Isaiah's Tech

Today, Apple announced something extremely huge. iPhone OS 4.0 was introduced which is a huge improvement over their current OS 3.0. It reportedly improves over 100 minor updates and a couple of game-changers like multitasking(!!), organization (folders for your apps), unified mailbox(!), iBooks, their new Game Center, and their new [HTML5] iAd platform. Apple has apparently figured out a way to do multitasking without taking a huge hit on the battery life. Unfortunately, only the iPhone 3GS and the third-generation iPod Touch will support multitasking because they said that it's a hardware issue. If you're interested in learning more about the iAd platform, check out the post on Computer World. The iPad will be upgradeable to iPhone OS 4.0 this Fall. Crunch Gear has a short video below showing off the multitasking.

Update: According to Engadget, you can now download the iPhone SDK 4 Beta. Check out the direct link here.

Update: Gizmodo has just mentioned that the iPhone OS 4 software includes three new functions: AVCaptureDevice.hasFlash, AVCaptureDevice.flashMode, and AVCaptureDevice.hasTorch. This likely points out that the next iPhone will have some sort of flash for its camera - not Flash on the browser.

Update: According to Engadget, there's also evidence for a front-facing camera as well. They've found a couple of different files that imply this.

• The OS will support multitasking. Jobs claims that multitasking will not consume significantly more power or system resources than normal single app operation will.
• Multitasking will be available on seven classes of apps.
• The first is music. Apps like Pandora will now be able to run in the background without dramatically affecting browser performance or speed.
• VOIP is another class of apps that will be able to run in the background. Skype can now run in the background, allowing you to receive texts and calls while not actively using the app.
• Navigation and other location-based services are important applications of this multitasking feature. Now apps like TomTom Navigator and Navigon can run in the background, allowing you to browse and still receive directions.
• Push notifications will also be able to run in the background.
• Apps that take time to run a process, like uploading photos to flickr, will be able to do these processes in the background.
• Apple will also allow local notification apps to run in the background.
• Apple does not expect multitasking to significantly increase the strain on network traffic for AT&T.

[Mobile Magazine, The Next Web, TUAW, Crunch Gear, Engadget]

At their event earlier today, Apple released iTunes 9. Besides having no support for the Palm Pre, the new iTunes has Twitter and Facebook integration. They also cleaned up the App Store, so that things are easier to look at. There's also a new iTunes LP format, "which provides an interactive presentation with photos, liner notes, animated lyrics and performance videos." More changes are below. By the way, you can download it here.

iTunes 9 introduces Home Sharing, allowing transfer of music, movies and TV shows amongst up to five authorized computers in a home network. Family members can view up to five iTunes libraries, view only the portion of these libraries they do not have, import content directly to their own machines, and automatically add new purchases from other systems. New too are changes to Genius technology, such as Genius Mixes, which automatically generate endless playlists based on library analysis.

Apple has just released iPhone OS 3.1. Thanks to Mobile Syrup, here's what's included in the new OS - more or less.

- Genius recommendations for Applications
- iTunes 9 support includes Genius Mixes, Organize your apps directly in iTunes, Improved syncing options for music, movies, TV shows, podcasts and photos and iTunes U content organization
- Ability to redeem iTunes Gift cards, codes and certificates in the App Store
- Display available iTunes account credits in the App Store and iTunes Store
- Browse and download ringtones wirelessly from the iTunes Store
- Save video from Mail and MMS into Camera Roll
- Option to “Save as new clip” when trimming a video on iPhone 3GS
- Better iPhone 3G Wi-Fi performance when Bluetooth is turned on
- Remotely lock iPhone with a passcode via MobileMe
- Use Voice Control on iPhone 3GS with Bluetooth headsets
- Paste phone numbers into the Keypad
- Option to use Home button to turn on Accessibility features on iPhone 3GS
- Warn when visiting fraudulent websites in Safari (anti-phishing)
- Improved Exchange calendar syncing and invitation handling
- Fixes issue that caused some app icons to display incorrectly

iTunes 9: Mac NN, TUAW
iPhone OS 3.1: Engadget Mobile, Mobile Syrup

After the iPhone 3GS hit both Rogers and Fido on June 19th it quickly went out of stock, thanks to the overwhelming Canadian demand. Well, the iPhone 3GS seems to now be in stock, so expect to dish out $199.99 CAD on a 3-year contract for the 16GB iPhone 3GS and $299.99 CAD on a 3-year contract for the 32GB iPhone 3GS. If you live in Canada, you better buy one quick before the rest of the country gets one. Check it out here.

Update: Nevermind, it looks like it's out of stock again. I'll keep checking back to see if it comes up again.

According to the latest rumour, Apple will be launching iPhone OS 3.1 next week. This is heating up the rumour mill since Apple's event is next week. The good thing about iPhone OS 3.1 is the fact that it could bring MMS and Bluetooth file-sharing to the iPhone! Finally! We'll just have to see what happens next week.

Update: According to Engadget Mobile, it's now official! However, it won't be coming next week. AT&T has just announced that MMS support will be coming on September 25th. Unfortunately, tethering will coming "in the future."

iPhone 3GS In Stock at Rogers: Mobile Syrup
iPhone 3GS To Get MMS: Mobile Crunch

There are three videos below of what people are calling the future Apple iTablet's UI. We don't know if it's real, but I'm betting that it's not. The latest news states that Apple is actually holding an event on either September 7th or September 8th. We don't know what Apple will announce, but everyone on the face of the earth is hoping that it has something to do with their Apple tablet. If it's not the tablet then it will be a waste of time.

Apparently, one of Gizmodo's writers talked to an "inside source" about the Apple tablet. The source mentioned that there will be "two editions, one with a webcam and one for educational use." If you want to check out the whole article, head over to Gizmodo here.







Apple Event: Tech Crunch, The Next Web
Apple Tablet Information: Gizmodo, 9 to 5 Mac
Supposed Apple Tablet UI: Slash Gear, Tech Crunch

In the iPhone SDK 3.1, there's a new addition to the list and it's the iProd 0,1 and the iProd 1,1. However, the iProd 0,1 is probably just a prototype, so what could iProd 1,1 be? Future iPod Touches or the upcoming Chinese iPhone? Or quite possibly the Apple Tablet? We don't know right now, but it's definitely interesting. It'll be hard to imagine that this will be the tablet because I doubt that it would run the iPhone's OS - but there is always a slight chance since we know nothing about it. So, Chinese iPhone or upcoming iPod Touches? I'll leave that up for you to decide.

[9 to 5 Mac]

According to Financial Times, the latest rumour is that Apple will be launching its tablet with their refreshed iPods as early as this September. This tablet will, of course, have WiFi and it's codenamed "Cocktail". This tablet will be sporting a 10-inch [probably capacitive multi-touchscreen] display and it will run on the iPhone OS. What makes this even more interesting is that it will "also have a book marketplace" so you can say goodbye to the Kindle by the end of the year - if the rumour is true. Remember, it's just a rumour, so don't cry if the Apple tablet doesn't come out in under two months.

[Gizmodo]