Apple iOS 5.1: First Take
Just before it unveiled the new iPad at a media event in San Francisco today, Apple announced that iOS 5.1, the next update to the company's mobile operating system, is now available.The list of new features isn't extensive and largely consists of bug fixes and interface tweaks. That said, there are a couple of useful additions. Here are the highlights that Apple has listed in iOS 5.1's documentation.A closer look at iOS 5.1 (photos)See full gallery1 - 4 / 10NextPrevA Japanese SiriThis was the only feature of iOS 5.1 that Apple CEO Tim Cook specifically mentioned during his time onstage. Siri, the voice assistant exclusive to the iPhone 4S, now will be able to understand and talk back in Japanese. Though Apple says that the new feature may not be completely available at first, I was able to switch our Verizon iPhone 4S to Japanese without any hiccups. Unfortunately, my knowledge of the language doesn't extend past simple greetings like "Good morning," but CNET's Seth Rosenblatt was able to ask a few questions like, "What is your name?" He said Siri uses a formal vocabulary, but that she responded correctly and he was able to understand her. Just keep in mind that Siri is not a translation service, so if you have her set to Japanese, she will not respond to English commands or questions. And if you're counting, Siri now can converse in four languages: Japanese, English (Australian, British, and American), French, and German. Photo StreamAfter Photo Stream debuted as part of iCloud and iOS 5, users quickly complained that once a photo was uploaded to the feature, they couldn't delete it. Fortunately, iOS 5.1 adds that option. So go ahead and take those embarrassing photos at next weekend's party. You can remove them the next day as you nurse your hangover.Related storiesAll iPad coverage from CNETFirst Take: Apple's new iPadApple iPad with Retina Display makes its debutApple's new iPad gets 4G LTEApple TV announced, with 1080pApple iOS 5.1: First TakeCamera shortcutiOS 5 added a nifty lock screen shortcut that allowed users to quickly shoot a photo without having to unlock the iPhone first. The only trouble was that it wasn't always visible, particularly when you really needed it. With today's update, though, the shortcut will be present at all times. What's more, instead of pressing the camera icon to access the camera, you can now slide up the lock screen. I'm not sure the new action is all that improved, but it's there just the same.Face detectionOn the iPhone 4S, the camera app now will highlight all faces that it detects when you're trying to snap an image. Of course, it won't always detect a face even when it's squarely in the frame, but when it does you'll see the green box over the person's mug.iPad Camera appIn another small but noticeable interface tweak, the camera shutter has moved from the menu bar at the bottom of the viewfinder to the right side of the frame. And as you rotate your iPad from portrait to landscape mode, the button shifts accordingly. Improved audioiPad users also are set to get louder and clearer audio when watching television shows and movies. We haven't see a huge difference so far, but we'll never kick an improvement out of bed.More GeniusiTunes Match subscribers now will get Genius Mix and Genius playlist suggestions. Nice, perhaps, for those who use iTunes Match, but not significant to anyone else.New podcast controlsIn the last iPad-only addition, you'll see new controls for changing the playback speed on podcasts and rewinding for 30-second segments. The latter is a great feature if you miss a beat while listening to a show and want a quick and easy way to catch it again.Updated AT&T network indicatorIf you have an AT&T iPhone 4S, you may notice that a small "4G" icon is now appearing next to the signal strength meter. It will show only when your phone is connecting the carrier's HSDPA network. As we've told you a few times, classifying HSPA+ as true "4G" is a bit of a stretch, but that hasn't stopped from AT&T from doing so.Bug fixesApple also said that iOS 5.1 addresses bugs that affect battery life and fixes an issue that sometimes caused audio to drop for outgoing calls. Call quality and battery life are two things that make a phone, after all, so we welcome any fixes. We'll have to say, however, if we see performance improvements over time.iOS 5.1 is available today through an over-the-air update or by connecting your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch to iTunes. We'll add more new features here as we see them, and please tell us in the Comments section if you discover any other changes. For more Apple software news, check out our first impressions of iPhoto, the new iWork apps, GarageBand, and iMovie.
