News - Apple's iPhone OS 3.0 now available for public consumption

[HEXUS]

Care for some good ol' cut, copy and paste functionality?

Read more.

[TheAnimus]

Now if only they got a decent screen on it, would allow any apps (ie Flash and the ability to turn it into a wifi hotspot router), and upgrade the screen, i'd probably replace my touchHD, and finally do away with win mobile!

Version 5 maybe?

[Infinite]

Charging £5.99 for an OS update is a joke on my iPod Touch.

Especially the part about finally being able to use the built-in bluetooth, it isnt like they added more hardware or a bluetooth adaptor, it was already there but they just didnt turn it on, then a year later charging £6 for you to use it is like robbery. (angry face)

http://www.apple.com/uk/ipodtouch/softwareupdate.html

[scaryjim]

It's taken 3 versions for them to implement *cut and paste*? You have to be kidding...

[Fraz]

Originally Posted by scaryjim

It's taken 3 versions for them to implement *cut and paste*? You have to be kidding...

Their computer operating system is on version 10 now, and that still hasn't got cut...

[Nikumba]

Been using 3.0 and seems better, however what annoys me and I accept its a usual apple tactic is things like voice dialing, is only avalible on the 3gs, so your telling me there is a special bit of hardware to allow this?

I mean come on

Kimbie

[Mattus]

If you ask me, people should stop whinging. On which other range of phones can you take a handset that's two years old (the original iPhone) and enable most of the new features of the latest models purely through a free software update?

Of course new models will have some new features. That's how the company makes money. What do you expect them to do - invest lots of money in developing new software features, and release them all to existing phones for nothing?

That's just not how it works. The company can't improve its products and make a profit if it doesn't sell new handsets.

[TAKTAK]

Originally Posted by Mattus

If you ask me, people should stop whinging. On which other range of phones can you take a handset that's two years old (the original iPhone) and enable most of the new features on the latest models purely through a free software update?

Of course new models will have some new features. That's how the company makes money. What do you expect them to do - invest lots of money in developing new software features, and release them all to existing phones for nothing?

That's just not how it works.

On which other range of phones can you take a handset that's two years old and you need to enable core functions...
If they did it properly in the first place and added bluetooth support (they had the hardware in the device...), video capture and MMS, how many other phones need to be updated to have that?...

the "whinging" is entirely justified, and the reason that i will never buy into the Apple brand (unless they change their ways and produce something impressive for a decent price...)

[Mattus]

The original iPhone can't do video capture or MMS properly. The third-party 'video' apps that are available just operate the camera's shutter as quickly as possible, since the hardware isn't capable of proper video. Same with MMS - its radio isn't capable of sending MMS messages according to standards.

I accept that the iPhone's feature set wasn't (and probably still isn't) as impressive as other handsets of its price range. So why do I have one? Usability. What most iPhone detractors fail to realise is that usability is THE most important feature. Phones have had web browsers for a long time - so why do the networks say that iPhone users use the internet a lot more than users of other phones? Because the browser is so simple and intuitive to use. No, it can't do Flash, but it does something which very few phones have managed to do - it makes the browsing experience less of a chore and more enjoyable.

It's the same with the music player. No, it can't play OGGs, or do any of the other things which make techies excited. But it does what it does extremely well. I previously had a Samsung phone. The music player could technically do everything that the iPhone can. But its interface was such an abortion that I didn't bother using it as a music player. It was too frustrating. Now I listen to music on my iPhone every day. It's the exact same feature, better implemented.

An enjoyable and convincing implementation of core features will always trump things like good Bluetooth support. That's why the iPhone is popular.

[Funkstar]

Originally Posted by Mattus

Same with MMS - its radio isn't capable of sending MMS messages according to standards.

MMS has nothing to do with the radio, it isn't a hardware limitation. If that was the case they wouldnt be able to add the functionality with a software update. Radios are software based anyway, this may not be true for basic low end phones, but for high end devices and smart phones this is certainally true. That is why you get reception, quality and battery performance differences between verious phone software updates. The Windows Mobile ROM cocking scene is a good illustration of this, OS ROMs are seperate from Radio ROMs.

[1stRaven]

Originally Posted by Mattus

If you ask me, people should stop whinging. On which other range of phones can you take a handset that's two years old (the original iPhone) and enable most of the new features of the latest models purely through a free software update?

Windows mobile? I just upgraded my touch diamond for free to windows mobile 6.5 and switched on the features that I wanted. To save some room, I can also remove those bits I don't.

