Hasta La Gadget!

Add “compass” to that list of rumored features — again — for the next, still-unconfirmed iPhone revision, alongside video production capabilities, a slide-out keyboard, OLED display, LTE / Verizon support, and EV-DO rev. B (okay, not really that last one). Boy Genius Report has obtained two screens allegedly from an unreleased iPhone OS build that suggest a magnetometer’ll be part of the new hardware. Given turn-by-turn navigation is now an option for developers, we’d say having directional support is almost a necessity. Why there’s also an option for Kitchen Sink in the image we haven’t the foggiest, but we’re gonna go ahead and add “holographic plumbing assistant” to that wishlist.

Filed under: Cellphones

Magnetometer finding its way into next iPhone? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 May 2009 19:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Looks like Apple’s just released iPhone OS 3.0 beta 5, a little over one week after its last revision. That’s about half the time they’ve put between the previous updates — seems the boys in Cupertino are really starting to churn these things out. You know the drill by now, we don’t know yet what the update entails, but we’ll tell you when we find out. Oh, and just like last time, it appears iTunes 8.2 is required.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

Update: We can confirm that MMS “support” can no longer be turned on in Settings (in quotes because we could never get it working in previous betas anyhow), and we’re hearing that trickery that allowed tethering to be enabled with the previous iTunes 8.2 build has been patched. Aww, you’re no fun, Apple… thanks, Rene!

Filed under: Cellphones

iPhone OS 3.0 beta 5 now available originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 May 2009 23:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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No details on what’s new just yet, but iPhone OS 3.0 beta 3 has just hit Apple’s servers for registered, card-carrying members of the Dev Center — a nice release cadence since the new platform was first announced. More as we flesh it out!

[Via Boy Genius Report]

Update: Alright, well, we’ve played with it — as many of you have — and the update seems cosmetically identical to beta 2. We’d argue that things generally feel smoother and snappier, but the difference is almost imperceptible; go ahead and upgrade if you’re chilling on beta 2, but don’t expect sunshine and moonbeams with this release.

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

iPhone OS 3.0 beta 3 goes live originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Apr 2009 18:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Would-be iPhone developers struggling to make their apps do more than fart and crash take note: Apple and Stanford have partnered to offer videos and course materials from Stanford’s undergraduate iPhone app development course through iTunes. The course is being taught by two Apple engineers, and it sounds like videos will go up regularly — the first is scheduled to post on Friday. Alright, let’s all practice together: “Yeah, I took a class at Stanford.” Sounds good, doesn’t it?

[Via Wired]

Filed under: Cellphones

Apple and Stanford to offer free iPhone development courses online originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Apr 2009 13:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The third iteration of iPhone software doesn’t just add features (more here) like copy and paste. There’s a lot new going on in terms of usability and interface that every non-power user will appreciate.

Search Everything With Spotlight
Instead of digging through 10 screens for your apps, search them out just like in OS X through Spotlight.

Upgrade Applications Within Applications
Now, apps can solicit your business through in-app prompts. A game developer could offer to sell you more levels and a magazine could add issues to your subscription. The implementation could be annoying, like shareware and absurd microtransactions, or useful, seeing as you can buy desired upgrades within the application, bypassing the App Store when it’s unnecessary.

Use Custom Accessory Controls
New custom applications can be designed to work with specific accessories. Your iPhone can become the control panel for any participating manufacturer’s device.

Navigate Google Maps In Any Participating App, Along With Turn By Turn Directions
Do you like Yelp but you hate leaving Yelp to go to the proper Google Maps? Now that developers can embed Google Maps directly into their applications, complete with pinch zoom functionality, hopefully these days of inconvenience will be over—especially when coupled with new turn by turn directions support.

Cutting, Copying and Pasting Now Possible
Sounds simple enough. Double tap text to bring up cut/copy/paste options and drag left or right to expand your selection. Double tap again to paste, or shake the phone to undo. Since CC&P is part of the core software, it should work in all apps that want to use it.

Email Multiple Pictures At Once
Thanks to CC&P, users can copy multiple pictures and then paste them in an email to send all together. We don’t have a nifty photo of this just yet.

Write Emails/SMS in Landscape Mode
Before, you had to use a third party application to write emails in landscape mode. Now, the wide keyboard comes to all core iPhone applications.

Send Photos and Audio Over MMS
The iPhone gets photo and voice recording support for multimedia messaging. Plus, you can forward messages and stuff, too.

Stream Music In Stereo Over Bluetooth
This small distinction snuck in amongst the bigger announcements, but the new software will allow Bluetooth audio to stream in non-gimped, A2DP stereo audio. This should be great for peripherals/accessories.

No, Apple did not reskin the iPhone UI, but they did make a few handfuls of little tweaks, many of which we’ll end up using on a daily basis.