Geek & Mild by Sean Sperte

iPhone Update, September ‘07

Apple’s released what they’re calling the “September ‘07” update to the iPhone software. Included in the update is the iTunes WiFi Music Store, and the option to set a home-button, double-tap, to a function.

There are obvious speed and performance enhancements (especially with the SMS application launching), and perhaps some bug and security fixes, but I’m really disappointed there is little attention paid to the “glaring omissions” or quirks. For instance, there’s still no way to send an SMS message to multiple recipients.

Some of my other observations:

• New calculator icon matches the iPod Touch’s. Yuck.
• Hooray for double-tap spacebar to add “.”.
• SMS app is faster to launch, but still slow.
• Camera still loves green.
• Marker Felt is still used in MobileNotes.
• Haven’t been able to connect to the iTunes WiFi Music Store yet. It keeps giving me an error: “Could not connect to iTunes Store”
• How come this page isn’t linked to from apple.com/iphone? (I got to it by manually trying “apple.com/iphone/wifistore”)

Overall, the update feels more solid than 1.0.2, but lacks the new features/apps I was expecting. I mean, I sort of assumed the 4th row on the home screen would be filled, rather than having the iTunes Store icon just sort of sticking out there (they could have at least put it on the left). I guess it’s only a point update, so I shouldn’t have set my expectations so high.

Update: MacRumors.com has a comprehensive list of the new features:

• iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store
• Louder speakerphone and receiver volume
• Home Button double-click shortcut to phone favorites or music controls
• Space bar double-tap shortcut to intelligently insert period and space
• Mail attachments are viewable in portrait and landscape
• Stocks and cities in Stocks and Weather can be re-ordered
• Apple Bluetooth Headset battery status in the Status Bar
• Support for TV Out
• Preference to turn off EDGE/GPRS when roaming internationally
• New Passcode lock time intervals
• Adjustable alert volume

I bolded those items which were probably highly requested. Notice I didn’t bold much.

27-Sep 2007