iTunes 11 delayed into 'end of November'
iTunes 11 delayed into 'end of November'
Apple says it needs a little longer to finish up work on iTunes 11. The software, which adds a handful of new features and a facelift, was previewed at an event last month, and was originally due by the end of October.Apple now says the software will be out before the end of next month."The new iTunes is taking longer than expected and we wanted to take a little extra time to get it right," Apple spokesman Tom Neumayr told CNET. "We look forward to releasing this new version of iTunes with its dramatically simpler and cleaner interface, and seamless integration with iCloud before the end of November."The new software's headlining feature is a visual resign that takes a cue or two from Apple's iOS software, with a focus on album covers that can expand out to show you songs -- both in your library, and other tracks from Apple's iTunes Music Store.Other features include deeper integration with content stored on iCloud, a new "up next" song feature, redesigned storefronts, and a revamped mini player that lets you search for songs, albums and artists without going back to the full view. Related storiesCNET first take: iTunes 11Apple, where's the software?Apple releases iTunes 10.5.1 with Match featureApple's admission that the software won't be delivered on time bears some resemblance to the notably unspoken delays to last year's iTunes Match feature. That feature, which debuted during last June's developers conference, and was promised by the end of October, took Apple an additional three weeks beyond schedule to get it out to customers. iTunes has become a decreasingly important aspect of using Apple's portable devices. With the launch of iOS 5 last year, iPods, iPhones and iPads can be set up and used without plugging into a computer, and with iCloud, they can be backed up wirelessly too. These were all functions consumers previously relied on iTunes to do. Meanwhile, Apple has reworked its own versions of these stores right on the devices, where about two thirds of iTunes purchases are made. As of last month, Apple said it had more than 435 million iTunes accounts set up with 1-Click purchasing, meaning accounts with credit cards or other payment options attached. The storefront itself has a catalog of 26 million songs available for purchase, of which there have been 20 billion purchased by consumers during the past nine years. Apple's last major iteration of iTunes, version 10, was released in September 2010, and added Apple's music social networking experiment Ping. The company quietly killed that feature off at the beginning of this month, after announcing plans to shut it down in early September. Since version 10, Apple has added additional features like iTunes Match, iTunes in the cloud, and 1080p videos from the iTunes Store.Here's Apple's demo of the software from its September event:Updated at 1:45 p.m. PT with additional background.
Apple says it needs a little longer to finish up work on iTunes 11. The software, which adds a handful of new features and a facelift, was previewed at an event last month, and was originally due by the end of October.Apple now says the software will be out before the end of next month."The new iTunes is taking longer than expected and we wanted to take a little extra time to get it right," Apple spokesman Tom Neumayr told CNET. "We look forward to releasing this new version of iTunes with its dramatically simpler and cleaner interface, and seamless integration with iCloud before the end of November."The new software's headlining feature is a visual resign that takes a cue or two from Apple's iOS software, with a focus on album covers that can expand out to show you songs -- both in your library, and other tracks from Apple's iTunes Music Store.Other features include deeper integration with content stored on iCloud, a new "up next" song feature, redesigned storefronts, and a revamped mini player that lets you search for songs, albums and artists without going back to the full view. Related storiesCNET first take: iTunes 11Apple, where's the software?Apple releases iTunes 10.5.1 with Match featureApple's admission that the software won't be delivered on time bears some resemblance to the notably unspoken delays to last year's iTunes Match feature. That feature, which debuted during last June's developers conference, and was promised by the end of October, took Apple an additional three weeks beyond schedule to get it out to customers. iTunes has become a decreasingly important aspect of using Apple's portable devices. With the launch of iOS 5 last year, iPods, iPhones and iPads can be set up and used without plugging into a computer, and with iCloud, they can be backed up wirelessly too. These were all functions consumers previously relied on iTunes to do. Meanwhile, Apple has reworked its own versions of these stores right on the devices, where about two thirds of iTunes purchases are made. As of last month, Apple said it had more than 435 million iTunes accounts set up with 1-Click purchasing, meaning accounts with credit cards or other payment options attached. The storefront itself has a catalog of 26 million songs available for purchase, of which there have been 20 billion purchased by consumers during the past nine years. Apple's last major iteration of iTunes, version 10, was released in September 2010, and added Apple's music social networking experiment Ping. The company quietly killed that feature off at the beginning of this month, after announcing plans to shut it down in early September. Since version 10, Apple has added additional features like iTunes Match, iTunes in the cloud, and 1080p videos from the iTunes Store.Here's Apple's demo of the software from its September event:Updated at 1:45 p.m. PT with additional background.
