Photos are worth a thousand words. The iPhone V3 looks better and better every day. More evidence has surfaced that Apple's killer app for the next generation iPhone is not only video recording and editing, but full videoconferencing using iChat.
Note in this photo from FSMdotCOM what appears to be a green light in the upper right hand corner of the iPhone. This looks just like the light on built-in iMac webcams.
Apple's WWDC is right around the corner, but this hasn't stopped the continuous stream of discoveries, leaks and rumors surrounding the next generation iPhone. This photo of a banner hanging at the WWDC venue all but ensures the conference will focus on iPhone 3.0 and the AppStore.
Several new features are now on the horizon. BusinessWeek reports that Apple has already included code in iPhone OS 3.0 that would allow users to directly share apps with each other. Analysts have even suggested that the person sending the app could receive a commission from the AppStore.
The iPhone Dev-Team has confirmed that updating to iTunes 8.2 will make the current versions of QuickPwn and Pwnage Tool inoperable. They are warning users who wish to jailbreak iPhones to wait until the new versions of their tools are available before upgrading iTunes to the new version.
The Dev-Team plans to release updated jailbreaking software after Apple makes a public release of iPhone OS 3.0. An update to the unlocking software yellowsn0w will also have to wait.
Live video iChat on the iPhone may be something we would expect from Apple, but is the timing and technology ripe for this functionality to come out this summer? Some reports are reading into AT&T network upgrades to 7.2 Mbps as a sign that they are bracing for more bandwidth demands from their iPhone subscriber base, and that one of those demands could be live video chat.
The longer AT&T can deliver what Apple needs for its hardware, the longer the company stands to profit from an exclusive arrangement to offer the iPhone on its network. Other leaks and data that point in the direction of a front facing camera on the next generation iPhone have also surfaced.
The non-profit Center for Internet Security (CIS) has released a free benchmark on iPhone security, currently the only document of its kind. The full benchmark is available on the CIS website and only requires a free registration for download.
The purpose of the benchmark is to educate iPhone users and network administrators on the best ways to protect sensitive data on the device. The document provides over 20 recommendations and instructions regarding iPhone OS settings, Safari and iPhone Configuration Utility settings, strong password creation, and secure data destruction.
Screenshots of the long-awaited Sirius XM iPhone app have surfaced in a shareholder meeting presentation. The title of the slide is "Launching Apple iPhone/iPod Touch and Smart Phone Applications," indicating that a release is on its way for multiple platforms.
The application follows Apple's rejection over two months ago of the uSirius StarPlayr. The same streaming Sirius XM radio stations available to subscribers on the web will be available on the iPhone.
The iPhone 3.0 Software Development Kit (SDK) includes new programming interfaces that will make it possible to embed Google Maps directly into applications. iPhone software developers will be able to use Google Maps for creative new purposes, displaying spatial data such as radar and cloud cover or real estate prices over the built-in mapping capabilities of the iPhone OS.
The Maps application itself has not changed as of iPhone OS 3.0 beta 5.
Amazon's free iPhone Kindle application has received an update with several improvements to make the app more user-friendly. Many of the features were expected by users in the first release, as they are typical to many iPhone apps.
Here are the changes:
Users can read in portrait or landscape mode.
Gesture (pinch) to zoom images in books.
Select alternate background and text colors to improve reading comfort in low light conditions.
Tap on either side of the screen or flick to turn pages.
The clever people at onOne Software have brought the cable release into the 21st century. For users of Canon EOS digital SLR (single-lens reflex) cameras, there are already a few options for remote control.
Using DSLR Remote on the iPhone or iPod Touch may require more hardware, but the feature set is impressive for the price. Settings such as shutter speed, white balance and aperture can be controlled, along with the camera shutter.
Only one month after the initial release of push notification, Apple has invited iPhone OS 3.0 developers to participate in high-volume tests of the system. If all goes well, push notification is expected to be operative for general users with the release of iPhone 3.0.
Push notification saves the iPhone battery by allowing apps to receive information without actually running in the background. Recent reports have indicated that Apple is considering allowing a limited number of apps to run in the background, however this taxes iPhone resources.
