As of yesterday, Apple‘s iOS4 (formerly known as iPhone OS4) is available for download through iTunes. The new operating system, which contains long-awaited new features such as multi-tasking and app folders, can be installed on iPhone 3GS and 3G and the latest generation of iPod Touch; however, only the 3GS will be able to take advantage of the full range of new features. If you’re curious about all the new stuff you can do with iOS4, Gizmodo has created the following, which looks quite comprehensive:
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I was going to update my 3GS last night, but got sidetracked. I then decided to skip it since I’ll have my iPhone 4 tomorrow according to the email I received. Yay, one day early!
After installing iOS 4 on my 2nd gen Touch, it drained 80% of its battery in less than a day while sitting idle and off. Considering that nearly none of the new features are even available on this model, I’m wondering why I bothered 🙂
@Rob OUCH!!!! 🙁
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@Rob – That does sound like a bummer. I’m not versed enough in this area to know why the new OS would drain the battery that fast. I wonder if it is a 2nd gen Touch thing only?
I updated my 3GS last night and so far the only negative I’ve noticed is that it appears to have wiped the iPod part of my iPhone–podcasts and albums, but the playlists appear to be intact.
Well, I rebooted and turned off all syncing and notifications, maybe something to do with that got stuck. It seems to be okay now so hopefully it will remain that way 🙂
I’m still disappointed in the lack of multitasking for the 2nd gen Touch though… I have a hard time believing that this is a truly a hardware limitation, rather than a “we need you to buy new hardware” limitation. And no backgrounds for the home screen? Really? What year are we in? Oh well. Folders are useful, at least 🙂
I’ve been using the beta of iOS4 since it came out for developers. I didn’t really like the new functionality much. Only thing I did like was the threaded emails. I still don’t really like multitasking that much either. I think the only thing they need to multitask are audio apps. Or they should make a setting where we can pick which apps to be able to enable/disable the multitasking functionality.
I put iOS4 on my 3gen iPOD and I like it alot.
Task switching is much easier.
Email is being picked up in the background through WiFi at home and at work.
Reading in bed, or selecting a song from a list is much easier now since it’s so easy to block the screen changing from portrait to landscape mode.
I love it!
Interesting comment that Rob. I had an 8Gb iPod Touch which got bricked during the update to OS4.0. Apple sent me a replacement which I upgraded successfully to OS4.0. I found that the battery life was dreadful….but largely while it was supposed to be off. I’ve just sent it back for ANOTHER replacement. If it comes back with OS3.0 I may well NOT update the OS. The addition of folders was the only useful thing really.