Apple recently divulged the details on the
latest OS to land on the iPhone and the iPod Touch. The new mobile operating
system is set to be released this summer and while it may not offer
anything groundbreaking, there are numerous new features that are worth looking
at.
Cut, Copy, and Paste
First and foremost has to be the long
overdue Cut, Copy, and Paste functionality. It seems almost unfathomable that a
portable, large screen display with full web browsing functionality wouldn’t
posses these options right out of the box. And perhaps even more mind boggling
is the fact that it’s only now being introduced, years after the initial release.
But nevertheless, the much needed ability to cut and paste text is finally
coming and by the sounds of things they’ve kept it intuitive but simple.
Double-tap the screen to bring up the cut and paste options, drag your finger
to select your desired text, and shake the phone to cancel. You can also copy
and paste photos in 3.0 as well.
Spotlight
More of a rudimentary feature, Spotlight
will allow users to search across the entire devices, meaning photos, contacts,
maps, tunes, and apps are all easy to locate. Apple will also be adding search
functionality to the Mail and Calendar.
3G Tethering
With the OS 3.0 you’ll be able to transform
your iPhone into a modem for your laptop. Such a service would be carrier
specific, so availability and cost are still TBA.
Other notables:
-Landscape keyboard for Mail, Notes, etc
-New subscription options for calendars enable
support for Yahoo and Google services
-Stereo Bluetooth A2DP audio allows pairing
with a Bluetooth device
-Automatic network login when using Safari
-Shake-to-shuffle for your tunes
-More parental controls allow the
filtration of adult content
- Voice Memo application
-File Sharing application between
iPhones/Touchs
By and large the OS 3.0 appears to be the
loose-ends update many have been eagerly anticipating. Cut-and-paste can
finally be lifted from the list of most wanted features and apps that prey on
users’ affection for landscape keyboards can be done away with entirely. The
update also continues to improve upon the ‘daily planner’ aspect of the some of
the apps, providing increased syncing options as well as calendar subscription
services.
The update will be free to iPhone owners but for those with an iPod Touch it’ll cost $9.95US
