Next gen iPhone auto-focus, compass revealed?
Update: June 1, 2009: UMPCFever has removed the blog post from its Web site.
A Chinese-language blog UMPCFever posted pictures recently that its claims are the first ever photos from a functioning next-generation
iPhone. The Web site, translated through Google, displays images of iPhone OS 3.0 running some of the rumored new iPhone features we covered here, here, here, and here.
According to the report, the new iPhone contains an auto-focusing camera that uses an onscreen square that can be moved around with a combination of taps and dragging to choose the object to focus on. The rumored digital compass and its software are shown as well. Other features in iPhone OS 3.0 are demoed on the site like MMS--supporting video and photos, copy and paste, the Voice Recorder app, and so on.
Auto-Focus (Credit: UMPCFever) |
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Digital Compass (Credit: UMPCFever) |
Old iPhone - No Auto-Focus (Credit: UMPCFever) |
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New iPhone - Auto-Focus (Credit: UMPCFever) |
MMS - Video or Still Photo (Credit: UMPCFever) |
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CPU Activity Logging - Prototype device? (Credit: UMPCFever) |
The credibility of this group is unknown, but the features shown on the site have already been demoed by Apple or consistent with rumors circulating around the Internet about the next generation iPhone and iPhone OS 3.0.
So what do you think? Is this the next iPhone and its new software? Let us know in the comments.
If this is really being included in the iPhone, it might have a very limited usefulness, but I wouldnt put it past them or a creative programmer to come up with some interesting widgets or even games that use it.
This was in Android from launch. There are some cool apps like their Stardroid which you can point the phone in any direction and it uses both the compass and accelerometer to show the constellations, annotated, that you are looking at.
Also, turn by turn directions while on foot is incredibly sweet. Keep turning until you point in the right direction...
Fixed that one for ya
D'oh!
So does this mean that my G1 is the only phone out there with a compass app?
If Apple put on in, it would mean every phone would have one, and no one would need to download the App. Personally, I don't really see the value in it all that much for the majority of iPhone users, but (shrugs)
That's Apple ... GADGET SELLER (cause they MANUFACTURE Nothing) SUPREME.
So I beg to differ. The iPhone is the best cell phone I've had. I've been using them since 1993. I've owned Nokias and razers and Blackberries and have had cell phones as far back as the Motorola bricks. The iPhone is the best I've owned. Not only from the standpoint of not dropping calls, but because I can actually hear the other person, and the integration of all of a contact's information in one place, while possible in some other phones, has never been easier accomplish.
http://www.ryankhart.com/blog/2009/6/1/iphone-3rd-generation-autofocus-and-compass-photos-fake.html
<a href="http://www.ryankhart.com/blog/2009/6/1/iphone-3rd-generation-autofocus-and-compass-photos-fake.html">My blog post about this</a>
Next, I think Apple should revolutionise the mobile world by making an iPhone that doesn't drop calls every 5 minutes... that would be a real innovation...
I am in western Europe, where you have quite a wide choice of 3G providers, and they have been offering such a service for quite some time. One company we work with - they bought iPhones for all their staff - and after a few months they have resigned themselves to calling us on landlines, or using PAYG mobiles as the reception from their iPhone is so poor. Same for some friends, who are on different providers.
Basically, it is not a phone, it is a gadget - the only thing of real interest is the marketing hype, which of course plays well with CNETs 'post something bad about Microsoft, then post good about Apple, and wait for people to react in the comment section while we earn advertising money' approach to technology reporting.
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by motenak
June 2, 2009 8:10 PM PDT
- I figured out how to dramatically increase the data coverage for the iPhone! Buy a MiFi from Sprint or Verizon! To bad it doesn't work for calls! Anyone who thinks AT&T's coverage compares to Verizon or Sprint is completely insane! If you think T-Mobile is any better you make a crazy person look sane! I think it has to do with the tower placement. The original AT&T network was laid out for analog cellular and then the TDMA digital replacement. When AT&T switched to GSM, the tower placements were too far apart and they have been adding towers to fill in the dead zones ever since!
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by jtrigger
June 3, 2009 12:13 PM PDT
- You are factually incorrect. Sprint has the fourth largest network. Sprint's technology is good (4G coming anytime to a city near you after June 12th), but AT&T is second only to Verizon in coverage across the United States and are the one of only two carriers (T-Mobile the other) in the states that work overseas throughout the lineup. The only holes AT&T has are in it's 3G network, for data. However the 3G iPhone still has Edge capability which is available readily anywhere.
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(48 Comments)