Apple late Thursday night released a major software update for its iPhone operating system, introducing features such as remote podcast downloading and Google Street View.
Remote podcast downloading enables users to download audio and video podcasts onto their iPhones with the iTunes app over a wireless connection. In the past, to get podcasts on iPhones, users had to download them onto iTunes on their computers and then connect the handset to sync the files.
Apple also made major changes to the Google Maps app, which is now capable of displaying Google Street View, a mode that provides a 360-degree view of thousands of locations taken with cameras mounted on Google’s cars. Also new to the Maps app are the abilities to look up walking and public transit directions, view addresses of dropped pins and share location via e-mail.
In addition to new functions, iPhone 2.2 decreases dropped calls and set-up failures, according to Apple. Other fixes include better sound quality for voicemail, improved Safari performance and enhancements to the Mail application.
Thursday’s release validates a few rumors and leaked screenshots floating around about the update a few weeks ago.
And no, there isn’t yet copy and paste.
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Tags: 360-degree-view, abilities, apple, computers, facebook, GearFactor, google-street, iphone, itunes, itunes-on-their, public-transit, such-as-remote, their-computers
The developer-only iPhone 2.2 software sounds promising so far, boasting hidden features like Google Street View, auto-correction toggle, and emoji icons. It better be good, considering Apple is already breaking promises, having missed the September deadline for push notification.
Filed under: Cellphones
The NPD Group offered a bit of insight into the carrier-jumping habits of original iPhone buyers way back when and, as you might expect, it’s now back at it and taking a stab at determining exactly where the iPhone 3G’s users are coming from. According to the group, between July and August of this year, 30 percent of iPhone 3G buyers ditched their existing carrier to buy the phone, which is a somewhat significant uptick from the 23 percent of consumers overall that switched carriers during the same time period. Of that 30 percent, 34 percent of ‘em switched from Verizon, 24 percent came from T-Mobile, and 19 percent came from Sprint. That same report also pegs the BlackBerry Curve, BlackBerry Pearl, and the Palm Centro as the next best selling smartphones. In related news, the 2.2 firmware beta floating about has apparently turned up a few more hidden surprises — namely, support for Japanese emoji icons, an off setting for the auto-correction feature and, purportedly, support for Google Street View in the Google Maps application, although there’s unfortunately no screenshot evidence of the latter feature just yet.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Read – CNET News, “30 percent of iPhone 3G buyers dump existing carriers”
Read – Mac Rumors, “iPhone 2.2 Hidden Features: Google Street View, Emoji, Auto-Correction Off”
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