Apple today announced the release of iPhone software version 1.1.3, a free update for the device which adds several new features including Maps with location, the ability to send SMS messages to multiple recipients, and the ability to customize the home screen. “iPhone doesn’t stand still—we’re making it better and better all the time,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “We’ve delighted millions of users with this revolutionary and magical product and it’s great to share these improvements with them.” The location feature of Maps uses both cellular and Wi-Fi triangulation technology to provide an approximate location to the application, which also sports a new interface. The iPhone’s home screen now allows users to move and rearrange application icons, and also allows the user to create multiple home screens, which can be filled with Web Clips, direct links to web-based applications and web pages that appear on the iPhone’s home screen alongside the standard applications.
The update also adds support for chapters, subtitles, and alternate languages for videos, as well as support for the display of lyrics when listening to music. iPhone software version 1.1.3 is available now through the update feature in iTunes.
Alongside the software update for the iPhone, Apple has also released a similar upgrade for the iPod touch which adds the new features implemented in the iPhone update, including Web Clips, customizable home screen, and the new video and audio capabilities. This update is a free download and is available through the update feature in iTunes.
Separately, Apple has announced a paid update for the iPod touch that brings the iPhone’s Mail, Maps (with Wi-Fi triangulation), Stocks, Notes, and Weather applications to the iPod touch; the application pack is available now from iTunes and sells for $20.
Updated Jan. 29, 2008: During the rush of new product and software announcements at Macworld Expo, we accidentally skipped specifically mentioning two software updates that were released alongside iTunes 7.6 — firmware version 1.1 for the iPod classic and firmware 1.1 for the iPod nano (with video). According to Apple, the updates add support for iTunes Movie Rentals and contain unspecified bug fixes, although users have reported Cover Flow and Click Wheel improvements, as well as a new audio bug affecting some iPod classic users.