iOS 4 comes with 1500 new API and 100 new functionalities. This will undoubtedly satisfy iPhone fans of previous versions.

Apple’s new operating system that equips iPhone OS 4 is not compatible with all products from Apple. If iOS works well with the iPhone 3GS, we can’t say the same for iPhone 3G and iPod Touch. Indeed, old devices are not compatible.

What does iOS 4 offer?

During the launch conference for iPhone OS 4, Steve Jobs, Apple’s boss, introduced 7 new features:

1. Multitasking: several applications can be used at the same time without affecting iPhone OS 4’s performances or battery.
2. Folders: they organize applications so that you can find them more easily. Each folder can contain 12 applications, thus making possible the installation of 2000 applications on iPhone 4 versus 180 for former versions.
3. Email: all your email accounts are grouped together. It is now easier to switch from an account to another.
4. iBooks: you can buy books on iPhone OS 4 through iBooks. Moreover, you can keep your reading simultaneously both on your iPhone 4.0 and iPad.
5. Business feature: professionals now have an access to data protection (encrypted emails), VPN support, management of mobile equipment,… You no longer need to plug your iPhone 4 in a computer to install a business application; you can do it via Wifi.
6. Game Center: Steve Jobs thinks of competing with Sony and Nintendo by making 50 000 games available from App Store. The company wants to build a social network for gamers. But today this is just a project under construction for Apple.
7. iAd: Apple wants to broadcast an ad every  3 minutes on some free applications. Think that Apple is likely to reach soon 100 million devices sold (iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad), this means 1 billion ads shown per day. Another special feature is that ads are more interactive on iOS 4.

To date, Apple has sold 50 million iPhone and 35 millions iPad, totalizing 85 million mobile devices. Apple’s popularity rating is still growing as iPhone sales show: 1.7 million devices sold over the first 3 days. But when will Applemania stop?

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