Over the last few days, there has been speculation over what the iOS 4.3 and the SDK to developers will comprise. The trend was, that an advanced iOS release, so quickly after the launch, just a couple of months back, meant, bugs and old problems get fixed, making way for newer bugs and newer problems. Let’s face facts, codes are made by human beings and there can never be any such thing as a perfect code. The perspective with which SDK for developers is introduced by Apple is quite interesting. Apple offers an iPhone simulator on a Mac, before the developer can test his software or an application on a live phone. However, developers can develop content and applications, but they will need Apple’s nod for the installation of the same on the iPhone.
Apple has an “App Store” through whom developers can distribute content. Apple retains part of the revenue collected for the developers, mainly to cover costs. The beta release of iOS 4.3 comesvery soon after the introduction of iOS 4.2, with new features like Air Play support, Wi-Fi Hotspot capability, Third Party Native Apps, Web Apps etc. Many new features including “Find my friends”, which is associated with Apple’s Cloud Service, MobileMe etc. are on the anvil in the iOS 4.3 Beta. The iOS 4.3 will provide for SDKs for development on the iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and the Apple TV.
With this introduction you can now stream video to the Apple TV using Air Play, HTTP Live Streaming Statistics, iAd Full Screen Banners, New Multi-touch Gestures for the iPad, muting or locking of orientation using the side switch selectable by the user etc. The developers of new apps of the 4.3 version of iOS have caught the attention of quite a few. Introduction of Personal Hotspot, a feature where your iPhone becomes a Wi-Fi router for up to five devices, is a feature which a carrier can enable or disable. The Air Play video support will definitely open a Pandora’s Box on a variety of features imaginable. Just imagine being able to stream a video from your iPhone and watching it on a 55 inch LCD panel.
However, information is still not available on how iOS 4.3, is going to support the iPhone or the iPod Touch or earlier models. As of now, no builds for these devices seem to have been made available to developers. However, knowing Apple, by the time iOS 4.3 is officiallyshipped, these changes could well see the light of day. The new gestures feature, is expected to support four and five finger gestures. Like swiping up will show the app switching tray, swiping left/right may switch apps. Sounds absolutely out of this world! Tweets announce that the iOS 4.3 may be the last firmware update for iPhone 3G.
