iTunes 8.2, iPhone 3.0 b4

Apple has begun seeding two key pieces of software to developers, reports say. The first is a fourth beta of the iPhone 3.0 firmware, whose changes are mostly unexplored. A previously empty Store pane under the Settings menu now contains options, however, and permits users to sign into their iTunes accounts. An Account Info button directs people to a presently unformatted webpage, where credit card information can be altered.

More significant may be a pre-release version of iTunes 8.2, which warns that it will now verify if an iPhone is authorized for use with the v3.0 beta firmware. The Gracenote legal disclaimer has meanwhile been changed to make reference to DVD and Blu-ray metadata, which could suggest future hardware support. One advantage PCs maintain over Macs is ready playback of Blu-ray movies, in some cases through drives included by default. Apple has expressed a reluctance to expand optical media support.

by MacNN Staff