The Apple iPhone 3.0 was presented today at Cupertino. Here are some of the new features that I think are quite exciting:
+ Purchasing new content from within an app
“You can now purchase a game that comes wiht 10 levels, and when you’re done playing those levels, you can purchase the next 10 levels for the game.”
All of it is tied into the iTunes Store. You’re asked for your iTunes password but you remain within the app.
Developer picks the price for in-app purchased items. Same 70 percent goes to developer, charing no credit card fees, and developers are still paid monthly. But: this is only for paid apps; free apps cannot charge for content.
+ Peer to Peer connectivity
Example: kids in the car and they want to play games back and forth.
iPhone 3.0 now has a standard system for finding other devices in the same area – no WiFi network needed.
Automatic discovery performed over Bluetooth.
+ Talk directly to an accessory
Example 1: iPhone can control the speaker’s EQ.
Example 2: About FM transmitters for cars, FM signal can now be controlled from the iPhone’s display.
Example 3: Talk with medical devices and accessories. iPhone apps can send data from medical devices straight to doctors.
+ Maps: Apple will allow downloadable content in apps
“We’re taking the heart of the Maps application and making it a public API so developers can embed that map in their apps.”
You can pinch and zoom, get satellite view, hybrid, standard map, add custom notes, use WiFi and cell triangulation.”
Even reverse geocoding.
Enables developers to use Core Location as the basis for turn by turn apps.
Can use WiFi and cell triangulation, but there’s one catch: “Bring your own maps.” Due to licensing, Apple cannot allow developers to use the Maps app tiles.
+ Push Notifications
Apple tested apps that ran in the bkg on BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, etc. “In all cases, standby time dropped by 80 percent or more.”
Using Push Notifications on iPhone, standby time only dropped by 23 percent when testing an IM app.
3rd party server pushes notifications through to Apple and to the user’s iPhone.
can push sounds, text alerts.
“The nice part about this is: it scales.”
Some other features:
+ Has a new email sheet so apps don’t have to quit
+ Proximity sensors, iPod library access.
+ Streaming audio and video over HTTP
+ Data detectors, built in VoIP APIs
