Apple to unveil iPhone 3.0 software at March 17th event

[AppleInsider]

Apple on Thursday announced plans to hold a special media event for journalists on its Cupertino-based campus that will offer a sneak preview of the next-generation iPhone operating system dubbed iPhone 3.0.

The event will take place at 10:00 a.m. Pacific time on Tuesday March 17th in the intimate setting of the Apple Town Hall -- the same venue used to introduce the company's new unibody MacBooks last fall and the original iPhone Software Developers Kit (SDK) last March.

ArsTechnica was amongst the publications invited and has posted the following image from the email invite.

At this juncture, there's no indication that Apple will use the gathering to divulge details of next-generation iPhone handset hardware, which is expected to be unveiled several months later at the company's Worldwide Developers Conference or another event of its choosing.

iPhone 2.0

Last year, Apple staged a similar event to unveil its plans for iPhone 2.0, which was known in advance to include a new Software Development Kit for developers, but also added surprise Enterprise features, including support for push messaging and remote wipe using Microsoft's Exchange ActiveSync as well as support for WPA2 and 802.1X wireless authentication protocols and Cisco IPsec Virtual Private Networking for secure remote access.

When the iPhone 2.0 software was actually released in July, Apple also included support for its own push services as part of the .Mac rebranding of MobileMe, added extensive language support for global sales, and added geotagging to its camera application. Seven software updates have been released in the months since then.

What to expect in iPhone 3.0

At last year's WWDC, Apple announced plans to provide a Push Notification Server for third party apps, allowing developers to send updates to their users' phones through central servers operated by Apple. The new system was intended in part to account for the fact that third party apps are not allowed to operate in the background; the notification system would allow the apps to alert the user of new messages or outside changes without actually listening for them itself, a task that would be handled by the iPhone system software instead.

The Push Notification Server was expected in September but never arrived; support was included in a developer beta before being later pulled, making it a obvious candidate for inclusion in iPhone 3.0. Parallel efforts to add push messaging in the forthcoming Snow Leopard Server may have been part of the reason for the delay.



Apple also released updates for Core Location to support determining the cardinal direction and velocity of an iPhone 3G using GPS, features required for providing turn by turn driving directions. Apple may leave that area to third party developers, or could enhance directions within Maps to support turn by turn features itself. A year ago, Apple filed a patent for the concept of server generated direction and map packages called podmaps.

Apple has already added traffic overlays and transit and walking directions to Maps based on Google's service, as well as Street View, a feature Google first debuted in showing off the mapping capabilities of its Android platform.

iPhone 3.0 wish list

A variety of other features may also make it into iPhone 3.0, including support for advanced Bluetooth profiles outside of the basic hands free and mono headset. Existing iPhones have high speed Bluetooth hardware capable of supporting A2DP stereo headsets, a software feature Apple has already delivered for desktop users in Mac OS X Leopard. Other Bluetooth profiles could enable iPhone users to quickly beam files to each other (such as address book vCards) or support the use of Apple's own Nike+ (were it to supply a Bluetooth version) or the company's wireless keyboard, which could turn the smartphone into a basic netbook replacement for business travelers.

Apple could also add support for a Dashboard-like layer of user-creatable widgets built using its existing DashCode app from HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, enabling users without Cocoa programming skills to build or install widget apps that could all run together without the launching delay of a full blown iPhone app. This would also take the wind out of the sails of the Palm Pre's new webOS, which is designed to 'multitask' multiple simple widget at once rather than running heavy duty applications. The ability to run self contained web applications, if only just within the phone's Safari, is also a distinct possibility, given the existing support in the desktop flavor of Safari and the iPhone's existing support for HTML 5 features.

Other features Apple has already alluded to or depicted in its patent filings include a global information page that shows updates such as incoming messages and alert updates on the wake screen for quick reference; global search features; a copy and paste mechanism; support for mobile syncing of playlists and file information from a home computer's iTunes library and then only downloading specific songs when requested; improved push features, including support for syncing tasks and notes; and "Back to My Mac" support for accessing remote files.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[TenoBell]

Did you guys really think Apple has been sitting back doing nothing all this time

[Galley]

Wow, I didn't see that coming (at least not this quickly).

