GigaOM » iOS 4.3

iPad and iPhone 4: Benchmarking the iOS 4.3 Update

Geoffrey Goetz — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 17:47:51 +0000

Most people’s attention might be on the iPad 2 launching tomorrow, but iOS 4.3 brought some impressive improvements to existing hardware, too. I followed the same testing I’ve used when benchmarking updates before, only this time I applied it to the iPad. On both devices, I cleared all running apps from the multitasking menu and powered off then back on the device to ensure the there were no background tasks running to interfere with test results.

iOS 4.3 Update Tested

The only concern I had was that the benchmark apps were all iPhone apps, not true iPad apps, but it shouldn’t affect the overall results. I used GeekBench 2 ($0.99), Gauge Mathematical Tool (free), BenchTest ($0.99), SunSpider (free) and V8 (free) to test the performance of each OS version on the iPad. I performed all the tests on the same device, both before and after the upgrade.

Results for the Wi-Fi iPad

For the most part, the test results showed that performance was slightly better on iOS 4.2.1 than on iOS 4.3 on the iPad. But overall, the results were close enough to consider the upgrade to iOS 4.3 on the iPad simply worthwhile. That is, until you look at the JavaScript test results. Mobile Safari on the iPad was significantly faster on iOS 4.3. The only problem I ran into was that the Google V8 JavaScript tests would not complete on the iPad. The test would either hang or crash mobile Safari. I had a similar issue on the iPhone 3G when trying to execute the same tests.

Results for the iPhone 4

While I couldn’t upgrade my iPhone 3G, I could apply the latest update to my iPhone 4 for comparison to prior results and see how it was affected by by the upgrade. Unlike on the iPad, I’ve been maintaining benchmark results on my iPhone 4 for some time now, so I have some historical data to compare the latest tests to:

Over time, you can see where the performance of iOS on the iPhone 4 has slowly degraded with each release. 4.3 is no exception to this trend. Keep in mind that this performance degradation is not nearly as dramatic as that which occurred with the iPhone 3G. Note also the continual increase in performance noted in the JavaScript performance with each release. The 4.3 update is the most significant yet in that regard on the iPhone 4.

Conclusions

For what you get in the form of features withe the iOS 4.3 update, and for the almost insignificant general performance hit on the iPad, the upgrade is overall a great one. Any time you get more features for little or no degradation in performance is a good thing.

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Apple Releases iOS 4.3 for iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch

Darrell Etherington — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 18:19:37 +0000

Apple released iOS 4.3 Wednesday, a couple of days before its expected release date of March 11, alongside the official launch of the iPad 2. The update includes many new features, like Personal Hotspot for iPhone, Home Sharing, iPad hardware switch function customization, improved AirPlay and better Safari performance.

We’ve covered the new features as discovered in the developer preview, and as announced officially by Apple at the iPad 2 event last week, but here’s a quick rundown of what you can look forward to when you get this update up and running on your iOS device:

Personal Hotspot. Share your iPhone’s data connection with other devices via Wi-Fi. Personal Hotspot can support up to five devices, but you may be limited to three depending on your carrier.
Home Sharing. Access your shared iTunes libraries from your iOS devices. Home Sharing used to be limited to Macs and the Apple TV, but now you can wirelessly stream music stored on your Macs on your iPhone or iPad using it, so long as the devices are on the same local Wi-Fi network.
Lock/Mute Switch for iPad. Change your hardware rotation lock switch into a mute switch in your iPad’s Settings. This is one users asked for, and it’s great to see it finally arrive.
AirPlay for Third-Party Apps. Now third-party apps have full access to the AirPlay API, letting them stream video to your television via Apple TV. This is great news for people with extensive local video libraries.
Improved Safari Performance. Mobile Safari runs much better using iOS 4.3, thanks in large part to improvements in how it handles JavaScript performance. We shared some impressive benchmarks that show just how much speed is improved just the other day.

Notice any other changes? Let us know in the comments.

