As reported earlier this month, Apple has added quite a few hefty features in its next iPhone OS installment, among which “public transit directions” is mentioned. iPhone OS 2.2 also offers the previously-rumored "street view" in Maps, and a new "location sharing" feature.

Macnn cites iPhone-focused web site iPhoneYap as saying that users will be able to choose from one of three icons while in “directions mode.” iPhone owners traveling by car, public transit, and walking will be guided from right to left on the iPhone's display.

Users can choose transit options including subways, buses, or both by tapping a transit icon. Options to choose the departure time and a custom schedule from a list of related departure and arrival times will then become available. Total travel time for each option can also be displayed.

The transit feature guides the user to the nearest bus or subway stop via walking directions. It provides information on the bus/subway route (including route number), along with the scheduled departure & arrival time, with details about the final stop also being displayed. The feature shows a projected arrival time, and ultimately provides walking directions from the final stop to the destination.

With the new street view in Maps, the screen “'animates sideways & transforms into Street View of that location where the pin was dropped,' and displays handy map reference inside a navigation circle in the lower right corner,” says the source. “Users can activate the street-level feature by dropping a pin or clicking a searched location to get the tooltip to popup from the pin,” the same report reads.

Lastly, the iPhone OS 2.2. beta offers a new view for Entries / Lookups / Locations. Users will soon be able to share their location with others, according to iPhoneYap, when clicking "Share Location." An e-mail will then be sent with a specific link to that exact location. The receiver will be able to launch the Maps application, and display the specific location by tapping on the link.

The iPhone OS 2.2 beta was distributed to a limited number of developers. A release date for the new software is yet to be confirmed.