The Register® — Biting the hand that feeds IT

Feeds

iPhone 3.0 beta reveals mixed blessing

Apple giveth, and Apple taketh away

Cloud based data management

On Tuesday evening, Apple released a beta of the iPhone 3.0 software it had announced that very morn. Details are now hitting the web - big-time.

Some of the new features will please iPhoneys, while others spell death for popular applications now available on the iTunes App Store.

Apple giveth, and Apple taketh away.

Apple fanboi site AppleInsider was first on the scene with a comprehensive overview of many of the new features, replete with screenshots.

AI's profusely illustrated compendium includes details of copy-and-paste, MMS messaging, the new voice-memo app, Spotlight and Mail searches, expanded landscape-mode use, an enhanced camera interface, easier photo management, an improved YouTube interface, new parental controls, simple contact-sharing, encrypted iPhone backups, and the ability to - finally - sync notes.

The 20-year-old developer of the iPhone game Lights Off, Steve Troughton-Smith, chimed in with a tweet saying that he had uncovered the interface for the much-hoped-for tethering capability - though he couldn't quite recall how he had invoked it. (Note to Steve: MacNN says that you can access it through the iPhone's Network settings. You're welcome.)

iPhone 3.0 tethering interface

How much tethering will cost you is not yet known

At a press confab after the iPhone 3.0 roll-out, Apple SVP for iPhone Software Scott Forstall said that the client part of tethering would be available in iPhone 3.0, but the carrier part was still under development "with carriers around the world." It appears that the young Irishman discovered the client portion.

Also, the geniuses at The Boy Genius Report turned up a new option in the iPhone 3.0 MobileMe Mail-account settings called Find My iPhone that appears to allow users of Apple's online MobileMe service to track their iPhone if it's absconded by some miscreant. Or simply forgotten on the Tube.

iPhone 3.0 Software - Find My iPhone interface

If you're a MobileMe subscriber, your missing iPhone has a new friend

These new iPhone features are all well and good, but they're bad news for some iPhone application developers. Take the new Voice Memo app, for example. Adding voice recording to the iPhone will likely kill off such apps as (App Store links) Recorder (99¢), VR+ Voice Messenger (99¢), Voice Record ($1.99), and Speakeasy Voice recorder ($1.99).

Now that MMS messaging will be built in, neither does the future look all that bright for Get MMS ($3.99), iSendMMS 2009 ($2.99), or MMS Buddy ($4.99).

And since the iPhone 3.0 will now add a larger, landscape-mode keyboard across its bundled-app line-up, Big Keyboard Email (99¢) and its ilk may take a hit. However, one of our quirky keyboarding faves, Shapewriter Pro ($9.99) should remain unscathed - it may not be a landscape-mode text inputer, but its unique drag-to-type interface should retain its fan base.

One last bit of iPhone news: For those of you who are jailbreaking fans, you'll be happy to know that efforts to crack iPhone Software 3.0 are already underway ®.

Regcast training : Hyper-V 3.0, VM high availability and disaster recovery

Latest Comments

O2 change mind on iPhone MMS

In the first few days of 3.0 ,O2-UK were quite happily turning on MMS for those who asked, Now they have changed their tune. This is the email they are sending out:-

Thank you for emailing us about activating MMS service on your iPhone.

I can understand your concern about activating MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) on your iPhone. However, it isn't possible to activate MMS on an iPhone accounts as our iPhone tariffs aren't compatible with MMS.

I appreciate your concern about iPhone developers who're trying to activate MMS on an iPhone accounts. We're looking into this at the moment and further information will be available in due course. This means we're unable to activate MMS service for you currently.

I'm sorry for any inconvenience that may have been caused.

----------------------

The truth is, for those on the iPhone tariff with MMS enabled the billing system is working with each MMS costing 4 Text messages. So this sounds like holding fire until they can come up with some sort of bolt on at extra cost

0
0
Anonymous Coward

@JahBless

yadda yadda yadda. Heard it all before with android, T-Mobile can't give the G1 away...

0
0
Anonymous Coward

@Anonymous Coward Posted Saturday 21st March 2009 14:50 GMT

Can your current mobile do that? Impressive if it can, but then again as you point out - really specific need!

0
0

More from The Register

Samsung Galaxy Note 8: Proof the pen is mightier?
Sammy’s iPad Mini killer has a stylus to stab other rivals too
Microsoft lures buy-curious vixens, corduroys with a cheap fondle
Surface slab sales latest: Will no one rid Ballmer of these turbulent tabs?
First look: iOS 7 for iPad
No, Apple hasn't released it yet, but that doesn't stop intrepid devs
 breaking news
Curtain drops on Apple Store ahead of WWDC: What lies behind?
Steve Jobs watching from on high. No pressure, lads
 breaking news
Cold, dead hands of Steve Jobs slip from iPhones: The Cult of Ive is upon us
Billionaire biz baron's death clears way for uber-shiny iOS 7
Airbus imagines suitcases that find themselves
Point your mobe at your smalls to track their every move
Surprise! Intel smartphone trounces ARM in power trials
Tests show equal performance while sipping significantly less juice
Samsung plans LTE Advanced version of Galaxy S4
1Gbps download capability could stiffen drooping S4 sales forecasts
Apple said to be 'exploring' 5.7-inch iPhone
Who's the copycat this time, Mr. Cook?