Apple has renamed its mobile operating system. What was previously iPhone OS 4.0 is now iOS 4.0.
iOS 4.0 was unveiled to the world in April by Steve Jobs, with a launch expected sometime in June. Immediately after the announcement of this new version, it was released to registered iPhone developers to begin testing their applications ahead of the launch.
I have been using iOS 4.0 on my iPhone 3GS on a daily basis now, and I am pleased at what it has to offer. Here is a glimpse at the new features you can expect.
Note: As this review is based on a beta version, some features may be added / removed before iOS 4.0 is released.
Multi-tasking
At the unveiling of iOS 4.0, Steve Jobs said, “[Apple] wasn’t the first to this party [multi-tasking], but we’re going to be the best.” It took Apple quite a length of time to include this feature – 2 or 3 years depending on how you look at it — and the company tried a Push Notification service to cover over previous versions of this operating system not having the ability to keep more than one third-party app active at once. Even though Push Notifications are good for some things, Apple’s new multi-tasking feature is much, much better.
When you hit the Home button twice, the current page you are looking at shifts upward, and up from the bottom rises icons for four applications that are already running. From here you can just tap one of those applications and be taken to it, while the apps you were just using will remain in the state you left them.
There is a nice transitioning effect when you switch between applications which has given the whole user interface a more streamlined feeling.
To close apps, you bring up the multi-tasking dock and then tap and hold an icon for a few seconds, which will give all the currently-running applications a red circle and a minus sign. Tap on the one you want to close, or you can swipe to the left or right to quit all applications.
Let’s look at an example: say you are using the Skype application to make a phone call. What happens if you get a text message while still on a Skype call? Before, you would have to close the Skype application, go to the messaging app, read the message, leave the app, return to the Skype app, and start the phone call again. Now, Skype can simply be running in the background while you respond to a text message, check baseball scores, or even while taking a picture. This feature really allows you to get more done at once, and is extremely easy to use.
If you swipe the multi-tasking dock all the way to the left, you will get some basic iPod controls.
Say the music streaming application Pandora is being used to play songs in the background. Let’s say you leave your iPhone in your pocket for a few minutes, and a new song starts playing and you want to skip to the next song. You can double tap the home button from the clock screen, and change the song like you would with the standard iPod controls.
Developers will need to build their applications to work with the multi-tasking system and the other new built-in iPhone controls Apple is adding.
The pop-up windows also gives you the ability to lock the screen orientation. As of now it will only let you lock the screen in portrait mode. This software feature seems to be the answer to the iPad’s physical lock screen orientation switch.
Keep in mind, though, that this will not be “true” multi-tasking, in which all apps continue to run in the background. If it was, all the apps would use way too many resources and eventually will bog down the phone. Apple’s multi-tasking method is a little different. The applications is essentially paused, and only some special service tasks will be truly running in the background.
According to Apple, these services are: Background audio, Voice over IP, Background location, Push notifications, Local notifications, Task completion, and Fast app switching.
Although iOS 4.0 doesn’t offer true multi-tasking, it’s pretty effective, I must say.
The email application in this operating system hasn’t really been touched since the first iPhone’s introduction back in 2007. This is about to change. The upcoming version features a unified inbox, which means that all your messages from your various email accounts will be displayed on the same screen.
This is a great feature for anyone that has multiple email accounts, and they want to see all their new messages at once, rather than going into each account looking for new mail, which can take quite a bit of extra time for someone that emails frequently.
Other new features in the email app include support for multiple Microsoft Exchange accounts, threaded messages, resizing photos embedded in emails, and the ability to have contact pictures in emails if you are sending/receiving an email from a contact in your phone.
These features are not ground-breaking in any way; they are just nice little improvements to make the iPhone faster and easier to use.
App Folders
With iPhone OS 3.1 and earlier, the application launcher can display only 148 applications in total. Besides the limitations in how many apps you could have installed, there was no real organization. If you want organization, you can rearrange the icons onto different screens based on how you wanted them, and that is it.
The upcoming iOS 4.0 brings the ability to create folders by simply dragging one app icon on top of another. Apple automatically names the folder based on the category of apps that are in it, but you can re-name it to whatever you want.
Instead of only having enough room for 148 applications, you can now have 2160. That’s quite a big increase, but that should dissolve some of the complaints on the limitation of space. You can also have folders in the dock, which is kind of nifty.
iBooks
The iPhone version of Apple iBooks app is pretty much the same as the one that debuted with the iPad.
You’re able to download and read e-books on your iPhone just like you could on Apple’s tablet computer. You can also sync the same book on both devices if they are on the same iTunes account.
Game Center
Those who are familiar with Microsoft’s mobile gaming center will probably call the iPhone version “Apple Live”.
This feature is going to be used as a social gaming network. Since the demand for playing games on the iPhone/iPod Touch is ever increasing, this was a brilliant part on Apple’s behalf.
You will have the ability to invite friends, be matched up with someone and play against them, leader boards, and achievements. Right now it’s still a work in progress, and no one’s sure if this will be ready for the launch of OS 4 and the new iPhone.
Other New Features
The new version of this operating system is going to include some smaller improvements:
- Custom Home Screen Background
- Spell Check
- Bluetooth Keyboard Support
- Alternate Keyboard Layouts (QWERTY, AZERTY, QWERTZ)
- Alpha-Numeric Passcodes
App Improvements
Apple’s iOS 4.0 also brings a number of enhancements to the standard software:
Messaging: You can now search text messages. There is also a character count feature so you know when you exceed 160 characters. In addition, when a text message fails to send, there will be an exclamation point where it would normally tell you how many new texts you have.
Calendar: There is a new option to view birthdays on the calendar — these birthdays are compiled from all your contacts stored in your phone.
Photos: Apple is adding the ability to organize your photos from iPhoto by Albums, Events, and Faces
Camera: A 5X optical zoom is included, as well as auto-focusing in video mode now. The next-generation iPhone is supposed to have a higher-resolution camera, but there’s no way to confirm this on my iPhone 3GS.
YouTube: Videos can now be played in vertical orientation.
Calculator: Just a new icon.
Notes: You can now sync notes to Apple’s Mobile Me online service.
Safari: The web browser lets you play videos straight in Safari without going to the Quicktime video player.
iPod: There is now the ability to create and edit playlists right on the iPhone. As someone that listens to a lot of music while I’m on the go, this is a feature that should have been present a while ago (like most of these improvements). There is also now an art in album view which resembles the one in the iTunes store.
What’s Missing from iOS 4.0?
The main thing that is still missing is an Adobe Flash Player. I’m sad to say but I don’t think we will ever see flash for the iPhone or iPad. Everything on the iPhone in Steve Jobs’ eyes has to be perfect, or close to it. Flash on mobile devices just aren’t that stage yet. Plus, how would you interact with flash on a small touch screen phone? I for one can do without all the annoying flash advertisements in Safari for now.
Availability
The next-generation iPhone model expected next month will almost certainly launch with iPhone OS 4.0. In addition, Apple has promised free upgrades for the iPhone 3GS and 3G models this summer, while second and third-generation iPod Touch owners will get an upgrade at about the same time for $10.
Not all features in iOS 4 will be available on the iPhone 3G/iPod Touch (2nd Gen), though, while Apple’s first generation smartphone and handheld will not get an upgrade at all.
Expect the new version of this operating system to hit the iPad some time this fall.
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