Apple Releases iOS 6 Beta 3 For Developers

hypnosec writes "Developers of iOS apps have been blessed with another update to iOS 6 around 21 days after an update of the iOS 5 successor was doled out and it contains quite a few new features. The 3rd update, dubbed iOS 6 Beta 3, can now be applied to the existing iOS on iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch and full downloads are available from Apple's developer portal. MacRumours notes that this update doesn't come with any change list and developers seeing the over the air update get the message that iOS 6 Beta 3 contains some 'bug fixes and improvement.' The latest build contains new options under the Settings application for Apple's latest Maps software. The beta allows developers to customize certain aspects like the volume of turn-by-turn navigation, and whether to measure distances in miles or kilometers, notes Apple Insider."

Comments

Still?

[Anonymous Coward]

So, does it have feature parity with Froyo yet? Froyo as in the version of Android released 2 years ago. Pathetic.

Re:Still?

[Anonymous Coward]

Yup. iOS outdid Froyo 2 years ago too.

Re:Still?

[Anonymous Coward]

Stop lying to yourself. Does iOS even multi-task for real yet? No? What a piece of shit.

Re:Still?

[SomePgmr]

Froyo? We'll tell you when Samsung and AT&T get around to releasing it. ;)

Re:Still?

[Anonymous Coward]

The top selling Samsung and At&t Android phones are multiple generations ahead of Froyo. The phone I'm using now which is a Samsung phone that you can get from At&t has jellybean which was just announced less than a month ago. Get with the times, grandpa.

Re:Still?

[the_B0fh]

No wonder you had to post as AC. Samsung have not released any JellyBean phones yet. Liar liar, phone on fire

(ok, ok, you had to microwave it first...)

Re:Still?

[Tough Love]

Jelly Bean is already available on multiple devices including Samsung models.

There, go ahead and try to spin that as a negative.

Re:Still?

[oakgrove]

Who do you think makes this? How did you get modded up?

Re:Still?

[Anonymous Coward]

I would say it's idiotic to start running CM10 nightlies at this point, but then it's also not a great idea to run the iOS6 beta either if you're looking for your phone to actually work reliably, so there you go.

Can both crowds just agree to disagree? Why don't you both start making fun of Windows Phone; you'll find some common ground there.

Re:Still?

[Tough Love]

Why don't you both start making fun of Windows Phone; you'll find some common ground there.

Both Windows Phone and iOS are good for light comic relief, what's your bias?

Re:Still?

[oakgrove]

I would say it's idiotic to start running CM10 nightlies at this point

Why is it idiotic? Just do a nandroid backup and flash CM10 whenever you feel like it. If it doesn't work out, reflash your backup and you're right back where you started. I don't see how that is somehow "idiotic".

Re:Still?

[h4rr4r]

My Galaxy Nexus disagrees.

Re:Still?

[MachDelta]

Android doesn't multitask apps "for real" either, just services. Which is fine because a phone wouldn't really work well with multiple tiny windows.

Re:Still?

[Anonymous Coward]

Android doesn't multitask apps "for real" either, just services.

Bullshit, stupid. You can make use of services to run threads in the background if you want but you don't have to. And unless the developer explicitely overrides the Android lifecycle methods like onPause(), onResume(), etc. your app will keep right on running in the background even if you bring something else up. Please actually know what you are talking about next time before you bring your ignorance.

Re:Still?

[Anonymous Coward]

Yes the very first iPhone multi-tasked. You could browse the web at the same time as playing music on your iPhone. What it doesn't allow is apps that you aren't using from drawing the battery.

Re:Still?

[shutdown -p now]

There is a difference between "app is not in the foreground" and "app is not performing some useful task".

Re:Still?

[Anonymous Coward]

I don't find draining my battery a useful task.

Re:Still?

[shutdown -p now]

If you can't think of any app that can do something useful in background other than draining battery, you have a seriously impaired imagination (and must have never used a real computer in your life). To give a specific example, my smartphone can torrent more videos in background while I'm watching one; can yours?

Re:Still?

[MachDelta]

Any process sent to the background has the kernel's sword of damocles hanging over it at all times - it can be killed instantly and without warning if android decides it needs the resources. That's not "for real" multitasking in my book. Android does a pretty good impression of multitasking, but it's not the same as a desktop OS. Its still my phone OS of choice, fwiw.

Re:Still?

[Anonymous Coward]

Yes it can download a movie from iTune while watching a different movie. But even better than that, I can download it on my computer while watching a movie on my phone so I don't waste the battery.

Re:Still?

[the_B0fh]

Cyanogen is half crippled on these phones without appropriate drivers for gps, camera etc. If that counts as "working" for you, great! More power to you!

