Apple News, Analysis and Podcasts

To-date, iOS devices have seen modest updates, but recent rumblings suggest iOS 5.0 will be a major release integrating a host of new Apple technologies.

Apple has become methodical — if not predictable — in delivering recent updates to both hardware and software. With the exception of the original iPhone launch, each major iOS update has been released only a few days before revamped iPhone hardware. Claims that Apple will deliver an iOS 5 update this spring appear to be erroneous guesswork at best.

The iOS has matured over time, delivering well conceived capabilities. Cut/Copy/Paste, multitasking and unique seamless solutions (iTunes, iPod and iMovie) can only be found on the iOS platform. But many holes exist which Apple is looking to plug with iOS 5. Apple's Poly9 acquisition finally ends its long journey to market, delivering mapping software that will be one of the staple tools to iOS 5.

A sleeper technology that may emerge in iOS 5 is the concept of application plug-ins. The theory is that iOS has a deluge of applications that could easily be consolidated within one application. Camera+, Night Camera, 10x Camera Tools and a never ending list of others apps could be sold as plug-ins for the native Camera app. No more need to have a blur app, sepia-tone app and old-fashioned film look app, as these would all exist as purchased plug-ins for the native Camera app. The result is less utility app clutter, while making apps such as Camera, extremely powerful.

One glaring omission in iPad 2's launch was evident after the iMovie and Garageband demos concluded — no iPhoto. A Finder-like solution will allow Apple to unleash an amazingly full featured iPhoto. We believe the information on iPhoto for iOS to be accurate, and it should be absolutely stunning on iPads. However, we suggest tempering the enthusiasm a bit, as we are unsure if iPhoto will be iPad-only or also be available to the iPhone and iPod touch.

But perhaps the biggest feature to iOS 5 will be the long-awaited "AirFinder". We are unsure of it's official name, but AirFinder is the modern day Finder for iOS, bringing push-like syncing capabilities via MobileMe. OS X Lion will complete the round trip between OS X, MobileMe and iOS. The iOS directory structure is currently hidden from the user interface, but AirFinder will become a powerful front and center workflow on the iPad. We can see businesses diving into iPads at an even greater pace, as AirFinder will bring traditional desktop OS capabilities and file storage to the iOS ecosystem.

There's more coming in iOS 5, such as a revamp to push notifications, interface tweaks, better multitasking, and we can only assume much more. As we are able, we will bring more updates as the June/July timeframe rapidly approaches.

2 Comments

1. frac ~ March 20, 2011 13:36
   iOS is maturing at a good lick and only just behind tech moves and infrastructure improvements - the right way to progress imo. I would really like to see the multiplicity of keyboard layouts standardised with better integration of oft used punctuation and numerical keys into the main keyboard layout... and please .. .com key everywhere plus tabs in the browser. These are my main UI gripes.
2. TheMacAdvocate ~ March 21, 2011 16:15
   It'll be interesting to see how Apple deals with the #1 complaint I've seen from technorati: the intrusiveness and limited functionality of the current notification system. I think this is much more of lost opportunity for the iPad given its more generous real estate, which begs another question: when will Apple leverage the advantages of the iPad's larger dimensions in iOS itself? With regard to iPhoto, I think this *has* to be a iPhone-also app, given how much more likely capture is to happen on an iPhone.

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