The feature of speech Apple has promise in iPhone 4.0 tackle much of what we ’re looking for in the next edition of the troupe ’s mobile operating system . But there are still some feature that — at this early stage , at least — are missing in legal action .
originally this calendar week , we severalise you about the top seven feature article we want to see in the next version of the iPhone OS . Now thatthe iPhone OS 4 eventis over , how did Apple do ? Here ’s a agile scorecard .
Of course , it ’s significant to keep in idea that the procession we ’ve take note below is establish on a single overview of iPhone o 4 , months before it ’s ready to go — Apple may end up add up to these features , as well as adding many other feature , by the time iPhone group O 4 is released .
Pervasive multitaskingWe wanted a way to let apps function in the background ; heck , we say we ’d be happy with a way for apps to well save their res publica or a manner to more quickly alternate between , say , the most late two apps . We ’ve also desire for audio apps to be able-bodied to stream content in the background signal . base on today ’s prevue , iPhone OS 4will give us all of those characteristic and more . You ’ll be able to keep multiple apps running and then swap between them using a fresh “ app - switching dock . ” Audio apps will be able-bodied to play in the background , and they can even utilize the iPhone ’s belt down - up playback ascendency ( the single you see now if you forked - imperativeness the Home push button while the iPod app is playing ) . iPhone OS 4 will also provide developer with unspoilt genus Apis for save an app ’s country so the app does n’t use any imagination when not active , but it can be right away up and bleed when you shift back to it . And apps that require to finish a prolonged task , such as uploading photos to the WWW , will be able-bodied to finish those tasks in the setting and then graciously expiration .
But there ’s a peck more : Apps such as Skype will be able to watch for , and notify you of , incoming calls even if you ’re working in another app or the phone is locked and deceased . Apps that habituate your location will be able to apply the iPhone ’s Location Services API even when the app is in the background , so , for example , a GPS app can continue to provide voice directions while your tyke watch a movie in the back seat . Alternatively , if an app does n’t require pinpoint location accuracy , the developer can instead apply a new vigor - saving background service that habituate mobile - phone towboat to find your positioning . Finally , another newfangled multitasking feature , Local Notifications , allows applications to notify you of issue without needing to contact Apple ’s telling servers ; examples let in a TV - listing app that send word you before your favorite show is about to start and an warning machine - clock app that can wake you up without you hold to keep the app running all Nox .
The one omission we noticed was a way for a background process — say , an instant - messaging or Twitter customer — to poll for novel messages ; free-base on Apple ’s answers to question after the event , the ship’s company feels that using the existing notifications feature ( see below ) is sufficient . In other words , almost everyone got what they wanted — or at least of bit of it . progression : Almost there.—Dan Frakes
Home screen and app management improvementsWe wanted a well way to manage apps on the iPhone ’s home base screen . We were n’t sure exactlyhow , but we want something more knock-down than the current nine - cover , sliding board - apps - around glide path , which just was n’t designed for a world in which there are 185,000 apps available . What iPhone OS 4 will supply is a way to create app booklet : If you drag one app on top of another , the two are combined into a raw folder ; you may then add additional apps to that folder . Tap a leaflet , and a Modern view pops up displaying all the apps in that folder . you’re able to even add brochure to the sour grass , contribute you a bolt down - up app launcher .
Apple chief operating officer Steve Jobs pointed out that the new folders feature will provide you to see “ over 2000 ” apps on your iPhone . ( The current interface can display only 180 apps—16 on each of 11 screens , plus four in the dock . If you instal more than 180 , you could access them via the iPhone ’s limelight lookup , but you ca n’t see them all . ) We did the maths : each folder can hold up to 12 apps , so assuming you could place 16 folder on each of the 11 screens , plus four in the wharfage , you could theoretically view 2160 apps !
