iPhone OS 3.0 Software Event Scheduled for March 17th

[Jeff Campbell]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-10194846-37.html' target='_blank'>http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-10194846-37.html</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"Apple distributed invitations Thursday for a March 17 special event in Cupertino, Calif., to discuss the iPhone 3.0 software and a new software development kit."</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/at/auto/1236922175.usr105634.jpg" /></p><p>This event is supposed to be an "advanced preview" of what Apple is working on for the 3.0 version of the iPhone Software. They plan on discussing a new software development kit as well as working in some demonstrations. This is about a year after the original SDK was unveiled at the iPhone 2.0 event. Apple didn't announce who was going to give the presentation but several sites are predicting it will be marketing chief Phil Schiller or iPhone software guru Scott Forstall.&nbsp;</p>

[Vincent Ferrari]

I have it on good authority that two of the upcoming features are going to make millions of people happy and shut millions of critics up. I can't say what they are, but when they hit, you'll know. This update is going to be huge for the iPhone and it cracks me up that they're announcing it now. This is going to put a major hurt on Palm and their Pre, something I'm actually sad about. The last thing Palm needed was Apple trotting out another iPhone OS right before their "big day."

[doogald]

Once the iPhone has cut and paste (which, by the way, my Windows Mobile Standard Smartphone does not have), and maybe even tethering, what are all the iPhone haters going to latch onto as the thing that makes the iPhone unacceptable?

They'll find something, no doubt about it. Probably the keyboard.

[Vincent Ferrari]

Once the iPhone has cut and paste (which, by the way, my Windows Mobile Standard Smartphone does not have), and maybe even tethering, what are all the iPhone haters going to latch onto as the thing that makes the iPhone unacceptable?

They'll find something, no doubt about it. Probably the keyboard.

Or the fact that it's made by Apple. Apple hatred is a powerful thing.

[ptyork]

I have it on good authority that two of the upcoming features are going to make millions of people happy and shut millions of critics up. I can't say what they are, but when they hit, you'll know. This update is going to be huge for the iPhone and it cracks me up that they're announcing it now. This is going to put a major hurt on Palm and their Pre, something I'm actually sad about. The last thing Palm needed was Apple trotting out another iPhone OS right before their "big day."

The only two features that would make critics happy and shut me up would be shared storage (with the associated boon of copy/paste) and background processing / multitasking. So, I'm going to assume that your source means these. Otherwise, I'll go somewhere that lets me listen to Pandora and read email and receive twitter updates at the same time.

I actually don't think it'll do all that much bad to Pre sales. The iPhone marketplace, at least here in the US, is pretty saturated...short of dropping these down to free with a contract. For the majority of folks here in the states, it is mostly about which carrier works best for you. Folks who use Sprint and can't/won't use AT&T will choose the Pre. Folks who use Verizon the Blackberries. Etc. Sure, there are some (like those on these blogs) who jump to the coolest gadget and continued iPhone improvements will undoubtedly make the Pre less groundbreaking, but it'll still have a following and still has some features that I really doubt Apple will integrate. The free universal contacts/email concept is one that would draw me for sure...if Sprint didn't suck so badly here. This would bite into MobileMe revenues, and thus would probably be a non-starter.

[Sven Johannsen]

Once the iPhone has cut and paste (which, by the way, my Windows Mobile Standard Smartphone does not have), and maybe even tethering.
Your WM Standard phone also doesn't have a touch screen, making an implementation of cut and paste very awkward, though it is available through third parties, without even having to 'jailbreak it'. Probably more reasonable to compare the large touch screen iPhone to a current WM Pro device. Been cuttin' & pastin' since Windows CE in the late '90s, though I'm sure Apple's implementation will be far better.

[Vincent Ferrari]

Your WM Standard phone also doesn't have a touch screen, making an implementation of cut and paste very awkward, though it is available through third parties, without even having to 'jailbreak it'. Probably more reasonable to compare the large touch screen iPhone to a current WM Pro device. Been cuttin' & pastin' since Windows CE in the late '90s, though I'm sure Apple's implementation will be far better.

I wouldn't say "awkward." My BlackBerry Bold does it just fine and it doesn't have a touchscreen either.

[Phillip Dyson]

iPhone 3.0 is a very interesting development indeed. Do you think they will have a hardware release to coincide with the software?

[Darius Wey]

iPhone 3.0 is a very interesting development indeed. Do you think they will have a hardware release to coincide with the software?

It's possible. All sorts of rumours have been floating around as of late (32GB, digital compass, newer and faster chipsets), but nothing's been confirmed.

[doogald]

Well, it looks like Apple is getting the Microsoft disease - their software isn't really right until they release version 3.0.