[StuBeck]

Originally Posted by Galley

Wow, I didn't see that coming (at least not this quickly).

You thought they wouldn't release a new OS every year?

[madeincupertino]

WOOHOO

engage in wild speculation!

Here's some not-so-wild speculation -- GPS turn-by-turn

[Olternaut]

Originally Posted by Galley

Wow, I didn't see that coming (at least not this quickly).

Its just a preview. I think they want to give the SDK to developers now so that they will have time to come out with some apps by June's WWDC.

I'm crossing my fingers for multitasking and a major update to the iphone GUI so that you can go from app to app.
Plus copy and paste!
I would be kinda cool if Apple is able to upstage Palm's WebOS and come out with something better. That would take the wind out of Palm's sails. And it would make McNamee shut up.

[tumme-totte]

Just as the rest think they're closing in it's time for Apple to once again let them bite the dust.

It's going to be interesting - they hint at major changes with 3.0 (instead of 2.3 or something).

[tumme-totte]

Originally Posted by Galley

Wow, I didn't see that coming (at least not this quickly).

They aren't Microsoft or Palm you know - they UPDATE their stuff!

[Postulant]

Originally Posted by Olternaut

I would be kinda cool if Apple is able to upstage Palm's WebOS and come out with something better. That would take the wind out of Palm's sails.

Is Palm's WebOS out?

[sc54321]

video calling

[hypercommunist]

Nex-gen GPS FTW!!!!1!11

[saarek]

Lol, Redmond watch out iPhone software 3 is on the way, btw hows Win Mobile 6.5 looking?

[TenoBell]

All Apple has to do is implement the new functionality of HTML 5 and allow web apps to have local access to system resources and that's pretty much most the advantages of Palm Pre.

Originally Posted by Olternaut

I would be kinda cool if Apple is able to upstage Palm's WebOS and come out with something better. That would take the wind out of Palm's sails. And it would make McNamee shut up.

[eh270]

So we'll finally get to hear their CTO explain why their push notification has been MIA.

[bavlondon2]

3.0 is quite a big jump in terms of number as oppose to .something so does that mean this will come with a new iphone with new hw as well?

[Tulkas]

Push Notifications before iPhone OS 4.0 would be sort of nice...

[Roc Ingersol]

Wouldn't rolling out the 3.0 SDK to devs tip their hand on the next iPhone's updates?
Then again, I don't know what the point of this event would be if they didn't.

[DimMok]

Hell yeah.

[bavlondon2]

Apple Insider you are slow I even posted this news before you.

[Foo2]

Now all the announcements can be made and rumors can be leaked.

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by TenoBell

Did you guys really think Apple has been sitting back doing nothing all this time

I don't know why you would ask or say that. The news is that there is a date for an event promoting the next version, not so much that they've been working on the next version.

[kim kap sol]

iPhone with Multifinder!

[NasserAE]

Originally Posted by Galley

Wow, I didn't see that coming (at least not this quickly).

They have to announce it in advance for developers to start updating their apps. Remember Apple announced iPhone 2.0 the same time last year.

Originally Posted by madeincupertino

WOOHOO

engage in wild speculation!

Here's some not-so-wild speculation -- GPS turn-by-turn

GPS turn-by-turn has nothing to do with the OS capabilities it is simply an app that can be developed by third party. I remember that there was a clause in the SDK agreement that prohibit turn-by-turn GPS apps but I am not sure if this still stand. I have read new that there are several third party apps under development.

[julesburt]

Originally Posted by Foo2

Now all the announcements can be made and rumors can be leaked.

Of course it's most likely Apple has had a few key developers in on the new OS also - in order that a few features can be demonstrated...I'm sure Apple will likely wow with what they have to show.

Funny how all the rumors about the Mar event all assumed hardware updates!

[Johnny Mozzarella]

I'm surprised they are branding it the "iPhone OS 3.0" when it also is on iPod's.
I think "Mobile OS X 3.0" would be more appropriate but doesn't roll off the tongue.

Speaking of iPod...$10 upgrade?

I also hope this relates to the 10" touch panels we have been hearing about.
I want a full size Document reader that works with my PDFs.

