iPhone firmware 1.1.3 update announced: it's just like we heard

If you saw the 1.1.3 leaked firmware then this isn't a surprise. The new iPhone firmware features Google maps with location, up to 9 total home screens, Webclips, the ability to SMS multiple recipients, and more. That more being lyrics, subtitles, languages, chapters, in your iPod media. To customize a screen you just touch and hold the icon for a couple of seconds and it begins to "shake." Right, just like we saw in the video. Flicking your finger across the screen moves to the next screen. iPod touch users, it's all yours (minus the phone related apps, naturally) for $20. No, we're not kidding.

[Kanwal @ Jan 15th 2008 12:42PM]

that really sux... where's microsoft's answer to the iphone?

[Kamokazi @ Jan 15th 2008 1:03PM]

Well there is this thing called Windows Mobile that's been around for something like a decade or so that you can find on over a hundred different devices based on your preferences.

Granted it's not idiotproof and doesn't have the eyecandy, but it's 10x more functional.

And seriously what the hell is Apple thinking charging $20 for that update...it's going to a) piss of existing customers and b) be hacked in less than a week. Really bad idea on their part. Guess it shows how greedy companies get as they get bigger. Oh, I'm sorry, I meant 'maximizing profits'.

[coolant8 @ Jan 15th 2008 12:50PM]

$20, thats not bad ...

[Andy @ Jan 15th 2008 12:59PM]

No - that's a rip off.

[Anthony @ Jan 15th 2008 12:49PM]

$20 for what?

[Eldiablo @ Jan 15th 2008 1:14PM]

@ Anthony...

Old rope.

[AdamY @ Jan 15th 2008 1:48PM]

@ Anthony

I don't know when the last time you tried to engineer a revolutionary mobile operating system, but I'll tell you it's not cheap.

Apple supplements that R&D cost by signing revenue sharing deals with AT&T, though all iPod Touch sales, which could conceivably be cannibalizing iPhone sales as well, don't generate that revenue for Apple.

Is it a little crappy to have to pay $20, yeah, I'll grant that, but that doesn't mean I can't understand or justify it. It costs Apple every time someone chooses an iPod Touch over an iPhone.

[xbit @ Jan 15th 2008 2:06PM]

It's especially crappy when I've already got them on my jailbroken iPod touch.

[Ty @ Jan 15th 2008 12:54PM]

So I buy the nicest iPod on the planet, the 16 gig iPod touch, and I have to pay $20 for basically one useful native application (Google Maps)? And it's free on the iPhone?

Blow me where the pampers is, Steve.

[Murphy Mac @ Jan 15th 2008 2:17PM]

Will this update make the FM Radio Remote work with the touch? That's what I want. Not inclined to give up my hacked touch that has these things already.

Anyone noticed the Apple site says the Radio Remote works with everything except shuffle? Check out my post on Murphy Mac. If they don't make the Radio Remote work I'm going to be quite irked.

[togroovy @ Jan 15th 2008 3:28PM]

Arent you the king of the castle

[Josh* @ Jan 15th 2008 12:54PM]

Are these guys fools? Burning every early adopter like that didn't work for them last time.

I suggest every iPt owner votes with(out) their wallets and holds tight for a 1.1.3 jailbreak.

[Ian @ Jan 15th 2008 12:55PM]

Where is the native iChat application? :-(

[Eric M. @ Jan 15th 2008 12:59PM]

Well I guess Apple is pulling an Archos and making their users pay for additional features. The only difference is Apply charges you the premium up front AND afterwards. Nice move Apple....NOT! Charging for firmware releases, lame move. Call me when the iPod Touch starts giving out this firmware for free, or more realistically when hackers well hack it, or when I can get one for more than 16GB and I'm on board. Until then..

*Continues to listen to his Zune 80*

[sam @ Jan 15th 2008 12:59PM]

someone post the link to the .ispw file in here once its ready.

thanks!

[Jordan @ Jan 15th 2008 1:04PM]

iPod Touch users have to pay?
iPod Touch users have to PAY?
IPOD TOUCH USERS HAVE TO PAY?

That is just grubby. Why in the world? I don't have an iPod Touch but that just makes me sick.

[Kris @ Jan 15th 2008 1:14PM]

So Apple TV owners who own a device over a year old get a free software upgrade that includes many new features... but iPod Touch users who've only had there devices for a maximum of, what, 6 months or so have to _pay_ for a couple of minor features?

