Apple today launched iOS 4.3, the latest version of its operating system for iPhones and iPads, and it's playing some technological catch up with rivals.
"The world's most advanced mobile operating system keeps getting better," Apple boasted on its iOS webpage.
In fact, far from being the most advanced, in some ways this latest version is merely catching up to the market leader Android. The headline feature is "Personal Hotspot," which turns the iPhone into a Wi-Fi hub for up to five nearby devices. Unusually, the Cupertino, Calif.-based company is behind the market in bundling this feature: many smartphones running Google's Android operating system already offer it.
The new update arrives amidst great flux among mobile operating systems within the smartphone market. While iOS is doubtless the most mature and arguably the slickest smartphone OS available, it is no longer the numerical market leader. Apple's market share has long been constrained by its exclusivity deal with AT&T in the U.S., while Android found homes on handsets from multiple manufacturers across all carriers.
Apple is ready to make up for lost time with its expansion to Verizon, but Android has established a solid beachhead and continues to improve, with new versions appearing every four to six months.
If the rivals extend current trends, BlackBerry maker Research in Motion may cede even more market share to the Google mobile operating system.
Other updates for iOS 4.3 include its "Nitro" Javascript engine, which promises significantly faster web browsing. In addition, "AirPlay" now offers much more video output support; streams can come from the camera, third-party apps and the browser and it can stream photo slide shows, too.
"Home Sharing" on iTunes now lets users stream music and videos directly from a running computer.
The new version includes support for single-tap conference call dialing and more options are now configurable. For example, users can set the iPad's side switch to either mute or lock rotation. Most of these enhancements are already available on Verizon iPhones, which run iOS 4.2.6.
Apple unveiled the update just a day before the iPad 2 is set to go on sale. The update is for the iPhone 4, 3GS, iPad and for the third- and fourth-generation iPod Touch.
Source:
http://www.mobiledia.com/news/83732.html
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