Twitpic user Carniphage has posted a mockup to MacRumors of what the next generation iPhone 3.0 might look like, based on the "4G" bezel that appeared on the website of a Chinese parts seller. Here's the artist's rendition:
Great work, especially using only a few photos of the black iPhone bezel as a basis for the concept. The shape of the black bezel is clearly different from the iPhone 3G, with the speaker much closer to the edge of the device.
The latest reports point toward Apple releasing six (6) new models of the iPhone on July 17th of 2009. These models may be announced as early as the keynote speech at the Worldwide Developer's Conference (WWDC) on June 8th at 10:00 AM PDT.
All of the models will run iPhone OS 3.0 and have similar physical characteristics to the current models. The following six models are expected to hit shelves:
The AT&T network is about to get faster. Twice as fast as current 3G speeds, using HSPA 7.2 3G wireless technology. This in-progress upgrade to the AT&T network will make speeds of up to 7.2 Mbps possible later this year.
Apple has reportedly designed the next generation iPhone 3.0 to take advantage of these network upgrades when it is released this summer, making the new device twice as fast as current models. LTE technology, otherwise known as 4G, is in the works for future upgrades at AT&T but won't be widely available until 2011.
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.
Developers have found new header files in a directory labeled "compass" under iPhone OS 3.0 beta 5. These files point to Japanese company Asahi Kasei’s azimuth sensor No. AK8973. The reference describes a chip otherwise known as a digital compass, or a magnetometer, that comes bundled with a master clock oscillator.
The confirmation of this additional hardware on the next-generation iPhone is exciting, to say the least. Applications that would take advantage of an azimuth sensor have only begun to develop and make a multitude of new functionality possible.
Jibbler? The name may be awkward, however the code buried within iPhone OS 3.0 it refers to could make the iPhone much more talkative. Jibbler works with the SpringBoard and Spotlight in iPhone OS 3.0 to recognize and synthesize speech.
With improved processing power, it's possible the next iPhone could be controlled by the user's voice. In addition, the iPhone could read off contact names, calendar entries, or song titles on demand. A new Voice Services class has been discovered which may mean that Jibbler will be available to developers in Apple's Software Development Kit (SDK).
Apple has released the second beta version of iPhone OS 3.0 to developers (build 7A259). They are making progress and the latest beta includes several new operational features. Application developers can finally start developing for push notification service, as well as in-app purchasing capabilities. Apple will soon provide live testing services to a limited number of developers.
The home screen in iPhone 3.0 beta 2 allows for up to 11 pages of apps instead of the current 9 pages, which including the dock will provide space for a whopping 180 applications. Stability and speed have also been improved in the latest version.
With all the buzz surrounding iPhone OS 3.0, it's easy to forget the incredible potential of next-generation mobile hardware coming our way this summer. When it comes to the insides of Apple's iPhone 3.0, there are plenty of upgrades in the works.
One only has to look at the deals Apple has already made with its partners in the hardware manufacturing business to picture the next device. In one of the most dramatic and exciting developments, LG has made a multibillion dollar deal with Apple to supply the company with OLED displays.
With the initial excitement of Apple's iPhone 3.0 preview already passed, users of the iPhone OS 3.0 Beta have been finding several new features that appear to be in the works for a next generation device. One such feature is video recording, which reports have indicated would come along with an upgraded camera and possibly a multi-core GPU (graphics processing unit).
Backing up the claim are screenshots from the MobileMe upload screen in iPhone OS 3.0 that say "Publish Video" at the top of the app. Of course, a better camera would mean higher-resolution still photos, too. Other features that look interesting have also appeared in leaked screenshots of iPhone OS 3.0 Beta.
Apple held their widely anticipated iPhone OS 3.0 preview today in Cupertino, California. There are 100 new features on the way in the new operating system, which will ship this summer and cost nothing for existing iPhone users (iPod Touch users will pay $9.95 for the update).
Scott Forstall, the head of iPhone software development, described iPhone OS 3.0 as "a major update to the operating system." Here's a list of the features announced at the event:
