iPhone OS 4 beta 4 drops in
By Chris Ziegler 
posted May 18th 2010 8:31PM
posted May 18th 2010 8:31PM
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posted May 18th 2010 8:31PM
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Can't wait to see what they added... not sure how it'll compete with Android 2.1 (and the soon to be released 2.2 Froyo). Seems like Apple is playing catchup with its software.
@liquidkernel you serious? iPhone OS is amazing. Android ain't got nothin!
@liquidkernel
"Seems like Apple is playing catchup with its software."
Troll or just uninformed?
@cameronb8
I'd agree with the iPhone OS is awesome statement, but Andriod has a hella lot of stuff on iPhone OS
@magic6435 Which is why so many die-hard iPhone fanatics are loving their Android phones. I won't argue that the iPhone hardware and software are nice; they definitely are. However, if you look at the specs and features of Android 2.1 vs. iPhone 4.0, it's clear that iPhone is JUST now getting similar features. Even Android 1.6 was ahead of the current iPhone OS.
The one thing iPhone has going for it are the fan boys that are oblivious to facts.
@cameronb8 I own an iPhone and would say the OS is far, far from amazing. Name one thing it can do that Android cant, or, name one thing that it does better. iPhone OS is simple, elegant but very far from amazing my friend. Jailbroken iPhone OS is a lot closer. The reason why it's so successful is because of brand image. Its as simple as that.
@liquidkernel
OS4 is revolutionary.
a game center and app folders. 4 x 4 grid inside a 4 x 4 grid! it must have taken months of research to come up with that
@liquidkernel
I have both (work/personal)
Android wins on pure features (kitchen sink style)
iPhone wins on usability (by a big margin still)
@magic6435 Why pick one when you can pick both?
@nicolaidism It's better at smoothly scrolling the home screen ;)
@magic6435
How is it misinformed?
Steve Jobs highlighted 7 "tentpole" changes in iPhone OS 4. They were:
1. The biggest (according to Jobs) - Multi-tasking. Other OS's (including WinMo) have had this for years.
2. Folders - again old hat for WinMo and Android
3. iBooks - eReaders have been on WinMo and Android
4. Open attachments ... really? Again - basic feature on other platforms
5. Better support for Enterprise IT
6. Gamecenter ... weak
7. In Phone Advertising - finally something that other devices don't have. Apple is pioneering the use of ads at the OS level. Now you can pay for apps AND have the added benefit of being forced to watch ads.
Again, I didn't randomly pick these out. They come directly from Jobs' keynote speech at Apple's iPhone OS 4 event. What I see is a combination of capabilities already present on other devices, a capability that I could care less about and a capability that I would drop my phone over (embedded ads). That's not being a troll or misinformed. Those are the facts.
That's what many who use iPhones don't realize, that the Android OS is doing everything the iPhone can, and more. Apple's hardware is god like though, and I will not argue with that. The software is also very well designed. But using an iPhone feels like you're playing with safety scissors, and everyone around you has the exact same type. With Android you are not limited to what Apple dangles in front of you -- it will do everything you want and more.
Not trying to start a flame war, but just pointing out some things that most Apple fanboys choose to ignore.
@magic6435
maybe just a different opinion
@nicolaidism Take a screenshot without connecting via USB and having the SDK installed?
@liquidkernel And the EVO isn't god-like hardware?
@(Unverified) I agree, they both have their pluses and minuses.
I see a future where Android phones and iPhones are coexisting. Competition is good, everyone. Advancements from Android will simply fuel Apple to beef up their phones; and vice-versa. It's good for everyone.
@Matt da Brat
I meant current phones ;)
I have an Evo 4G on pre-order, btw. Going to be at Best Buy the minute it opens June 4th. I've been drooling over that phone since my friend got the Nexus. My HTC Hero is nice, but the Evo is going to be the shit.
@bjsguess
What I don't get, is that multitasking is handled basically the same way in both WinPho7 and iPhone OS 4, and while everybody was sooo glad for multitasking in OS 4, so many were disappointed in WinPho7. They both pause apps, with background music processes (such as Pandora) running in the background.
@liquidkernel Android has been copying iPhone from end to end. Whether it's the UI or app store or browser... People forget webkit was Apple's contribution to the open source community. It's what's behind Chrome.
Android has absolutely nothing original. Zero. It's essentially a jail broken iPhone OS. Google's getting away from patent infringement only because they don't profit from it.
@liquidkernel
yeah.....playin catch up to WebOs that is;)
@liquidkernel Amen - love competition!
