Is Apple going to steal the spotlight from Android? iPhone OS 4.0

[technoholicjakk]

Apple have announced that they are to hold a private event held on the 27th of January > details for this event have been blogged to death, but if you haven't heard the line held on the invitation sent out by Apple reads 'Come see our latest creation' - clearly referring to the rumored iTablet < or maybe something else?

Apparently, on the 27th January Apple are also to release their new update on the popular iPhone OS > 4.0, which should have the ability to hold multiple applications open without a sweat. And on top of this, as the current iPhone OS is so un-system heavy and the iPhone 3GS has such a powerful processor could Apple actually create a multi-tasking platform with the customisation of Android and the functionality of WebOS? Which all together retains the ability to 'never lag' *yawns*.

The iPhone should remain unchanged, in my opinion and from sources I have read there will be no hardware upgrades just an OS upgrade.

Is it just me - or is this perfect timing for an event which could, which I truly bloody hope doesn't happen, take the spotlight directly from Android and make 2.1 look like the LG Viewty platform < the first direct however obselete competitor to the original iPhone.

Send in your comments on this, my purpose isn't to diss Apples piss praise marketing campaigns or their somewhat 'purposful' timing to call an event.

Will Apple steal everyting Android has managed to do in the last 2 months?

 

[BiGMERF]

i wouldnt be the least bit surprised

 

[Solitary]

Probably yes. After all, they have a strong base of supporters who follow them religiously.

 

[jasnmb]

yes

 

[TheBrit]

Apple are now playing catch-up so I guess they will be trying to leap out ahead. I'll stick with Android for the time being.

 

[Neo42]

Correct me if I am wrong but, I am pretty sure our Moments have mostly superior technical specifications than the iPhone 3G (not S), which is still a significant portion of the iPhone population (probably > 50% of the install base is non-3GS).

3G has ~500mhz ARM11 processor w/ custom 3D unit, 128mb RAM
Moment has ~800mhz AMR11 processor w/ custom 3D unit, 288mb RAM

The reason the iPhone is so snappy is because they do a cache dump of each process and close it before switching to other process. The more true multitasking that is added (keeping programs running and active in memory), the more the interface will bog down. There is currently a limited amount of true multiprocessing going on in the iphone OS. I don't think Apple is going to enhance multitasking any more without sacrificing some of the speed that's already there.

I will say though that Apple has some gifted UI developers and given equivalent technical specifications can create a better experience, although mainly due to the technique overviewed above.

 

[sooper_droid12]

Absolutely, yes, lest you underestimate the legions of the Apple cult following. I have friends who profess to HATE Apple with all their minds and bodies, but still carry an iPhone. There's an immense lure to their devices because of how well thought out they are. So yes, I believe it will steal the thunder of Android, which is one of the reasons why I felt like Google should have waited until the Mobile World Congress to announce the N1, instead of from Fountain View at CES.

 

[sooper_droid12]

Apple are now playing catch-up so I guess they will be trying to leap out ahead. I'll stick with Android for the time being.

Well, Android has been playing catch up to Apple for over 2 years! Apple will have caught up in a matter of 6 months (and not because it's not ready, but because they use a 12-month cycle and always announce at their company event). That's just an indication of how dominant the iPhone has been over the past couple of years!

 

[JrzDroid]

Android OS is not that old and 2.0 was a big step forward in the Apple vs. Google war. 2.1 is pretty cool but everyone knows that the next Android(3.0?) is gonna be a direct retaliation to whatever Apple has brewing. If all else fails(which it won't) us Android users know that the iphone has horrible 3G service anyway

 

[djclark]

Apple are now playing catch-up so I guess they will be trying to leap out ahead. I'll stick with Android for the time being.

thats funny.

From a refinement/quality standpoint the iphone is the standard. 4.0 will further raise the bar.