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You’ll Get Your iPhone Personal Hotspot March 11, AT&T Users

Darrell Etherington — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 16:47:07 +0000

AT&T customers don’t have to worry about being left out of the Personal Hotspot party when iOS 4.3 arrives. AT&T confirmed with Electronista that it would be offering Personal Hotspot beginning Mar. 11, which is when iOS 4.3 is set to go live for the general public.

Existing users who have the $25/month DataPro plan — which allows for 2 GB of usage — plus the $20/month tethering add-on will be able to use the Personal Hotspot feature automatically after updating their iPhone 4 devices to iOS 4.3 on Mar. 11. Other customers wanting access to the feature should be able to sign up for the plan for the same price, with Electronista saying it doesn’t look like there will be any new additional charges specifically for Hotspot users.

Verizon’s iPhone shipped with the ability to use Personal Hotspot, thanks to a special version of iOS 4.2 that comes pre-installed on the device. Personal Hotspot will only be available to iPhone 4 owners, as no older devices support the feature, and the choice to use offer it will ultimately remain up to carriers. It’s nice to see AT&T stepping up, although it really has little choice if it wants to stay competitive with Verizon.

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AirPlay Is Coming to Apps, Except the Ones You Use

Janko Roettgers — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 13:00:50 +0000

iPad and iPhone users will soon be able to stream video from their apps straight to their Apple TV, thanks to an update to the AirPlay feature that’s going to be rolled out with iOS 4.3. The new feature was announced Wednesday by Apple VP of iOS Scott Forstall, but what Forstall didn’t mention is that many major media companies aren’t likely to support the feature anytime soon.

In fact, if you’re looking to get additional TV content on your television via AirPlay, you’ll be disappointed. Hulu’s iPad app won’t support Airplay for the time being, and Comcast and HBO also are on the fence. Netflix, which is usually keen on supporting as many platforms as possible, isn’t interested in AirPlay — and don’t hold your breath for AirPlay becoming part of the ABC app.

There are a number of reasons for big media to stay away from AirPlay. For Netflix, it’s simply common sense. “Netflix is already available on Apple TV so we aren’t planning to support AirPlay,” Steve Swasey, the company’s VP of communications, wrote via email. The company simply isn’t interested in reinventing the wheel to get the service on a device that already carries it.

In the case of TV networks like HBO and cable providers like Comcast, though, it’s a little more complicated. Spokespeople for both companies said it’s too early after the announcement to say whether they’ll eventually support AirPlay, but an HBO spokesperson said there are internal discussions happening around the subject.

The reason for those discussions is that virtually all broadcast and cable networks have broad policies in place to make sure their web content doesn’t show up on TV screens. That’s the reason the networks have been blocking Google TV products from accessing their content, and it’s the reason Hulu needs separate licensing agreements with rights holders to display their videos through Roku boxes and similar connected devices.

Of course, that doesn’t mean none of these media companies will ever support AirPlay or similar features. Hulu, for example, only offers iPad users access to its Hulu Plus catalog, for which it already has the rights for various devices. Comcast is also looking to get its TV Everywhere content directly on connected devices, and the company demoed its first app for Samsung TVs at CES.

However, Comcast might still face resistance from rights holders for embracing technologies like AirPlay, and overcoming these roadblocks could take time. And during that time, Apple may enable content providers to create native apps for Apple TV, once again taking away the need to support AirPlay.

The only major media brand we talked to that actively plans to support AirPlay right away is the online music video distributor Vevo. “Vevo’s iPad app was just updated to support AirPlay & iOS 4.3,” Vevo CEO Rio Caraeff wrote via email. The new iPad app is already available in the app store, and an iPhone version has been submitted to Apple and will be live shortly. The reason Vevo can move quickly while others hesitate is all of the content on its site is licensed for all digital platforms. “We knew at the very beginning that everything would be connected to the Internet,” Caraeff told me a few weeks back.

Of course, big media’s concerns about AirPlay are largely being rendered irrelevant by the fact that the iPad now also supports HDMI out via an adapter that’s sold separately. iPad owners using the adapter can watch any video they want on their TV — but for media companies, it may take some time to get comfortable with this kind of blurring of device boundaries.

