Wow, a day after the iPhone Dev Team released their updated Redsn0w software, Apple releases an update to iPhone OS. This isn’t a significant update to the iPhone OS. It doesn’t introduce new and exciting features to the current hardware but it does fix a number of issues and bugs.

This update fixes and improves the following:

• Improves accuracy of reported battery level on iPhone 3GS
• Resolves issue where third-party apps would not launch in some instances
• Fixes bug that may cause an app to crash when using the Japanese Kana keyboard

This update is for all current hardware, iPhone 1G (EDGE), iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS and all iPod Touch devices. You can easily get the update via iTunes by connecting your device and clicking “Check for Update”

*Note* It’s been confirmed by the iPhone Dev Team that Redsn0w 0.9.2 works with this new iPhone OS update only with iPhone 1G (EDGE) and iPhone 3G and *ONLY* if you don’t care about unlocking. Just point Redsn0w 0.9.2 to the iPhone OS 3.1.2 firmware IPSW — The iPhone Dev Team urges iPhone 3GS and iPod Touch users who wish to jailbreak to stay away from this update until further notice!

Downloads:
iPhone OS 3.1.3 Downloads will be up shortly!
iPhone 2G EDGE 3.1.3 IPSW Download
iPhone 3G 3.1.3 IPSW Download
iPhone 3GS 3.1.3 IPSW Download

Today, Apple announced that users have now downloaded over three billion iPhone and iPod touch applications from AppStore since its July 2008 launch.

“Three billion applications downloaded in less than 18 months — this is like nothing we’ve ever seen before,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “The revolutionary App Store offers iPhone and iPod touch users an experience unlike anything else available on other mobile devices, and we see no signs of the competition catching up anytime soon.”

The AppStore reached 2 billion downloads just over 3 months ago. The new milestone represents continued acceleration of growth for the store as Apple’s handheld devices continue to attract significant numbers of customers. The App Store continues to be available to customers in 77 countries, offering applications in 20 categories.

- source: apple.com

Toshiba announced that they have launched a 64GB embedded NAND flash memory module. The new chip offers 64GB on a single chip and will start mass production in the first quarter of 2010.

The reason the largest iPhone (32GB) currently has 1/2 the memory of the largest iPod touch (64GB) is that the iPhone can only house a single NAND flash chip while the iPod touch can accommodate two. The additional space in the iPhone is taken up by its communication hardware. This new advancement should allow for 64GB iPhones and 128GB iPod touches in 2010.

Last year, Toshiba first announced their 32GB NAND flash modules which apparently ended up being used in the latest iPhone revision. iSuppli’s teardown identified Toshiba as the supplier of the iPhone 3GS’s flash memory.

- source: toshiba.co.jp

Apple, a few days ago, announced the 3rd generation iPod Touch with not much improvement over the 2nd gen iPod Touch. Sadly, Apple didn’t add a camera. However, Apple did drop the price on the iPod Touch and boosted up the storage, which is always a plus.

New iPod Touch lineup looks like this:

• $199USD for the 8GB model
• $299USD for 32GB model
• $399USD for a whopping 64GB

The 32GB and 64GB are 50% faster than previous generation models and will run OpenGL ES 2.0. Also, existing iPod Touch owners who already have the latest 3.0 firmware will also be able to download the new iPhone OS 3.1 firmware, which is already available, at no charge, while those running older firmware versions can upgrade for $4.95, which is an absolute bargain.

(more…)

Update:
Download:
iPhone 2G EDGE 3.1 ipsw Download
iPhone 3G 3.1 ipsw Download
iPhone 3GS 3.1 ipsw Download

Today, Apple released a new firmware update for the iPhone and iPod Touch. There’s a ton of new and improved features in this awesome new update. The update will also be able to take advantage of the new Genius feature for apps to help users users find new apps that may be of interest based on past purchases and will also allow wireless downloading of new pre-cut ringtones.

• Improved syncing for music, movies, TV shows, podcasts, and photos
• iTunes U content organization
• Redeem iTunes Gift Cards, codes, and certificates in the App Store
• Display available iTunes account credits in the App Store and iTunes Store
• Save video from Mail and MMS into Camera Roll
• Option to “Save as new clip” when trimming a video on iPhone 3GS
• Better iPhone 3G Wi-Fi performance when Bluetooth is turned on
• Remotely lock iPhone with a passcode via MobileMe
• Use Voice Control on iPhone 3GS with Bluetooth headsets
• Paste phone numbers into the keypad
• Option to use Home button to turn on accessibility features on iPhone 3GS
• Warn when visiting fraudulent websites in Safari (anti-phishing)
• Improved Exchange calendar syncing and invitation handling
• Fixes issue that cause some app icons to display incorrectly

The iPhone OS 3.1 firmware is free for all existing iPhone customers and iPod touch users already running iPhone OS 3.0. iPod touch users running earlier firmware versions can upgrade to iPhone OS 3.1 for $4.95. You can update via iTunes.
Note: If you have a jailbroken/unlocked iPhone or jailbroken iPod Touch, you will loose that jailbreak and/or unlock until the iPhone Dev Team come to the rescue so do NOT update unless you know you want to or you know what you’re doing. You have been warned!

Download:
iPhone 2G EDGE 3.1 ipsw Download
iPhone 3G 3.1 ipsw Download
iPhone 3GS 3.1 ipsw Download

source: apple.com

The folks over at MacRumors received some interesting pictures, even a video, of what appears to be the next generation iPod Touch. The images suggest there will be a camera, no word on the megapixels. in the center of the Touch.