 

[djclark]

Android OS is not that old and 2.0 was a big step forward in the Apple vs. Google war. 2.1 is pretty cool but everyone knows that the next Android(3.0?) is gonna be a direct retaliation to whatever Apple has brewing.

2.0 should have been the retaliation. its idiotic to wait for 4.0 then try and catch up again. We still have shitty copy/paste, most dont have mutitouch, limits on app size etc...

If all else fails(which it won't) us Android users know that the iphone has horrible 3G service anyway

funny thing about that. Their contract with AT&T is up in June. To that end, there is talk of the iphone on Verizon... So lets recap whats supposed to be in 4.0

- Verizon
- Running more than one 3rd party app at a time
- UI refinements ( ie make android look even more antiquated )

4.0 is gonna rock. Hopefully it gives google the kick in the ass they need to make android a worthy competitor for normal people ( ie non delusional ).

 

[momoceio]

Here we go again

 

[bbrosen]

The event was planned quite awhile ago, no way they could have known it would coincide with any software realease or launch from someone else.

I used to have the iphone, switched because my employer pays for my service, not with att, but i follow them still. The iphone truely is a wonderous machine. Way far ahead than anyone else. yes they were slow to add certain features, ie copy paste and mms. Also the 1 app at a time was a killer too. But that will change with 4.0 It will have multitasking as the new iphones will have laptop strength dual core chips.

Just pick up an iphone, and play need for speed, avatar, call of duty, or watch a movie or scroll thru menus, and browse the web with pinch and zoom. nothing works like it on earth.

apple has a following for a reason. Their products are very expensive, but they work and perform like they cost. People would not buy and stay with them if not.

Android has potential but no direction. The OS has splintered into I don't know how many levels and all apps have to be crammed into an already over taxed phone. Customer service is non existent with google. Try to get a rep from google on the phone.

If you are willing to be a guinea pig while google tries to decide if they really want to be in the mobile business market, and you want to hope the app developers decide to develope for the multitude of OS levels on a multitude of hardware and hope the carriers ,who probabaly really don't want to be in the software end of this game either, will want to keep pace and continue to support the updates for the devices..then you have a lot more patience then most.

I do like my HTC hero, it does what i need, barely. I am limited to the carrier my company uses to pick the handsets from, i pay for the device, they pay the service. So there may be more powerful devices that run android, just that I am not able to access them. It is disheartening to pay 600 for a device and it not perform like one, especially coming from the iphone.

 

[bbrosen]

Android OS is not that old and 2.0 was a big step forward in the Apple vs. Google war. 2.1 is pretty cool but everyone knows that the next Android(3.0?) is gonna be a direct retaliation to whatever Apple has brewing. If all else fails(which it won't) us Android users know that the iphone has horrible 3G service anyway

correction, att has horrible 3g. Not the iphone.

 

[momoceio]

But that will change with 4.0 It will have multitasking as the new iphones will have laptop strength dual core chips.

Source? A laptop strength dual core CPU on a cell phone battery...good luck

 

[twospirits]

From what I've read so far, the 4.0 will be a knockout and a much needed update to current iPhone users. Being its the standard right now to try to beat, the next version will make it much more harder. Still, Android has gone from scratch to its current position much faster than any previous system. Soon enough, Android will be coming out with its own updates that will equal or rival the iPhone, but in my own opinion, if it does not fix that lousy Android Market and supply a online desktop search worthy of the name Google, then it will never equal Apple or surpass it.

So bottom line, for now, 4.0 will steal the spotlight, but don't count Android out just yet.

TS

 

[bbrosen]

Source? A laptop strength dual core CPU on a cell phone battery...good luck

dual core chip for iphone - Google Search

 

[QrafTee]

Remember the hardware on the iPhone has always been thought to be able to multi-task. Apple could have just been saving that wild card up their sleeves in case Android brought it. Now they have, Apple might unleash Pandora's Box.

