iPhone contacts search and meeting invite revealed

Remember that sweet little magnifying glass from the iPhone SDK demo? Well apparently we all weren't having a shared hallucination -- it's in the enterprise version of firmware 2.0. Thanks to a tipster, we've now got shots of the search bar clearly hanging out at the top of the contacts list. While we're unraveling mysteries, you'll be happy to know that the little drawer button -- which did nothing in the regular old firmware we had -- is actually a meeting invitations folder, which displays the number of requests just like the SMS and mail icons. Other changes? Enterprise users don't get the app store or iTunes store icons. Boo. Check out the gallery below to see just exactly what we're talking about. Now, on to finding JFK's real killer!

Gallery: iPhone contacts search and meeting invite revealed

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[David85 @ Apr 9th 2008 11:11AM]

Great! Now I need to get more friends to make use of that search function...

[Anonymoose @ Apr 9th 2008 11:14AM]

well, David Bue Pedersen is looking to add more guy friends in his picture frame of love and leds, so maybe you should give him a quick shout out

[Kamokazi @ Apr 9th 2008 11:39AM]

For salespeople with a few thousand contacts, it will be extremely helpful. Hence why it's on the enterprise version.

[Anonymoose @ Apr 9th 2008 11:59AM]

this guy wishes he had thousands of contacts

http://www.magitek.nu/gil/jobs.shtml

[Konstantin @ Apr 9th 2008 12:44PM]

You know what would be cool? If you could get cover flow on your contacts so you can browse them by the picture that you assigned to them.

[Harkonian @ Apr 9th 2008 2:49PM]

There are some people working on getting the coverflow API working: http://www.iphoneatlas.com/2008/02/20/cracking-the-coverflow-code/

I am sure a coverflow contact app is in the works.

[mymaclife @ Apr 10th 2008 8:21AM]

Apple are so annoying - why can't they make a phone with software that can't be updated like all the others. Why do they have to keep making improvements for the users, sure obsolescence is the new black?

He he

[Sane @ Apr 9th 2008 11:19AM]

[Fanboy][ThinkDifferent]
Wow! An exact copy of Windows Mobile 6 Professional's contact list!
[/ThinkDifferent][/Fanboy]

Now those oh-Apple-got-this-first-and-all-of-you-are-copycats-we-fanboys-will-laugh-at-you-forever fanboys can shut up for good.

[Anonymoose @ Apr 9th 2008 11:21AM]

for good? like as in forever? and when the 3g iphone comes out, are you going to have the same exact post but doctored up to show how other phones had 3g first so now the iphone is unoriginal? this is just sheer win for the win for the people. you're like a champion or something.

[MacBookOwner @ Apr 9th 2008 11:58AM]

Dude, your anti-Apple whining is just embarrassing. And the only people who use the term "fanboy" are..well, you get the idea :p

[Munkcy @ Apr 9th 2008 12:46PM]

I had Ziggy run the numbers, and I'm pretty sure you can fit the word "Fanboy" into your post at least 3 more times.

[Reid @ Apr 9th 2008 6:18PM]

Oh my god, say it ain't so... Apple didn't invent everything in the universe? Say it ain't so! And here I've been telling my grandma that her home phone keypad was patterned after His Steveness's brilliant keypad design on the iPhone!

*sob*

[Leo @ Apr 9th 2008 8:08PM]

@ Muncky

For referencing the brilliant Quantum Leap, you sir are getting ranked the hell up.

Regards,

Leo

[axemachine @ Apr 9th 2008 11:20AM]

Wow, a Search function. How exciting and earth shattering for the jesus phone :)

[Anonymoose @ Apr 9th 2008 11:23AM]

dude, you're so right. they just shouldn't have added it at all. and i bet they wouldn't have if'n they had only calculated the intense and meaningful backlash from sarcastic internet posters.

[Anonymoose @ Apr 9th 2008 11:22AM]

dude, you're so right. they just shouldn't have added it at all. and i bet they wouldn't have if'n they had only calculated the intense and meaningful backlash from sarcastic internet posters.