@jaffreywali
Right and Apple were the first to implement a UI or app store. C'mon man, don't make yourself look too stupid.
@zeitgeist the are apps that do that but I see your point.
@jaffreywali I don't see where they are copying things. How many different ways can you place icons on a front screen? And this isn't a discussion of who copied who. It may very well be that Android is borrowing ideas from iPhone, and that's great, because Apple did a great job on the iPhone OS. But Apple has let their development slip on it because they were in a dominant position for many years. Android came out from no where and has been consistently delivering OSes with features that exceed what the iPhone has -- period.
And if you want to get started on copying, I would like to present the following links:
http://gizmodo.com/343641/1960s-braun-products-hold-the-secrets-to-apples-future
http://gizmodo.com/assets/resources/2007/07/iphone_braun.jpg
http://www.engadget.com/2006/01/21/apples-ad-sinks-to-such-great-lows/
I don't know, but that looks like copying to me.
@nicolaidism Obviously you don't. No Android phone can match the iphone's gaming capabilities. The iPhone OS was always capable of multitasking. It wasn't the OS restricting it.
iPhone has better email interface especially exchange server integration than any Android phone and it's far better at multi media.
Which leaves Android better at? Nothing but hardware specs. Once Iphone comes to Verizon we'll see what people buy....
@nicolaidism You mind telling us what great things Android can do that iPhone can't?
@YvesOfWinter No it is not. There are 3 different ways that you can background a process in iPhone OS 4 and the WinMo 7 one is only one of them. WinMo does not really have a true multitasking and only saves the states of programs. In iPhone OS 4 there is a way to have true multi tasking and not just for multimedia streams.
@liquidkernel No apple fan would have put up with the buggy nexus one. It's significant limitations like screen unreadable in day light and buggy touch screen were covered up by the Android fans who only talked about it's hardware specs. I was shocked at how buggy the thing was. It was totally a beta product! Hence why it flopped salewise. Even the Droid is pretty buggy compared to the iPhone. It was much worse graphics and the camera is terrible..... Yet it's supposed to be better than an iPhone? Typical fanroid low standard hypocrites..
@trentryan I enjoy iPhone, Android and WebOS - fanboyism gets you nothing :).
@jaffreywali Wait, when did we start arguing about hardware? I thought we were discussing OS 4.0? Hold up, now that I remember, I even posted above saying "Apple hardware is god like." The Nexus WAS a beta product.. it was an experiment, simple as that. The Motorola Droid in my opinion is not a flagship Android phone and simply something to appeal to the mass public. The Droid Incredible is a much better device, but the back looks like ass (literally). The HTC Evo 4G is probably the first truly flagship and amazing Android phone (have you seen the specs?).
@liquidkernel
actually that's not clear at all.... Apple has the most and best developers for its platform, a powerhouse 200,000 app store, and very soon will have its iBooks on 100 million devices, compared to... about..1 mil for Amazon's Kindle. Dangerous.
Android OEM's are now having to pay MS for their dalliance with the "ripped off", and the prospect of getting sued by Apple for selling what Apple believes is their IP. I think its a brilliant strategy on MS's part... suddenly Android doesn't feel so free :P
@liquidkernel this is the whole point of their mobile OS. They introduced a new way for the masses to interact with their phone. Easy to understand. now they are rolling out more features since people have gotten used to touch screen devices. Not sure why this goes over everyone's heads. Anyone who feels they didn't hit a home run with this is fooling themselves...
@nicolaidism
One - Native out of the box support for EAS protocols, especially calendaring.
Two - native secure email.
Three - installation of third party root CA certificates.
@Wesscoast See that's what people who use the iPhone always argue. "We have 500 MILLION apps" -- how many of those are actually useful? A few thousand? Probably. The rest are nothing more than fart apps. Android has a good selection of quality apps, and the highest percentage of free apps. Every time I see an iPhone commercial and hear of a new app, I can usually find an Android version or equivalent. In addition, the iPhone is a significantly more mature market; of course it will have more applications!
I think Windows users have the same argument.. "we have more applications than Apple!!!" to which Apple users respond with "yes, but we have more QUALITY applications"... do you notice how it's the same argument just reversed? Which basically makes it a stupid argument.
And if you want to read ebooks, get a Kindle.
*sigh*, this has been such a waste of time, lol.
@optimusprimed I agree, Apple did a truly revolutionary thing with the iPhone. But what is preventing a competitor from making something better? Nothing... and I think that Google is doing a pretty damn good job.
@bjsguess fcuk your facts! Iphone means apps for iphone! That's all! Most powerful smartphone now!