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iOS 4.3 Available March 11, Brings New Features

Josh Asch — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 19:44:59 +0000

At the Apple event today, we heard details about the latest installment of iOS, version 4.3. The developer beta has been available for a while now, but the public release has now been announced, and Apple revealed a couple of tricks that even the beta hadn’t yet introduced.

Personal Hotspot

A new feature, for the iPhone 4 only, is Personal Hotspot, which was first introduced alongside the Verizon iPhone. This lets you turn your 3G connection into a Wi-Fi hotspot other devices can connect to. It’s a great feature that’s been available on Android devices for a while now, so it’s terrific that it’s come to the iPhone. Up to five devices can connect, but whether you’ll be charged extra to use it will depend on your carrier.

Home Sharing

Home Sharing, the feature of iTunes which allows you to stream iTunes content over your home Wi-Fi network, is coming to iOS. You’ll now be able to listen to music and watch movies that are on your computer over Wi-Fi, rather than having to sync content to your device first.

iPad Switch

When the iPad switch was changed from a rotation lock switch to a mute switch, a lot of people started to complain. Luckily, iOS 4.3 adds a preference that allows the user to change the function of the switch. You’ll be able to choose between functions for the switch, so everyone can have what they want.

AirPlay

AirPlay on iOS 4.3 will allow third-party apps to stream video as well as audio, which is good news for apps concerned with video content. It also allows websites to stream content. Photos are able to be streamed over AirPlay, and will support Apple TV’s built-in slideshow transitions.

Increased Safari Performance

iOS 4.3 also improves performance in Mobile Safari, particularly with JavaScript. The mobile operating system now uses the Nitro engine, which should make JavaScript perform a lot better and faster. This is the same engine used in Mac OS X.

iOS 4.3 will be available to the general public at the same time as the new iPad 2, on Mar. 11.

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More iOS 4.3 News: “Find My Friends,” New Device References

Charles Jade — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 18:00:33 +0000

Yesterday, we learned that iOS 4.3 will have new features including more multi-touch gestures, the ability to act as a Wi-Fi hotspot, and third-party support for AirPlay streaming. Today, more features continue to be revealed, and at least one previously removed option has been added back.

With the release of iOS 4.2, orientation locking became software-activated across iOS devices using the multitasking interface. The physical hardware switch on the side became a mute button, same as on the iPhone. Apparently, this resulted in a negative reaction strong enough to elicit a response from Steve Jobs, who said the change was permanent in an e-mail to one customer. Somewhat surprisingly then, under Settings in iOS 4.3 there’s now an option to use the slide switch to either mute sound or lock rotation. It’s nice to see Apple correct a mistake, especially after Steve Jobs declares it a feature.

From MacRumors, a new feature coming in iOS 4.3 is reported to be “Find My Friends.” Named similarly to “Find My iPhone,” “Find My Friends” is strongly reminiscent of a service like Google Latitude. That service shows the location of selected contacts on a map in proximity to the device owner. Unfortunately, “Find My Friends” appears to be linked to MobileMe (which isn’t yet free), which could severely limit its benefit, and that would be a big mistake. Hopefully, like “Find My iPhone,” Apple will ultimately open up this feature to everyone.

Finally, Engadget first reported that within the developer build of iOS 4.3 there are several new device identifiers: iPad2,1; iPad2,2; iPad2,3; iPhone4,1; and iPhone4,2. The first generation iPad is “iPad1,1″ and “iPhone 3,1″ refers to the iPhone 4, so the new numbers indicated next-generation devices. New models of iPads and iPhones are a given this year, and the best guess for these multiple identifiers would be Wi-Fi, GSM and CDMA versions of the same devices.

As interesting as these new features and devices are, the biggest change may not be in iOS 4.3 itself, but in how Apple approaches its mobile OS updates. Since iOS 4.1 we’ve seen major changes and feature additions, including AirPrint, AirPlay and Game Center; hardly what one expects in a point release. It appears Apple is moving away from seminal yearly releases and instead adding major features and improvements regularly. If so, Apple fans have Google to thank for increasing the competitive pressure in the handheld computing market.

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Will iPhone’s Personal Hotspot Make the 3G iPad Irrelevant?

