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From: JF Mezei on 6 Apr 2010 01:55
From a newspaper article about Microsoft unveiling a phone:
##
Meanwhile, reports said Apple is set to launch a new version of the
iPhone software this Thursday, paving the way for an expected launch
this summer of a fourth generation of the hit smartphone. The latest
software update is expected to introduce full multi-tasking, overcoming
a main shortcoming of the device.
##


I wonder if multitasking capabilities is already in the SDK that was
released as part of the ipad announcement.
From: David Empson on 6 Apr 2010 02:40
JF Mezei <jfmezei.spamnot(a)vaxination.ca> wrote:

> From a newspaper article about Microsoft unveiling a phone:
> ##
> Meanwhile, reports said Apple is set to launch a new version of the
> iPhone software this Thursday, paving the way for an expected launch
> this summer of a fourth generation of the hit smartphone. The latest
> software update is expected to introduce full multi-tasking, overcoming
> a main shortcoming of the device.
> ##

The use of "launch" here is misleading. Apple will be previewing iPhone
OS 4.0 on Thursday 8 April (according to articles on the usual rumour
sites). It won't actually be available until later, probably around the
middle of the year at the same time as the next iPhone model.

It is good that they are announcing it now. This probably means that
there will be a developer prerelease of the iPhone 4.0 SDK soon, and
developers can start working on whatever new features are in OS 4.0
before WWDC and the release of the new OS.

> I wonder if multitasking capabilities is already in the SDK that was
> released as part of the ipad announcement.

Anyone who knows can't say due to NDA, and there haven't been any leaks
suggesting that via the usual rumour sites, so I hightly doubt it.

If Apple was going to _release_ OS 4.0 now, I hardly think they would
have bothered releasing the first batch of iPads with OS 3.2 less than a
week earlier.

--
David Empson
dempson(a)actrix.gen.nz
From: JF Mezei on 6 Apr 2010 03:31
David Empson wrote:

> If Apple was going to _release_ OS 4.0 now, I hardly think they would
> have bothered releasing the first batch of iPads with OS 3.2 less than a
> week earlier.

This is why i find the timing is interesting. Because of the promise
that ipodtouch/iphone apps will run on ipad, the release of a new SDK
with new features could create applications that are incompatible unless
the ipad also gets those new features.

So the question is whether currently shipping ipads have latent support
for those new features but current apps not using them, or whether ipad
owners will need to have a firmware upgrade of their devices months
after getting them.
From: David Empson on 6 Apr 2010 04:42
[Shifting discussion to iPhone and iPad groups as it isn't Mac related]

JF Mezei <jfmezei.spamnot(a)vaxination.ca> wrote:

> David Empson wrote:
>
> > If Apple was going to _release_ OS 4.0 now, I hardly think they would
> > have bothered releasing the first batch of iPads with OS 3.2 less than a
> > week earlier.
>
> This is why i find the timing is interesting. Because of the promise
> that ipodtouch/iphone apps will run on ipad, the release of a new SDK
> with new features could create applications that are incompatible unless
> the ipad also gets those new features.

iPhone OS 4.0 will be released simultaneously for the iPhone, iPod Touch
and iPad, probably around June/July.

Any applications developed under a pre-release SDK for iPhone OS 4.0
cannot be distributed via the App Store until Apple says so, and Apple
will probably require them to be built with the final version of the
SDK, which will be made available to developers a week or two before OS
4.0 is released to the public.

Assuming for argument sake that Apple makes beta 4.0 firmware and the
beta 4.0 SDK available to developers around Apr 9, that gives developers
at least two months to develop for the new OS before they will be able
to submit 4.0-based applications to Apple. During that time they will be
able to send bug reports and feedback to Apple.

> So the question is whether currently shipping ipads have latent support
> for those new features but current apps not using them, or whether ipad
> owners will need to have a firmware upgrade of their devices months
> after getting them.

iPad firmware 3.2 will not contain any latent code that allows the use
of new OS 4.0 features. The version check in future applications and/or
iTunes will be looking for 4.0, not 3.2.

A firmware update will be required to use any new features in 4.0.

This is no different to buying an iPhone or iPod Touch within the few
months just before the release of the next iPhone model and OS.

Apple's licence agreement for the iPad has already stated that the next
major firmware update (4.0) will be free, so it is just a big file
download (via iTunes).

The iPod Touch will presumably have to pay to upgrade to OS 4.0, but it
should be free for the iPhone.

It will be interesting to see whether Apple starts to drop support for
the oldest iPhone and iPod Touch models. Probably too soon.

--
David Empson
dempson(a)actrix.gen.nz
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