“Apple may be preparing a significant update for the iPhone as early as this weekend that will have some heavily requested features, according to a claim from CNET France,” Electronista reports.
“The site points to multiple reports that a 1.1.3 upgrade for the iPhone will appear by Saturday which adds both a disk mode for storing general data on the device and a voice recording mode for capturing lectures or voice memos,” Electronista reports.
“It is also likely to break existing modifications to the firmware that allow the iPhone to run third-party code or unlock the device to run with carriers outside of those approved by Apple,” Electronista reports.
Full article here.
…and the walls continue to come tumbling down…(first?)
Why can’t my LG Chocolate phone do this?
JUST KIDDING. Seriously though, this is one of the things that makes the iPhone worth it. It can be continuously updated to include all the latest features. Yeah, newer versions may have some upgraded hardware options, but overall, one can expect some longevity of use out of the iPhone with these easy to install software updates. Compare that to all these $99 disposable phones where people are constantly buying a new phone two to three times a year to keep getting the newest features.
The iPhone and its platform are amazing and this is why so many of the carriers are doing everything they can to stop the Apple freight train that is the iPhone.
All the Treos I’ve ever owned, and my new iphone…
one thing sorely lacking- VOICE MEMO (very handy, indeed). I used to actually carry around a separate little digital recorder.
AR
I want an iPhone… bad.
My contract with Sprint isn’t up til 2009.
AND my buddy got an iPhone. Although he loves the phone itself, the AT&T;part drops and can’t get reception in areas where he used to get reception before…
I wish they’d open it up already…
I love my iPhone. Apple is so smart to keep a pulse on what people want and keep the updates coming. They make it butt simple to operate and fun to use. I have a drawer full of old phones that that were difficult to use. Proud to own an iPhone
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If anyone out there still doesn’t get it, this is the essence of iPhone’s significant advantage over everything else. To get a better Nokia, you have to buy a new phone. To get a better iPhone, you plug it in and sync it. When Apple sold you your iPhone, they sold you a device that will take its sweet time becoming obsolete. They promised regular feature updates and, boy, are they delivering!
I currently have a Sony-Ericsson Walkman phone. I was able to update it twice since I bought it, by purposely seeking out firmware updates (they don’t automatically notify you they’re there). The updates were, for all intents and purposes, insignificant. The only things I noticed that were updated were:
1. AAC meta data (song names, artists, etc.) are now showing just like MP3 data;
2. The ‘beep’ tone you hear when pressing mic button to issue a voicedial command is now higher in pitch.
3. Some support for unicode (Russian cyrillic, but no Serbian; Eastern European characters).
And I had to actually know that firmware updating is possible, then seek and download updater application (Windows-only), run the updater manually, jump through a few hoops, etc. My guess is, about 0.5% of SE owners actually do this.
On the other hand, iPhone delivers several new applications, significant new features, etc. There is simply no comparison.
I’m anxiously awaiting my current contract to expire (in a month or so).
Now, if they’d only allow me to modify my iPhone Hosts file so I could remove all those ads when surfing in Safari, just like I do on my home machines, we’d be in business.
This is how Apple actually manages to “out-smart” the iPhone hackers. They know full well that the iPhone will be hacked or unlocked by hackers. They purposely leave out some very useful features and applications. With each update, they disable the hacks/unlocks but at the same time dangle the carrot that’s the missing features in front of the users. If you want those functions, you have to update and thus lose your hacks/unlocks. It is far better than trying to make the iPhone “bullet-proof” from the beginning. I think this is truly brilliant on Apple’s part.
Remember Microsoft promised Vista ‘Ultimate’ users would get regular ‘exclusive’ downloads?
Microsoft promise.
Apple deliver.
Sounds like those things would be more like 1.2.
I’d love it if Apple would ship these new features, once a month, like New Software Friday, so that this point differentiating the iPhone from every other smartphone gets emphasized.
Also, to the poster who bemoaned his Sprint contract, there are websites that will allow you to sell your remaining contract.
@Predrag
What a load of crap. What are these ‘several new applications’ and ‘significant new features’ being delievered regularly? Let’s count the new applications:
iTunes WiFi store.
and..
ummm…
hmmm.
Wow check out that awesome list of applications.
Meanwhile if you even bother checking the official iPhone forums you see the features people REALLY want continue to be missing from updates.
Disclaimer: I am a happy iPhone owner but I am not going just sit quiet and watch fanboys spread lies and trash other phones for no good reason.
“Remember Microsoft promised Vista ‘Ultimate’ users would get regular ‘exclusive’ downloads?”
Isn’t that just a marketing term for virus protection?
Found the page:
http://www.vistaultimate.com/windows_ultimate_extras.htm
Wow, I’m so… underwhelmed.
I bet Nokia et all the other mobile makers cant update the functionality of their phones like this!
This is why a phone with only a touch screen will always be better than a phone with a keypad and plastic buttons.
Apple can add whatever new features, software or interface that they want just by a simple update.
This in essence creates a device that is infinitely up-datable without the crap of have to buy a new phone for the new functions.
God I looooove my iPhone and I cant wait for the update!
This WOULD be the right timing, and it WOULD validate SJ’s claim about periodic updates improving the iPhone. Is it too good to be true? I guess we’ll have to wait and see…
The ability to connect to your idisk, to download any file anywhere at anytime would be perfect.
The ability to cut and paste wouldn’t be such a bad idea.
Finally, Apple is starting to catch up with the iPhone hackers. These have been available on hacked iPhones for months.
“Disclaimer: I am a happy iPhone owner but I am not going just sit quiet and watch fanboys spread lies and trash other phones for no good reason.”
why is this always the excuse for whiners that allows them license to bitch about a product they claim to be happy about?
“i am a happy and loyal (insert subject of article here) user but this is total bullshit!”
just like people who claim to be patriotic, or pro family values, or religious, a statement like that is the first sign that they are exactly the opposite.
and no, i am not saying you are not an iphone user, i am just asking a human psych question. i am sure some people who say these things really mean them, heck i am sure i have said things like that about being a Mac user, and it is true. just asking about an odd human quirk.
…back to your real topics.
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on topic, it is getting harder and harder to resist getting an iphone to match my wife’s. if they add voice recording so i can tape lectures and conferences…… man.
must…. resist…. taking out wallet….. avoid Apple store…… argh!
I wish T-Mobile would pay off Apple & AT&T;and get the iPhone. AT&T;reception is horrible where I live.
I don’t use semi-colons inappropriately. What’s up MDN! I’ve seen other posts that have semi-colons for no reason.
I agree that the “updatability” of the iPhone is a big draw, but it’s still missing two obvious features that most other PDAs/phones have: To Do Lists and Notes that are integrated w/ the mail program. I mean, now that Leopard, which integrates both the features w/ Mail.app, is out in the wild, is there any excuse not to update the iPhone?
The question I have is to what extent will they keep supporting the current hardware revision of the iPhone after the 3G version is released. Hopfully they will support it fully, since there accounting practices allow for it. However, while not a direct correlation, thier history of abandoning previous generation ipods is worrisome.
I can imagine that some of the cool new apps will need a faster connection than EDGE to be usefull. My guess is they will disable the app when not on Wi-Fi for 1st gen iPhones, and allow the app to run unhindered on the 3G phones. But what about GPS?
These are the types of questions I am sure they are working out as we speak.