iPhone OS 3.0 hands-on!

We're not saying how, but we got hooked up with the beta of iPhone OS 3.0. Overall, things feel about the same until you flick left that extra time and hit the Spotlight screen, which works just as advertised. It's definitely a beta, though: it's laggy all around and some things don't work, like taking a photo directly in the MMS app. We took some quick snaps, check 'em out below and let us know what you want to see in the video!

Update: Added a few snaps of the landscape keyboard in Messages and Mail, anything else?

Gallery: iPhone 3.0 hands-on

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[Dyranios @ Mar 17th 2009 7:48PM]

"We're not saying how, but we got hooked up with the beta of iPhone OS 3.0." (yeah we just downloaded it like everyone else can)

[Joseph T. @ Mar 17th 2009 7:57PM]

"Yeah, we got AOL to loan us $99 bucks."

[skeptical @ Mar 17th 2009 7:58PM]

PoS upgrade for a PoS device. If AAPL thinks this is going to stop people from buying a shiny new Pre, they are even more out of touch than I once thought.

[Devin Brown @ Mar 17th 2009 8:24PM]

i love these people acting as if the pre is going to beat the crap out of the iphone. here's what's going to happen: the pre will be released with a lot of press and hoopla, and then fade away into the distance, quickly, just like all the other wanna-be iphones that have come and gone before it. the end.

[7egend @ Mar 17th 2009 8:09PM]

More importantly, can you still use SMS, make Phone calls and retain all other functions of the phone while using the beta or does it firmly lock it into a Test Mode that only allows you to test your Application you are developing.

[000000 @ Mar 17th 2009 8:15PM]

Laggy. Mmmm yeaaaaaah.... That's what I'm afraid of.

So when is this coming out so iphonedev's can unlock it?

[who? @ Mar 17th 2009 8:16PM]

I would also like to know if all preexisting functions work properly with the beta, I'm going to update as soon as I have confirmation that they do.

[notorious @ Mar 17th 2009 8:24PM]

Yes, you can make phone calls if you upgrade. Although, you won't be able to downgrade to 2.2 once you update. So you'll be stuck with 3.0 and all the bugs that come with it. I also heard that it will put your phone into a dev mode or something, so I'm not sure if you'll be able to install the normal version of 3.0 once it comes out.

[scabby @ Mar 17th 2009 8:31PM]

I'm sorry... I can't help but be in awe of the idiocy: many pages dedicated to Apple finally getting copy and paste. Good luck w/ that folks... and happy copying and pasting. Can we move along to actual tech news?

[Chris Dunning @ Mar 17th 2009 8:42PM]

@scabby: Shut up. Get out of the thread. Don't read articles you aren't interested in. It's more than just copy and paste.

Have a missed any of the myriad ways in which to tell you your comment is worthless and adds nothing of value to this discussion? Are you satisfied with your smug comments? Good. Get lost.

[Seightan @ Mar 17th 2009 8:45PM]

iphone still has a crappy low resolution screen, no qwerty keyboard, crappy camera, crappy battery life, crappy processor, crappy browser, no flash. Wait until the summer and pick up the new nokia internet tablet that will have 3g, 5mp camera, qwerty, 800x480 screen, and Maemo 5. NO need for jailbreaking.

[7egend @ Mar 17th 2009 8:52PM]

Additional Note for my previous comment.

If this is a super secretly obtained version of the firmware and you are not enrolled in the Dev's Program will the phone still sync with iTunes, cause I am hearing some rumors that it will not sync with iTunes if you have the firmware but are not registered with the Developer Program.

Video can't come fast enough.

[mattbates @ Mar 17th 2009 8:54PM]

Am I the only one who seems to think that Apple is conveniently releasing all these features just because of the imminent release of the Pre? Many features that iPhone users have been clamoring for since the first iPhone, and Apple finally gets around to releasing them a few months before the release of the first phone that could actually (maybe) give the iPhone a challenge.

I don't know. Maybe that's me being cynical, maybe that's me being a hater, but whatever. The whole thang smells funny.

[Peter @ Mar 17th 2009 9:06PM]

@mattbates - These are being released in anticipation of the expiration of the original iPhone contracts. Apple wants to give anyone who didn't already switch to the 3G phone a reason to stay with Apple.

