RSS Feeds
communicate
iPhone 2.0 Update to Add Polish (and Apps)
Posted by Gina Trapani at 5:19 PM on July 10, 2008
If you've already got an iPhone or an iPod touch and you aren't planning to buy the new iPhone 3G, you've still got goodies coming your way from Apple this week. Right beside the iPhone 3G, Apple is set to release the iPhone 2.0 software update, its new App Store, and iTunes 7.7 -- so if new hardware's not in your future, at the very least new software is. While the iPhone 2.0 update won't add any mind-blowing features to your device, it does promise to fill in a few gaping holes in the touch interface. (Oh yeah, and the App Store, scheduled to open today, lets third-party developers fill in the rest.) Apple chief Steve Jobs announced iPhone 2.0 features during his WWDC keynote, but that was over a whole month ago—so let's take another look at what exactly you're getting this week in the iPhone 2.0 update.
Note: The iPhone 2.0 update will be free for existing iPhone owners, but will cost iPod touch owners $12.95.
Interface Enhancements
Most everything that's newly baked into iPhone 2.0 will simply reduce the amount of taps and swipes you need to get tasks done. While there's nothing to throw a party about, it's still nice to see Apple fully-bake the touch interface, with:
As-You-Type Contact Search: Scrolling through the alphabet is one thing, but search-as-you-tap is a better thing. A much better thing, especially when you've got 178 contacts whose name start with the letter S.
Bulk Delete and Move: Manage your email and photos in batches with bulk delete and move, which lets you select multiple items (messages or photos) and, um, delete or move them. You can also save email photo attachments to your device's photo library. Again, more of a handy convenience than anything else.
View iWork and PowerPoint Email Attachments: Hand in hand with the iPhone 3G's Enterprise support (for the corporate types rockin' Outlook), comes on-device viewing support for PowerPoint and iWork email attachments (Word and Excel are already supported). You can only view these office documents on your device—not edit them—though there's at least one App Store app on our radar that will support spreadsheet editing.
Scientific Calculator: Mathletes, Apple celebrates you. With the iPhone 2.0 upgrade, you get a scientific calculator—just launch Calculator, and turn the device into landscape mode to go scientific. (Short of to-be-released third party apps, we may be most excited about this than anything else.)
Update! Built-in Screen Capture Utility: With the iPhone 2.0 software installed, hold down the Home button and press the Lock button and your screen will flash—and an image of your phone's screen gets saved to your Camera Roll's images. Here's what mine looks like right now:
Better Language Support and Parental Controls: Linguists and/or parents can rejoice—the iPhone 2.0 update offers better language support (even for Asian languages) plus parental controls now built-in, so you can keep those naughty YouTube videos away from your pesky teenager. Or something.
Copy and Paste: The most glaring omission from the overall iPhone 2.0 polish job is absolutely no word of copy and paste. No, we don't get it either.
The App Store
The biggest deal about iPhone 2.0 is its doorway to the App Store, the Apple-sanctioned, jailbreak-less source of third-party applications that has the potential to offer all the functionality to your device that isn't already built-in. Don't let the "store" moniker get you down. While not all apps will be free, not all will be pay-for, either. The New York Times reports that at launch today, 25% of the 500+ apps will be free—that's 125+ free downloads right there. We've got high hopes for the App Store—set to open today, Thursday—and as soon as it's available we'll be downloading every app remotely productivity-related that we can get our paws on, and reporting back to you what's worth your time and what isn't.
Give us your take on the iPhone 3G, iPhone 2.0 software update, and the App Store in the comments.
Tags: app store | apple | communicate | iphone | iphone 2.0
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
Gina Trapani
Posted 5:52 PM 10/7/08
@Urza: Promise we'll do our best to not get caught up in the hype machine and stick to the good, productivity-related stuff.
Gina Trapani
Urza
Posted 5:45 PM 10/7/08
Please don't make 200 posts about silly apps that are not related to this site at all.
Limit yourself to productivity and lifehacking-centric applications please, and leave the mass reviewing of every half-decent download to the actual iPhone-based blogs :]
Urza
Dooga
Posted 6:14 PM 10/7/08
What exactly is updated for the iPod Touch?
Dooga
Gina Trapani
Posted 6:12 PM 10/7/08
And iTunes 7.7 drops. I love launch days!
Gina Trapani
Rob C
Posted 6:02 PM 10/7/08
Sorry to double post... but year, just wanted to say i'm still sticking with 1.13 until ZiPhone or someone else has proved it's jailbreakable.
