Apple begins testing iOS 6.1 with new Map Kit framework for third-party apps

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
Apple on Thursday provided developers with a prerelease version of its forthcoming iOS 6.1 update, featuring improvements to its Maps application programming interface, and also issued a beta of Xcode 4.6.

Betas


Both iOS 6.1 and Xcode 4.6 are now available to download from Apple's developer website. People familiar with the first iOS 6.1 beta indicated it is identified as "Build 10B5095f."

The iOS 6.1 beta is available for the iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS; fourth-, third- and second-generation iPads; and the fifth- and fourth-generation iPod touch.

Beta versions of iOS 6.1 compatible with the iPad mini and new fourth-generation iPad, which will become publicly available tomorrow, are not said to be offered on Apple's developer website.

The only major new addition to iOS 6.1 is said to be "Map Kit Searches" as part of the "Map Kit" framework. It now lets developers search for map-based addresses and points of interest.

A new class labeled "MKLocalSearch" is also said to offer map-based content using a natural language string. This will allow users to enter place name information or portions of an address to return relevant information.

In one example provided to developers, users could search the string "coffee," and it would return the location of local coffee bars along with information about each one.

The new Xcode 4.6 beta is reportedly labeled as "Build 4H90b," and it includes the iOS 6.1 beta SDK, along with Mac OS X 10.8 SDK. The pre-release version of Xcode includes the Xcode IDE, iOS simulator, and all required tools and frameworks for building OS X and iOS applications.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 9
    That would be useful if the map data was accurate...
  • Reply 2 of 9


    Wow, they're either skipping the standard 6.0.1 and 6.0.2 or those will still go out, but as just bug fixes.

  • Reply 3 of 9
    cpsrocpsro Posts: 3,192member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


    Wow, they're either skipping the standard 6.0.1 and 6.0.2 or those will still go out, but as just bug fixes.



    Surprised?? Isn't it standard practice for double-point releases to be bug fixes and point releases to introduce new functionality? (6.0.1 is already out, of course, as a bug fix release.)

  • Reply 4 of 9
    websnapwebsnap Posts: 224member
    6.0.1 is officially out now. Run update, it will be there.
  • Reply 5 of 9
    mjtomlinmjtomlin Posts: 2,673member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Cpsro View Post


    Surprised?? Isn't it standard practice for double-point releases to be bug fixes and point releases to introduce new functionality? (6.0.1 is already out, of course, as a bug fix release.)



     


    Yes, 0.0X releases are maintenance updates (bug fixes). 0.X releases are both maintenance and new/enhanced feature releases.

  • Reply 6 of 9


    Originally Posted by Cpsro View Post

    Surprised?? Isn't it standard practice for double-point releases to be bug fixes and point releases to introduce new functionality? (6.0.1 is already out, of course, as a bug fix release.)


     


    I thought so, but someone said "it needs a dev preview first", and since I can't trust my own memory…

  • Reply 7 of 9
    Wow, one day after ios 6.0.1, why couldn't they have combined the two tomorow.
  • Reply 8 of 9


    Originally Posted by Curtis Hannah View Post

    Wow, one day after ios 6.0.1, why couldn't they have combined the two tomorow.


     


    Because the former is done, the latter is not.

  • Reply 9 of 9
    I wonder if the lords of Infinite Loop will grant us an alpha-numeric keyboard, or will it remain in-house? ( Apple Store employee iPads have this keyboard already. )
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