 

[technoholicjakk]

dual core chip for iphone - Google Search

He's right, and nice source mate - however, don't rule out Android powered phones following < perhaps because Android is still the one playing catch up, the new update to the iPhone will warrant Google to truly innovate here their next phones.

Touch sensitive cases could also be quite big, with haptic feedback a possibility. Just when will 4G come do you think guys?

 

[Geoponic]

Android has no spotlight on it.

It had random torches shone at it.

 

[TheBrit]

dual core chip for iphone - Google Search

Speculation but it *could* happen.

As for catch-up - Android has been playing catch-up yes, but when you add HTC Sense and/or Android 2.1 into the mix it does make the iPhone look rather dated.

I hope iPhone do make a leap forward because that keeps the other players on thier toes and we all get better devices.

 

[IOWA]

Personally.. no phone holds a candle to the hd2. That thing is a beast. Many iphone loving phone reviewers simply put it is the fastet phone they have ever used. Period. Plus sprint htc and google have a trick up their sleeve. Wimax. the wimax players are undeniabaly powerful. They are cooking up an android powered hd2 like wimax handset. I just hope they have a qwerty and non qwerty version. With 4g backing, no phone apple puts out will hold a candle to what's in the kitchen with google and htc. It will make the nexus1 look like a toy. Just imagine.... best hardware available, with 4g wireless connectivity. Nothing will come close. Nothing. Don't forget google, sprint, and intel all have a lot riding on wimax.

Correct me if I am wrong but, I am pretty sure our Moments have mostly superior technical specifications than the iPhone 3G (not S), which is still a significant portion of the iPhone population (probably > 50% of the install base is non-3GS).

3G has ~500mhz ARM11 processor w/ custom 3D unit, 128mb RAM
Moment has ~800mhz AMR11 processor w/ custom 3D unit, 288mb RAM

The reason the iPhone is so snappy is because they do a cache dump of each process and close it before switching to other process. The more true multitasking that is added (keeping programs running and active in memory), the more the interface will bog down. There is currently a limited amount of true multiprocessing going on in the iphone OS. I don't think Apple is going to enhance multitasking any more without sacrificing some of the speed that's already there.

I will say though that Apple has some gifted UI developers and given equivalent technical specifications can create a better experience, although mainly due to the technique overviewed above.

My thoughts exactly. The os update would only be able to be applied to the 3gs, which would alienate 50% or more. And for you technically challenged crowd, who don't understanf why the iphone can't multitask, and seems fast, is bc apple takes a screenshot of your previous screens and when the cpu calls that screen back, it displays an overlapping picture of what its supposed to look like. Now that takes a lot of memory! So unless they release a phone with 2ghz snapdragon and 1gig ram, apples multitasking won't be much improved.

 

[Bnice]

apple will always get a spotlight but seeing this event is happening early its seems gear to the islate or itablet whatever its call and whats coming next to the iphone. i think the whole competition is good.

 

[momoceio]

dual core chip for iphone - Google Search

Again...where is your source? A valid source I mean. I see nothing official.

 

[seeking]

just pick up an iphone, and play need for speed, avatar, call of duty, or watch a movie or scroll thru menus, and browse the web with pinch and zoom. nothing works like it on earth.

minus the lack of games, my nexus one works just like that - actually better than what the iphone can do.

apple has a following for a reason. Their products are very expensive, but they work and perform like they cost. People would not buy and stay with them if not.

apple has a following, but so do a lot of things...twilight has a following, pokemon has a following, even hitler had a following. Apple has a following for 2 reasons:

1) people feel cool to be anti microsoft
2) people need to justify the overpriced cost they pay

Apples products are more expensive than its competition, but its not because they perform like they cost. Buy any apple product and I will buy a comparable product which performs the same or BETTER, for less money. Apple costs more because they are selling a name brand. Theres only one place to have the iphone os...and thats on the apple iphone, theres only one place to buy a computer thats running snow leopard and thats on a mac made by apple...thats the only reason why they are more expensive *cough*overpriced*cough*