but it is not possible to access or control the camera with the Apple SDK--they don't allow direct hardware access and don't provide a camera API. If it were, we would have Video Recorder apps by now, as they already exist in the JB world.

I hope 2.1 does not have the background pushiness (I don't really feel like killing my battery for a feature I would never use) and instead has things like: (1) bug fixes for the SMS keyboard lag and random ringer volume bugs and (2) new build of safari with that uberfast flying-squirrel javascript interpreter and (3) greater OS stability.

For all those who are asking for a new macbook, apple is probably trying to get the new snow leopard into the new revision of macbook? which is the cause of the delay for new MB/MBP and etc. i am just guessing..

Zuh? OS 10.6 is not scheduled to be available until Summer 2009. Apple has only seeded 10.6 Alpha 1 and the first beta probably won't even appear until Jan 2009. I doubt that 10.6 has anything to do with anything right now.

 

[AtHomeBoy_2000]

I'll throw this one at the wall here:
Could the "classic" line be discontinued in favor of a single "touch" line with both flash and HDD versions?

Just a thought.

 

[Trajectory]

Well, let's hope the 2.1 firmware fixes the many bugs in the iPhone OS first, then we can talk about adding more features, like cut-and-paste, video recording, etc.

I just hope Safari Mobile is getting a complete re-write because it is a horrible, unstable app right now. It's a real POS.

Email needs a boost, too. Multiple signatures, adding Attendees, choosing the colors you want for each calendar, etc.

A Contacts app that actually works and doesn't pause for 10 seconds before you can select a contact and phone number to dial.

SMS that doesn't take 5X longer to type a simple message and send it.

 

[shazammy]

Wait a minute...

You mean they're going to release a patch that makes the thing actually work the way it is supposed to work! That is just amazing. Truly amazing. A banner day, Apple.

 

[gregdrummeraz]

I'll throw this one at the wall here:
Could the "classic" line be discontinued in favor of a single "touch" line with both flash and HDD versions?

Just a thought.

Kind of what I was thinking.... Classics only are a classic for so long, then people just stop buying. I can almost be certain that half of last quarters iPod sales where touch and in second where nanos.

 

[App1€]

iPod Touch can't have GPS because it doesn't have the HARDWARE needed to send and receive the signal. The next iPod Touch might, but I hope not because then it just keeps eliminating the reasons I spent the extra money to get the iPhone.

C+P would be nice, but I really never had a huge reason for it. Yes it would have been handy a bunch of times, but I want MMS more.

I am REALLY REALLY hoping for something like simplify media, but made by apple. I can finally get rid of the iPhone play list I have.

 

[vandy1997]

That's correct. It's the part where it says "Backing up ... iPhone". It takes forever for me. Maybe some apps are causing problems and the backup takes forever. Do you have small-sized apps? Texas Hold 'Em, as an example, is about 120 mb, so that would take longer than 13 0.1 mb apps. Also, I use Windows Vista. Are you on a Mac? iTunes seems to be less than optimal on Windows systems. All I know is that I know two other people, including myself, with the same issues. So the problem may be with a particular app that is causing a loop and therefore creating a lengthy backup process or it may be that iTunes in Windows is slow. All I know is that I would like it to be rectified. I had the first generation iPhone, and it took me about 10 minutes to backup and sync, so this lengthy backup with the iPhone 3G is unacceptable!

I have 4 GB of media and 13 apps, and mine takes about 50 seconds to backup during the sync process. We are referring to the portion of the sync where it says "Backing up ...iPhone," right?

 

[CWallace]

I'll throw this one at the wall here: Could the "classic" line be discontinued in favor of a single "touch" line with both flash and HDD versions?

That would tend to make the most sense, as the larger HDD capacity would appeal to those who want to bring plenty of widescreen movies and TV shows with them. Such an iPod Touch would be thicker and heavier (to both accommodate the size and weight of the HDD as well as the larger battery needed), but it would likely keep a HDD-based model more relevant as flash capacities rise to 64GB/96GB/128GB.

 

[IlluminatedSage]

I'll hold my applause for something that is revolutionary.

I'm with you, seems like apple as lately has been innovative in only one respect, marketing.

They have fallen short in technology and many of their plans:
1- 3G fundamentally flawed. hope they can fix
2- no true Blu-Ray support, whether just in BD-Rom support, let alone full HD movie playback.
3- flawed closed DRM system for Ipod and such, they could work with record companies and more to allow a better more dynamic DRM system. this would help consumers alot.
4- too many products with intel GPU.
5- integrate itunes HD movie rental to macs/pc's with HDCP graphics cards and monitors. why should Apple TV be the only way to watch HD movies with macs?
6- Apple finally needs to sell what consumers want - THE DAMNED MYTHICAL MIDRANGE MAC Tower!!! too many consumers are underserved and being forced to buy a mac pro tower, we need a midrange product!

