14 DAY TRIAL // Pre-orders for iPhone 4 start on June 15, while the device itself will be available on June 24, Apple says. The company will be releasing the iPhone OS 4.0 / iOS 4 Software Update just before the public availability of iPhone 4.
Aside from the all-new iPhone 4, other new-generation Apple devices are supported, including the iPhone 3GS and iPod touch 3rd-generation. The iPhone 3G will also be able to run the new software, but it will get limited functionality, Apple states. “iOS 4 works with iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, and iPhone 3G. Not all features are compatible with all devices. For example, multitasking is available only with iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS,” the company explains.
In a surprise move, both iPhone and iPod touch owners are eligible for a free upgrade to iOS 4, Apple confirmed during yesterday’s WWDC10 keynote address. “With over 100 new features, the free iOS 4 Software Update lets you do some amazing things,” the company says on its website (at http://www.apple.com/iphone/softwareupdate/).
While iPhone 3G users only get some of the features, iPhone 3GS owners, future possessors of an iPhone 4, as well as those who own an iPad are getting the full scoop (excluding iPhone-specific features such as a camera, and telephony functionality). Below, Softpedia has compiled a list of key new features delivered by Apple in iOS 4 (as described by the iPhone maker itself) that apply to its new-generation devices.
iOS 4 Software Update promo material
Credits: Apple Multitasking — Now you can run your favorite third-party apps – and switch between them instantly – without slowing down the performance of the foreground app or draining the battery unnecessarily.
Folders — Organize apps into folders with drag-and-drop simplicity. Get faster access to your favorites and browse and manage up to 2,160 apps.
Even better Mail — See messages from all your accounts in a unified inbox, organize messages by threads, open attachments in third-party apps, and more.
iBooks — More than a great ebook reader, iBooks is also an amazing place to browse and shop for books, day and night.
Faces and Places in Photos — View photos based on who’s in them and where they were taken.
Home screen wallpaper — Change the background wallpaper on your Home screen.
iMovie — Edit video, add themes and music, and share your movies. Coming soon to the App Store for just $4.99. Naturally, iPhone 4 will be getting a lot more features, including 5x digital zoom, tap to focus video, HD recording, six-axis control schemes for games (thanks to the new, built-in gyroscope), etc.
Apple fans who plan on getting an iPhone 4 should keep in mind that Apple is set to start taking pre-orders come June 15. The handset will be physically available nine days later (June 24) in the US, the UK, France, Germany and Japan, starting in the US at $199 (16GB model) with a two-year contract.