iOS 4.3 Arrives for Developers, Adds New iPad Features
It has been less than two months since Apple released its much anticipated iOS 4.2 software update for the iPad, but it appears its engineers were busy improving the operating system over the holidays and now have released iOS 4.3 to developers.
According to reports, the beta released Wednesday has added several new features, including Wi-Fi hotspot capability and AirPlay support for third-party native apps. The upgraded operating system has also integrated a redesigned FaceTime icon, multitouch gesture support for the iPad, and a configurable slide switch that acts as an orientation lock.
The reasoning behind the added multitouch gesture support, according to industry blog Boy Genius Report (GBR), is the next-gen iPad will shed the home button from the design. This means instead of button taps, swipes and multitouch gestures will be used to navigate to the home screen and to launch the app switcher.
The added Wi-Fi hotspot capability is in line with recent comments from Verizon Wireless Chief Financial Officer Francis Shammo, who this week said Apple will provide the carrier with an iPad equipped with an internal CDMA, effectively creating Wi-Fi hotspots to be used on the company’s network.
While developers have been busy putting iOS 4.3 through the paces overnight in an effort to confirm, or dispel, rumors over anticipated changes to the iOS, there hasn’t been any mention of the anticipated app subscription model for newspapers and magazines.
The prevailing thought among iPad watchers was a newspaper and magazine subscription model would be released to coincide with the debut of News Corp's iPad-only news app reportedly to take place next week.
News Corp. CEO Rupert Murdoch and Apple boss Steve Jobs are expected to unveil the much-anticipated new iPad-only newspaper called The Daily at a news conference in San Francisco on Wednesday, Jan. 19.
When iOS 4.2 was delivered in November, the upgraded operating system added a series of computer-like features such as folders to help sort information, multitasking, and a printing option, as well as hundreds of new features that suggest the iPad is evolving into a more multidimensional device.
