Though everyone knows the iPhone OS 3.0 brought welcome and long-awaited changes like multimedia messaging; a landscape keyboard; and cut, copy, and paste, there are a host of other tweaks from the software update that Apple has not publicized. According to Apple, the update offers 100 additions to the iPhone, but we covered just a handful in our iPhone 3GS review.
What other features are new? Well, a week after Apple released the update to the world we have a better idea. We've done our own exploring, but last week we also asked for your help in finding the update's hidden treasures. Thankfully, you responded in force, so we're glad to offer you this list. It's still not complete, so we'll be adding more as we (and you) find them. (Note: I've only included features not listed in the review.) Also, Apple has posted a handy chart detailing which OS 3.0 features are available on the iPhone Classic and iPhone 3G.
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100 new features? We're still counting.
(Credit: James Martin/CNET)When Apple first announced the iPhone OS 3.0 in March, it promised that the update would bring 100 new features. We heard the same thing last week at the WWDC 2009 keynote, but Scott Forstall, Apple's head of iPhone software development, only demonstrated a handful of the most notable improvements. Sure, we know about stereo Bluetooth, the Spotlight features, and cut, copy, and paste--and we've analyzed them in our iPhone 3G S review---but we want a full list of all 100 features. Since then, we've asked for the details, but Apple has yet to cough them up.
That's why we're calling on you, dear readers, to help us out. As you cruise through iPhone OS 3.0, keep track of all the "little changes" you see, no matter how small. If it wasn't on your iPhone before, we want to hear about it. We'll do the same on our end, and we'll compile a full list for your enjoyment. Good hunting!
When I tried to update to the latest Shazam for iPhone after I installed iPhone OS 3.0, I saw this age warning pop-up window when the phone attempted to install the update:
Age-restriction warning on applications in iPhone OS 3.0
(Credit: Nicole Lee/CNET)I found this curious, because:
- I had already downloaded the application; this was just an update--if I was OK with the original application, shouldn't the update be kosher as well?
- Shazam is perhaps no more "objectionable" than just turning on the radio; it's just telling you the song it thinks the source is playing.
Moral questions aside, it seems the addition of this age-restriction warning is because of the parental controls on the new iPhone OS 3.0.--as a parent, you can allow app downloads based on age (from 4+ to 17+), so we suspect you'll see a lot more age-restriction warnings added to apps in the App Store. This might be a wise move on Apple's part--Apple has already come under some criticism for rejecting seemingly legitimate apps like the one from Nine Inch Nails and the Eucalyptus e-book reader just because it provides access to the publicly available Kama Sutra. Perhaps if it removes itself as mediator and simply slaps on age-restriction warnings, Apple might save itself some bad press. We'll see if this works out as intended.
Shazam 1.7 does more than just identify songs.
(Credit: Nicole Lee/CNET)Shazam has fast become one of those must-have apps for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Not only can you use it for song identification, you can then recommend that song to a friend via e-mail, or watch a related music video on YouTube, or purchase the song via iTunes. You can also add a photo to the music tag for a visual reminder of where you first heard the song.
Well, along with the iPhone OS 3.0 firmware update, Shazam also released version 1.7, which has a number of added features. It now integrates with the GPS function on your iPhone to mark the exact location from which you first tagged a song, thus allowing you to see your musical journey of sorts laid out on a map. In addition to sharing a music tag with a friend, you can now send it as a postcard that lets your friends buy the songs you discovered. If you want wider dissemination of the song, you can also configure Shazam to post the artist and track details to your Twitter account.
iPod Touch first- and second-generation owners will be glad to know that Shazam 1.7 also now supports the MacAlly iVoice III external microphone. Other improvements include better scrolling, clearer highlights, and improved speed.
(Credit:
Stephen Shankland/CNET)
Updated at 12:15 p.m. PDT
While the majority of commenters on CNET and around the Web are reporting success in downloading iPhone OS 3.0 Wednesday, there were scattered reports of problems.
My colleague Stephen Shankland, a CNET News reporter, tried several times to download the OS update around 12 p.m. Pacific to his iPhone and received the same error message, pictured above, each time.
CNET News Poll
A handful of CNET commenters reported problems accessing iTunes. "I see that the upgrade is now available, but four times the message I get after a couple of minutes is that the download has 'timed out,'" said one reader, and another reported, "Same issue here, cannot connect to the iTunes store to activate so the phone won't work."
A quick perusal of Twitter showed a smattering of people with the same issue.
This, of course, is a repeat of what happened last year, when Apple's iTunes servers couldn't withstand the barrage of traffic when customers tried to update to iPhone 2.0 software at the same time new iPhone 3G buyers were attempting to activate their phones.
Anyone else having problems with the update today?
Update 12:45 p.m. PDT: Reader Michael Samstag wrote in to say his iPhone was rendered unusable when he tried to install the update. "It has the 'connect to iTunes' message and will only allow emergency calls," he says. "I signed up for the 'Apple callback' for tech support and they called back and put me on hold for 20-minutes. Then the call got disconnected and now the earliest callback time is between 6:15 p.m. EDT and 6:30 p.m. EDT. So, I'm looking at having no cell for a minimum of three hours, probably longer."
Gizmodo is also hearing reports of phones "bricked" from the update. We're still waiting for comment from Apple.
