Apple Makes The iPhone Even More Useful

There's no doubt that Apple's iPhone 3G is the most flexible smartphone in the market today, both for consumers and software developers. Today, Apple announced new improvements in its software architecture – let's call it iPhone 3.0 – and iPhone users everywhere will be thrilled to know they can finally copy and paste on the darned thing.

Apple today unveiled the iPhone's new capabilities, which makes it much easier for software developers to create useful applications. There have been thousands of applications developed for the iPhone in the past nine months, all of which are available for purchase on its popular App Store. And as we know, these applications are basically the iPhone's lifeblood – Apple's OS makes it very easy for programmers to build and sell their creations.

These are among the more notable improvements that came with iPhone 3.0:

• Improvements in the software, making it easier for programmers to develop applications. A software developer kit is currently in the works. Yes, I know I am oversimplifying here.
• Tethering is coming soon.
• MMS.
• Copy-pasting now enabled. (About time!)
• Push notification.
• Stereo Bluetooth capability. Wooohooo!
• Writing e-mails can now be done on landscape mode (which makes the touchscreen keyboard a bit larger).
• Peer-to-peer networking, which will make it easier for iPhone users to interact with each other. Bands using the iPhone's musical apps may be just around the corner. Also... Bonjour-enabled gaming :)

For some reason, Apple still did not announce any support for video, but with its improved software architecture, it may now be possible to create programs for video playback and recording. We'll just have to wait and see.

From what we're seeing so far, iPhone 3.0 is a bunch of somewhat right-on-time improvements. Apple's rivals Palm, Microsoft, and Blackberry are basically scrambling to keep up with the iPhone, even announcing their own App Stores and retail chains. After a largely successful release last year, iPhone sales had started to decline, and perhaps these new developments will help keep Apple's standing in the smartphone market in place until the next big development. But for me (as usual... it's always different for me) what's getting me high are the new possibilities the iPhone 3G has opened up for medical professionals. I am going to enjoy watching Apple's competitors play catch up in this area.

There's likely to be more from Apple in the coming days. Stay tuned.

Related link: Macworld LIVE blog update at the Apple iPhone 3.0 software preview event.