And it includes MMS, subscription-based apps, cut and paste text, and P2P Bluetooth.
Apple has taken the wraps off its its iPhone 3.0 operating system during a special event at its Californian HQ.The iPhone OS 3.0 beta software and SDK will be available for registered developers to download starting today from developer.apple.com.
iPhone customers will be able to download the new iPhone OS 3.0 software for free this summer. iPod touch customers will be able to purchase a software update for $9.95.
The headline announcements/additions are as follows:
- Though many pundits were skeptical, Apple has finally added MMS functionality to iPhone (only the 3G model though).
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- P2P Bluetooth has now been enabled, raising the possibility of head-to-head gaming.
- Users can now cut and paste text from one app to another.
- Content is now available from App Store on a subscription basis courtesy of a new feature called "In-App Purchase". APple says this could be used for level downloads within games, or maps etc.
- Overall the revised OS has more than a thousand new API functions.
- Apple has now sold 17 million iPhones and 30 million iPod touches globally.
- App Store has generated 800 million downloads to date.
-The App Store catalogue now contains 25,000 pieces of content.
- The iPhone/iPod touch SDK has been downloaded 800,000 times.
Phew.
Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing, said: "The new iPhone OS 3.0 is a major software release packed with incredible new features and innovations for iPhone customers and developers alike. It will keep us years ahead of the competition."
