iPhone OS 2.1 released... to developers, plus turn-by-turn GPS?

By Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Friday, 25 July 2008 20:32

Mobility

Some iPhone developers have started getting access to the beta version of the upcoming iPhone OS 2.1, an upgrade to the existing bug-filled iPhone OS 2.0 that’s been causing angst among iPhone users around the world. Is turn by turn GPS coming in 2.1, alongside cut and paste in future OS versions?

Ok, so no release date for iPhone OS 2.1 has been announced by Apple, but some developers have started downloading the beta operating system and its accompanying SDK to start writing programs for it.

Gearlive reports that there are updates to “Core Location Services” which some are speculating could mean that “turn-by-turn” GPS navigation could well be on the way, at last.

The current iPhone OS 2.0 license specifically prohibits developers from writing turn-by-turn GPS navigation software, something that is patently ridiculous when existing GPS-equipped iPhone 3G owners report remarkable accuracy when used with Google Maps.

A Q&A session with Apple product head Greg Joswiak by the Appscout.com website indicates that the David Pogue’s assertion in the New York Times that the GPS antenna within the iPhone 3G is “too small” for GPS usage thanks to information from Apple is “wrong”.

Joswiak told Gearlive that “complicated issues” are the real reason why, but that “it will evolve” and that he believes “developers will amaze us”.

The Appscout article also noted Joswiak commenting that Apple doesn’t have anything against cut and paste but that there were more important priorities for Apple to work on.

Given this statement, it could appear that Apple is listening to its customers after all, so one can only hope that OS 2.1 has a few more surprises up its sleeve beyond true GPS navigation and the elimination of as many of the gut wrenchingly annoying bugs most iPhone 2.0 users on the original iPhone, the iPod Touch and iPhone 3G are reporting.

Whether or not the iPhone OS 2.1 will fix the iPhone 3G jailbreak and iPhone 2G unlock created by the iPhone Dev Team and its Mac PwnageTool and the separately availalble Windows WinPwn 2.0 version is, as yet, unknown.

However if Apple’s past form is anything to go by, a re-lock and jailcell will await, forcing the iPhone Dev Team to springboard back into action to save the day.

Given that Apple is so secretive, it’s quite amazing that Joswiak gave any indication about future iPhone features at all.

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