According to news sources, the new Apple iPhone software is scheduled to go live for consumers to download between 5 pm and 7.30 pm (GMT) tonight, that is, the 17th of June. Super Sleuths have approximated the time of the launch based on the reports they recieved regarding the Apple branches in India and Singapore, for their launch times. These timings were then comverted to time differences for U.K.

The latest free update will be one of the much awaited megaupdates that Apple gives out time to time, which should add around 100 new features to all iPhones, inclusive of the oldest one to the latest 3GS, which is launched on Friday. iPod Touch owners, however, will have to pay a small fee of £10 to install the software upgrade. Among the various features, the most saught after ones would be the cut,copy & paste editing, the ability to create recorded voice memos, and iPhone device-wide search option, allowing the users to search through all of their songs, photos, videos, emails and even applications that match the search keyword.

The iPhone will also feature the landscaped keyboard to almost all the applications and programs, which requires the user to punch in alphabets. Also, the MMS [Multimedia Messaging Service] will be activated as well on the iPhone. The update enables the users to directly download updates, media such as films, tv shows straight to the iPhone or iPod touch device, whenever you have an access to a wireless hotspot. Earlier, consumers could download only songs and podcasts to their iPhones or iPod Touch devices. This is a big jump in the wireless internet usage for the phone.

The latest version of the iPhone, the iPhone 3GS, will have all these features pre-insatlled when it goes on sale this Friday. The 3GS is claimed to be faster than any of it’s predecessors, will also sport a brand new 3 Megapixel camera, which should allow you to record video, a digital compass, which will help in navigating through maps more easily and voice control, which the user can use to call a friend or play a song without having to touch the phone. One of the most interesting feature was the new Mobile Me integration to the new iPhone. Mobile Me users can locate their lost iPhone or also remotely wipe the phone incase it’s stolen. A very impressive addon.

For TechMirage,
Pranav Shirodakar