Rob C
Rob C
Posted 6:01 PM 10/7/08
@Gina Trapani:
Sounds good. But maybe one post dedicated to ALL of the really cool/interesting/fun apps you find might be appropriate.
But still no love for us iTouch owners... =[
Well, I guess $9.95 isn't all that bad.
Rob C
Jordan117
Posted 6:01 PM 10/7/08
I jailbroke my iPod touch early on, and never felt like having to figure out which firmware updates were "safe" to install without borking my setup. So needless to say I never installed that $10 update for the Touch which let you make web clips and move icons around on the home screen and add email and Google Maps and such.
Anyway, for various reasons I reset my iPod later on, figuring it would be better to drop the unsupported jailbreaking shenanigans and just go with the App Store. Thing is, when I went to download the $10 update it was no longer available from Apple. :/
So I'm wondering: will this "iPhone 2.0" update include features from the previous update for iPod touch owners that never acquired it? Please say yes. I can't bear the thought of going Google Maps-less. And jailbreaking the new firmware seems... daunting.
Jordan117
Alourie
Posted 7:01 PM 10/7/08
Why is it noone even talks about the Neo's FreeRunner?
Isn't it also interesting device which allows a geeky person (wink @Gina_Trapani) to actually write software for it?
Maybe accustom something like todo.sh with some nice GUI for that phone?
It's just an idea...
Alourie
da5id_nz
Posted 7:55 PM 10/7/08
I was thinking about buying a new 3G iPhone but we in NZ have been seriously ripped off by Vodafone, with whom you'd have to get a contract with in order to be able to use the phone.
At one end of the scale the phone will cost $199 but the contract is $250 a month with only 1G data allowance!
At the other end it would cost around $549 to buy the phone but with an $80 a month contract and only 250MB data allowance.
We're getting seriously screwed here and it's put a lot of people off buying one.
da5id_nz
Jordan117
Posted 7:51 PM 10/7/08
@samhealer42:
I appreciate the attempt, but your link isn't working. It gives me a prompt to open iTunes, and when I do, it navigates to a blank iTunes Store page. :(
Jordan117
Urza
Posted 7:43 PM 10/7/08
@Alourie: Because a majority of the lifehacker readers aren't *that" dorky :p
@Rob C: Just so you know, 1.1.4 has been jailbroken/unlock capable for ages now (in addition, Zibri is a code-stealing monkey and you should not use ZiPhone for anything).
AppStore is onlinw btw.
Urza
samhealer42
Posted 7:39 PM 10/7/08
@Jordan117:
[phobos.apple.com]
Boom! Enjoy
samhealer42
samhealer42
Posted 8:05 PM 10/7/08
@Jordan117: Oh, sorry about that. My bad :(
samhealer42
jake2600
Posted 8:56 PM 10/7/08
@Jordan117 and @samhealer42 I've been trying to get the January update as well, rumor has it that the 2.0 upgrade will have all the maps and mail and wiggle icons built in for those who missed it, but thats just a rumor. @Jordon117 I did the same thing, i didnt feel like spending the money so i jail broke it, now i might loose the mail app, which i cant!
jake2600
Alourie
Posted 9:16 PM 10/7/08
@Urza I wouldn't be that sure :-)
Besides, FreeRunner seems to be decently thought-out product that anyone can use.
Alourie
Kandy477
Posted 9:44 PM 10/7/08
Still no LEAP support, which means I can't use the wireless at the office. Thats not a big deal to city-folk, with thier fancy 3G networks, but us hicks need wireless because GPRS is our only alternative. If I want to stay productive I need as much wireless coverage as possible, and right now I can only get LEAP support with WM6.
Also - for all this talk about MobileMe being "Exchange for the rest of us", I can't find any info on whether or not the the iPhone will work with the ACTUAL Exchange. Does anyone know?
Kandy477
stinkyboy
Posted 9:41 PM 10/7/08
... Is Apple kidding?
I have these features on my 5 year old Palm Treo (except for the nice UI)...
and parental controls? wtf is that?
stinkyboy
shockwaver
Posted 9:55 PM 10/7/08
I'm just curious if the 2.0 update that touch users have to pay for will include mail (and maps, but mail is paramount). I'd rather not have to pay $10, and another $20 for the other apps.
shockwaver
caedus
Posted 10:34 PM 10/7/08
blah.
caedus
jdoree
Posted 11:00 PM 10/7/08
I was so excited to see the heading 'Copy and Paste' in glorious bold text in the article. I was saddened to see that the purpose of this was to say that it still isn't possible even in 2.0. WTF? Truly mind-boggling.
