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It might not sound much. But to the 17 million owners of Apple iPhones worldwide – and to 13m owners of their non-phone siblings, the iPod Touch – it's a big thing: the next version of its software, to be released "this summer", will allow them to cut, copy and paste content between pages.
And what better way to demonstrate the most obviously "missing" feature on the iPhone than by booking a flight that would get you Lost? "I'm going to reserve a seat on Oceanic flight 815," said Scott Forstall, the head of Apple's iPhone software development, as he showed off the method by which one can highlight text in an email – double-tapping on a word – and from there choose cut, copy or paste the text.
The joke – that Oceanic 815 is the flight which crashlands on the mysterious island in the TV series Lost – wasn't missed by the audience as Apple previewed the third version of its iPhone operating software, unveiled on Tuesday at its headquarters in Cupertino.
Apple announced that it is radically expanding the facilities that will be available to the thousands of developers and companies writing applications for the iPhone. "What's interesting is that most of those applications [that were] shown would be virtually impossible for developers to create on other platforms," noted Michael Gartenberg, a consumer analyst for the market research company Interpret.
That poses a challenge to smartphone rivals such as Microsoft – whose Windows Mobile has stuttered in functionality compared to the iPhone, despite having larger sales and a longer history – Research in Motion, makers of the BlackBerry, and the handheld maker Palm. All have announced similar plans to Apple's App Store, but whether they can make them successful is a different story.
The event was led by Scott Forstall, the head of iPhone software development, and Greg Joswiak, head of iPhone product marketing. Steve Jobs, the company's chief executive, remains on medical leave: he is not expected back before June.
As well as cut and paste, the next version of the software – which will be free to iPhone owners, but cost iPod Touch owners $9.95 – will let them do system-wide searching, record voice memos, play games or interact wirelessly with nearby iPhone or iPod Touches, subscribe to online calendars, and possibly – depending on the mobile networks' agreement – use their phones as wireless broadband modems.
The new software will also let companies that write applications that run on the iPhone sell content "within" their applications, rather than having to buy it separately from the iPhone App Store, the Apple-controlled online shop. That opens up the possibility of paid-for content such as ebooks, suggested Forstall.
Owners of the 3G iPhone, released last July, will be able to send picture messages – a standard phone function that has been missing previously. Owners of the older version, first sold in June 2007, will not benefit because it does not contain the necessary radio hardware, Apple said.
Other additions include "push" notification, so that instant messaging programs can in effect run in the background and alert the user when a new message arrives.
Apple has also added maps that will enable the device to be used as a satnav, with turn-by-turn navigation - though only companies which have their own licensed mapping direction system (such as satnav makers) will be able to use it.
Not everyone will be satisfied. Video recording has not been enabled via the iPhone's camera; nor have video calls. Apple's executives were evasive too about the possibility of being able to type onto the iPhone's screen via full-sized keyboards connected via the Bluetooth wireless system. That would enable truly mobile working - but it might not be allowed by the new system.
"Apple chose to implement well rather than do a lot," commented Ian Fogg of Jupiter Research about the update. "Right choice in my opinion. If we'd had all this earlier [it] would be less well executed."
Apple said that there have been more than 800 million downloads from the App Store, which has 25,000 free and paid-for applications, and that it had been effective in attracting people to it: 62% of the developers submitting products to be sold there were new to the company's platform.
par Cubitus » 12 Mar 2009, 19:25 