@nicolaidism
Exactly, which is why I compare the iPhone to Bose speakers. They sell well based on name recognition, not performance.... and are preferred by folks that don't know any better.
@cameronb8 Android is overrated. iPhone is the best phone on the market. The only thing better than an iPhone is a new gen of iPhone.
@jaffreywali Just like everything else google does, they throw every piece of junk software at the wall hoping something will stick. So far only search and gmail have succeeded. Everything else is a big flop.
Wow finally some1 saidthe right thing. Android is greatbut android fans let's be real. Android is an iPhone jailbreak like it or not is the true. Put it like this android is what the iPhone looks n does jailbreak with a lil diferent UI. An oficial jailbreak iPhone os that's why iPhone is more stable and much better.
@liquidkernel
Why is it that a fan of the iPhone saying anything remotely negative about Android is a TROLL, and this guy is somehow not!?
@YvesOfWinter Not sure it actually is handled the same way based on what I've read. And anyhow, the reason people are upset was because WM up until 6.5 has had full multitasking so the WM7 implementation for WM users may be seen as a backwards step. Apple fans on the other hand are getting it for the first time so its a forwards step.
I wonder what people are arguing about. If it wasn't the competition that iPhone OS, Android, webOS, WP7 put on each other and only one survives, innovation would stop right there!!! So be happy, the R&D departments are working overtime for us all!
@Flacofromny23 And this comes from.. personal experience? I can't even count how many times everyone I know with an iPhone has to bring their phone into the Apple store for a software reset.
@SeeKo Agreed. I've done a pretty decent job of posting positives that the iPhone has, as well as the negatives. There have been plenty of informed comments in this discussion, but the last few have been nothing but Apple fanboys going nuts.
Innovation will die if there were no competition.
@Air Force One Ahahahah perfect example.
No highs, no lows, it must be BOSE!
@Troyb0y29
lol
@liquidkernel iPhone is for people, whereas Android is for geeks. Period.
@liquidkernel
God the android fanboys truly have lost all sense.
You act as if android can somehow magically do all these things that iPhone OS can't.
Can you guys be specific? Aside from the upcoming Flash what exactly does android do that makes the iPhone subpar?
Lets be real. iPhone OS may not have multitasking or Flash but it sure as hell hasn't stopped Apple & AT&T from selling millions of them by now.
In addition you'd think you guys would have realized this by now but Apple Fanboys are NOT (I repeat ARE NOT) the only ones buying iPhones!
Are you guys really suggesting that the only people who buy iPhones are
1) Apple Fanboys
2) Stupid
3) Misinformed
Or some combination of the above? I'm SO SICK of this stereotyping. Theres nothing wrong with liking the iPhone 3GS. Theres NOTHING WRONG with agreeing with Apple or Steve Jobs. I am a human being and I know what Flash is. I know what its used for AND I DO NOT WANT IT ON THE iPhone.
IF you want it on android thats YOUR BUSINESS. But I honestly don't care either way. However I firmly believe that Flash is a horrible piece of software that is good for nothing except crashing browsers, destroying battery life, and annoying Flash ads. However again if you want it on android thats your prerogative and its YOUR RIGHT to have it on android since its an open source whatever.
However iPhone OS is not open source. Its controlled by Apple. Anyone who buys an iPhone KNOWS THIS. They know Flash won't be on it. And guess what? We do not care once again. And Apple has the RIGHT to control what it wants on its platform.
Just like MS, just like Google, just like Palm, just like HTC, and just like Nokia.
No bias. No bull. I'm just speaking my mind. Again I'm so sick of you android fanboys accusing iPhone OS of being inferior. It is not inferior because it doesn't have all those geeky features you guys have been moaning and bitching about for years. It just isn't. In fact I think its the best followed by webOS because its simplistic, beautiful, and yet powerful all in one. Its the most useable OS on any phone and its provided me with the best experience I've ever had on a phone.
Looking forward to iPhone 4G and I'm NOT going to be purchasing an Evo 4G for the reasons I listed above. I'm not impressed by Flash. And I don't care about your multitasking. Its not something I'm dying for nor have I ever cared about it. Just like I don't hardly ever use copy and paste despite all the crying from the Apple Haters.
Thats all I have to say. I hope the Haters won't downrank this. I'm not trolling. This is yet ANOTHER Apple post that you android fanboys have come into and tried to dominate. Instead of allowing those of us who like Apple to enjoy.
@TheLondonExchange
I completely agree. You said it the best in my opinion.