iOS, the new operating system for Apple mobile systems, has just been released. I’d describe each feature, but instead I shall provide you with the README file from Apple:
This update contains over 100 new features, including the following:
- Multitasking support for third-party apps*
- Multitasking user interface to quickly move between apps
- Support for audio apps to play in the background
- VoIP apps can receive and maintain calls in the
background or when device is asleep
- Apps can monitor location and take action while running in the background
- Alerts and messages can be pushed to apps using
push and local notifications
- Apps can complete tasks in the background
- Folders to better organize and access apps
- Home screen Wallpaper*
- Mail improvements
- Unified inbox to view emails from all accounts in one place
- Fast inbox switching to quickly switch between different email accounts
- Threaded messages to view multiple emails from the same conversation
- Attachments can be opened with compatible third- party apps
- Search results can now be filed or deleted
- Option to select size of photo attachments
- Messages in the Outbox can be edited or deleted
- Support for iBooks and iBookstore (available from the App Store)
- Photo and Camera improvements
- 5x digital zoom when taking a photo**
- Tap to focus during video recording**
- Ability to sync Faces from iPhoto
- Geo-tagged photos appear on a map in Photos
- Ability to create and edit playlists on device
- Calendar invitations can be sent and accepted wirelessly with supported CalDAV servers
- Support for MobileMe calendar sharing
- Suggestions and recent searches appear during a web search
- Searchable SMS/MMS messages**
- Spotlight search can be continued on web and Wikipedia
- Enhanced location privacy
- New Location Services icon in the status bar
- Indication of which apps have requested your location in the last 24 hours
- Location Services can be toggled on or off for individual apps
- Automatic spellcheck
- Support for Bluetooth keyboards*
- iPod out to navigate music, podcasts and audiobooks through an iPod interface with compatible cars
- Support for iTunes gifting of apps
- Wireless notes syncing with IMAP-based mail accounts
- Persistent WiFi connection to receive push notifications*
- New setting for turning on/off cellular data only**
- Option to display the character count while composing new SMS/MMS**
- Visual Voicemail messages can be kept locally even if
they have been deleted from the server**
- Control to lock portrait orientation*
- Audio playback controls for iPod and third-party audio apps*
- New languages, dictionaries and keyboards
- Accessibility enhancements*
- Bluetooth improvements
- Better data protection using the device passcode as an encryption key* (Requires full restore.)
- Support for third-party Mobile Device Management solutions
- Enables wireless distribution of enterprise applications
- Exchange Server 2010 compatibility
- Support for multiple Exchange ActiveSync accounts
- Support for Juniper Junos Pulse and Cisco AnyConnect SSL VPN apps (available from the App Store)
- More than 1,500 new developer APIs
- Bug fixes
Products compatible with this software update:
- iPhone 3G
- iPhone 3GS
- iPhone 4
- iPod touch 2nd generation
- iPod touch 3rd generation (late 2009 models with 32GB
or 64GB)
* Requires iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, and iPod touch 3rd generation.
** Requires iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, and iPhone 4. SMS/MMS messaging and Visual Voicemail require support from your wireless carrier.
For feature descriptions and complete instructions, see the user guides for iPhone and iPod touch at:
http://support.apple.com/manuals/iphone
http://support.apple.com/manuals/ipodtouch
For more information about iPhone and iPod touch, go to:
http://www.apple.com/iphone
http://www.apple.com/ipodtouch
To troubleshoot your iPhone or iPod touch, or to view additional support information go to:
http://www.apple.com/support/iphone
http://www.apple.com/support/ipodtouch
For information on the security content of this update, please visit this website:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1222
It is currently available for iPod Touch 2G and 3G and iPhone 3G, 3GS and 4. You can easily get it by updating iTunes to version 9.2 and checking for a firmware update, or you can directly download the IPSW file and restore it from there.
iPod Touch 2G – Link
iPod Touch 3G - Link
iPhone 3G - Link
iPhone 3GS - Link
iPhone 4 - Link
To install: Open iTunes, click Restore iPod/iPhone while holding Shift (for Windows) or Option (Mac) which will give you an option to select the restore file. Select the IPSW file you just downloaded and it should install. Do note that you should backup all your apps, music, videos, photos, etc. before attempting this or you may lose your data.
Sorry for the short post, I’m currently busy upgrading my own iTouch 3G! The IPSW file size for that is around 366.4 MB.