Developers Get iPhone OS 3.0 Beta 2, Users to Get Two iPhone Versions
The first Beta version of the iPhone OS 3.0, which we all saw it had some astonishing features that might deter users from jailbreaking the device, has reached another step in its development, mainly the release of iPhone OS 3.0 Beta 2. The operating system, which has been made available only to developers registered with Apple’s iPhone Developer Program, carries the “iPhone OS beta 2 build 7A259” tag and weighs in at more than 2GB.
The good news regarding the iPhone OS 3.0 Beta 2 is that tethering and MMS work; the bad news is that Apple says they “are not supported, and should not be used.” MMS and tethering functionality is not blocked by Apple, just that the Cupertino-based company does not officially allow it to be used. This is reminiscent of Google and the taking down of an Android tethering app – details here.
Here are the changes in iPhone OS 3.0 Beta 2 that we are aware of at this time:
- The order of the Apps displayed on the Home Screen has been rearranged.
- New menu item in Settings: Store. It contains no data for now.
- Improved speed and stability.
- Typing lag and scrolling problems have been fixed.
- New icon shows up when you have enabled call forwarding.
- Open a new page in Safari by tapping an holding on a link -> a popup menu will appear asking you if you want to open the link, open in new page, copy the link, or cancel.
With this iPhone OS release Apple has given developers a green light to start testing push notification and in-app purchases.
In related iPhone news, a report by Lazard Capital Markets says that Apple will in the future bring out two version of the iPhone: one would be high-end, the other low-end. “Our checks confirm that two versions of iPhones will be introduced this year. Production of the new phones should start at the beginning of April and will ramp in May. We believe it is possible that the two phones will be aimed at different regions. The high-end version is expected in North America and Europe, and the low-end version may be for the BRIC countries [Brazil, Russia, India, and China] or China only,” said analyst Daniel Amir as cited by AppleInsider.
The good news regarding the iPhone OS 3.0 Beta 2 is that tethering and MMS work; the bad news is that Apple says they “are not supported, and should not be used.” MMS and tethering functionality is not blocked by Apple, just that the Cupertino-based company does not officially allow it to be used. This is reminiscent of Google and the taking down of an Android tethering app – details here.
Here are the changes in iPhone OS 3.0 Beta 2 that we are aware of at this time:
- The order of the Apps displayed on the Home Screen has been rearranged.
- New menu item in Settings: Store. It contains no data for now.
- Improved speed and stability.
- Typing lag and scrolling problems have been fixed.
- New icon shows up when you have enabled call forwarding.
- Open a new page in Safari by tapping an holding on a link -> a popup menu will appear asking you if you want to open the link, open in new page, copy the link, or cancel.
With this iPhone OS release Apple has given developers a green light to start testing push notification and in-app purchases.
In related iPhone news, a report by Lazard Capital Markets says that Apple will in the future bring out two version of the iPhone: one would be high-end, the other low-end. “Our checks confirm that two versions of iPhones will be introduced this year. Production of the new phones should start at the beginning of April and will ramp in May. We believe it is possible that the two phones will be aimed at different regions. The high-end version is expected in North America and Europe, and the low-end version may be for the BRIC countries [Brazil, Russia, India, and China] or China only,” said analyst Daniel Amir as cited by AppleInsider.
