14 DAY TRIAL // Just a quick reminder to all iPhone owners out there who’ve been sitting on the edge of their seats waiting for Apple to roll out a fix for the numerous issues surrounding iOS 4 - Apple is set to offer iOS 4.1 as a free download to all iPhone owners tomorrow.
Apple chief executive officer Steve Jobs confirmed during the company’s September 1 event in San Francisco that iOS 4.1 would drop the following week, packing new features as well as fixes for the issues plaguing iPhone 3G and iPhone 4 owners.
iOS 4.1 brings Game Center, Apple’s gaming network, which enables online play for some games, and includes leaderboards and the likes.
The software update also brings new iTunes features, high dynamic range photography, and HD video recording.
Some of these features are available both on iPhone and iPod touch, others aren’t.
However, the most solid reason for eagerly anticipating iOS 4.1, iPhone owners will agree, is the healing nature of the software.
According to a test carried out by the folks at Lifehacker, iOS 4.1 indeed resolves slow iPhone 3G performance issues.
Apple promised just that, when Steve Jobs confirmed that the iOS 4.1 release was scheduled for the week to follow.
For a short period of time, a post on the company's UK web site specifically mentioned September 8 as the exact release date. It now lists availability as "coming soon."
In addition to this fix, iOS 4.1 also promises to resolve proximity sensor issues for iPhone 4 owners.
Soon after the phone’s release, early adopters signaled issues with the proximity sensor located near the phone’s earpiece.
As the user holds the phone to their ear, the sensor is tasked with telling the phone to block input via the screen, where commands like “end call” and “mute” are displayed.
Currently, users are reporting that the sensor fails to do this on iPhone 4 handsets.
Apple claims to have included other tweaks and bug fixes in iOS 4.1 as well.
iOS 4.1 is applicable to iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 3G, the second-, third-, and the fourth-generation iPod touch.
Inexplicably, Apple started offering the iOS 4.1 IPSW file for iPod touch 4 this past weekend.
iPod4,1_4.1_8B117_Restore.ipsw is available for free download using this link offered up by Apple. Update: Softpedia incorrectly reported that Steve Jobs had confirmed September 8 as the release date of iOS 4.1, whereas the Apple CEO specifically mentioned that the launch would occur the week to follow.
The report has been updated to remove the erroneous references to September 8.
However, Apple did post a message saying iOS 4.1 was launching on September 8 on its UK web site. The message now says "coming soon," in accordance with all International sites.