iPhone OS 3.0 to expand homescreens; new video walk-through
iPhone and iPod touch users will see their number of homescreens expanded with this summer's release of iPhone Software 3.0, which can be observed in action as part of a new walk-through video.
More homescreens
On Tuesday, Apple provided iPhone developers with the second beta of the new mobile operating system, which delivered welcomed speed and stability improvements, according to those developers who were able to download the software and install it on one of their test devices.
Very few cosmetic changes or feature additions were discovered with the new beta when compared to the initial seed distributed on March 17th after Apple provided a public and comprehensive overview of software at a special media event.
One change we noted in our coverage of beta 2 on Tuesday is that Apple appears poised to add a set of preferences for the App Store that will be available via the iPhone's "Settings" application. The new beta includes a placeholder for this panel labeled "Store" but its contents are currently empty.
Another change discovered overnight by the LoopBlog pertains to number of homescreens that will be available to users of iPhone Software 3.0. Apple currently allows a maximum of 9 home screens, each containing 16 applications. With the 4 applications on the dock included, this allows users to carry a maximum of 148 applications on their device at any given time.
iPhone OS 3.0 shown with 11 home screens | Source: LoopBlog.
With the release of 3.0, however, Apple will expand the number of homescreens to 11, making way for another 32 applications or a total of 180. A screenshot of the eleventh homescreen on an iPhone running beta 2 of iPhone Software 3.0 can be seen above.
Video walk-through
Meanwhile, AppleInsider reader Thinnovation has provided the following video walk-through of iPhone Software 3.0 covering some of its more prominent features such as Spotlight search, voice memo recording, MMS messaging, copy-and-paste, landscape application mode for Notes, Web copy-and-paste, multi-photo emailing, and more.
Other iPhone Software 3.0 walk-through videos are available over at Gizmodo and Engadget.
More homescreens
On Tuesday, Apple provided iPhone developers with the second beta of the new mobile operating system, which delivered welcomed speed and stability improvements, according to those developers who were able to download the software and install it on one of their test devices.
Very few cosmetic changes or feature additions were discovered with the new beta when compared to the initial seed distributed on March 17th after Apple provided a public and comprehensive overview of software at a special media event.
One change we noted in our coverage of beta 2 on Tuesday is that Apple appears poised to add a set of preferences for the App Store that will be available via the iPhone's "Settings" application. The new beta includes a placeholder for this panel labeled "Store" but its contents are currently empty.
Another change discovered overnight by the LoopBlog pertains to number of homescreens that will be available to users of iPhone Software 3.0. Apple currently allows a maximum of 9 home screens, each containing 16 applications. With the 4 applications on the dock included, this allows users to carry a maximum of 148 applications on their device at any given time.
iPhone OS 3.0 shown with 11 home screens | Source: LoopBlog.
With the release of 3.0, however, Apple will expand the number of homescreens to 11, making way for another 32 applications or a total of 180. A screenshot of the eleventh homescreen on an iPhone running beta 2 of iPhone Software 3.0 can be seen above.
Video walk-through
Meanwhile, AppleInsider reader Thinnovation has provided the following video walk-through of iPhone Software 3.0 covering some of its more prominent features such as Spotlight search, voice memo recording, MMS messaging, copy-and-paste, landscape application mode for Notes, Web copy-and-paste, multi-photo emailing, and more.
Other iPhone Software 3.0 walk-through videos are available over at Gizmodo and Engadget.
Comments
I'm not a big fan of the home screen concept, I think there needs to be a faster way of accessing apps.
Apple is proposing the use of Spotlight for this (as a quick application launcher)... But I agree, there needs to be a better way to access the home screens and re-arrange the icons on the home screens. I wouldn't be surprised to see this turn up later in the beta process.
Best,
Kasper
That's the one thing I would love.
I love my 2nd gen iPhone, but is there an option to set the iPhone to go straight to phone mode after unlocking?
That's the one thing I would love.
I don't think there is a setting for that. However, you might make use of the setting to go straight to your favorites in the phone app when you double press the home button. Seems close enough.
Apple is proposing the use of Spotlight for this (as a quick application launcher)... But I agree, there needs to be a better way to access the home screens and re-arrange the icons on the home screens. I wouldn't be surprised to see this turn up later in the beta process.
Best,
Kasper
A friend of my has a jailbroken iphone with a nice app that allows him to create app folder icons and then place apps of the same category into them ie. games in one folder, business in another.
He only has about 8 apps (folders) on one homescreen. He selects "games" which opens a screen with all those apps; really nice, no clutter and no constant swiping to find the right app.
Was new to me and I wanted it.
Quit using cheesy background music with your videos. It sucks and kills the message. Sorry for the critique but I can't take it anymore!
It was submitted this way. We didn't produce the video. Sorry
It's better than heavy breathing, though, right? =P
I love my 2nd gen iPhone, but is there an option to set the iPhone to go straight to phone mode after unlocking?
That's the one thing I would love.
Work around would be to leave the iPhone in the phone mode and then lock it.....
So when you unlock, voila....the phone mode.
Quit using cheesy background music with your videos. It sucks and kills the message. Sorry for the critique but I can't take it anymore!
Oh yes, please, this is so annoying. Also it would be wise to first sit down and start thinking a little about what to show in the video. This guy opens Spotlight and then can't decide for ages which button to press.
Work around would be to leave the iPhone in the phone mode and then lock it.....