[Brewster0101]

Originally Posted by Mattus

The original iPhone can't do video capture or MMS properly. The third-party 'video' apps that are available just operate the camera's shutter as quickly as possible, since the hardware isn't capable of proper video. Same with MMS - its radio isn't capable of sending MMS messages according to standards.

I accept that the iPhone's feature set wasn't (and probably still isn't) as impressive as other handsets of its price range. So why do I have one? Usability. What most iPhone detractors fail to realise is that usability is THE most important feature. Phones have had web browsers for a long time - so why do the networks say that iPhone users use the internet a lot more than users of other phones? Because the browser is so simple and intuitive to use. No, it can't do Flash, but it does something which very few phones have managed to do - it makes the browsing experience less of a chore and more enjoyable.

It's the same with the music player. No, it can't play OGGs, or do any of the other things which make techies excited. But it does what it does extremely well. I previously had a Samsung phone. The music player could technically do everything that the iPhone can. But its interface was such an abortion that I didn't bother using it as a music player. It was too frustrating. Now I listen to music on my iPhone every day. It's the exact same feature, better implemented.

An enjoyable and convincing implementation of core features will always trump things like good Bluetooth support. That's why the iPhone is popular.

Bit of an Apple fan bout aren't you...

Can't clearly see the iphone is not a good phone and there are better out there. Bet you think ipod are also the best things to hit the shelves.... Bless

iphone and apple are for poeple who can pay for designer stuff and don't care about praticality. Looks and the ability to say I owe apple is more important than to say 'mine can do that'

[Funkstar]

Originally Posted by 1stRaven

Windows mobile? I just upgraded my touch diamond for free to windows mobile 6.5 and switched on the features that I wanted. To save some room, I can also remove those bits I don't.

Not a good argument. While I'm a WinMob user (and fan), I certainally wouldn't advocate flashing a custom ROM to anyone that wasn't cumfortable with the posability of bricking their handset.

Also I don't know what the legal issues are with custom ROMs, but I suspect MS only turn a blind eye to it because it is such a vibrant community that probably results is far higher sales of Windows Mobile devices. You payed for a license of whatever OS came with your phone, not for the updates that are only issued to manufacturers. Meaning that running 6.5 on your 6.0/6.1 device is not legal. It is like downloading Vista and installing it on a XP machine.

Many choose WinMo purely because of unofficial ROMs - Granted it is a survey conducted by an enthusiast website, but it does highlight what I said.

[menthel]

Originally Posted by Brewster0101

Bit of an Apple fan bout aren't you...

Can't clearly see the iphone is not a good phone and there are better out there. Bet you think ipod are also the best things to hit the shelves.... Bless

iphone and apple are for poeple who can pay for designer stuff and don't care about praticality. Looks and the ability to say I owe apple is more important than to say 'mine can do that'

Clearly, you also think that your skewed view is the only one that matters. I think your post suggests you have as much bias against apple as the poster has for.

[mikerr]

Originally Posted by Mattus

The original iPhone can't do video capture or MMS properly. The third-party 'video' apps that are available just operate the camera's shutter as quickly as possible, since the hardware isn't capable of proper video. Same with MMS - its radio isn't capable of sending MMS messages according to standards.

So much wrong with the above staements its not funny ...

MMS is just software, and has now been added.
as for the "shutter" - pause to think how the live camera preview works....

Phones have had web browsers for a long time - so why do the networks say that iPhone users use the internet a lot more than users of other phones?

..something to do with the unlimited browsing offered on all iphone contracts?


As for the update, the full phone search feature is the best, resembling something my nokia communicator had:
it searches contacts, notes, email content for keywords as you type them
(press the home button on the home screen).
That's something I'm using all the time already.

[Mattus]

Originally Posted by mikerr

MMS is just software, and has now been added.

After a little more reading, it seems that you're right. The original iPhone could technically support MMS. I guess this is profiteering on Apple's part.

As for the live camera preview - it's a reasonable point, but I certainly wouldn't be satisified with 'video' quality on par with what you get from the camera preview. It's blurred and the frame rate's rubbish.

Originally Posted by Brewster0101

Bit of an Apple fan bout aren't you...

Can't clearly see the iphone is not a good phone and there are better out there. Bet you think ipod are also the best things to hit the shelves.... Bless

Perhaps, instead of accusing me of being a fanboy, you would like to substantiate your argument with some evidence instead of puerile put-downs? Thing is - I can't see that the iPhone isn't a good phone. You'll have to enlighten me! Why?

PS. I had an iPod. It broke.