[Deeznuts420 @ Mar 17th 2009 9:22PM]

@Devin Brown: pre isnt trying to be the iphone, and youre really the only person who is mentioning it right now (unless you just commented on the first post for it to be seen) you douche.

[Mike10010100 @ Mar 17th 2009 9:50PM]

LogMeIn and Orb are both available on iPhone. I should know, I use both of them regularly.

[Christian Lippert @ Mar 17th 2009 11:46PM]

In other news The DEV-TEAM has already; hacked, jailbroken, unlocked, and have android running on the new 3.0 firmware

[who? @ Mar 18th 2009 1:45AM]

FYI___ EVERYONE:

When you have the 3.0 .ipsw file, simply open iTunes, alt+click update, and select the .ipsw file (shift+click in Windows). You don't even have to re-sync, and after a reboot it works PERFECTLY! Amazing:

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=669973

[Sarcasm @ Mar 17th 2009 7:50PM]

Wow, looks really nice. I bet you the new iPheunz OS 3.0(sp?) will kick some ass.

[Saad Rabia @ Mar 17th 2009 7:49PM]

For the past 2 years, I've always had this brain fight in me, one part asking for the many missing basic features and the other part loving everything about the UI and hardware design on the iPhone, but only now I can respectfully say: iPhone you won me this time. Although the features came late, and it isn't going to have real multi-tasking (explained as a battery killer -true on many levels), and although I'm an avid WinMo user got used to it and loved it, with all of that, the amount of goodies that come with the new software (and hopefully hardware) covers almost every negative aspect annoyed me and stopped me from buying an iPhone in the past 2 years.

Right now, I ask everyone who hated the iPhone for the lack in features it had to honestly reconsider it again, or at least wait for the next version of hardware to come out with the new software. I'm very proud of the iPhone team on such advancements and their complete faith in software power, and their focused/fair solutions for what people asked them to add.

I ask the iPhone fanboys to cool it down a little, and I ask the iPhone haters to give it a serious thought now. We are a community of gadget lovers, let's be honest in our thoughts and ideas and let us always share them with clear clean intentions and manners.

I'll be buying the next iPhone for sure, if nothing better comes out, or until Palm shows us their full potential. :)

I think this year is going to be a beautiful one for me: Windows 7, and now iPhone with all these great features; amazing year indeed.

________
P.S: I'm still mad at Engadget for the horrible awards polls they put out, but I don't care much, I didn't vote and will not consider it as a reference for me or anyone whatsoever.

[Jeremy W @ Mar 17th 2009 7:56PM]

Why should I (re-)consider an iPhone when my WinMo phone can do all of this, and more, today?

[M. @ Mar 17th 2009 7:56PM]

the iPhone is finally the platform I want it to be, but I'd still wait out to see if they deliver push notification on time. I was all over the Pre these past months but damn you Apple, pulling me back. I think I'm going the iPhone route with iPhone 3.0 this summer.

[Marcos @ Mar 17th 2009 8:08PM]

Jeremy W:
WinMo does it all, but it's a pain in the ass to use. The iPhone doesn't do it all, but what it does, it does well. It's a pleasure to use. I've never met a WinMo user that actually browses with their phone, for example.

[Look_Around_You @ Mar 17th 2009 8:17PM]

@Saad

I dont owe Apple a sale because they added stuff I already have on my device. And it is absolutely silly to think I should out of some sort of obligation.

What? Is our whole existence just to wait for the proper time to buy Apple gear as if everything else is somehow bad in compassion now?

I still like my freedom to do as I wish with my device, which still wasn't included with copy and paste in iPhone 3.0.

[Look_Around_You @ Mar 17th 2009 8:19PM]

"WinMo does it all, but it's a pain in the ass to use. The iPhone doesn't do it all, but what it does, it does well. It's a pleasure to use. I've never met a WinMo user that actually browses with their phone, for example."

Now you have. And oddly enough it has never been a pain to do.

[Adam @ Mar 17th 2009 8:20PM]

@ Marcos

Hello to you then. I browse on my Tilt using Opera 9.5 WITH FLASH all day long.

