macnn
09/09/2008, 1:55pm, EDT
Tuesday, September 9th
Apple readies iPhone, iPod touch 2.1 firmware
Apple today revealed full details of its iPhone and iPod touch 2.1 firmware upgrade. Unusually, the company is focusing on software issues and claims to have fixed "a lot of bugs," according to Apple CEO Steve Jobs: on iPhones, the software cuts down on dropped calls and is also said to provide "big" improvements to battery life. It also improves the reliability of apps and speeds up the backup time before a sync begins.
On the second-generation iPod touch, the software also includes a built-in Nike+iPod app for tracking a run using the built-in transceiver. Support for Genius playlists is present for all supporting devices.
The 2.1 update will be available by Friday and will be free for both iPhones as well as any iPod touch already upgraded to version 2.0 firmware; pre-2.0 iPods can buy the update through iTunes for $10.
No mention has been made of the addition of background push notification or directional GPS support, both of which were included in most beta releases of 2.1 and were scheduled for September.
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2.1 to 2.2
It looks pretty clear that the biggest stuff planned for 2.1 isn't here, so we can expect it to come along later in 2.2.
Today, or Friday?
According to MacWorld:
"A free upgrade from 2.0, iPhone 2.1 software is expected to be released on Friday, September 12, 2008."
I am impressed however; Apple is making this free to those iPod touch users with the 2.0.x software. Nice!
Others say "Friday"
Both Gizmodo and Engadget are quoting Steve as saying the 2.1 upgrade will be available Friday, not today. iTunes 8 should be today, though.
Most anticipated feature
Oddly enough, the feature I'm most interested in is the announced speed increase on iPhone backups through iTunes. I only do a backup once a week at most because it currently takes too bloody long.
Longer battery life will be nice too, but I rarely have problems with my iPhone 3G lasting a full day.
iPhone Nike
so . . with the software update, does this mean the iPhone will be able to use the Nike stuff?
unusally?
I like that in the article. Unusually, the company is focusing on software issues and claims to have fixed "a lot of bugs,".
Does this mean that Apple usually doesn't focus on software issues? Or doesn't usually fix bugs?
availability
Update for iPod touch is available now.
Update for iPhone due Friday.
2.0.3?
So no copy and paste? No landscape in other applications? No week-view in my calendar? Just bug-fixes? So why didn't they just name it 2.0.3 then?
eMail Fixed?
I HATE when i check my mail on my iPhone and then on my iMac, but when i check in that order, the rules are not applied.
when i manually apply the rules, those rule applied emails disappear on my iPhone. Grrrr
either don't apply rules on my iPhone, or have the iPhone set up folders according to the rule being applied.
Such as when i have my brother's email go into the folder for him, it will then disappear on my iPhone!! WHY!?
Also why when i check my mail on my iPhone first, the rules are not applied in Mail on my iMac?? GRRRrrrrr.
Sick and tired
Since I've installed 10.5.4, my iPod Touch is not recognized by iTunes (error 0xE8000001) I waited for version 2 of the firmware to fix it but the problem was still there. Now with 2.1, it is still there. I'm a die-hard Apple fan but I'm sick and tired of this situation. I'm gonna wait 'til 10.5.5 to fix the problem and if the problem persists I'm gonna go to the Apple store and return this iPod. C'mon Steve I'm not the only one in this situation PLEASE FIX IT!!!
P.S. By chance I still have 10.4.11 installed on another harddrive in my G5 so I can use the iPod anyway but I have to restart each and every time I want to add songs to my iPod. It is very very annoying.