iPhone rumours

Regular readers will know that, despite being very much a “Microsoft person” in the past, I was totally sold on the Apple iPhone’s user interface, and moved across to a 2G iPhone last year. With our contracts up for renewal soon, it’s interesting to note the rumours relating to Apple’s mobile phones.

Firstly, with thanks to The Register for bringing all rumours together, it would appear that the next version of the iPhone software (version 3) will at long last provide support for cut-and-paste, a major omission from the iPhone to date, and a facility that I could make great use of (when it is made available .... and always provided it works).

MMS is also rumoured to be on its way (Multimedia Messaging Service – the ability to send and receive pictures and/or video) – another embarrassing omission from the current iPhone software portfolio - although I am unlikely to be a regular user of this, as the iPhone camera itself remains weak, with poor resolution.

Other enhancements mooted include tethering (the ability to use the iPhone to connect a PC to the Internet), background running for applications, and the ability to run multiple applications concurrently (although I suspect that the iPhone hardware will limit any support for the latter).

We should all know more this week as Apple announces the new software version 3.0 tomorrow, Tuesday.

However, rumours also abound about a new iPhone being launched around June/July – at around 18 months after the launch of the first iPhone, and 12 months after the 3G version, this would be around the expected time for a new product (indeed – possibly a bit later than normal). Although the rumour of a “Nano-type” iPhone, smaller with reduced functionality, seems to be debunked by a number of sources.

Perhaps the biggest indicator to support this new product is reported in Mobile Today, who expect that O2 will make the existing 3G iPhone available free of up-front charge on monthly contracts - trying to clear its stock of iPhones in time for the new product?

Hmmmm – I think I’ll wait until the middle of the year to see what the new product is or isn’t......