[a ham sandwich @ Mar 17th 2009 8:28PM]

@ look_around and adam

guys. seriously. chill. all saad's saying is to give peas a chance. he doesnt have a gun on you with your backs to the wall. he's being rational and reasonable in the way that he expressed his viewpoints. no one's forcing you guys to do anything. you wanna stick with winmo and use opera? cool! if that floats your boat, then whatever. we are all here for our love of gadgets.

so to saad, i believe golf claps are in order. well said.

[Saad Rabia @ Mar 17th 2009 8:34PM]

Jeremy W, Look & Adam, mates, what I want you guys and everyone else to consider now is not the amount of features the iPhone lacks compared to our WinMo mobiles we have or had, but, the big structured community of the iPhone. When you use an app on the iPhone you are damn sure that it will run in the same speed, resolution, and aspect as any other iPhone user. I found out that when it comes to desktop computing this is generally not a problem at all, but when it comes to mobile world and specific design, the iPhone shines through its unity. If someone reviews an app on WinMo, you can't be sure that it'll work on your new sexy device, which has happened with me through the use of my Omnia, in the other hand, iPhone's apps will all get you to the same point even when using your friend's phone.

Believe it or not, this type of vision and understanding of a mobile phone came before the iPhone from Bill Gates himself; he of course was pointing out how cloud computing will work great, but during the talk he mentions how everybody will have the same device and you only use it to login to your account and download your data. Of course no body is doing such thing, but the thing that caught my attention is how the world is asking for better software rather than hardware, in other words, people don't mind using the same hardware if the software was perfectly built.

The iPhone team has done a great job in bringing the best software and design. I had many concerns and issues with the old software, and everything I wanted has been addressed, and in my own opinion, the iPhone right now, is what I wanted it to be 2 years ago. I didn't buy it all this time, waiting for the right mix.

I will wait for the next hardware and probably buy it. It is really worth it now. You aren't paying for the device only, but for the software and the huge incredibly structured community that will make your experience much better than you think it can be. A good example for me was the Zune community and feel, it's like I'm part of a movement hence making my experience an enjoyable one.

It's up to you guys to buy whatever you like, but I had to be honest about this. Bravo iPhone. (Or until Pre brings you down, let's wait and watch.) :)

And as ham_sandwich pointed out, it is your choice guys, just take it easy and give it a thought. I really am not a fanboy neither an a**hole.

I use Vista, and buying Windows 7.
I use and Omnia since 6 months ago.
And everybody in here knows how I love Windows and the freedom I get with it, but when it comes to mobile phones -as I explained above, the iPhone is a very strong device to use, especially after the announcements they did today.

[Haha @ Mar 17th 2009 8:45PM]

Everytime I see large blocks of text I skip over it. This is the internet, please make your points and get on with life. Cheers

[a ham sandwich @ Mar 17th 2009 8:53PM]

@haha

you comment on youtube, don't you?

[Engadgeter @ Mar 17th 2009 9:02PM]

@ Jeremy W
Late Night top ten reasons to reconsider the iPhone.

10 Theres an application called "iFart".
9 Because Mobile Me on a Win Mo phone is calling a friend on a computer.
8 Jailbreaking doesn't involve going to jail.
7 There's no "X" button to drive you crazy.
6 Resistive touch on the iPhone means rubbing it against your private parts.
5 Multitouch on Safari has so many uses in the realm of porn.
4 Having more than one accessory available for your phone.
3 Can stop worrying about losing your stylus.
2 OS upgrades don't involve a new phone.
1 Cooking burgers is much tastier than cooking ROMs.

[Look_Around_You @ Mar 17th 2009 9:17PM]

@Saad

Like I said. I like the freedom I have.

No "rejected apps"

No Central control from corporate HQ

No imposed UI

No need to have to use an "app store" to get what I want

No voiding of contracts to hack my device

No single device I just have to get used to if I dont like it.




If you want one size fits all, central control but a pretty shell, then bless you, it's your money.

I just dont see the magic that I'm gaining at the expense of liberty.

[Mike10010100 @ Mar 17th 2009 9:19PM]

I like the idea, and I did reconsider an iPhone compared to the other phone operating systems. However, I discovered something. Although Apple added features that finally make the iPhone comparable to other phones, I can't help but think what will happen when some other new feature comes down the line. If it took Apple a few years to add Copy/Paste, then how long will it take them to add feature X? Also, their track record for push ideas has not been good at all. MobileMe? Nope.

