iPhone OS 4.0 round up

By on Apr 8, 2010 at 2:18 PM
Favorites April 8, 2010

os4-unified-inbox

Email

And just like that, iPhone OS 4.0 has brought the iPhone’s email capabilities into the bright and shiny world of 2006. No longer will users be forced to suffer the indignity of checking each of their inboxes individually, as global inboxes are now a part of Apple’s vision for the iPhone… as is thee ability to sort emails by threads and open attachments in specific apps.

Enterprise

People that use their iPhone for both work and pleasure are likely jumping for joy this afternoon as iPhone OS 4.0 supports multiple Exchange accounts. Not only that, but Apple has moved beyond the year 2007 and now supports Exchange Server 2010. Last but not least, data protection has received a much needed shot in the arm with: mobile device management, wireless ad-hoc app distribution, and SSL VPN support.

iBooks

iBooks on the iPhone work pretty much the same way as on the iPad. You buy your books through the iBookstore and can sync them across whatever portable Apple devices you own. Your bookmarks are wirelessly synchronized across your array of iThings so all of you’ll always be able to find the last page you read in The Wind Up Bird Chronicles. Oh, and you get a free copy of Winnie the Pooh. Sweetness.

Game Center

Can you believe that Apple now has its very own hodgepodge clone of Xbox Live and the Playstation Network? We bet Nintendo can, and they’re scared poopless because the Game Center offers services like: leaderboards, game achievements, and the ability to make and keep tabs on friends. And in the event you don’t have all that many friends but want to play a multiplayer game, Game Center will scan the network for people of a comparable ability and you’ll be able to do battle on a level playing field.

iAd

iPhone users rack up 1 billion impressions a day from searches alone, and Apple is hungry to make some cash off of this for itself… and for its developers as well. Basically what the new system does is analyze what you’re currently doing on your iPhone and suggests apps that will be the most appealing to you. So if you’re looking at entertainment news, you’ll see an ad for Toy Story 3. Boring, right? Wrong. Apple is desperate for you to click on these ads, so they’ve thrown in a pretty insane twist. Most of them lead to interactive games and videos and they’re all built on HTML5 (shots fired!) The ad revenue will be split, 60% to the developer, 40% to Apple.

151 Comments

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  • Desmond

    There are two sides to this whole thing. One people expect Apple to wow them every time. They are building on a product that was delivered half baked. It was very innovative. You have to give credit where it’s do. Steve is agitating at times because now he is trying to act like he is giving us a gift. When really he is just completing something that he started. Second people are looking at this half empty. Apple said 100 new features. We only saw 7 hence Sneak Preview. There are obviously other features that more than likely will be in play when this drops. Some of you are getting too caught up with the 4.0/2.1 Apple/Android comparisons. Honestly what else can either companies put into a phone. I mean really? Do you also want it to play with your kids? Bang your wife? Live your life? Bottom line it’s a phone. if it’s not for you move on get what is for you. This is starting to sound high schoolish and trivial.

    Posted from BGR Mobile (iPhone) at: Philadelphia United States

    • A|X

      The problem here is that Steve Jobs did claim he was going to wow everyone. What else can you expect when you claim the update is “A+”? It’s even worse because in an earlier interview he claimed he would never allow anyone (Google) to catch up.

      • jonathan

        Jobs besides being CEO is a salesman deep inside. Of course he is going to say its A+ and maybe he really thinks its that good too. Now its up to us to determine if its true, unless you’re a big Fandroid, whereas even if its good you say its crap to make your phone better. Iphone or Droid, whatever, its all the same as long as you enjoy it. Only geeks/techies are so concerned about phone capabilities. Its hard to compare OS between Iphone and Android because android is on so many devices while the Iphone is one of a kind. Phone and OS are one and thats where the iphone edges out android devices I think its a good and worthy update, not great but before summer comes there will be more to it than the initial preview stated. Android still lack the polish that Iphone Os has. We really need to revisit this whole situation a couple of years from now.

      • A|X

        Yeah, except the fact that Jobs himself said “They’ll never catch up to Iphone.” which is asinine because in terms of capability, Android rips Iphone a new one. So, him calling this crappy excuse of an upgrade “A+” is laughable at best. And most people, I believe, are willing to give credit where it’s due, Android or Apple. Look at Iphone fans — a lot of them are willing to go to Evo 4G after it was introduced. Similarly, IF Apple actually did something worthwhile instead of playing catch up *again*, then maybe Android users would feel the same.

