The iPhone iOS4 was released today in Australia. The new generation operating system brings such a range of improvements and features, that there is strong case to say that this new OS is a brand new iphone OS, rather than an update.

iOS 4 is a free update, and it is compatible with iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS models, as well as second and third generation iPod touches. It will also work of course with the new iPhone 4. All the new features will work across the entire 3G and 3GS models, but multitasking will only work with the iPhone 3GS and third-generation iPod touch.

Just some of the new features of iPhone OS4 are:

Multitasking
Possibly the most requested feature since the first iPhone, multitasking means that you will be able to have compatible apps working at the same time. For example, you can have a phone call running, and whilst you are on hold you can play your favourite game, whilst browsing the web on Safari for the answer to a tricky question... Huge.

Folders
The new OS brings a touch of the Mac OS to a great new feature - you can now create folders in your home screen to group apps together. This means that instead of having hundreds of apps to scroll through, you can collect apps into themes and types in your own folders.

iBooks
Not only can you view and download iBooks onto your iPad, you can now do the same with your compatible iPhone. Haiku anyone?

Video Tap to Focus
This will be a bane for some camera app makers - on the iPhone 3GS the new iOS4 allows you to focus on a subject simply by tapping. A 5x digital Zoom is also now built into the OS.

Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard Support
Cool bananas! Now if you are at your desk or on the train and have a long doc to write or email to send, you can whip out your trusty wireless keyboard and away you go. Big time saver.

Faces and Places
As with iPhoto on the Mac OS, you can now tag photos by who is in them and where they were taken.

and much more...

We’ll bring more details once we’ve tried out all the nifty new features. Did I just say nifty? Well, at least I didn’t say ‘neat’.

Quick guide to updating your compatible iPhone to iOS4

Tags: ios4, iphone4 australia, iphone 4, iphone os

The new iPhone 4 has just been announced, and Apple have raised the bar... yet again. Not raising the bar for other consumer electronics firms of course - they have raised the bar for their own engineers and designers, and for consumers and business people that will turn to this new device in huge numbers.

It seems that this new device is not simply an upgrade with the addition of many ‘missing’ features requested by users. It is a new breed of device that is more than a phone, and more than an iPhone. It is a handheld multimedia device that brings hand held general computing, communication and collaboration to a level not seen before. From the magnificent industrial design to the use of new breeds of glass and materials, this hand held will appeal to more users before even being turned on. Lightweight, long battery life, unbelievable screen images, and a slew of ’ready to go’ multimedia applications will make this the most talked about ‘phone’ in history.

Watch this space.

Tags: iphone 4, iphone4 australia, new iphone