Update 1:05 p.m. PDT: We're also getting feedback about general sluggishness and intermittent problems accessing Apple's Mobile Me service. But it sounds like the situation isn't as bad as last year. That was when the simultaneous launch of the iPhone 3G and Mobile Me wreaked havoc on across Apple's servers and related Web services.
Update 2:26 p.m. PDT: My colleague Stephen now reports success in installing the update--after 30 tries over the course of 2.5 hours. Samstag, the reader who earlier reported his phone had been bricked by the update, also says it's working now.
Seems like things are getting back to normal now.
(Credit:
Corinne Schulze/CNET)
If you can't bear the thought of waiting another two days for Apple's iPhone 3G S, CNET can offer a look ahead in our full iPhone 3G S review. The iPhone 3G S promises faster processing and network speeds, extended battery life, more memory, the OS 3.0 update (available today), and additional features.
In many ways, the iPhone 3G S delivers on its promises. It did run faster, the video recording is a treat, and the battery lasted longer. Yet we still have concerns about call reception and we're still waiting for a few features. The iPhone 3G S offers enough to get our attention, but not enough to get us completely excited. And our recommendation depends greatly on your purchase price.
To get the whole story, please see our iPhone 3G S full review. And check out our iPhone 3G S slideshow for a gallery of beauty shots.
Today's the day that iPhone OS 3.0 arrives (a free upgrade for iPhone owners, $9.95 for the iPod Touch crowd). So where is it? If you've been feverishly clicking the Check for Update button, take a break.
According to gadget blog Engadget, citing some text messages received in Hong Kong, Apple will push out the OS 3.0 update starting at 1 p.m. ET.
That sounds reasonable, especially considering that as of 11 a.m., iTunes is still telling me that OS 2.2.1 is still "the current version."
When the clock does strike 1, expect some serious delays as users flood Apple's servers. In the meantime, check out our recent iPhone OS 3.0 overview, which spotlights many of the spiffy new features.
If you are able to download and install the new OS today, let us know how it went--and what you like/don't like about the update!
We couldn't grab hands-on photos of the iPhone 3G S at the WWDC 2009 keynote, so we delved into Apple's Web site to find out what press shots the company had to offer.
Since the new handset's design is unchanged from the iPhone 3G we'll save you a gallery of exterior photos, but we'll show how the 3G S's unique features will look on the display. Again, these are shots supplied by Apple--we haven't tested the new device yet--but they'll give you an idea of what to expect from the compass, Voice Control and video editing.
We also invite you to revisit the iPhone OS 3.0. We used the beta version of the update on our CNET iPhone for a couple of months now so these are real screenshots. You may have seen most of them before, but we've added a few new shots following the OS 3.0 highlights from the keynote. Enjoy!
Since Apple first unveiled the iPhone OS 3.0 last March, we've been impatiently awaiting its full release. Yes, we did manage to get a beta version of the update on the CNET iPhone--I even did a preliminary review--but we prefer to wait for the real thing to give our official evaluation.
Fortunately, we got our wish Monday at the WWDC 2009 keynote. During his portion of the presentation, Scott Forstall, Apple's senior vice president of iPhone software, announced that OS 3.0 will be released to the world June 17. We'll still have to wait until later this summer for AT&T to activate multimedia messaging and tethering, but all the other new features will go live next Wednesday for iPhone 3G, iPhone Classic, and users. Two days later, the new will launch with the full update.
In total, Apple is promising that the update will bring 100 new features, but we've barely scratched the surface. Once we fully evaluate OS 3.0, we expect that we'll find more. We were hoping that OS 3.0 would also include video recording and voice dialing, but those features will be available only on the new iPhone 3G S.
Though we've detailed most of the OS 3.0 improvements already, we wanted to revisit them following the keynote. Forstall mostly gave a recap of what we already know, but he provided more detail in a few areas and covered topics that we had not heard before. Here's what he had to say.
... Read moreEditor's note: This First Take includes only the features that will be unique to the iPhone 3G S. I've revisited iPhone OS 3.0 in a separate post.
iPhone fans got what they were waiting for June 8 when the third-generation model of Apple's popular handset made its debut during the WWDC 2009 keynote. The iPhone 3G S, which will hit stores June 19, promises a faster iPhone with an extended battery life, more memory, and improved features. It looks exactly the same as the previous model, but both the 16GB ($199) and new 32GB ($299) models will come in white and black versions.
Though the jump from the iPhone 3G to the 3G S isn't quite as big as the jump from the first- to second-generation models, this latest handset still adds enough new features to make it a compelling upgrade for some users. And when you add in all the new features that will come with the iPhone OS 3.0 (available June 17), we finally get an iPhone that can run thousands of snazzy applications and do something as basic as send a multimedia message.
Yet, we still have some concerns. A faster AT&T 3G network isn't going to happen overnight, and some features, like tethering and the aforementioned multimedia messaging, won't happen right away. We also came away from the keynote without any mention of call quality, which, as any iPhone owner can tell you, remains far from perfect. But most importantly, the iPhone 3G S's price will vary widely depending on your eligibility. If you can get it at the lowest prices, it's worth your while. But if you're not yet eligible for a discounted upgrade, we suggest that you wait.
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