        And guess what.. an Android on one device is pretty much the same as Android on another device. But if you wanna compare one phone to Iphone, how about the Evo 4G? Can you seriously tell me that even with this crappy ass excuse of an upgrade, Apple edges it out? Don’t make me laugh. And Android lack the polish? Did you see the Galaxy S, Desire, Evo 4G or Legend? Obviously not, because those do amazing jobs with Android. And if by, polished, you mean the same ugly UI that Iphone has been using for what.. going on FOUR YEARS now, then yeah, I guess you have a point.

        And why the hell would you say “come back in a few years”? Because that’s when Apple will finally stop fucking around and actually doing something creative with their phones? Probably!

      • Nishanth

        Wasn’t the “A+” upgrade referring to the hardware? I’d expect to see a nice upgrade this summer.

      • A|X

        An OS is a pretty big part of the “A+” package, don’t you think?

        No amount of hardware specifications is going to change the OS.

    • Kristian

      It’s pretty much I want to say to any fanboys or *brand/platform* defender toddlers anywhere. :D

      Grow up. Get a life.

  • hfva

    apple still needs to open BT transfer and be more into the real world. if was was able to do it then there is no reason that apple can not do it too

    Posted from BGR Mobile (iPhone).

  • Desmond

    Android people here something to grow on. if your changing rom or trying to change clock speeds or whatever your doing to your device it’s because your not satisfied with it as well.

    Posted from BGR Mobile (iPhone) at: Moorestown Moorestown, NJ 08057, USA

    • Drew

      Wrong again Apple aficionados. If you have an Android or Linux device that can be made “better” by overclocking or doing something else to the firmware because YOU CAN, it’s totally not the same as jailbreaking your iPhone because you HAVE TO.

      • Justin

        Exactly! high end android users change roms, and over clock for the same reason hardcore pc users multi boot os’s, over clock processors and memory, add water cooling, plane the tops of processors and the bottoms of heat sinks to make hem mirror finished and perfectly smooth. It’s not because they have to, it’s because they can, and they want to see what would happen if…

        As opposed to the iphone, where if you have a 32 gig device and are only using 8 gigs for media apps and o/s, you can’t use the spare space as a flash drive without jailbreaking it. You can use a LOT of the iphone without jailbreaking it and voiding you warranty.

      • Justin

        You can’t use a LOT of the iphone without jailbreaking it and voiding you warranty.

  • Haha

    Sweet,
    The iPhone can now almost do what Android has been able to do since launch. If this is iPhone 4.0, cant imagine what Android 2.5 will bring. Not too impressed, but gotta give Apple credit for finally Kinda addressing multitashing in a pretty slick way.

  • LT

    how much for the os upgrade. remember apple likes to charge for this.

    • jonathan

      Should be no charge if you own an Iphone3g, Ipad or 3gs. You may have to pay if you have an Ipod touch though.

  • WoW

    @Desmond
    Actually,
    Stock 2.1 is the SH!T, but at least we have the option to ROM, WIFI Teather (free), get music from anywhere, etc, etc. Just know that by the time iPhone 4.0 and new OS comes out, Android will be on 2.2-.3, and the pounding will begin. Oh yeah, 9,300 apps just last month, can you say momentum. The only way to kill Android is for the iPhone to come to VZW, or within 2 years Android will double up the iPhone. They may do just that even if iPhone comes to VZW.

  • http://apple ted

    Great so the iphone can now support multiple exchange accounts into one……just like the PALM PRE!

    LOL

  • MobileGuru

    Steve Jobs needs a good kick in the ass

  • Supersonic FTMFW

    “Most of them lead to interactive games and videos and they’re all built on HTML5 (shots fired!)”

    What are you talking about? Apple made these ads themselves. Their demo was in no way a demonstration of what actual ads will look like on the iPhone, as Apple isn’t creating them.

