Apple has unveiled iPhone OS 4 and although the consumer release is expected in summer this year, developers will be able to get their hands on the preview from today. Developers will be able to tap in about 1500 APIs in the new firmware.
As for the consumer-centric features, users will be able to create playlists, 5x digital zoom, spell check, Bluetooth keyboard, multitasking, folders, unified inbox and more.
Users will now be able to multitask between applications by double clicking the home button. Double clicking the home button will pop up a dock-like window at the bottom that will show all the running apps.
iPhone OS 4 also adds the folder option. Now users will be able to add their apps into folders, effectively increasing the number of apps their device can store. Currently, a user can store up to 180 apps but with folders in action, users can have more than 2,000 apps (2,160 to be precise).
Next feature up is the Unified Inbox. The unified inbox brings all your email accounts (including multiple Exchange accounts) under one inbox.
Apple will also add the iBooks app on the iPhone and Enterprise features like better data protection, wireless app distribution, SSL VPN support and more.
For gamers, the new OS will have Game Center, a sort of a social network for gamers who can invite friends, earn achievements, leaderboards, matchmaking etc.
The last feature unveiled was iAd. It’s Apple’s answer to mobile advertising that tries to make in-app ads more catchy and interactive.
Developers can download the preview build right now from Apple Developer Center.
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