However, yes. If the iPhone weren't locked into AT&T, maybe. However, there are things that I am able to do on my WinMo phone that just can't be done on an iPhone. For instance, I'm able to control any of my household computers via LogMeIn, and stream live television from Orb, right to my device. I'm also able to use flash via such browsers as Opera and Skyfire. While WinMo may need rebooting at times, it honestly has never been much of a bother to me. This is just my opinion. I would be afraid of the freedom I would loose by getting an iPhone.

BTW: Since I can't find it anywhere, have they ever fixed the problem with the iPhone that you couldn't add a new event in your calendar directly from your phone? The last time I checked, it wasn't able to do that. I'm just curious.

[Matt @ Mar 17th 2009 9:52PM]

@ Mike10010100

Sorry about posting as you up there ^^^ my mistake.

Anyway, LogMeIn and Orb are both available on iPhone, I should know, as I use them regularly.

[r3loaded @ Mar 17th 2009 9:56PM]

My thoughts mirror yours, but unfortunately, the problem with the iPhone is the cost of ownership for me - £35/month is too expensive for someone on a £20/month contract (which got me a free E71 recently), and I'd have to switch from 3 to the god-awful O2 since Apple don't seem to understand the concept of selling to multiple carriers in one country. As a solution to this, I got an iPod Touch to complement my Nokia. Unfortunately, since it is a 1G Touch, the only big draw for OS 3.0 will be support for new apps that use the new APIs, and copy + paste (sounds stupid saying it, doesn't it). On top of that, Apple have decided to charge about $10 (so it'll be £10 here) for the "privilege" of upgrading.

My first Apple product may very well be my last.

[VanillaSpice @ Mar 17th 2009 10:13PM]

Wow, THE Saad Rabia said that? Only now I can respectfully say: Saad you won me this time. Sadly, I think your call for rationality will not be heeded; indeed, reading the hundreds of comments on the iPhone OS 3 articles it is clear the iHaters are (if possible) even more rabid than ever before - they have invested far too much in their hate, they will not be able to give it up now, it has become a core identity to them.

The iLovers have not yet (that I can see) gone overboard but I expect we will see the 'makes this the best phone ever' and 'did not want MMS before but love how Apple have done it' crowd return in time. Their hypocrisy will perfectly match that of the iHaters ...

For instance, the haters' continued insistence that the OS v1 should have had everything, and therefore this update is 'bad'. hmmm ... what then do they think about Cupcake? Do any of them hate on Android because it lacks features that Cupcake will eventually deliver? No. Yet here they say that this update is no good because according to them, v1 of a device should have everything the device will ever have!

How can the haters possibly be rational after espousing such a silly and hypocritical attitude? How can the lovers be rational about features they have described as completely unnecessary? To be rational now, they would have to admit to their previous irrationality, and like I said, they won't. But to see you say what you said, warm feelings to my heart it brings. I salute you. Maybe one day we will read an Engadget article's comment section, and see sensible discussion of the iPhone's many good points and many bad points. I doubt it, but I live in hope.

[Mike10010100 @ Mar 17th 2009 11:04PM]

Orb is only available on a jailbroken iPhone. And you have to purchase the Logmein for iPhone, which kinda defeats the purpose of a free service.

Please try again.

[Matt @ Mar 17th 2009 11:14PM]

@Mike10010100:

Nope. OrbLive is available on the App Store right now, and has been for quite some time. I don't personally use it for streaming live TV, I use it for other things, but I have a friend who does and it works fine.

As for LogMeIn, sure, you have to pay for the program, but it seriously is worth it. Great, great app.

[kbnguy @ Mar 17th 2009 11:17PM]

I'm not an iPhone hater but iTune-freaking HATER. That's the only reason why I dont buy Apple products. BTW, I love my HTC WinMo too much to try anything else. Peas!

[Mike10010100 @ Mar 17th 2009 11:24PM]

Are you kidding? OrbLive is $9.99! So is Logmein for iPhone! That's my point! With WinMo, I have the same features and ability, but guess what? I don't have to pay!

Also, with my physical keyboard, I can click, type, click, on my home computer easier than having to switch between keyboard and screen.