So when you unlock, voila....the phone mode.
Hah... true. I'd just like a setting implemented for that so I wouldn't have to click on phone every time I close up. It's really no big deal, I'd just love that as a feature.
Anyways, can't friggen wait till June. It'll be like a new phone.
A friend of my has a jailbroken iphone with a nice app that allows him to create app folder icons and then place apps of the same category into them ie. games in one folder, business in another.
He only has about 8 apps (folders) on one homescreen. He selects "games" which opens a screen with all those apps; really nice, no clutter and no constant swiping to find the right app.
Was new to me and I wanted it.
Spotlight is a nice option, but without the ability to input my own Spotlight metadata to assist in searches its limited because sometimes I forget the name of the item I'm looking for. A folder tree is a much more natural solution but even moving apps on the Home screens around is a chore so a proper solution would probably include a new version of iTunes that allowed PC access to easily organizing your icons in a heirarchy.
PS: Being able to search within items is still enabled. For example, searching for a number in your contacts tht starts with a certain area code.
Apple is proposing the use of Spotlight for this (as a quick application launcher)... But I agree, there needs to be a better way to access the home screens and re-arrange the icons on the home screens. I wouldn't be surprised to see this turn up later in the beta process.
Best,
Kasper
I don't like using Spotlight, even less on a keyboard less device like the iPhone. I really dig directories/folders, without having to type the name of the application I want.
I don't like using Spotlight, even less on a keyboard less device like the iPhone. I really dig directories/folders, without having to type the name of the application I want.
Personally managed Folders... can't wait till they finally bring that to the phone. I actually like Spotlight, but also feel that folders would be a nice addition to a future update. That way we can have the Dock work like a "real" dock by being able to put folders that give list view on the dock.
I don't have an iPhone so I'm curious as to what happens when you receive an email with a video. Can you watch the video in the email? If so then it would seem that you should be able to have two apps open at the same time.
Apple is proposing the use of Spotlight for this (as a quick application launcher)... But I agree, there needs to be a better way to access the home screens and re-arrange the icons on the home screens. I wouldn't be surprised to see this turn up later in the beta process.
Best,
Kasper
I'd be happy if there was a way to arrange the apps in their list in iTunes and have that order reflected on the iPhone. I guess as long as you do it one app at a time as you download them it isn't so bad, but trying to reorganize a filled phone's apps is hell. I do think spotlight will help a lot. I use the jailbreak app, gold something or something gold, and it is great! It's best feature is looking up and dialing contacts. It really saves a lot of touches. I guess folders would be a welcome addition, too.
It would also help if apps went back to the location you put them in after a restore, not that that should happen too often.
I'd be happy if there was a way to arrange the apps in their list in iTunes and have that order reflected on the iPhone. I guess as long as you do it one app at a time as you download them it isn't so bad, but trying to reorganize a filled phone's apps is hell. I do think spotlight will help a lot. I use the jailbreak app, gold something or something gold, and it is great! It's best feature is looking up and dialing contacts. It really saves a lot of touches. I guess folders would be a welcome addition, too.
I think that the addition of spotlight will alleviate much of the griping about the home screens, but also that some way of arranging the screens and icons in iTunes is a no-brainer that would really help the situation a lot.
What people looking for alternative desktop (palmtop?) metaphors are forgetting is that there must eventually be multiple devices running this OS. I don't think the icons and home-screens is going to scale very well for a tablet device for instance (if Apple ever makes one).
A four-by-four grid of icons is okay, but a twenty-by-twenty grid of icons is not only boring, but confusing as well. There is a need for a new metaphor so as to expand the design to a larger screen without getting into ridiculous situations like having a few hundred similar icons staring at you from an impenetrable grid.
A friend of my has a jailbroken iphone with a nice app that allows him to create app folder icons and then place apps of the same category into them ie. games in one folder, business in another.
He only has about 8 apps (folders) on one homescreen. He selects "games" which opens a screen with all those apps; really nice, no clutter and no constant swiping to find the right app.
Was new to me and I wanted it.
I have no doubt this is coming. Apple wants users to keep buying apps. Apple doesn't want any user to think that buying a lot of apps diminishes the iphone experience. Concealing apps in "folders" also takes the focus off just how many apps you already have, which some people might use as a reason not to buy even more. Not to mention that as more companies copy the iphone, the more likely it is that Apple will revamp the interface in order to continue to differentiate it from the pack.
A big fault with the iPhone from what I've read is not being able to have more than one app open at a time. How come this is so easy on the Palm Pre? Why can't you use an app while listening to music? Check my mail with a video in the background?
I don't have an iPhone so I'm curious as to what happens when you receive an email with a video. Can you watch the video in the email? If so then it would seem that you should be able to have two apps open at the same time.
If the iPod is the source of the music, you can do many other things while playing music, inlcuding running apps. I listen to music on the train everyday to work while checking the NY Times app, for example. As long as the app doesn't create its own sounds / music, it generally won't affect the iPod playing in the background. Same thing with videos, but then again looking at your email while trying to watch a video sort of defeats the purpose, right?
Also, the Pre (i THINK) uses apps that are more web-based (less powerful) and less processor-intensive. I could be wrong though.
The only time I've noticed where I would like to have multiple third-party apps running is a Pandora type music thing, while reading the NY Times, for example. Better yet, the upcoming Sirius XM app.