Apple Releases iOS 4.3 Beta for Devs

[Michael Essany]

On Wednesday, Apple seeded to developers the first beta of iOS 4.3 for the iPhone, iPod touch, iPad and Apple TV. As anticipated, iOS 4.3 beta for the Apple TV enables devs to tinker with AirPlay functionality with iOS apps on the Apple TV. In a nutshell, users will gain the ability to send video from apps - or websites - to the Apple TV.

In addition to the arrival of support for Personal Hotspot to GSM iPhones (as widely rumored), iOS 4.3 delivers a new FaceTime icon as well as full-screen iAds. Perhaps one of the more welcome changes is a new setting that gives users the ability to make their iPad switch either an orientation lock or a mute button.

The beta also serves up support for four and five finger gestures on the iPad. According to Apple’s developer page for iOS 4.3., “This beta release contains a preview of new Multi-Touch gestures for iPad. You can use four or five fingers to pinch to the Home Screen; swipe up to reveal the multitasking bar; and swipe left or right between apps. We are providing this preview before releasing them to the public to understand how these gestures work with your apps. Test them and give us your feedback on the Apple Developer Forums.”

Although it's clear just how many new attributes 4.3 boasts, it's just as glaringly obvious what's missing. Absent from the iOS 4.3 beta page are downloads for the apparently now-ancient iPhone 3G and iPod touch 2G. All signs now point to iOS 4.2.1 being the final release for Apple’s second-gen iOS devices.

Apple reportedly plans to publicly release iOS 4.3 in early March.

Apple Dev Page

[Dragonx151]

Lookin forward to the mobile hotspot feature...NOT! Hahaha MyWi all the way plus I don't really wanna pay to tether especially since I don't do it constantly

[Zokunei]

Hell yeah, fullscreen iAds!
Lol, the rest sounds pretty cool.

[whereswaldo]

Full screen iAds? That's worthy of being 5.0 alone, yay!

[fmlouder]

Wonder what baseband it has for iPhone 4 hopefully it's easy to hack...

[Dragonx151]

Also I bet the white iPhone 4 or maybe even i5 will come out with the release of 4.3, they say early march but knowing apple it might even b april before it hits

[staterunner180]

Wow, I didn't expect Apple to phase out 2nd gen devices until 5.0...

[ylerT]

I'm not sure if it's due to my host setup but our test phones have the same 3.10.00 baseband. The personal hotspot is on the 4.3 beta, however we are getting messages to call AT&T and activate the features.

[z6joker9]

Wow, I didn't expect Apple to phase out 2nd gen devices until 5.0...

With how slow they run (pretty much the same speed as 1G devices), it's a wonder they didn't phase them out with 4.0. Really it has to be because they were selling the 3G for $99 up until the release of 4.0.

[Dragonx151]

Looks like 4.3 could also b bring camera effects to the iPhone like: Thermal Camera, X-ray, Kaleidoscope, Normal, Tunnel of Light, Collapse, Turbine, Enlarge

[Simon]

Looking forward to hotspot.

[Rokesomesmeefer]

I'm not sure if it's due to my host setup but our test phones have the same 3.10.00 baseband. The personal hotspot is on the 4.3 beta, however we are getting messages to call AT&T and activate the features.

No surprise there...

[jdm.accord]

Wonder what baseband it has for iPhone 4 hopefully it's easy to hack...

lol keep dreaming. The Dev Team can't crack 4.1 or 4.2's baseband so why would 4.3 be easy? Nearly 7 months into the iP4 and we've gotten one unlock for it. I'm by no means knocking the Devs, just saying Apple has upped their game considerably.

[Maxhasadhd]

wow:/ im not paying to be a mobile hotspot.. just make it free alredy

[dq13]

we will see how good is 4.3, its tough to decide between new features or remain on 4.1 enjoying jailbreak!!

[TheSlimOne]

Agreed, 4.1 is good for me

[lilrican21]

hell no I hated iads now they are going to be in full screen!!! thank god I got adblock.

[Zokunei]

It's funny because people can just delete or change the permissions of the iAd.framework.

[II WIZZLE II]

Lookin forward to the mobile hotspot feature...NOT! Hahaha MyWi all the way plus I don't really wanna pay to tether especially since I don't do it constantly

Mywi isn't free.

[Zokunei]

Mywi isn't free.

Well it is the cost of one month's tethering payment from AT&T.