iPhone firmware 2.0 hands-on

We know there have been a couple of crappy videos here and there on the web, but we finally got our own grubby paws on the yet-to-be released iPhone 2.0 beta, which isn't officially due until this June. It isn't exactly awash with changes, but here's what you need to know:

• Exchange is so on! Changes are pushed over the network, but over WiFi it does check-ins, so it's not as instantaneous.
  
• There's no contact search that we can see, so far. Maybe that only gets turned on if you have thousands of contacts (which we definitely do not).
• There's a new button in the calendar, but we don't know what it is and can't make it do anything.
• The App Store is there, of course, but doesn't do anything yet (except error out that it can't connect).
• Wondering when Apple will make good on its agreement to license Cisco technology? Well, the branded Cisco VPN screen has definitely been added to the VPN settings. We couldn't really test this one, but assume it works as advertised. We don't yet know if it supports SecurID or other hardware token authenticators.
• Parental controls most certainly work. Marvel as we turn off YouTube!
  
• You can now order your preferred WiFi networks.
• In addition to having a new sideways scientific mode(!), the basic calculator now does commas and has new, useful functions for the math nerds; both the calc and the iTunes icons have changed.
• By far our favorite new feature is multi-select in mail, though. Now when you hit edit you can select as many messages as you want and delete or move them as a group. Friggin' finally. Now where's that two-pane client?

Definitely encouraging stuff in here. We'll have some video up of this thing a little later; in the mean time, there anything you want to know? Big ups to our source(s) for hooking us up with this!

Update: Video after the break!

Gallery: iPhone firmware 2.0 hands-on

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[Zak @ Mar 18th 2008 5:03PM]

I get the feeling that you don't even know what 3G is. It's become some sort of trendy jackassery to complain that the iPhone doesn't have 3G, despite the fact that tests have been done that show the iPhone being just as fast on web sites as phones with 3G, because the browser is so much better on the iPhone. The fact that you think 3G will make apps run smoothly on the network just means that you don't even know what 3G is or why you would want it.

For one thing the iPhone already has WiFi, which is way WAY faster than 3G. For another thing, do you think all apps need internet access? Like a calculator app maybe, or a tetris game? How would 3G help those things? Right, it wouldn't.

Public announcement: If your head is currently lodged between your buttocks, please do not post here. It will save us all a lot of time. Thank you.

[MrEats @ Mar 18th 2008 3:16PM]

Cut & Paste Cut & Paste Cut & Paste Cut & Paste Cut & Paste Cut & Paste Cut & Paste Cut & Paste Cut & Paste Cut & Paste Cut & Paste Cut & Paste Cut & Paste Cut & Paste Cut & Paste

This is increasingly annoying, not having that, at first...ok, now.....unacceptable!

[Steffen Jobbs @ Mar 18th 2008 3:18PM]

Anyone know why there is still no cut and paste? With all the new improvements, why is feature still missing?

[doebeln @ Mar 18th 2008 3:24PM]

The thing I really would want it to do is be able to receive/send contacts over sms and bluetooth, and to work as a modem for my MBP. If ATT wants to cripple the modem functionality in the US to protect it's data plan the rest of the world shouldn't have to suffer for the lack of such, in my opinion, basic feature.

[lanejasper69 @ Mar 18th 2008 3:26PM]

Flash is NOT going to happen anytime soon, so don't bother bitching about it.

Faslane

[who_the @ Mar 19th 2008 7:37AM]

There's nothing quite like making a definitive statement about something -- which you have no inside knowledge of -- and immediately being proven wrong.

The WSJ wrote today that Adobe is "committed" to bringing Flash to the iPhone. Something tells me their sources are slightly better than yours.

[lanejasper69 @ Mar 19th 2008 10:07AM]

That still doesn't mean it's going to happen, not as a plug in anyway, maybe a standalone or the like. You Watch. My Prediction, are we all not entitled?

Faslane

[lanejasper69 @ Mar 19th 2008 10:07AM]

And How do you know I have no inside knowledge of it? Do You know me? Where I work etc.?

Faslane

[.myke @ Mar 18th 2008 4:00PM]

Hardware tokens are listed in the "Coming Soon" section of the release notes.
"VPN
- Authenticate using a SecurID token over Cisco IPsec VPN.
- Authenticate using a CryptoCard token over Cisco IPsec VPN.
"

[ryne ketelsen @ Mar 18th 2008 11:29PM]

I believe that calendar button you can't get to do anything is perhaps the notification event option from iCal? So, try sending yourself an invite from iCal, and then see if that button lights up on the iPhone?

[sodapop @ Mar 18th 2008 3:30PM]

For Mail I would like it to recognize my spam filters and leave those emails on the server.