Words cannot describe that... and to think I almost purchased one recently. Never again. I'll stick with my Zune.

[Aman @ Jan 16th 2008 11:56AM]

Not 6 months, BUT 4 Months

[Raheem @ Jan 15th 2008 1:22PM]

I'm sure they'd make iPhone users pay (for 1.1.3) too but they're too concerned about locking out those with hacked iPhones so they HAVE to give that up for free.

[Raheem @ Jan 15th 2008 1:37PM]

I'm sure they'd make iPhone users pay (for 1.1.3) too but they're too concerned about locking out those with hacked iPhones so they HAVE to give that up for free.

[Ian @ Jan 15th 2008 1:44PM]

Steve Jobs has no idea that there are about 100,000 deaf T-Mobile Sidekick customers in America (which makes up most of the Sidekick customer base) waiting for a decent smartphone to come out because we hate T-Mobile so terribly but can't let go of the Sidekick only because it has the only good AIM application in a smartphone. What Steve fails to realize is that once he actually adds a native iChat application, that's an automatic increase in 100,000 (or more!) increase in iPhone sales!

[codeman38 @ Jan 15th 2008 2:26PM]

That, and a data-only plan... that's the reason I personally am still waiting. Why pay for 450 minutes of talk time I'd never use?

[Ian @ Jan 15th 2008 4:16PM]

Yeah, some retailers tried to sell the iPhone with a data-only plan but Apple found out and made these retailers cancel that plan because of their deal with AT&T. Then Apple tried to sell a voice-only plan but so many deaf people were so pissed because Apple canceled the data-only plan and promoted a voice-only plan. Apple was then forced to cancel the voice-only plan. Why can't Apple use their heads and offer a data-only plan as well as a voice-only plan?!

[seeandyspin @ Jan 15th 2008 1:50PM]

Yes seconded please post the ispw link when discovered, ive tried poking around to no avail

[KarlW @ Jan 15th 2008 3:03PM]

IPSW file: http://appldnld.apple.com.edgesuite.net/content.info.apple.com/iPhone/061-4061.20080115.4Fvn7/iPhone1,1_1.1.3_4A93_Restore.ipsw

[Aman @ Jan 16th 2008 11:59AM]

thats the iPhone One where the iPod Touch

[Kyrra @ Jan 15th 2008 1:51PM]

Now, where do we find the new iPhone firmware?

[Andrew Stone @ Jan 15th 2008 2:17PM]

Stands to reason that if you owned an iPhone you'd know. Its right there in iTunes, right where its always been.

[Kyrra @ Jan 15th 2008 2:20PM]

When 1.1.2 was released, it got released through non-iTunes means a few days before it hit iTunes "Check for Updates".

[xsirxx @ Jan 15th 2008 1:53PM]

Well they did announce an SDK in Feb, so im sure there will be a ton of iChat programs out. Of course this will all be seen after we know what the SDK can do. I for one am excited about programming for the iPhone for fun.

[Reid @ Jan 15th 2008 1:54PM]

Yeah, this is pretty stupid honestly. They'll make so little money on the deal, is it worth not only pissing off all of the Touch owners, but also attracting negative publicity to an otherwise good keynote?

[Randal @ Jan 15th 2008 1:54PM]

I'm a little peaved at this update too! I spend $500 on an iPod and to get the features I was expecting is costing me another flipping $20?! Is this fiasco going to result in us all getting a $20 refund credit to the apple store in the end to? Time to flood their phone lines! This is BS!

[Paul @ Jan 15th 2008 1:55PM]

Ipod Touch upgrade 20$?!? WTF Steve is thinking? Bittorrent everyone? Come on this is pure greed. and why I would pay for some stuff I will never use? What Stocks :-( What the hell! I don't care about the market price of an Apple share!
Well hold on I believe that in no more than a month, if every iTouch user keep their money in their pocket, we will see a free upgrade. Now I am going to check my favourite bittorrent sites to get my update very soon!

[Andy W @ Jan 15th 2008 2:02PM]

The reason that iPod Touch owners are paying is thanks to Enron and Sarbanes-Oxley; as a one-off purchase the iPod Touch is entered for accounting purposes as a single item, so any software upgrades after the point-of-purchase have to be charged for to avoid falling foul of new accounting regulations.

The iPhone, on the other hand, is accounted for differently, and has an ongoing monthly subscription attached, so they can legally upgrade it after the original purchase date as it is still being 'purchased'.

I doubt Apple is making much on $20, and certainly not if you factor in the inevitable bad will it causes.

