iPhone firmware v1.1.1 with "international" support coming soon?

With the launch of the iPod touch and the iTunes WiFi Music Store this week, it's pretty obvious that the iPhone is due for an update soon -- Apple can't leave all those iPhone users wondering what song is playing in Starbucks, after all -- but what's not certain is how much of an update we're going to see. The eagle-eyed posters at HowardForums might have spotted a clue, though -- the iPhone early-adopter $100 credit signup page clearly shows an iPhone running firmware v1.1.1, with a couple interesting additions: a setting for "Home Button," and another marked "International." The Home Button setting will likely bring the iPod touch's nifty double-tap music controller to the iPhone, but we have no idea what the International menu is for -- maybe for reducing some of those crazy roaming bills? Either way, we should know soon.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

[Via HowardForums]

[HeavenlySword @ Sep 14th 2007 7:00PM]

And here I am still waiting for Apple to send me a respond regarding my $100 store credit.
I returned mine and got a new iPhone a while ago, and those 2 serial numbers just don't work.

[Dias @ Sep 14th 2007 7:12PM]

OT:

iPod Touch CAN'T be used as a hard drive (no Disk Mode). Plz make a news about that, let's make some noise, I want a firmware update before I get one.

[Satish @ Sep 14th 2007 7:14PM]

....but what about the iUnlock/IPSF hacks which I used to unlock my JesusPhone. will the new update re-lock my iphone again? oh! NO plz..

[J3LUNT @ Sep 14th 2007 7:17PM]

why does apple do this? they know SOMEONE will pick it up. is this intentional? or a mistake? id love to know what goes on inside jobby jobs head.

[404error @ Sep 14th 2007 7:27PM]

So they don't have to redo the images when they release the new version soon.

[fontendet24 @ Sep 15th 2007 9:14AM]

Guys! International tab is for change a main language on the device or to add additional language for english keyboard.
That's all.

[Scorpios33 @ Sep 22nd 2007 9:02AM]

We have our national keyboard-layou t http://russianiphone.ru/blog/2007/09/21/tweaking-russian-keyboard-to-speak-your-language/
Tweak it and make your national layout, it's easy....... 8-)

[GunForHire @ Sep 14th 2007 7:23PM]

This option is probably to set roaming options when using the iPhone abroad. EG, Network Select, auto or manual, and so on, rather than having anything to do with a non-US iPhone launch.

[Howard @ Sep 14th 2007 7:25PM]

International=International language support, to match the iPod Touch. HTH.

[Linda @ Sep 14th 2007 7:39PM]

This is great - thanks for offering this contest.

[jasbra @ Sep 14th 2007 9:00PM]

I agree. Whenever Apple releases an update it's like winning the lottery. This is in stark contrast to Microsoft updates, which are like going to the proctologist.

Oh wait, I guess you just commented on the wrong item...

[Linda @ Sep 14th 2007 9:09PM]

jasbra Thanks for letting me know - somehow I did comment on the wrong site! I meant to enter the contest.

[cynyc @ Sep 14th 2007 8:00PM]

International: My guess is keyboard layouts. German and French and even UK are different from US and so are most others.

[Ondra Soukup @ Sep 14th 2007 8:09PM]

US residents. Please try to stop acting like your country was the centre of the universe, k ?
International might also be useful for, believe it or not, same thing as on the real fat MacOS X. Yes! Languages! Keyboard layouts! Wow! Exciting, isn't it ?

[Aaron @ Sep 14th 2007 8:29PM]

But..We ARE the center of the Universe. Sorry.

[Kevin Glattfelder @ Sep 14th 2007 8:44PM]

We may not be the center of the universe but when we say shit you ask what color.

[sumdum_guy @ Sep 14th 2007 8:46PM]

... what country is in the middle of the map? The US of course!! Obviously we are the center of the universe.
- On topic - I'm guessing that its probably to set the language option.

[RikF @ Sep 14th 2007 9:37PM]

Heh - I think you'll find that the country in the centre is the one which the GMT line runs through :)

[Jean-Michel Decombe @ Sep 14th 2007 10:00PM]

Actually, the center of the universe is the third table by the window at Rae's diner on Pico Boulevard in Santa Monica. Sorry, dudes.

[apeguero @ Sep 14th 2007 10:24PM]

Now, I'm not from there but isn't Ecuador the center of Earth? In fact, that's why it's called Ecuador because it's on the Equator which is dead in the middle of Earth. So my homies from Ecuador I say: "Orale".

And for the record, I'm from DR.

[boriquajake @ Sep 14th 2007 11:37PM]

Yeah, come on guys! No matter how ridiculous it seems, we should all start pretending that other counties are economically, culturally, and politically relevant. I mean, just think of all the myriad ways your day to day lives would be affected if, say, the U.K. were to suddenly disappear from the map. Think what that would do to the price of toffee!

[comon fellas @ Sep 14th 2007 8:27PM]

set it on airplane mode for christs sake!!!

[dmckilla699 @ Sep 14th 2007 8:49PM]

Maybe the international thing is for when you go to a different country it will turn of the phone and EDGE functions saving you a 4000+ dollar bill.

[Chris @ Sep 14th 2007 8:52PM]

I hope "International" will let u disable Edge connection for all of us wih activation bypassed iPhones.

[timfucius @ Sep 14th 2007 9:41PM]

International issues with my iPhone:
- Caller ID problems. Number formatting is different than the standard [phone]
- When typing in a different language auto-correct messes up your typing
- It can't find Sao Paulo, Brazil in World Clock or Weather
- Keyboard layout is not a big deal. You type with 1 finger. BTW- what keyboard?

[Sean @ Sep 14th 2007 9:56PM]

I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to find out that Apple has had a predetermined solution for every b*tch or moan leaked from dissatisfied customers lips, and that their marketing team strategically planned to release various updates to address these when people had enough of being disappointed that certain features weren't included. Just you wait.

[Jean-Michel Decombe @ Sep 14th 2007 9:57PM]

What I hope is that International lets you choose in which language you are currently typing, and switch easily at any time. In my case, I mostly chat in English but sometimes in French as well. When the latter happens, the predictive algorithm becomes a real hindrance, suggesting words that I do not want to type. And attempting to defeat it (using the x) only contributes to corrupting the user dictionary for when I am ready to chat in English again.

[Shan @ Sep 14th 2007 9:57PM]

well if the Serial, IMEI and ICCID numbers are anything to go by, I'll guess that someone was just having fun in Photoshop at our expense. I understand for security reasons they would have given fake numbers in those particular categories, but whats to say they didn't have a little fun with the version number at our expense? They probably wanted this attention we are now giving.

[Mike @ Sep 15th 2007 2:13PM]

No! Actually, that is a photo of the mother of all iPhones. The one from whence all other iPhones came.

[catherine miller @ Sep 14th 2007 10:10PM]

I phone you phone we all want an iphone

[Michael @ Sep 15th 2007 1:13AM]

The whole world is waiting

[bbjvm @ Sep 15th 2007 3:03AM]

hey, i dont know what really happened but in the morning i saw in the main page of engadget that they were giving away the 100 credit for the iphone purchases before the price drop, and then i saw this article and clicked onthe picture and sent me to the apple website again where u put the phone number ans serial and all that, and i realized they send me another 100 back, different and pin, i checked and both worked :S weird but nice,,jeje now i got my 200 back instead of 100

[ronl12 @ Sep 15th 2007 12:21PM]

I would guess that International is to set date, time, and money formats.

[jstach500 @ Sep 16th 2007 8:31AM]

Did anyone else notice the bluetooth radio address?