[Rex @ Mar 18th 2008 3:44PM]

I am surprised nobody mentioned A2DP. This is definitely fixable in a firmware update (unlike 3G possibly) and really important for many many users as most half-decent phones with mp3 capability already have it.

[Aaron @ Mar 18th 2008 3:46PM]

Perhaps the new Calender button is for updating an Exchange-based (?) shared calendar or an XML/subscription calender (such as Google Calendar) streamed in iCal? That way you can refresh the subscribed calendar and always have the latest updates?

Maybe you guys could try that out? (Unless you already figured out what it's for)

[labrats5 @ Mar 18th 2008 3:54PM]

There are literally HUNDREDS of software tweaks, features, and full apps that I think should be on the iphone out of the box. But I own an iphone anyway. Why? Because it is the only phone I have ever used where all my complaints are from what's not implemented, as opposed to how BADLY they are implemented. And it is much easier to add to a well built platform than it is to fix something that is broken. Pretty soon all or most of those apps and features will be available, if not through apple then through third parties. Well, except for that pie in the sky 'push-app' server, but whatever. I just want push RSS without forwarding it into my mail client.

[Ale Muñoz @ Mar 18th 2008 4:07PM]

The unknown button in Calendar is (most probably) the "Notifications" inbox (check iCal, there's an identical button there)

When someone sends you a meeting request, it goes there so you can accept/decline the invitation.

No idea if that will work without an Exchange server on the iPhone, but in iCal it works perfectly with POP/IMAP.

In my opinion, that's one feature that should have been there from 1.0 : )

[phanbouy @ Mar 18th 2008 4:04PM]

I dropped my iPhone on the sidewalk today and the screen is cracked to shit. After painful deliberation I've decided to sell it for what I can as-is on ebay, downgrade my plan with ATT to just voice, and use my trusty old Nokia until rev 2 (or some other GSM phone is out that's worth buying).

Actually, it looks like ATT has changed their plans around.. there isn't a similar plan to the iphone for $60 / mo., only a $75 one with unlimited txt.

[badqat @ Mar 18th 2008 6:59PM]

Ha ha!

[thehumanyawn @ Mar 18th 2008 4:17PM]

Sorry about the poor grammar, I didn't have time to proof-read. What I meant to say was "...but if you people were smart enough to piece everything together, you would realize that they are not completely Apple-biased. Not saying there isn't any bias, but it comes down to each individual blogger, not Engadget.

[Andrew @ Mar 18th 2008 4:09PM]

do you mean that over WiFi activesync is turned on and over EDGE it checks every 10-15 min?

[Zoli @ Mar 18th 2008 4:11PM]

How does the contact sync work? i.e. If I have contacts in my address book and different contacts on my exchange server, is it a combination of the two?
If there are duplicates are there double entries?
Same Question with Calendars- Local and Exchange.

[Oystein @ Mar 18th 2008 4:16PM]

Apple should really add MMS and 3G as well as 3.5G... (HSDPA). I know you guys in the States don't feel you need these features, but most people in all GSM-zones in the world use them all the time. So if Apple wants total world smartphone domination (and meet Google head on with its Android) I really think they should include better network support as well as an MMS app. Seriously - MMS and SMS has been there for over 10 years now. Any Apple developer could code the MMS app in a week. Keep up the good work Apple. iPhone rocks!

Sincerely,

- Oystein -

[Gibson @ Mar 18th 2008 4:16PM]

OMG! My phone has done all this for years!


...and it's 3G.

[Zak @ Mar 18th 2008 4:56PM]

Your phone has the iTunes store built in? Your phone has a full touch screen interface that actually works well and doesn't suck? Your phone has an actual web browser, and not a "mobile" browser? Your phone is an iPod? Your phone has Google Maps as an integrated application? Your phone can bookmark web pages and place them directly on the home page of your phone? Your phone lets you rearrange your home page by dragging the icons around with your finger? Your phone has visual voicemail? Your phone has a hardware H.264 decoder? And hardware graphics acceleration? Your phone has both NTSC and PAL TV out?

And I haven't even gotten started on the upcoming changes with the SDK. Bottom line, don't be an idiot.

[Fed @ Mar 18th 2008 5:20PM]

I finally got to play with a activated iPhone, I wasn't impressed at all, I love mac's but the phone just didn't seem all that practical. There are some serious fundamental flaws with the phone now that has been cleverly avoided by Apple's marketing campaign.

Overrated and overpriced is the name of the game when it comes to the iPhone.

/end rant

[pito189 @ Apr 18th 2008 2:35PM]

What are these fundamental flaws you speak of, out of curiosity?