But thank Enron and crooked CEOs for having to do this, and not Apple.

[Andy W @ Jan 15th 2008 2:09PM]

For further comment on the whole charge-for update and related
accounting practices, see http://mjtsai.com/blog/2007/01/16/buy-base-station-to-get-software-update/

It's disingenuous to blame Apple for something they have to do.

[newgalactic @ Jan 15th 2008 2:14PM]

What a BS reply. There are many pieces of hardware with non-subscription based software that don't charge for updates. Blaming this on an accounting regulation is ridiculous. Have you ever paid for an update to Windows or OS X? No. If Apples accounting dept can figure out how to properly account for the cost of OS X updates, they can account for iPod Touch updates.

[Andy W @ Jan 15th 2008 2:18PM]

Generally speaking, if an update adds new features to an OS then yes, I have paid for it; and I hope you have to. Point updates via Software Update are generally bug-fixes, and aren't covered in the same way, as you aren't getting anything you haven't paid for already at the initial point of purchase.

[RonK @ Feb 5th 2008 3:39AM]

That's funny.. When I upgraded my older Zune to the new firmware (with additional features), I don't remember paying for it.

[Andy W @ Jan 15th 2008 2:30PM]

It's always possible that Microsoft were accounting for Zunes over multiple quarters in recognition of the fact they knew they were going to upgrade the software to add features. Or they were interpreting the accounting rules differently. Whether to charge for upgrades or not is very much a bean-counter call and not Steve Job's...

[newgalactic @ Jan 15th 2008 2:34PM]

Here's a link to New Hardware features gives via a software update...for free.

http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/zune/firstgen-zune-getting-all-the-new-features-this-is-how-you-treat-your-customers-306422.php

Also, did any of the updates to the PS3 or PSP get charged for? And were there new features added?

http://mjtsai.com is a link to a blog owned by a Mac Developer, so I find his opinion suspect. Especially when his only interest in accounting principle is to defend Apple. I myself am just an iPhone owner. ...and I take offense to the insinuation that I steal software AndyW.

[palehorse @ Jan 15th 2008 2:36PM]

Andy W is entirely full of it. The cost for this update has nothing to do with accounting regulations or Enron.

It's a bad move on Apple's part. Then again, just a few months ago, they charged OSX owners $150 for an upgrade named Leopard, so this isn't surprising in the least...

they've probably just testing the waters to see how willing everyone is to pay for the updates. When it blows up in their faces - and it will - they'll probably give everyone a $20 iTunes credit.

But again, Andy W is entirely FOS.

[Kris @ Jan 15th 2008 2:41PM]

Sorry AndyW, but you're wrong. Companies are allowed to provide free upgrades to its users. Look at Zune or most of Microsoft's products as well as many other gadget type company.

What you're referring to is different.

[Abraham @ Jan 15th 2008 1:56PM]

Release date?

[mithril @ Jan 15th 2008 1:58PM]

7.6 version of itunes, and it supports 64 bit windows vista ... bout time.

[lucky @ Jan 15th 2008 2:04PM]

1.1.3 is out, downloading right now off of iTunes.

[Zombie Flanders @ Jan 15th 2008 2:08PM]

Yeah! Wasn't workng at first...

[rohanmalik007 @ Jan 15th 2008 2:10PM]

really? i still cant get 1.1.3...

[Dougp @ Jan 15th 2008 2:08PM]

There is a difference in how the updates are being handled between the iPod Touch and iPhone/AppleTV because of the accounting process Apple announced during the summer. Apple is accruing the profit from both the iPhone and AppleTV over some time span (a year or two...cannot remember now) in order to be able to add features at no cost to the end user. Why they didn't do the same for the iPod Touch I have no clue.

[selcuk @ Jan 16th 2008 12:36PM]

It's really a shame to charge ipod touch owners for a firmware upgrade. IPhone owners already have these applications for free. Since iPod touch and iPhone uses the same operating system, they will not spend an extra effort to port those applications for the ipod touch. Maybe $20 is not much for most of the people, but i don't think selling firmware updates is ethical. So, I am keeping my jailbroken 1.1.2 firmware. When the SDK will be released in february, i believe there will be much better applications available than apple's native ones, for free.

[Mike @ Jan 15th 2008 2:16PM]

Downloading now off iTunes (didn't even need to upgrade to iTunes 7.6 first). Only 11 hours to go... I'm guessing there are a lot of people downloading it right now.