Sean Walther's Blog

Apple iPhone OS 4.0: Sneak Peek at 10 am Pacific Today

If you have somehow forgotten, today Apple will be providing us a sneak peek at the iPhone OS 4.0.

Here is one thing I believe will be announced:

1. Multitasking (confirmed) – It has to be announced, the iPad sorely needs this to stay competitive as does Apple in the mobile phone market

That list isn’t long, but here is what I’d love to see, and why I think we may see it:

1. Support for Video Chat – the OS may not need new software to effectively run video chat, but we all see it happening in hardware “any day now”
2. Lock screen data – “a la Intelliscreen“, we need more info on our lock screen, and it’s been out for jailbroken iPhones for years now
3. Updated Maps – Months ago Google launched their updated map service for the droid platform, and Apple has been making strides away from Google (they have become a fierce competitor despite recent … ‘news’ … of Steve Jobs and Eric Schmidt making nicey nice.  Apple had been hiring Software Engineers specifically for overhauling the whole maps system back in November.
4. Over the air syncing – the droid platform does this (maybe not with everything, but the criticals), why can’t we sync with iTunes OTA!
5. Editing the First App Page – Rumors abound, and it has been available in jailbroken iphones — removing the built in apps (that weather app isn’t as good as some jailbroken apps, or even just The Weather Channel app.  We may also see adding contacts as icons on the home screen either to go to the contact, or like a “Quick Dial”
6. Change Home Screen Background (confirmed) - The ipad has a nice background, why can’t we?
7. Printing Support – If the iPad is to be taken seriously, it must do some things that laptops do, printing is high on that list.  What value does office software have without printing?
8. Single Inbox (confirmed) – Rumors have been going around that Apple will give us a single inbox for all of our email accounts, because it’s just too damn hard to switch
9. Tethering – Another “it works on the jailbroken iPhone”.  As a matter of fact, it’s already in the OS, just needs to be enabled
10. Voice Control Improvements – They released it too early, I hope they worked on it.
11. Upgraded and integrated advertising (confirmed) – Apple spent a pretty penny buying Quattro wireless, they’re going to want to play with that new toy.  I don’t think this is good, based on some patents filed, but it may be coming.
12. Multi Touch Gestures – The iPad needs em, maybe the iphone will get them.

And finally the dream list (I’d be amazed to see some of these, hell, I’d be amazed to see some listed above)

1. Upgraded UI (Confirmed) – The iPhone OS is aging a bit, needs a refresh
2. Widgets – Just like the droid?  It’d be nice
3. Over the air Syncing — it really should go here, we’re not going to be getting that.  In the back of my head, I feel gmail sync may be getting a step up.
4. Verizon? – Please?

UPDATE 2010-04-08

I have added “(Confirmed)” next to items that I saw today.  Some other things announced:

• Apple’s “Game Center” – I guess it’s interesting
• iBooks for iPhone/iPod touch – Wow, this is truly … boring.
• iPhone OS 4.0 will NOT be supported by first gen iPhones
• Multi tasking is ONLY available on iPhone 3GS, 3rd Gen iPod Touch, or iPad
• iPhone OS 4 is due this summer

Tags: Apple, Apple Game Center, Game Center, Intelliscreen, iPad, iPhone, iPhone OS 4.0, iTunes, phone, Quattro Wireless, Tethering, The Weather Channel, Verizon

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