We also hop for some Dashboard - thingumajig - like functionality : a way to make exercise of extra distance on your domicile and lock projection screen to expose information such as weather info , stock numbers , and calendars . Apple did n’t mention these feature , although during the Q&A session after the result , in reception to a request for such option , Jobs tongue-in-cheek said , “ We just released [ the iPad ] on Saturday . And on Sunday we rested . ” Which is n’t a no . progression : Getting closer.—DF
Better notificationsThe current system of rules for notice — developer must utilise an Apple - cater notifications waiter , and the iPhone can display only the most - recent notice — has always felt like a stopgap , as if notifications were added to iPhone OS 3 to be able to say the iPhone had them . And while push notification were cite during the event in the circumstance of multitasking , it does n’t seem as though Apple made many changes to the existing framework for iPhone 4.0 . The biggest single alteration was the increase of Local Notifications ( see “ good multitasking , ” above ) , but that does little to situate our concerns about how to wield multiple presentment or the manner a notification take up all your attention . Some of this , admittedly , could be address best by developers , but it would have been nice to see Apple take a page from Android and webOS . Instead , the company stuck its fingers in its ears and sang at the top of its lungs that nobody had finagle to implement notifications as well as it has . Nice attempt , Apple , but your tune ’s off paint . forward motion : Not even close.—Dan Moren
Wireless SyncingWhat we were hoping to see was an Apple - sanctioned way to synchronize our medicine , videos , personal selective information , and files over the air . What we got was nothing remotely close . For the bit , it count like we ’ll still mostly be stuck plugging our iPhones into our laptop computer at least every once in a while . We ’re foiled , naturally , but an emphasis on the cyberspace and the cloud has never been one of Apple ’s big priorities , so we ca n’t say we ’re surprised either . Progress : Not even close.—DM
Streaming mediaIn fact , Apple ’s proclamation on Thursday seemed to say as far away from medium as potential , so streaming was also leave by the wayside . No support for AirTunes , no power to stream music or video from your local Mac or PC . A brief comment by Steve Jobs at the beginning of the event alluded to users being able-bodied to produce their own playlists , but that was about it for the iPhone ’s media functions . For now , third - political party applications will have to continue to fill the void of what to do when you do n’t want to load all of your media on your gimmick . Progress : Not even close.—DM
Improvements to MailBetween our wishlist clause and our overview of Mail on the iPad , we had a laundry list of ailment about Mobile Mail . So we were happy to hear Steve Jobs cite multiple improvement to Mail — and even happier to see him in reality demo the biggest one : a unified Inbox list the incoming mail for all of your score . It ’s also easy to switch between Inboxes thanks to a young “ firm inbox shift ” feature that puts your Inboxes in the Accounts leaning . Other new features Jobs mentioned include the capableness to view messages by thread and to open attachments in other apps .
But that ’s not all : If you bump to be in the hearing Thursday , you would have seen the image to the rightfulness , which displayed a sampling of the “ 100 new user features ” in iPhone osmium 4 , a few of which were welcome improvements to Mail : You ’ll be able to delete messages in your Outbox , file or delete messages directly in lookup results , choose bigger fonts for reading content , and choose the size of extroverted figure of speech fastening .
Not mentioned during the event were any of the other improvements we ’re hop to see : the capability to send e - mail to contact groups , to mark all messages as read , to sag messages for late military action , to make and edit folders ( and Smart Folders ) on the machine , to configure multiple signatures ( or at least a unlike signature for each write up ) , or more options for initialise and reading message . Progress : Getting closer.—DF
Better Bluetooth supportWe wanted keep for Bluetooth keyboards on the iPhone and iPod touch , support forAVRCP ( Audio / Video Remote Control Profile ) , and more Bluetooth - data features . Apple only briefly adjoin on Bluetooth , although that mention warmed our little heart : iPhones OS 4 will bring the iPad ’s support for Bluetooth keyboard to the iPhone and iPod soupcon . As for the rest , we ’ll have to wait and see . advance : Baby steps.—DF
Extra creditApple did n’t go into many other features , alternatively focusing on major additions . But that user - feature lantern slide we mentioned above contained tormenter for a slew of other minor feature article people have been ask for :
And that does n’t admit the developer - story features Apple peach about . So clearly there ’s more to occur . We ’re looking forward to check off more of our wishlist in the months ahead .