  • tracing_the_shadow

    I used to use an iPhone. Now I use a droid. I have to admit at the time I thought the iPhone was pretty great, but now I could never go back. If it works for other people thats cool, but being an android user with iPhone experience, i have to admit that it would take something really innovative for the iPhone to get my attention again.
    On top of that, it seems to me that android is progressing much faster than the iPhone OS is. Not that android is perfect. For example I’d like to see google release a multi-platform software for formatting video for whatever the target android device is. All in all though, I think android is really going to start to pull away from the iPhone OS.

  • cnote1287

    palm pre and android comes out with multitasking: Steve jobs says its dumb and customers dont need it

    Iphone comes out with multitasking: INNOVATION!

    • Justin

      gotta love how they “innovate” what everyone else has already done and written off as a basic necessity don’t ya?

  • Brye

    In all honesty nearly everyone is a hypocrite. The complain and moan for the things they want, Apple serves it up on a steaming silver platter and all they can do is bitch about how it wasn’t brought to them fast enough. Grow up. If you love how Android and WebOS has been doing everything before the iPhone, then be humble about it. Apple has been taking into consideration what the customer needs. The average customer. Not the technophiles who need 10 Seapdragons in 1 phone just to call it mediocre. Know that Apple may be late to the party, but they actually take time and effort to push out the absolute best, unlike most who put out crap and (maybe) fix it later. Stop bitching about wanting something and then later bitching some more after you get about how it took them long enough cause you have no life and nothing better to do.

    • A|X

      If Apple takes the time to consider the consumer, then how come the 3G owners are getting screwed over in the OS update? No multitasking? Seriously. That’s what they wanted MOST. Look at any Iphone forum.. they want multitasking. Yet, only people w/3GS and above are getting that. And the sad thing is, it’s very, very possible to use the hardware 3G has to implement multitasking. And what’s his reason? “If people need to upgrade their device, that’s terrific” That’s basically Jobs saying “I don’t care what they want, I just want their money.” It’s sad.. the 3G is a VERY popular device, yet he abandons that because he wants them to spend more money on a more powerful device.

      You call that serving on a silver platter? Don’t make me laugh. 3G owners are getting screwed in this deal.

      • alex

        give me a break…I have been using a Touch since G1 and I don’t recall ever thinking that I needed multi-tasking…..recently I switched from a WinMo device to Pre Plus and while it does multi-tasking I would give that functionality up for more quality apps. iPhone was made for mainstream consumers in mind…which means a 5 year old or a 70 year old can pick it and use it without any effort. by the way those people that are whining in the iPhone forums are cut from the same cloth as you…in the greater scheme of things irrelevant….and didn’t SJ say in the Q&A 3G had limitations…

      • Matt Cook

        Umm are you stupid the 3G has slower processor than 3Gs. So it would be slow and lag I have a 3G and can’t really see my 3G having multitasking on it and running smooth at all. It would be slow and lag and I would get frustrated So Apple not going to put it on something that really can handle it and would make the consumers experience not enjoyable.

      • A|X

        @Alex

        People are whining in the Iphone forums? Orly. What about? I can only imagine. If they want more outta their phones, I can understand.

        @Matt Cook

        Wrong. If you jailbreak your iphone, you can multitask fine. It’s just Apple’s way of multitasking that apparently doesn’t use system resources as well as it should. Too bad, really.. it’s not your limited hardware that’s screwing you over… it’s Job’s way. For all the crap he talked about hardware preservation, he can’t even do what jailbreakers are able to do.

    • Justin

      put out the very best … then spend the next 4 years “fixing it” to catch it up to where everyone is. If it took 4 years to catch up it wasn’t the “very best” to begin with.

      • Brye

        My point being proven. More complaining that it wasn’t fast enough. I do think that it took a while, however, I’ll wait for something of quality. In my perspective, by the time 4.0 comes out, 3G users contracts will be up, and, even though 3GS users contracts aren’t, they get Multitasking. I don’t know about you guys bit I would be more than happy to trade up my 2 year old phone for a new one. “Well who has the money in a recession to trade up?” – Well maybe you shouldn’t have gotten a iPhone.

    • Matt Cook

      I’m so happy to see some who understand Apple and how they don’t just put something out there multitasking until they have it just right and make sure it’s the best for there customers. Unlike Android OS multitasking doesn’t help save batter life. Other come out with stuff and then Apple come out with it maybe a little later but its truly the best. But then again Apple came out with the first really good smartphone then everyone followed them just like iPad. Apple makes a amazing device no ones has seen before. But soon as Apple makes it. Dell, Hp, JooJoo, and some others companies trying to make something similar.