I was planning on buying the 3G iPhone when it launches in Canada. Unfortunately, Rogers continues it's customer gouging practices and false advertising (extra 'system access fees' etc) and also offers no unlimited data plan. [www.ruinediphone.com]
Wow, did they ever drop the ball. No iPhone for me yet... or for tens of thousands of other potential Rogers customers who have signed petitions and refuse to put up with Rogers' continued BS.
jdoree
0zSpitt
Posted 10:51 PM 10/7/08
@owenw: the whole entire mac/iCrap is nothing but a marketing scam. nothings funnier than one of those suckers coming around saying "get a mac", lol
0zSpitt
owenw
Posted 10:39 PM 10/7/08
It's so stupid - the iPhone has just been released here in New Zealand - but - there's a catch. False advertising. ALL the adverts have advertised the handset as retailing for $199 - Nope. It's all a trick. To get the iPhone for that much here, you have to be on a $250 a month plan (which includes a measly 1gb of data) - this is absolute crap!! No flipping fair! Screw the iPhone - i'll stick with my HTC any day! (Windows Mobile 6 is actually pretty good, you know!)
[owened.co.nz]
owenw
Jim (The Canuck One)
Posted 11:44 PM 10/7/08
Isn't English grand? It wasn't until I got to the language support section that I understood you meant Polish (the language) and not polish (to make looking through added effort.)
@jdoree: Roger's blinked a little - check the Globe & Mail website for details. They're still using that "why should people who use a little subsidize people who use a lot" argument. Feh.
Jim (The Canuck One)
z974647
Posted 11:30 PM 10/7/08
Comes out on my b'day so I wanna get one. IF, the associated ATT/Cingular plan is not a budget-breaker.
z974647
johnnyracer
Posted 10:21 PM 10/7/08
The question I have to ask myself is... Should I stick with my jailbroken 1.1.4 iPhone, or should I reset and download the updates? Any thoughts?
johnnyracer
FabianMG
Posted 6:01 PM 10/7/08
SplashID!!
FabianMG
jdoree
Posted 12:35 AM 11/7/08
@Jim (The Canuck One): Yeah, I read about the Rogers 'blink' yesterday as well. The new time-limited offer is definitely an improvement but I'm hoping the public outrage will have some effect on getting rid of the $7 monthly 'system access fee' that you get charged on top of your advertised plan price. ...not to mention the $15/month package you need on top of their iPhone voice/data plans just to get voicemail.
jdoree
Seeker51
Posted 12:33 AM 11/7/08
oops thats a broken link...
Try: [www.apple.com]
Seeker51
Seeker51
Posted 12:29 AM 11/7/08
And yet one of the biggest upgrades for lifehackers goes unnoticed.... The ability for the calendar app to actually display different calendars in different colours just like in iCal. Oh innovation of innovation! Just check out [www.apple.com] Fingers crossed that the ipod touch will be similarly upgraded!
Seeker51
jarhead
Posted 1:12 AM 11/7/08
@jarhead: To clarify, the iPhone 2.0 firmware
jarhead
jarhead
Posted 1:11 AM 11/7/08
You can grab the iPhone 2.0 software early... Apps are working great... it's like Christmas morning!
jarhead
Jim (The Canuck One)
Posted 2:26 AM 11/7/08
@jdoree: I love how they call it "system access fee" making it sound like the bad ol' Govt is making them charge it. Sleezy.
Jim (The Canuck One)
tman07
Posted 4:02 AM 11/7/08
All i want is LEAP wireless support! I'm hoping that 2.0 allows me to get on my campus' wifi on my touch
tman07
HeartBurnKid
Posted 3:58 AM 11/7/08
@Alourie: I'm with you. I'm far more interested in the Freerunner and the Android phones than the iPhone, ever since the SDK (and the limitations thereof) was announced. And I'm on T-Mo, which will apparently be the first carrier to have an Android phone... can't wait!
HeartBurnKid
Dom
Posted 5:11 AM 11/7/08
Yeah it has Polish, but why did you leave the other 15 languages into the title?
Dom
Craig
Posted 6:45 AM 11/7/08
I already upgraded my 2G iPhone to the new firmware and one of the first apps I downloaded was SplashID. I've already synched my Palm data to the iPhone version. Current users should note that while you do have to pay $9.99 for the iPhone app, the iPhone desktop version will work with your current registration code.
Craig
Oddbit
Posted 12:13 AM 11/7/08
Where the heck is Flash?
Oddbit
da.m4nn
Posted 9:19 AM 11/7/08
Sounds boring.
da.m4nn