Darrell Etherington — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 15:37:53 +0000

Verizon announced the iPhone’s ability to act as a personal hotspot Jan. 11, but yesterday’s release of the iOS 4.3 beta confirmed that the feature will eventually make its way out to all iPhones, minus legacy devices — carriers willing. With the hotspot enabled, you can share your data connection with multiple Wi-Fi devices, including the iPad, something which wasn’t possible through wired USB or Bluetooth tethering.

I realized immediately that not only do I no longer need a MiFi, as Kevin pointed out yesterday, but I no longer even need the 3G in my Wi-Fi + 3G iPad. I use the iPad’s cellular data connection sparingly as it is, and I’ve never run into a situation where I had my iPad but not my iPhone while on a trip or out and about. And not renewing my iPad data contract will save me at least $30 every month with my provider here in Canada.

Canadian providers don’t charge extra for tethering services, unlike in the U.S. But even when you are charged extra to enable personal hotspot features, which is a better proposition? An extra $30 for a shared connection that you can use with any device, including notebook computers or the iPod touch, or roughly the same amount of money for a whole other data plan locked to a single gadget?

AT&T may only be “evaluating” the feature at the moment, but eventually it’ll have to give in, just as it did with tethering, and I’m willing to bet it won’t take the company as long this time around. In fact, once Verizon announces its own pricing scheme for iPhone hotspots, or, failing that, once AT&T begins hemorrhaging customers and freeing up bandwidth on its data network, we’ll see the feature on both carriers.

Once personal hotspot capabilities make it out to all iPhones, the question quickly becomes: Why have a 3G-enabled iPad at all? Buying the Wi-Fi-only model will save you $130, which can be spent on the next model up in terms of storage capacity, while still saving $30.

Apple could still make the 3G iPad desirable to consumers by allowing it to act as a personal hotspot, but the iOS 4.3 beta shows no indication that Apple intends to go back on its current “no tethering policy” for the device. Even if the iPad were to gain hotspot abilities (which it might to keep feature parity with Android tablets), it still wouldn’t hold as much appeal as the iPhone, or any Android device with the same feature, since it’s far less portable and unlikely to be carried by most people during the course of a normal day.

My next iPad will be Wi-Fi only, provided Apple continues to offer a non-3G option in its next generation tablet. As Stacey foresaw more than a year ago, consumers will only need (and likely have budget for) one cellular network-connected device that can share to a variety of Wi-Fi hangers-on, and all indications point to that device being the iPhone for those operating in Apple’s mobile ecosystem, not the iPad.

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iOS 4.3: Better AirPlay, Hotspot Settings, iPad Gestures

Darrell Etherington — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 22:04:02 +0000

Apple finally allows third-party apps to broadcast video content to Apple TV 2 in the new iOS 4.3 beta released today. Also new in the beta is support for a variety of new multi-touch gestures for the iPad, and new settings for creating a Personal Hotspot, as we suggested it might include earlier.

The update represents major improvements to Apple’s mobile operating system. The new AirPlay support allows any third-party app to share video over-the-air with the new Apple TV. That means Hulu Plus, Netflix, and any other streaming video application could potentially beam content to your big screen TV. AirPlay is disabled by default in the new beta, but at least now developers have the option of turning it on.

iPad multi-touch gestures introduced in iOS 4.3 include the ability to pinch with four or five fingers to exit an app and return to the home screen, or to swipe up to reveal the multitasking bar. You can also swipe left or right to switch between your open apps. I’m surprised it took so long for these to appear. The iPad also gets a setting to let users choose whether to use the hardware switch to mute or rotation-lock the device.

Finally, iOS 4.3 does seem to offer Personal Hotspot capabilities, like those unveiled at Verizon’s press conference Tuesday for its version of the iPhone 4. These settings are definitely available for the iPhone, but it’s not yet clear whether they’ll also be available to 3G versions of the iPad, which can’t yet even share its connection via tethering. And even though the settings are there, that doesn’t mean every carrier will take advantage of them.

There’s also a new FaceTime icon (on iPod touch devices) that looks a little odd, and it looks like 4.3 won’t be available for the iPhone 3G or iPod touch 2nd generation.

Which new feature are you most excited about?

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