    • Joe B

      Jobs markets his products as Magical and Revolutionary despite the fact that they only add features that the rest of the competition have been doing for a long time now. It’s the fact that he tries to convince that his new iphone is innovative which causes people to call out Apple on their catching up status.

  • joshdefoore

    @A|X,

    If you think the iPhone is not a good deal the best thing to do is to not buy one.

    If you don’t like apple or the way they go about their business then don’t give them your money.

    If android is what you prefer great, give them all your money.

    I wonder why we as people are so compelled to justify our decision making by expressing it so emotionally on BGR posts.

    You sound like an old lady standing outside a Dan Brown movie except your posterboard says “Droid Does!” jackass

    Posted from BGR Mobile (iPhone) at: Stephenville North America

    • A|X

      Am I wrong when I say that Apple screwed over the millions of 3G owners? Nope. Is it safe to say that this presentation of what’s supposed to be an “A plus” upgrade was lackluster? Duh.

      And as far as telling me to buy what I want.. well.. damn! Captain Obvious to the Rescue! (look this up on google image)

      And I doubt even you can deny how much of an ass Jobs sounded like with his presentation. If you haven’t read it, check it out. It’s hilarious.

  • joshdefoore

    @A|X,

    your making my point for me.

    it’s their product so they can screw over whoever they want.

    continue to hold up your posterboard sir and I’ll continue thinking your a jackass

    Posted from BGR Mobile (iPhone) at: Stephenville North America

    • A|X

      First of all, it’s “you’re” not “your,” dumbass.

      Second, the “whoever they want” I guess, is you! Heh.

      Finally, between being a jackass that holds up a pro-Android poster VS being an Iphone user taking it up the proverbial ass from Steve Jobs (i.e. you), the choice is obvious.

      Hand that poster over, son! But change “Droid” to “Evo 4G.” =D

  • http://www.itsagadget.com Andrei

    It is very sad that this new multitasking is not available on all models and I think they want to force us to buy an expensive version. The so called multitasking is not even the multitasking as we know it, running several processes same time, I bet we can’t listen music while surfing through Safari, but they don’t wanna tell us this thing.
    Apple once again is taking advantage from fool users that have money and like big words.
    ps: iAd sucks.

  • Michael

    Well it’s certainly an improvement, but I have to admit seeing things like application folders and limited multitasking seems like slow progress. Further I’m left with the feeling that Apple are making concessions with their platform to appease their users: ‘You want full multitasking… well we’ve decided that we’ll allow you to kind of do it but it has to be this way…’ Do Apple users really have to say ‘Please Mr Jobs, will you let me do this on my iPhone. Please, please pretty please.’

    I almost bought an HTC Desire this week, but decided to hold off for the Apple announcement. Apple have kindly helped me make my decision. The Desire’s the way forward for me.

    The iPhone was revolutionary when it came out but now its growth seems a little stunted. I guess iPhone owners hoping for that revamped user interface will have to wait until OS 5.0 or maybe 6.0. Keep begging and I’m sure it will come in the end.

  • http://gene gene shadd

    people are always complaining apple wants things to work not freeze up which is what the droid does and you do know that apple did not release everything the new iPhone will do. that won’t be released till June. oh for al those droid people that says they will catch iPhone are crazy iPhone just released it’s numbers 50 million iPhones sold to 4 million droids

    Posted from BGR Mobile (iPhone) at: Woodbridge North America

  • joshdefoore

    @A|X,

    I also didn’t capitalize the letters in the beginning of my sentences.

    jackass

    Posted from BGR Mobile (iPhone) at: Stephenville North America

    • A|X

      Eh, I’m not so much a stickler for capitalization as I am of proper word usage. After all, one is simply a formality.. the other radically changes the meaning of what you are saying.

  • Jeff

    Now that multitasking is supported and Apple seems to have “opened” things up a bit, does anyone with any development skills believe a TODAY type screen, common in jailbroken iphones; can now be developed and approved by Apple? I would like to see a simple Today screen that shows up on the lock screen indicating weather, calendar, new emails, SMS, upcoming calendar events, etc…???