[recharged95 @ Mar 17th 2009 11:25PM]

... "at least wait for the next version of hardware to come out with the new software. I'm very proud of the iPhone team"

... "I'll be buying the next iPhone for sure"

... "I ask the iPhone fanboys to cool it down a little"


I think you just asked yourself something.

Folks! In the end, and in the following order:
a. choose the cheapest 3G plan you can afford. 3G service is crappy for every provider in some area, period.
b. choose the service provider you have the best luck with
c. decide: physical keyboard or touch screen keyboard.
d. hindsight is 20/20: waiting will only BENEFIT YOU and your WALLET, though maybe not your ego or social status.
e. If you want to develop: Android hands down. Unless the Palm PreOs offers heavy-duty javascript accept to h/w.
f. decide: slim form factor or fat form factor

don't worry about eye-candy and intuitive use, cause once you figure it out, IT DOESN'T CHANGE. If it does or your searching for stuff all the time--to have too much info on your phone--get a netbook!

[shravan @ Mar 18th 2009 12:12AM]

Saad is exactly right. I have been of the same view. They have amazing potential with that OS and why on earth they locked most of it down was wayy beyond me. I should say it is an enticing package.
But having said that, I should say, come June if Apple does have anything, they better have amazing hardware to go with all this. A 5MP AF shooter (even w/o a flash) and a 800x480 WVGA screen and I'm surely sold.
Come on Apple its not beyond you.

[Steveorevo @ Mar 18th 2009 12:16AM]

As a WinMo developer, I can tell you plain and simple that WinMo sucks. Sorry, what it does it does very very 'ok'. Not great, not even 'well'. iPhone is just plain simple, easy and smooth. WinMo is as unreliable on as many points as there are hacks out for it... hundreds.

Until WinMo with IE, or Opera, gets the pinch, squeeze, and double tab and that Safari has, I won't be switching back anytime soon. Oh I'll still write shitty software for WinMo as long as it pays, but seriously... you can't compare the platforms. LOL

[dishbreak @ Mar 18th 2009 2:47AM]

Props to Saad, and apologies for adding one more email to his inbox.

I use a Samsung sch-i730, running Windows Mobile 5. It first made the scene in mid-2005. Guess what? The interface is the same as Windows Mobile 2002, 2003, and 6.1/6.5. The interface is horrible for finger-driven navigation, and it sandbags the hardware by not taking advantage of all the amazing things it can do.

Every defense of Windows Mobile I've seen points to some application or skin that some third-party developer has made. Well and good if you're selling something like a Chumby. Not so good if you're selling something as a consumer electronics device. If your end user has to put in work (as I have) to come up with an interface that works well, you've already put yourself in an uphill battle. The more effort a consumer has to put in to make the device usable, the more interesting that device's competition becomes to the consumer.

As for the influx of features, well, can you really blame Apple? Like every business that intends to succeed in this market, they have a roadmap of what features to include, and when. I'm not an Apple fanboy, but I know that Apple is in the business of making money, and that means taking steps to ensure that your products are getting new features at a decent pace. Besides, if the iPhone for some perverse reason was a giant flop, Apple would have lost a lot more in the way resources if they put it all in at once. I have reason to believe the suggestion made by others that it's meant to keep the people coming off the 1st gen iPhone hooked on the platform.

And finally, to address Devin Brown. Yes, the Pre is pretty fucking important in this discussion, just as WinMo and Blackberry and the G1 are. These are devices that are competing for market share, and tech news aims to keep track of the market. Learn basic economics and lay off the flaming. If it's one thing I hate more than anything, it's rabid defense of a single platform with no sound reasoning. Wait for the device to come to market before you pass judgement on it, you twit. And while you're at it, learn to use the SHIFT key.

Thanks for reading. I realize this is the internet, but it's my belief that the majority of readers have an attention span greater than a flea.

[Ahmed Alzayani @ Mar 18th 2009 3:13AM]

@Saad Rabia

STILL PENDING LIMITATIONS:

Software Side:
1. No Flash and no Java support yet !!!!!!!!!
2. No multitasking
3. NO full file browsing/management support (copy,cut and paste files and transfer them over bluetooth, WiFi and cable to and form any device, folder management ... etc)
4. No video recording
5. Ringtone management required $$
6. Everything Locked-up



Hardware Side:
1. No micro SD card !!!
2. No front-facing camera
3. Display limited to HVGA res (I am used to WVGA res now)
4. Battery is not removable.
5. No camera auto focus and only 2.0 MP?
6. No keyboard! (not important to me)

And not to talk about service side, and how the phone is locked up.