[Anonymoose @ Apr 9th 2008 11:24AM]

sons of breeches, what the funke is with me having to press reply twice to get it to reply, oh engadgetsies? feel free to delete the above post, but not this one. oh no, not this one.

[Lein @ Apr 9th 2008 11:24AM]

Wow, looks like the iPho... er, wait, let me start over-

Wow, looks like iPhone is one step closer to being a REAL phone. Now let's just see some mobile broadband, and I might very well be sold.

[clak @ Apr 9th 2008 11:55AM]

Don't real phones, like, make calls?

[Lein @ Apr 9th 2008 12:13PM]

HAHAH? Wow, twice you've zinged me today.

And no, wise guy. Even my mom's old Motorola E815 has a search function, along with 3G (or EV-DO, you get the idea.) Now, when a non-smartphone trumps the capabilities of a phone that initially cost $600, then you've got a problem.

[Scott @ Apr 9th 2008 3:00PM]

Wow! You singled out a feature that the iPhone doesn't have. You're SO smart! I'm sure we can't single out any features that "your Mom's E815" doesn't have that the iPhone does have. No way...It would take a GENIUS to figure that out.

After all, we know it's having EVERY SINGLE FEATURE EVER that makes or breaks a phone. Anything else is complete and utter garbage!

[Russ Hughes @ Apr 10th 2008 8:21AM]

@ Lien

Cock! Enough said

[nyandrews @ Apr 9th 2008 11:26AM]

How about the Bluetooth icon on all of the images? Could this mean Bluetooth syncing as well? It maybe just a pipe dream but hopefully reality.

[w00t @ Apr 9th 2008 11:32AM]

No, the bluetooth icon simply means bluetooth is turned on and is present in all firmware versions. Besides who would want to sync over BT when it has WiFi?

[ralph @ Apr 9th 2008 11:29AM]

Sane is a dickhead

[Heathen @ Apr 9th 2008 11:36AM]

Wow so this basic functionality has been missing? [sarcasm]What a revolutionary phone indeed[/sarcasm]
And is searches... Fanboys really do suspend reality for their beloved company.

[ThePremierAssassin @ Apr 9th 2008 11:37AM]

"Enterprise Users"

Umm okay whats the difference between them and us regular folks? Also does this mean that the regular user won't get the search or w/e for contacts and do this whole "meeting" thing?

Plus why exactly do they not have the store Apps Store or iTunes Store icons?

It just looks like its a no win situation either way...but I might just be making way too early conclusions.

[Marvin Quach @ Apr 9th 2008 11:44AM]

looks like Apple might be copying Microsoft! Next up, Ultra, Premium, Silver, Purple, and Orange editions!

[ralph @ Apr 9th 2008 11:49AM]

I think it will be available for everyone and also I think they moved the iTunes and Appstore icons to a different page of the iPhone's home screen. Oh yeah and Sane is an idiot.

[whatphone @ Apr 9th 2008 11:52AM]

say what?! Apple copying MICROSOFT!!! NOOO WAY...

*worldfallingapart*

[Harkonian @ Apr 9th 2008 11:54AM]

Does this mean that exchange sync will _only_ be available for enterprise users? I have a real need for exchange connectivity, but I still like my iTunes store and such.

[AdamY @ Apr 9th 2008 1:14PM]

I think the likely answer, based on Apple's prior history with Enterprise/Consumer versions (read: no distinction) is that the "Search" feature will be available in the final 2.0 software for all users.

Just because they are beta-testing it with enterprise users first (and not, say, developers) is probably because their release of the software to non-enterprise users (developers) is not meant to beta-test the new features, but to allow them to do other things (say, develop applications...).

[Gir @ Apr 9th 2008 11:41AM]

I just have one question, do you need to be set up on an exchange server to receive calendar invites? Or can anyone just send you one through Outlook or Entourage and you'd receive it when your phone fetches email?

