iPhone OS 4 unveiled, adds multitasking, shipping this summer - by Abinyah Walker

Apple today previewed its iPhone® OS 4 software and released a beta version of the software to iPhone Developer Program members. The iPhone OS 4 beta release includes an updated Software Development Kit (SDK) with over 1,500 new Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and over 100 new features that will be available to iPhone and iPod touch® users this summer. New features include Multitasking for third party apps; Folders to better organize and access apps; improved Mail with a unified inbox, fast inbox switching and threaded messages; enhanced Enterprise support with even better data protection, mobile device management, wireless app distribution and more; Apple’s new iAd mobile advertising platform; and iBooks, the delightful new ebook reader and online bookstore recently debuted on the iPad.

The most important feature is the iPhone multitasking which has been greedily anticipated for over a year since the iPhone 3.1 release.  I wonder if they will have a new iPhone with the apple CPU A4.


Notable features:
• Multitasking.
• Spell check.
• Bluetooth keyboard support.
• User-defined wallpaper.
• Tap to focus when recording video, just like with photos, and a 5x digital zoom for the  camera.
• Playlist creation and nested playlists.
• App folders for sorting apps! You can even put an app folder in the dock.
• Enhanced Mail! You can have a merged inbox view, switch between inboxes quickly, and sync to more than one Exchange account. There's also threaded messaging (at last!) and in-app attachment viewing.
• iBooks, just like on iPad, only smaller. You can wirelessly sync books between platforms, a la Kindle.
• Enterprise features, including remote device management and wireless app distribution.
• Game Center. It's like Xbox Live, but for iPhone games. Includes achievements, leaderboards, and match making. It will be available as a "developer preview," and out for consumers later this year.

HP is taking on the Ipad with it's Slate PC, but no comparaison there.