iOS

Two patents submitted by Apple point to major feature enhancements under development that would dramatically change the iOS Maps app on iPhones and other mobile devices. Both patents were discovered in the past two weeks by AppleInsider. The patent diagram below shows Apple's take on augmented reality.

Several apps have tried to implement augmented reality by overlaying graphics on top of live video from the iPhone camera. In one example, Yelp included a feature that showed nearby businesses directly on live video of the area. The app made waves two years ago as the first iOS augmented reality application, combining data from the camera, GPS and compass.

Screenshots acquired by 9to5 Mac reveal a gesture-based passcode lock screen already in use internally at Apple. The AppleConnect iOS application for employees makes use of the feature.

Much like a similar gesture-based passcode lock found on Android devices, the Apple version allows users to set a private code based on points that are connected by the user on the screen. The iOS version has a progress bar indicating the strength of an individual gesture entered for use as a passcode.

In September 2010 the Apple iPhone overtook BlackBerry for the top spot in US smartphone market share. A new report by Nielsen shows iOS commanding 28.6 percent of the market in November 2010, more than any other smartphone operating system.

BlackBerry and Android were neck and neck in November, with Android devices on the rise and BlackBerry devices losing market share but maintaining a slight edge. It's not clear how long iOS can keep its top position, as Android almost doubled its share from June to November.

Yesterday, only 2 weeks after releasing iOS 4.1 Beta 1, Apple seeded the second iOS 4.1 beta to iPhone developers. The only official iOS update released thus far (iOS 4.0.1) was a fix for signal bar problems widely reported by new iPhone 4 owners. Though the signal bar issue and the related "death grip" fiasco has gotten an incredible amount of press, the issues this latest iOS update is reported to address may have a far greater impact with iPhone owners.

Steve Jobs officially showed off the iPhone 4 today at WWDC 2010. He described the iPhone 4 as the "biggest leap" since the iPhone was first released in 2007. Although photos of the new iPhone have been seen already, the design is quite impressive.

Antennas are integrated into the stainless steel frame of the new iPhone and aluminosilicate glass that's 30 times stronger than plastic makes up the front and back surfaces of the device. The iPhone 4 is 24 percent thinner than the iPhone 3GS.