The same source that submit these images to macrumors also submitted teardown images of the rumored next-gen iPod Touch to the on-air blog of Covino & Rich hosts of the Maxim Radio talk radio show on Sirius and XM satellite radio. The blog post includes additional information from the source regarding the origins of the device.

-to show it’s real. If you look at the board, it states Apple 2009 very clear. The 2nd gen AKA iPod touch out now, has 2008 on it. They haven’t revised the 2008 touch. I will compare them in pic in a sec.

-BTW, these phones NEVER leave Apple and this one left but it was a durability test phone, so that’s why the screen is all gridded off and cracked.

-The side by side picture is the inside of the current gen vs the 3rd gen (one coming out in September).

-I acquired this from a guy that I buy parts phones and iPods from. I believe he’s a recycler in ***********, so what most likely happened is that Apple threw this away and he some how got it and sold it for parts.

The post also included additional images of the device and also internal pictures of the device. The internal shots revealed a red motherboard in contrast from the usual black circuit board, however, the use of red or alternate colours for the circuit boards is common in prototypes.

Click more for more images and a video
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Multichannel News reports that Apple’s iPhone may be next in line to get the ability to stream content from Netflix’s “Watch Instantly” feature. The feature is available if you have a Netflix subscription and works on Mac and PC as well as various other compatible devices such as an Xbox 360.

Netflix, ahead of pay-TV providers, continues extending its own “TV Everywhere” strategy to more devices.
Next up: The company will soon offer the Watch Instantly video-streaming feature on Apple iPhones and iPod Touch devices and the Nintendo Wii gaming console, according to an industry executive familiar with Netflix’s plans. (Netflix wouldn’t confirm the info, with a rep saying it declines to comment on “rumors or speculation.”)

The iPhone and iPod Touch do offer some video streaming abilities with YouTube over Wi-Fi and the cell data network, along with apps on the AppStore such as the Slingplayer Mobile which allows you to stream via Wi-Fi only. The report notes that the same restriction is likely for any Netflix streaming on the iPhone.

No official word on when/if this feature will be available or in which form it’ll arrive on ie: AppStore application or specialized web application. Stay tuned!


- source: multichannel.com

That’s right, some days ago we posted that the release of the MobileMe iDisk was sorta hinted by Apple and now, It’s out on the AppStore. Now, you will be able to view and share your files that you have stored on your MobileMe iDisk right from your iPhone or iPod Touch. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like you can download a file from your iDisk to your iPhone incase you end up with no Wi-Fi or 3G service.

Description:

With MobileMe iDisk, you can view and share the files on your iDisk right from your iPhone or iPod Touch. Log in with your MobileMe username and password and you’ll see a list of the folders and files on your iDisk. Select a file to view it on your iPhone. To share a file with someone else, just tap the share icon, choose your recipients, and MobileMe iDisk will send them an email with a link to download your file directly from MobileMe. You can assign a password to keep your files secure and even limit the number of days the download will be available – all right from your iPhone.

Features:

• View files on your iDisk
• Access Public folders
• Easily share files from your iPhone
• Quickly access recently viewed files
• View iPhone supported file types – including iWork, Office, PDF, QuickTime and more (Files larger than 20MB may not be viewable)

You are required to have an iPhone or iPod Touch, obviously. Your device must be up-to-date with the current firmware which is iPhone OS 3.0 and you are also required to have a MobileMe subscription. This application is free from Apple and you can download it here

Today, Apple announced that iPhone and iPod Touch users have downloaded over 1.5 billion applications in AppStores’ first year of operation. There are over 65,000 available applications in the AppStore.

Apple today announced that customers have downloaded more than 1.5 billion applications in just one year from its revolutionary App Store, the largest applications store in the world. The App Store is also growing at an incredible pace with more than 65,000 apps and more than 100,000 developers in the iPhone™ Developer Program.

“The App Store is like nothing the industry has ever seen before in both scale and quality,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “With 1.5 billion apps downloaded, it is going to be very hard for others to catch up.”

The AppStore passed 1 billion application downloads around three weeks ago. Today’s announcement demonstrates continued acceleration in the download rate.
Apple also notes that it has sold over 40 million iPhones and iPod touches capable of running AppStore applications.

- source: apple.com

Apple released the long awaited iPhone OS 3.0 firmware (Build 7A341) for both iPhone and iPod touch via iTunes. This software update is a major update and adds over 100 new features. If you would like to quickly upgrade to 3.0, connect your device to iTunes via USB and click on Check for Updates and the iPhone OS 3.0 will start downloading and it will update your iPhone.

Features:

• Copy and Paste: Quickly and easily cut, copy, and paste text from application to application. Select entire blocks of web text with a tap. Copy and paste images from the web, too.
• Landscape Keyboard: Want more room to type? Rotate iPhone to landscape to use a larger keyboard in Mail, Messages, Notes, and Safari.
• Spotlight Search: Find what you’re looking for across your iPhone, all from one place. Spotlight searches all of your contacts, email, calendars, and notes, as well as everything in your iPod.
• Safari: Enjoy faster performance, autofill user names and passwords, and more.
• Auto Wi-Fi login: Log in to a Wi-Fi hotspot and iPhone automatically logs you in when you connect again
• Find My iPhone: Find your iPhone if you lose it and protect your privacy with Remote Wipe.
• Shake to Shuffle: Give iPhone a shake and it shuffles to a different song in your music library.

That’s just a few of the features iPhone OS 3.0 will offer, for the full list of features click here.

iPhone OS 3.0 IPSW Downloads:
iPhone 2G EDGE 3.0 ipsw Download
iPhone 3G 3.0 ipsw Download
iPhone 3G S 3.0 ipsw Download

iPod touch users can go to iTunes and buy the firmware update for $9.95USD – here {iTunes link)