Apple iOS 4 Releases today

June 21, 2010

Today’s the day the Apple release the new operating system update for some iPhone and iPod touches.

It’s claimed that the update will bring over 100 new features but the most anticipated arrival is mutli-tasking allowing more than one application to run at any time.  This is achieved by freezing the application but still allowing incoming and outgoing data.

But, and this is a big but, multitasking will only function properly with applications that have been developed to work with iOS 4.

Compatibility

  • iPhone 3GS: Full iOS 4.0 compatible except iPhone 4 specific features
  • iPhone 3G: Partial iOS 4.0 support. Doesn’t support multitasking, wallpaper and Bluetooth keyboard.
  • iPhone 2G: No iOS 4.0 support.
  • iPod Touch 3G: Full iOS 4.0 support except for iPhone specific features
  • iPod Touch 2G: Partial iOS 4.0 support. Doesn’t support multitasking, wallpaper and Bluetooth keyboard.
  • iPod Touch 1G: No iOS 4.0 support.

Apple, we have a problem

The biggest issue Apple face is can its servers cope with upgrade scuttle that is likely.  And it’s for that reason that Apple has not announced the official release time but it is widely expected to be about 5:00pm today.

Apple is understandably worried that the inevitable influx of global traffic will bring the iTunes service to its knees in the same way when the iPhone 4 went on sale.

iPhone 3G and 3GS owners and iPod Touch users will need to install iTunes version 9.2 to their desktops or laptops in order to download iOS 4 later today.