Push notification?
more Bluetooth profiles?
Tethering?
Copy-Paste?
Better organizing of Apps?

[TenoBell]

I was asking a rhetorical question, it wasn't aimed at the article itself. Many people have been saying that the iPhone is growing stale and everyone else is catching up. My point essentially is Apple has not been sitting on its hands.

Originally Posted by JeffDM

I don't know why you would ask or say that. The news is that there is a date for an event promoting the next version, not so much that they've been working on the next version.

[FusionFox]

Originally Posted by Johnny Mozzarella

Push notification?
more Bluetooth profiles?
Tethering?
Copy-Paste?
Better organizing of Apps?

I'm hoping that Apple has been listening to complaints and looking at their customers outside the US and is going to throw MMS in with all of these.

It's been said many times before, the fact that the cheapest and oldest phone I could go out and buy now can do it but the iphone can't is just ridiculous.

Sure, people can reply and say it's a useless technology and that a lot of people don't use it (though just about everybody I know here in the UK does), but I'm the one still considering whether or not I want to get an iphone after 2 years and I'd like MMS quite a lot

[ecking]

I know this was the case in the past but the iPhone OS software is going to be backwards compatible with the current iphone right? Please, please!

[TenoBell]

Last WWDC they officially named it iPhone OS, even though it is also on the iPod.

Originally Posted by Johnny Mozzarella

I'm surprised they are branding it the "iPhone OS 3.0" when it also is on iPod's. I think "Mobile OS X 3.0" would be more appropriate but doesn't roll off the tongue.

[Jensonb]

Bummer, I wanted to see Snow Leopard.

[timewarp424]

ugh. I just bought an ipod touch yesterday. Should I return? Any thoughts?

[Olternaut]

Originally Posted by TenoBell

All Apple has to do is implement the new functionality of HTML 5 and allow web apps to have local access to system resources and that's pretty much most the advantages of Palm Pre.

Full native multitasking. Web apps never really took off for the iphone. Iphone Web apps made people want to barf.

[amac4me]

Time for Microsoft and Palm to start pooping their pants. Apple's is about to take the iPhone OS to the next level.

The preview might also provide additional insight into Mac OS X Snow Leopard!

[GTL215]

Seriously - I pray for copy/paste ONLY because it will make everyone shutup about not having it. I've had the iPhone since day 1 almost two years ago and found myself wanting copy/paste MAYBE two or three times.

[eAi]

Originally Posted by madeincupertino

WOOHOO

engage in wild speculation!

Here's some not-so-wild speculation -- GPS turn-by-turn

If it was as good as TomTom and relatively cheap, that would make my year. I could finally get rid of my Windows Mobile PDA.

[Galley]

Originally Posted by timewarp424

ugh. I just bought an ipod touch yesterday. Should I return? Any thoughts?

At worst, it will cost you $10 to upgrade the OS. I don't see a new iPod touch coming out anytime soon.

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by TenoBell

I was asking a rhetorical question, it wasn't aimed at the article itself. Many people have been saying that the iPhone is growing stale and everyone else is catching up. My point essentially is Apple has not been sitting on its hands.

Things do change pretty quickly, but I do agree that a lot of those expectations are unrealistic.

[fraklinc]

Copy and Paste would be nice but i rather them to focus on other stuff, i mean sure the iphone is missing a lot of common things but at least Safari has is not chocking when browsing the web something others have been try to do for years and are still working on it with no luck lol.

[GTL215]

Originally Posted by FusionFox

I'm hoping that Apple has been listening to complaints and looking at their customers outside the US and is going to throw MMS in with all of these.

I agree. I'm not gonna complain about it, since the iPhone is great in many other ways, but I'd definitely like to see MMS. I find this missing feature to be more of an inconvenience than copy/paste.

[al_bundy]

Originally Posted by tumme-totte

They aren't Microsoft or Palm you know - they UPDATE their stuff!

i'm 99% sure that the push technology in this is licensed from Microsoft. Apple already licenses ActiveSync from MS for the MS Exchange integration. Last month Google licensed it as well for their app store and a lot of other uses other than email. I bet Apple did the same.