[techinfo @ Mar 19th 2008 12:09AM]

Sweet, I guess that will be the last comment we get from you then!

[Dins @ Mar 18th 2008 5:14PM]

I love Apple, so it pains me to say that my HTC running Windows Mobile 5 kicks this phones ass in every way. 3G, copy/paste, I can load in applications, list goes on. Sorry Apple, but you really screwed the pooch on this one.

[Thermos14 @ Mar 18th 2008 5:17PM]

I sprained my ankle, should i ice it or use a hot pad?

[mediaphile @ Mar 19th 2008 3:22AM]

Ice if you want immediate relief with no healing, heat if you want it to heal faster.

[brie987 @ Mar 18th 2008 5:20PM]

A2DP

[Wolfbane65 @ Mar 18th 2008 5:38PM]

Still no landscape texting? come on.

[fabnapp @ Mar 18th 2008 5:53PM]

i wonder if the echange client will do all a WM6 PDA can: adressbook pictures, multiple day meetings, remote wipe, sorting mails in folders. the nokia client for S60 can do NONE of those :(

[Beau @ Mar 19th 2008 10:07AM]

I know that at the very least, it supports Remote Wipe :-)

[Sander @ Mar 19th 2008 3:42AM]

Perhaps I am really stupid, but the NO SIM in the left right corner, is that because the phone is hacked, or is it with the 2.0 version possible to use the phone without a sim card?:D (wich makes it actually an iPod touch..)

[Woodruffmj @ Mar 18th 2008 8:41PM]

the button in the calendar you "can't make do anything" is for accepting a meeting from iCal (could be for MS outlook meeting maker as well).

[Asher Madan @ Mar 18th 2008 6:14PM]

The calender button is the Push Calender Button for Microsoft Exchange.

[Michael @ Mar 18th 2008 6:24PM]

So I'm guessing that the Calendar App hasn't gotten multipul colored calendar mode like iCall yet??

When the heck are they gonna add this basic functionality??

[Greg Mcp @ Mar 18th 2008 6:29PM]

I'm just happy to here that they've put in a useful calculator. Any hope of Decimal->Hex->Binary conversions?

[Boywithhair @ Mar 18th 2008 6:35PM]

Ryan Block, is there anyway you can just upload the icons of the firmware? That's all i want to mess with, i just like the itunes icon..i already have the calculator icon but the itunes one is nice, care to share it?

[Boywithhair @ Mar 18th 2008 6:37PM]

And also, how much space does the other occupy now?

[will @ Mar 18th 2008 6:49PM]

Does the beta support wpa2-enterprise? my universities wifi is wpa enterprise and iphone currently only supports wpa-personal.

[Carl @ Mar 18th 2008 7:38PM]

Here is a simple thing- I would like the Mail application to turn sideways just like the Safari pages and photos do. That way I can read a message without scrolling side to side to see all the text !!!

[Matthew Diaz @ Mar 18th 2008 7:47PM]

How does one go about obtaining the iPhone 2.0 software?

Would it void the standard iPhone warranty?

[Jeffrey @ Mar 18th 2008 7:47PM]

Does the ActiveSync support include Tasks and Notes?

[john s @ Mar 18th 2008 9:00PM]

Do you want cheese with that whine? I am enjoying the heck out of my Iphone and it is a joy to see it develope. There is absolutely no device out there that will please everyone all time. Watch it grow and see.. The sdk will certainly change things. I am looking forward not having to ziphone my Iphone after each new revision and have to reload all the jailbroken apps. It will be nice to simply sync with Itunes or whatever..
John
Not an IT guy

[amy @ Mar 18th 2008 10:33PM]

Still no To-Do list from iCal? And the copy/paste issue, has Apple ever said anything about these two issues? Or are we just left to wonder WTF?

[Rob @ Mar 18th 2008 9:11PM]

'sigh'....every time I see an iphone or hear about what's coming on it I want one more. I played with an iPod touch and loved the interface. When the **** is the iPhone coming to Canada?

I don't want to go across the border, get one, hack it and make it somewhat work on Rogers. Please, Apple....release the thing here already. People WILL buy it.

[MadMike @ Mar 18th 2008 9:19PM]

When will the iPhone get MMS!?!


I just picked up a refurb 8gb iPhone on the cheap. But my friends send a lot of MMS messages and they aren't technologically adept to send MMS to an email.

[perfectse @ Jun 25th 2008 6:06PM]

http://www.perfectse.com combines the best search engines and users’ understanding, to give you the best search result.

[wifiguy @ Mar 18th 2008 10:02PM]

Where do you go on the web to jailbreak the iPod touch?