“The 2.1 firmware update may be the most critical update for the iPhone yet,” Christian Zibreg reports for TG Daily.
“The update is already available for the iPod touch and is expected to be posted for the iPhone on Friday. According to Apple CEO Steve Jobs, the 2.1 update addresses “lots of bugs” and finally fixes 3G the iPhone 3G’s connectivity issues such as dropped calls,” Zibreg reports.
“Apple clearly pitches games, the application store, the Genius playlist feature and Nike + iPod support as the main features of the iPod touch 2.1 firmware. However, there is also support for 17 languages, 30 international keyboard layouts and 19 dictionaries. There is a scientific calculator, the integrated App Store, MobileMe and Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync support as well as voice recording functionality, which requires Apple’s new $80 earphones that come with a remote and microphone,” Zibreg reports.
“A bug that caused crashes and unexpectedly shut down applications has been fixed,” Zibreg reports.
“The iPhone version of the 2.1 firmware is scheduled to become available this Friday,” Zibreg reports. “Jobs specifically said the 2.1 iPhone firmware will result in ‘fewer dropped calls’ [and] deliver ‘big battery life improvements.'”
Full article here.
Charlie Sorrel gives “Hands-On with the iPod Touch 2.1 Update” for Wired here.
Will Nike+ be on the iPhone?
OH THE INSANITY OF WAITING!!!! WHY NOT JUST RELEASE AT THE SAME TIME!!! and iPod Touch owners quit whining about paying for upgrades, you don’t pay a monthly bill to use your ipod.
The $30 headphones with MIC will also work with the iPod Touch. Skype, here we come!!!
What do you need Skype for? My cellphone seems to work just fine for making calls.
International calls – duh
@ Thisson:
Not everyone has or wants a cellphone – Skype on your touch would be a nice alternative for people who want an iPhone but not the plan that comes with it.
Does this mean “big battery life improvements” for 1st-gen iPhones as well?
An anxious world awaits . . .
Totally lame article and not even worth reading. It lists all the stuff that came out n the 2.0 software as if it only just came out yesterday in the 2.1 software. Stupid or dishonest, take your pick.
Also, the iPod does support 17 languages, but it still only halfway supports mine, ENGLISH.
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”wink” style=”border:0;” />
I don’t understand why things can’t be ready when Steve Jobs announces them! This event has been planned for weeks, if not months, and they still needed 3 more days to get the iPhone 2.1 update out? And since when do “bug fixes” = an update worth talking about with such fanfare? What’s going on Apple??
This was a really good update for the iPod Touch. I was having a bunch of problems that have been solved. From an unresponsive U.I. to app lockups. Everything seems to have been fixed (for me anyway).
“I don’t understand why things can’t be ready when Steve Jobs announces them! This event has been planned for weeks, if not months, and they still needed 3 more days to get the iPhone 2.1 update out? And since when do “bug fixes” = an update worth talking about with such fanfare? What’s going on Apple??”
@NewYorkRules
Maybe Apple learned from their past mistake of releasing the iPhone 3G, 2.0 firmware for iPhone 2G/iPod Touch AND the MobileMe updates the same day.
Apple released QuickTime and iTunes updates as well as the iPod Touch firmware update. The iPhone 2.1 update will be in much higher demand because iPhone users are experiencing more problems than iPod touch users. This gives Apple 3 days to make sure they have the server load under control before the torrent of iPhone customers start downloading their updates.
It shows Apple is learning.
I’m waiting to see what the iPhone Dev Team has to say about Pwnage on 2.1.
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”wink” style=”border:0;” />
@ madgunde
Agreed. You have good points. I guess my point was that I hope this isn’t just Apple wanting to provide extra hype, especially for an update that just fixes bugs.
Can’t wait for the lamer “teh aPpLzoers fanbois won’t complain about teh bUgZors in iPhone, but if the Best Selling smartphone were from Ballmer and co, we ‘d be on it like white on rice”.
On thing I’ve learned, after spending a decade in the hardware service industry, is that NO ONE is harder on Apple than Mac users.
On the other hand?
The best that the MS sycophants can do is yell “Just wait!!! In 5 years we’ll be just as good!”.
Apple’s a moving target, ‘Dozers, and catching up with 5 year old tech “ain’t good enough”.
Looks like Apple posted the update a day early. It is available for download right now through the itunes Store. The download for me is 239.6 Mb. If you have a slow connection plan for the extra time for this to take.
For me while the Genius update is rather cool, I find having enough stability that Apps don’t crash all the time is well worth the entry ticket.
@NewYorkRules
They probably wanted the iPod touch to take the limelight on the day.
Excellent!
Finally Copy & Paste is coming to the iPhone.
Oh wait.
Never mind.
wow, it’s still impossible to use coverflow with a playlist – i.e it still (after how many updates now?) only supports the master library. Even more stupid: if you choose a track by using coverflow, the track won’t be played as if in a playlist – or more logical – chronologically, as shown in coverflow. The only way this feature might make sense is if you actually choose a track from an album. Great thinking, Apple. Genius is a nice attempt and it’s great if you quickly need a fresh playlist. No, it’s not Pandora…and will never manage to be either. However, someone forgot to implement the Genius for purchases. Oh, and it’s still impossible to download podcasts! :(((
Good news is that Spore is teh snappier on 2.1.
Errrr! Wrong, but thank you for playing.
What Jobs said regarding better battery life was “for some users”.
2.1 on the iTouch solves my app hanging problems now that they have also been reinstalled.
Improved battery life certainly makes it snappier.
Sync is also snappier.
Whole experience is snappier.