Apple to develop digital wallet in next year or two, says analyst
Apple to develop digital wallet in next year or two, says analyst
Apple may finally step its toes into the digital wallet world over the next year or two, forecasts Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster.The analyst believes a payment option for iOS users may launch with the iPhone 6 in the first half of 2014. Apple will use a technology other than or in addition to near-field communications (NFC), but its system will work with existing mobile payment solutions.The company already has one major asset ripe for a digital wallet system -- its users.Apple holds the key to around 500 million iTunes users and their linked credit cards, which Munster believes is the largest database of payment information owned by any one company. As of January, those 500 million accounts represented a 60 percent growth rate from the prior year. In comparison, PayPal had around 120 million accounts as of last year's fourth quarter, a growth rate of 15 percent from a year earlier.Still, Apple would face challenges if it forged ahead with its own mobile payment system.Such a system would rely on mobile ads from advertisers and retailers. But Apple has been a relatively small player in the area of mobile advertising, according to Munster.Apple would also need to focus on retail partnerships and security. The company does have relationships with key retailers such as Walmart, Target, and Best Buy, which could be a good starting point.Apple's purchase of security provider AuthenTec may pave the way for iOS devices equipped with fingerprint readers. That type of biometric technology would be key since the traditional passcode system has proven vulnerable to hacking.A hole in iOS 6.1 allowed anyone to break through the passcode to make phone calls and listen to voice mails. Users already wary of NFC over security issues would need strong assurance that their devices would be safe from such exploits.Related storiesApple patent award teases NFC alternative in iPhone's futureApple files patent for Passbook coupons with a touch of NFCApple wants fingerprint sensors in its productsHow big an opportunity would a digital wallet be for Apple? Munster said it's unclear at this point but does believe it could have a ripple effect."If Apple can recreate the wallet, it would create tremendous stickiness in terms of iOS mobile products," the analyst said in an investors note out today.So far Apple has been a holdout in the area of mobile payments. The company took its first steps last year with the debut of Passbook, which allows users to store digital tickets and coupons. But iOS does not yet support NFC.Android, BlackBerry 10, and Windows Phone 8 do support NFC. But mobile payments have yet to take off among consumers.
Apple may finally step its toes into the digital wallet world over the next year or two, forecasts Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster.The analyst believes a payment option for iOS users may launch with the iPhone 6 in the first half of 2014. Apple will use a technology other than or in addition to near-field communications (NFC), but its system will work with existing mobile payment solutions.The company already has one major asset ripe for a digital wallet system -- its users.Apple holds the key to around 500 million iTunes users and their linked credit cards, which Munster believes is the largest database of payment information owned by any one company. As of January, those 500 million accounts represented a 60 percent growth rate from the prior year. In comparison, PayPal had around 120 million accounts as of last year's fourth quarter, a growth rate of 15 percent from a year earlier.Still, Apple would face challenges if it forged ahead with its own mobile payment system.Such a system would rely on mobile ads from advertisers and retailers. But Apple has been a relatively small player in the area of mobile advertising, according to Munster.Apple would also need to focus on retail partnerships and security. The company does have relationships with key retailers such as Walmart, Target, and Best Buy, which could be a good starting point.Apple's purchase of security provider AuthenTec may pave the way for iOS devices equipped with fingerprint readers. That type of biometric technology would be key since the traditional passcode system has proven vulnerable to hacking.A hole in iOS 6.1 allowed anyone to break through the passcode to make phone calls and listen to voice mails. Users already wary of NFC over security issues would need strong assurance that their devices would be safe from such exploits.Related storiesApple patent award teases NFC alternative in iPhone's futureApple files patent for Passbook coupons with a touch of NFCApple wants fingerprint sensors in its productsHow big an opportunity would a digital wallet be for Apple? Munster said it's unclear at this point but does believe it could have a ripple effect."If Apple can recreate the wallet, it would create tremendous stickiness in terms of iOS mobile products," the analyst said in an investors note out today.So far Apple has been a holdout in the area of mobile payments. The company took its first steps last year with the debut of Passbook, which allows users to store digital tickets and coupons. But iOS does not yet support NFC.Android, BlackBerry 10, and Windows Phone 8 do support NFC. But mobile payments have yet to take off among consumers.
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