[Anonymoose @ Apr 9th 2008 11:49AM]

i distinctly counted two questions there.

*gives stern look at Gir while thanking trusty abacus and asian man used for counting accurately*

[Ninjaneer @ Apr 9th 2008 11:46AM]

Boring. Give me multimedia messaging and I'll be 100% happy with my iPhone.

[Anonymoose @ Apr 9th 2008 11:48AM]

10 - 1 odds that this guy doesn't even have a phone with MMS capabilities

[ralph @ Apr 9th 2008 11:49AM]

I totally agree!!!

[Ninjaneer @ Apr 9th 2008 2:56PM]

Well, that would be a sucker bet because I have an iPhone.

[Anonymoose @ Apr 9th 2008 3:21PM]

mother of cod, i read not awesome. i post not awesome too as well as. and i promised myself long ago that i would never question a ninja.

[Phoenix @ Apr 9th 2008 11:46AM]

Does anyone else think it's odd that the alphabet at the side goes up over the search bar? Doesn't make sense to me

[majortom @ Apr 9th 2008 1:19PM]

@anonymoose

often times you are funny, even witty. But as the old saying goes, frequency breeds contempt. Sit on your fingers more and let the other children play....

[Trimalchio @ Apr 9th 2008 11:48AM]

So is there going to be an "Enterprise" version of the iphone 2.0 firmware and a non-"Enterprise" version? Will people be able to have the app store as well as the features that they said would come for the enterprise crowd?
I really hope that they don't separate the two, because there are some important enterprise features that I really want but I would not want to sacrifice the app store just to get them. (Specifically I want 802.1X, my University uses it for wireless authentication)

[Bender Bending Rodriguez @ Apr 9th 2008 11:55AM]

Enterprise Edition will probably mean a phone that is locked to prevent from open access to App Store and iTunes Store, if the owner—not user—of the device wishes. The Enterprise account for the app certificate is 3x that of the normal price and are not hosted by Apple.

802.11x will still be available as it is not, as you mentioned, an business only utility. Fear not.

[dagamer34 @ Apr 9th 2008 12:38PM]

Still wondering when it's going to show up in current builds. Oy.

[greg @ Apr 9th 2008 11:49AM]

I presume that the iTunes store and Apps store icons are just disabled during testing...or in the Enterprise profile a company could choose whether or not to disable such features.

On the contact search feature -- can you type in a phone number and have it reverse look-up the contact name??

[Harkonian @ Apr 9th 2008 11:58AM]

@greg:

If you really need reverse lookup you can do a poor man's version of it: just dial the phone number from the keypad and tap call. If the phone number is in the address book the name will show up.

[jodosh @ Apr 9th 2008 12:29PM]

@Harkonian

You actually don't have to tap call, just entering the phone number will display the contacts name under the number if it is in you contact list.

[nyandrews @ Apr 9th 2008 11:50AM]

I was thinking more of syncing wirelessly via Bluetooth with one’s local version of iTunes (not exchange server or email providers). With the local version of iTunes Wi-Fi syncing is not an option.

I use to do this with my former Samsung phone and it is a nice to be able to sync automatically by simply being in the vicinity.

[Bender Bending Rodriguez @ Apr 9th 2008 11:58AM]

Because WiFi syncing is not enabled you think it would sense to enable BT syncing which hundreds of times slower? What you should be requesting is that Apple enable WiFi syncing.

[nyandrews @ Apr 9th 2008 4:54PM]

Gee Thank you Bender Bending Rodriguez and wOOt for both for telling what it is I would actually like.

There are many reasons why both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi co-exist and one medium has not won out over the other.

Think about it, why are there are no Wi-Fi headsets around compared to Bluetooth? For close distances Bluetooth is a nice low power consuming connection for sending back and forth data. Secondly, AD2P would be nice.

In any event, both options are being more crimpled than any of us would like.

You can wish for Wi-Fi and I will wish for Bluetooth.