by Cory Elsmore | Cory@fndtn.com
Apple’s iPhone has become very successful, even for an Apple product. The sales numbers are staggering. For the very most part the device is brilliant, but it does have some pretty glaring holes at present.
In 1981 Apple brought a set of features to the Apple Lisa’s operating system that has since become absolutely integral to most people’s functioning on a computer. Cut, copy, and paste are features that are just expected. BlackBerry has had this feature implemented for years. When I try to show my PC oriented, BlackBerry toting friends my iPhone, the comeback I hear repeatedly is, “Yeah, but can it cut and paste?”
As of this summer, yes, the iPhone can cut and paste. Apple recently announced the new iPhone 3.0 operating system. Cut and paste support is certainly a welcome addition. Also on the list is search functionality. Now the whole device can be searched through, Spotlight style. This should make finding that elusive email much easier. MMS support is also on the list, though I haven’t heard many people bemoaning the iPhone’s lack of MMS abilities.
The final feature worth mentioning is one that Apple has titled Push Messaging. Currently, 3rd party programs cannot stay running in the background. The moment you hop back to your home screen, the program is quit. This makes instant messenger programs on the iPhone all but useless. Enter push messaging. Now when a program is closed, it can have a server somewhere alert you that you have a new message, or remind you to buy milk, or anything else that a developer wants their application to be able to tell you when it’s closed. It is not true back-grounding support, but it is a step in the right direction.
You may wonder when these delightful goodies will be making it onto your favorite digital companion. In typical Apple fashion, the best date that they have chosen to give us is “Summer 09”. Hopefully in the coming weeks this date will be firmed up, and turn out to be sooner, rather than later.