Sorry , the iphone is not for me.

[Mark Anderson @ Mar 18th 2009 4:06AM]

Well said, Saad.

I intend to try it out but I still think it's just too damn big for a phone. Hopefully they'll put it in the iPod Touch form factor and correct this problem for me.

[FoxKenji @ Mar 18th 2009 4:34AM]

@Mike10010100:

Let's see.

1. First you claim Orb does not exist for the iPhone. Matt proves you wrong.
2. Then you claim Orb is only available for jailbroken iPhones. Matt then proves you wrong again.
3. And then you claim Orb is on the App Store as a purchase app only.

Let me prove you wrong yet again: Orb is available on the App Store as a purchase AND as a FREE app!!

The only freedom you fear loosing is the freedom to make uninformed and bigoted remarks about things you know zero about without being proven wrong time and again. Well, too late for that, you jackass.

[superhobo @ Mar 18th 2009 6:27AM]

You've switched over to the stupid side.

You're commending Apple for finally adding some very basic functionality that should have been included before the phone was even thought of.

[leng @ Mar 18th 2009 9:02AM]

Yeah !!!!! iPhone rules !!!! Go APPLE YEAHH ! ! !! ! IPHONE FTW ! !!

[CJ @ Mar 18th 2009 10:17AM]

I must say, the iPhone is (finally) coming into it's own as a mobile platform. It's just a shame that it took two years longer than it should have, and especially because Apple usually has high standards when it comes to development.

That being said, it will still be a long time before I carry an iPhone around in my pocket. Apple has fixed a majority of the software issues that people have been complaining about, and hopefully the second generation (I don't consider the 3G version to be a generation in it's own right - just an incremental upgrade to the the first iPhone) will address the hardware issues that the same people have opinons over, I'll list them now:

Battery Life: This is important, because it's also the major problem that Apple claims is the reason for the 'single-application' at a time policy. Make the device just a bit thicker, almost nobody will mind if it means that they can get more than a day out of a charge.

3G reception: THIS, this is the big one, almost all other failures are somewhat forgiveable, but when what is first-and-foremost a mobile phone fails to have good reception, the whole thing is building on what is essentially a foundation of sand. I've spend a day or two playing with an iPhone on Australia's Telstra NextG network, which is pretty much the network of choice for rural customers, and the biggest in Australia, and the call quality was dismal, even in the centre of a major city. This really is unforgiveable.

Memory: Okay, perhaps an SD card slot (or MicroSD, as it were) is not super-high on most people's priority lists, but the fact that many people are asking for it indicates that it wouldn't be an unwelcome addition to the iPhone. And, let's face it Apple, the more memory a user is able to utilise, the more likely they are to buy a few extra movies or albums, or that really big app. You're shooting yourself in the foot when it comes to limiting the user-memory. When you can download songs on-the-fly, you don't want to have to plug your phone into your computer when you fill up your drive.

Camera: Apple, you're building a multimedia phone here, that's what it is, and don't try to fight the fact. Why then, do you choose to include such a dysmal shooter on your device? Nokia have all got decent cameras on their smartphones at this point, SE the same. HTC and Samsung are catching up (what with the Touch HD's and Omnia's 5MPx shooters, respectively). Another point to ponder: Your target demographic are the young-and-hip, exactly the people who love to take photographs with their phones. Finally, one of the other major points of the iPhone is that it is an All-in-one device; It can do EVERYTHING, so you don't have to carry round an MP3 player, PDA, Phone, tin of baked beans, etc. Why then, do we also have to carry around a camera if we want to take photos?

That's all I can think of for now, for those of you who manage to reach this point in the review. But I'll say again the major sticking point of Apple's hardware issues: FORM FACTOR. They're over-reluctant to make the phone even just a few millimetres thicker, and as a result, hardware quality has to suffer. Again, I'm pretty sure that most users would be happy to give up a few extra millimetres of pocket space in order to have a decent camera module, bigger battery, bettery 3G card, etc.

Think about it.