Despite the large number of user requests that were answered in Apple’s preview of iPhone OS 3.0, there remain several unresolved issues.
Adobe Flash support: When asked what Apple was doing in regards to Adobe Flash support on the iPhone, the company’s trio of executives danced around the question, stating that they had nothing to announce today, and going on to talk about the expanded video and audio support in iPhone OS 3.0. Apple’s true intentions regarding Flash support remain unclear, although if today’s event and subsequent Q&A session are any indication, it’s not a high priority at this time.
App Store acceptance policies: While Apple touted the large number of applications available on the App Store, the strong developer response, and the expanded range of APIs developers will have access to, it said little to shed light on the semi-mysterious App Store acceptance policies. In response to the lone question asked on the topic, Apple Senior VP of worldwide marketing Phil Schiller said, “96% [of submitted apps] are approved, but there are things we have to watch out for. There have been issues, issues about content that’s available to children for instance. But at the end of the day, we have a great solution that’s working, and we’re constantly making it better.”
iPhone/iPod touch hardware limitations: In announcing iPhone OS 3.0’s summer launch date, Greg Joswiak indicated that some of the new features would be limited to certain hardware, saying, “For instance, A2DP and MMS won’t be available on the iPhone 1st gen.” However, he did not elaborate on exactly which features would be available for which devices, leaving users to wonder as to what features their device will support.
Display Technology changes: Also absent from today’s announcement was any talk of display technology changes. As mentioned prior to the event , the iPhone OS’ user interface is currently optimized for devices with 480×320 resolution displays. Any change in this resolution, whether to go larger or smaller, would require a lot of work for developers, and as this was not brought up during the event, it appears unlikely that Apple plans to release a higher-resolution iPhone or iPhone OS-based device anytime soon.
Dock Connector and Wireless Keyboard and Controller Support: Even in response to a direct question regarding keyboard support in iPhone OS 3.0, Apple was unwilling to commit to certain specific Dock Connector and wireless devices that would be able to interface with the iPhone and iPod touch using iPhone OS 3.0. Examples of devices that could work included diabetes glucose testers, FM transmitters, and speakers, however, the company declined to say that a human interface device (HID) driver would be available for use by iPhone applications and games.