    Treos and BB’s from ten years ago had this functionality. Wouldn’t it be nice to just hit the button and without needing to unlock see and snapshot of what’s going on? Why they did not build this into 4.0 I don’t know. Can it be done now???

    Thanks for any thoughts on this.

  • Macluvin

    Love the changes with 4.0
    I must say. iAd is Pure Genius. I would actually check out these advertisements after seeing the demo.
    People will now find something new to bitch about of course.
    Apple why didn’t you do this or that, blah blah blah.
    Apple may take a longer doing things that people “think” they have to have, but when Apple does it, it’s done the right way.
    I never felt the need for all this multitasking because of the way everything worked together in the OS. But all those that needed to run pandora and surf, grats.

    • Matt Cook

      Thank you someone with some intelligence!!! I’m glad to see some people understand good quality things.

    • Joe B

      lol what a typical Apple fanboy, take a negative aspect of the Iphone aka being advertized at and turn it into a “feature”. Does Jobs at least give you a glass of milk to wash down that bullshit you’re trying to swallow?

  • Mark

    well my girl has a 3gs and it freezes so much. My droid is a monster compared to the the freeze phone. aka iphone

  • joshdefoore

    @A|X,
    well you obviously understood my meaning. the only reason anyone points out any gramatical errors on a comment board is because they lack a valid argument. my apologies for not understanding the formal nature of this structure.

    It’s a shame you feel it neccessary to point these things out just so you can validate your argument.

    jackass

    how about we stop comparing a 2009 iPhone to 2010 android devices and wait until apple once again releases the best phone in the market this summer

    Posted from BGR Mobile (iPhone) at: Stephenville North America

    • A|X

      Actually, my arguments and points are very valid. Read, dumbass.

      My correcting your grammar is just an added perk. And nicely enough, you replied to said grammatical comment. Good job. Dumbass.

      And take your own advice. Get your Iphone. Enjoy it. STFU. I’ll take an Evo 4G, enjoy it and probably never post in a smartphone thread again until the next major release (which will probably be a year or so anyways).

      Deal? Deal.

  • MicroNix

    If I was Steve, I would have been embarrassed to announce these “new” features. Almost all of them are very late to the party…

  • preachaman87

    sorry but android didnt create multitasking in fact windows phones had that back in the day so who cares if aple is just now getting the multitasking at least the app store for apple has decent apps ive seen teh android market it blows with a capital B im not an apple fan boy i prefere windows but i have an iphone by default i use to hate apples iphone but now i see what a great device it is and im sorry but i dont see any special docks and stereos being made for the shatdroid phones and its the same boring widget based os that in all honsety looks like the same thing blackberry has you can just move them and customize them but who cares im sorry but android just doesnt appeal to me at all its just not that innovative and i can do so much more with a windows phone than i could ever do with shatdroid but in even still im happy with the iphone because in the end its all about what os is easiest to use and at the same time can do the most and that my friends is the iphone and fandroid boys begin your assualt comments over and out

  • Dave

    I am happy with the update and I have a 3G. I would have felt bad about being left out of the multitasking party but for 2 reasons.

    1. I have jailbroken my phone before and while multitasking worked you could tell it was pushing the hardware.

    2. The iphone 4 is such a big upgrade from the 3G, and is being offered as a pretty generous upgrade which I am taking advantage of.

    I do agree that it would have been nice if the 3G could mulitask out of the box with ios4 but i understand that when jailbroken multitasking is unlocked without additional software instals so I may just see how that works too.

    As for Android vs WebOS or Iphone, get over it. They are all great in their own way. Whatever works be happy with it.

    As someone who has also used Android, my biggest complaint is how the OS updates come out at separate times for different phones on different carriers, which can be very frustrating. It amazes me that the Evo 4G does not have Android 2.2 on it out of the box. Who knows when, or if it will ever be available. As a consumer that leads to the same disappointment as the 3G not having multitasking.

    • Joe B

      I will never understand how Apple Fans can bitch about Android users maybe having to wait a few months to get their update between models, when Iphone users have to wait an entire year just to get a typically minimally updated OS that may or may not even include all the new features depending on which Iphone model you have.

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