14 DAY TRIAL // Two new mobile operating system versions are set to make an appearance on devices this fall, one coming from Microsoft as Windows Phone Mango, with over 500 improvements included, and another one released from Apple, with more than 200 new features into the mix as well.
iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPad 2, iPad, iPod touch (fourth generation) and iPod touch (third generation) owners will taste the new iOS 5 platform release in fall, Apple has just announced.
Before that, application developers will receive access to the platform through the company's iOS Developer Program. A beta SDK was made available for application builders, with 1,500 new APIs included into the mix.
iOS 5 is expected to mark some interesting changes in user's experiences, including the fact that users would have the possibility to activate and set up their iOS device right out of the box, courtesy of a new PC Free feature.
This enhancement would also enable users download and install OS upgrades over the air (OTA), eliminating the need to connect the device to a computer to perform this action.
However, this is not all, sine Apple unveiled it planned on pushing out to users only the updated features, and not a completely new ROM, the same as it did before.
Some of the main features that iOS 5 comes with include a new Notification Center, enabling users view and manage notifications from a single place, or the new messaging service called iMessage, through which they can send text messages, photos and videos between different iOS devices.
The upcoming platform version also comes with Newsstand, offering a new experience when it comes to organizing newspaper and magazine subscriptions.
The operating system is accompanied by the iCloud service, which integrates and syncs everything on one's iOS devices into the cloud, as well as by a new version of the Safari browser (Safari Reader, Reading List), Twitter integration, and others.
The list of enhancements continues with new features in the Camera and Photos apps (the volume-up button can be used for snapping photos), a new Reminders app, mail improvements, AirPlay Mirroring for viewing actions from the iPad 2 on a HDTV via Apple TV, and more.
All of these enhancements should make it to the aforementioned existing iOS devices in fall, when Apple is also expected to launch a new iPhone model, though the company did not unveil specific info on the matter.
The said iPhone is rumored to come with support for HSPA+ networks, and to be followed by a LTE-capable variant sometime next year.