If Apple is to continue its success, they need to offer more to their customers and stop relying on the ipod/iphone halo.

OS 10.5 is great, but without blu-ray support or the hardware consumers want, apple is missing the boat and some chinks in their halo are occuring.

 

[Manic Mouse]

Apple need to do something about back-ups. I hear people complaining about 50 sec back-ups but mine takes about an hour. So to sync, especially if there are new apps to install, it can take my iPhone close to two hours to complete a single sync.

Sort it out Apple!

 

[CWallace]

(S)eems like apple as lately has been innovative in only one respect, marketing. They have fallen short in technology and many of their plans:
1- 3G fundamentally flawed. hope they can fix

It is fixed now with the 2.0.2 firmware. If users would just install the bleedin thing, the network performance would improve.

2- no true Blu-Ray support, whether just in BD-Rom support, let alone full HD movie playback.

Apple's goal is to get people to download content to their computers from iTunes. There is also the cost factor for the hardware that Apple needs for their machines other then the Mac Pro (slot-load, low-profile, laptop form factor) and the fact that it does impact battery life to a not-insignificant extent.

3- flawed closed DRM system for Ipod and such, they could work with record companies and more to allow a better more dynamic DRM system. this would help consumers alot.

Apple has worked tirelessly to get the RIAA to remove their demands for DRM in order to allow them to sell content through iTunes. However, the RIAA still pines for a world where people "pay per play" and not just once so they continue to fight Apple's initiatives. They are also afraid of the power Apple and iTunes wields in the industry. And even the artists themselves are starting to worry since many are seeing only one or two tracks selling from their online albums, costing them significant revenue compared to if they had to buy the entire thing (like a CD).

4- too many products with intel GPU.

Two out of five product lines. That is not even a plurality, much less a majority.

If Apple is to continue its success, they need to offer more to their customers and stop relying on the ipod/iphone halo.

That halo is a major part of why they are successful.

 

[illegallydead]

I agree with you. I have an iPod Touch with 2.0.2 and have had maybe 5 instances where apps have quit on me. I have had this touch from the beginning (almost a year old) and it is one of the best "toys" I have ever got. And to everyone saying that the iPhone and iPod Touch take two hours or so to sync... idk how slow your computer is. Mine take 5-8 minutes tops and I have friends who have iPhone 3Gs and original iPhones and the highest number i got from them was 20 minutes on a iPhone 3G being synced to Windows XP laptop with a gig of ram.

haha you and your friends probably got those times because you actually know how to use a computer/handle an iPhone/iTouch. All these people complaining are expecting the iPhone to be the second coming of christ himself...

 

[seashellz]

we should be getting 10.5.5 and iTunes 8 tomorrow-so they can work out any kinks before the show and have it ready, up, and running come 9:00am Tues

 

[gregdrummeraz]

we should be getting 10.5.5 and iTunes 8 tomorrow-so they can work out any kinks before the show and have it ready, up, and running come 9:00am Tues

Um.... I'm thinking more along the lines of Tues.

 

[IT-Pro]

we should be getting 10.5.5 and iTunes 8 tomorrow-so they can work out any kinks before the show and have it ready, up, and running come 9:00am Tues

I can imagine they would release 10.5.5 tomorrow, just for Tuesday preparations. One guy on this forum said, that according to his source 10.5.5 will come Monday late afternoon, which is presumably Eastern Standard Time.

However, it seems to me that if iTunes 8 contains a lot of new features, and according to the leaks it does, they won't release the new version without telling the media about it, so they have to wait till the Tuesday event.

 

[PS590]

make every app, including the home screen, landscape able.

 

[dstrauss]

...Apple may not have as many security problems as MS - but MS still makes products that dont require a .x update within weeks of the initial program offering.

You're right, Vista .x was needed even BEFORE Vista was released!

 

[amacisbetter]

iPhone Stability

That is all I want. I could care less about features at this point. My dads original iPhone was so stable. I got my iPhone 3G expecting the same smoothness and stability. I haven't had the same experience...

 

[App1€]

we should be getting 10.5.5 and iTunes 8 tomorrow-so they can work out any kinks before the show and have it ready, up, and running come 9:00am Tues

Ha ha you're funny that would mean they actually learned something from the 2.0 debacle. That's not big business.

 

[App1€]

That is all I want. I could care less about features at this point. My dads original iPhone was so stable. I got my iPhone 3G expecting the same smoothness and stability. I haven't had the same experience...

You most likely used 1.1.4 ah so nice everything ran excellent. The good old days