Re:Still?

[the_B0fh]

I should have said *non-Nexus* Samsung phones. Oh well.

Wait! Did Samsung release the roms for this phone, or did Google...?! Heh :) I might still be safe! :)

Re:Still?

[Anonymous Coward]

Yes it can download a movie from iTune while watching a different movie.

He said torrent not iTunes.

But even better than that, I can download it on my computer while watching a movie on my phone so I don't waste the battery.

Any smartphone practically can play something downloaded on the computer. And when everything is all planned out that's great but life happens and sometimes I'm out and about away from my computer and I want to watch something specific. iTunes on my desktop isn't helping me there.

Re:Still?

[oakgrove]

Any process sent to the background has the kernel's sword of damocles hanging over it at all times - it can be killed instantly and without warning if android decides it needs the resources.

Well, the only real alternative to that is the entire device crashes with an OOM error. I think I would prefer the app itself to crash as at least that is going to happen either way.

Re:Still?

[jsdcnet]

Any smartphone practically can play something downloaded on the computer. And when everything is all planned out that's great but life happens and sometimes I'm out and about away from my computer and I want to watch something specific. iTunes on my desktop isn't helping me there.

You can download music, videos, apps from the iTunes store on the phone while out and about. You don't need to be connected to a computer. Remember the whole "PC Free" thing Apple was promoting last year? You don't really need to connect an iDevice to a desktop ever any more.

Re:Still?

[Antarell]

He said torrent not iTunes.

And the difference is? The phone is still acquiring new content in the background while playing existing content in the foreground. It's just using different apps/methods. I would hate to think what torrents would do to your battery with the amount of CPU/networking effort required vs iTunes which is simple HTTP.

Re:Still?

[shutdown -p now]

The obvious difference is that you can only download what is available on iTunes. Which is a far more limited selection compared to what's available elsewhere (and specifically via torrents).

It's the main problem with Apple's "PC free" vision - unfortunately, it's only that if you relegate yourself to Apple services exclusively. Everything else is subpar at best (like how you can't purchase books from the Kindle app), and not possible or not allowed at worst (like torrents).

Re:Still?

[TummyX]

iOS has always been a fully preemptive multitasking operating system. It's just whether the app has permission to run as such and Apple have some very stringent requirements to ensure a good user experience and acceptable battery life. There are no technical reasons why iOS should not be considered to not be a multitasking OS. For example, if your app plays music, it can continue to do everything whilst running in the background. Of course, if you do too much non music playback related stuff apple may not accept your app in the AppStore.

Re:Still?

[Anonymous Coward]

The obvious difference is that you can only download what is available on iTunes. Which is a far more Legal selection compared to what's available elsewhere (and specifically via torrents).

Fixed that for you.

Re:Still?

[shutdown -p now]

If you are so keen on legality, substitute "torrents" in all my comments above with the name of any alternative online video service that permits downloading videos legally - for example, Amazon Instant Video. The point still stands.

Re:Still?

[gutnor]

Is torrenting video the best example you can come up with ? That is like, a hood extractor in the kitchen is great to smoke without getting the pot smell all around the house.

Re:Still?

[shutdown -p now]

I have already replied to another guy who thinks that he can pick apart my argument by latching onto "illegality" of torrents instead of acknowledging the issue. I refuse to be sidetracked in that manner, so go ahead and replace all mentions of torrents in my post above with Amazon Instant Video, and try to address the actual points that it makes.

Re:Still?

[Anonymous Coward]

If you are so keen on legality, substitute "torrents" in all my comments above with the name of any alternative online video service that permits downloading videos legally - for example, Amazon Instant Video. The point still stands.

Except for selection.

Re:Still?

[Grudge2012]

So this discussion is actually about pirating movies, not about multitasking.

Re:Still?

[shutdown -p now]

Selection still applies, you just need to broaden the criteria - I have Amazon Prime subscription, which gives me (among other benefits, which I also rely on) access to a lot of content for free on AIV that I would have to pay for on iTunes. Why would I want to, effectively, purchase the same content twice just so that my device can download it in background?

Re:Still?

[Grudge2012]

Jelly Bean is already available on multiple devices including Samsung models.

There, go ahead and try to spin that as a negative.

Yeah, you have to buy a new phone to get jelly bean, that's why you complain about an upgrade to iOS.

Re:Still?

[Anonymous Coward]

No your argument is that iOS can't multi task this has be proven wrong.

Re:Still?

[Anonymous Coward]

Because it's not "free". You had you pay for an Amazon Prime subscription. Once you buy something on iTunes you own it forever.

Re:Still?

[shutdown -p now]

No, this discussion is about multitasking, with torrents as a specific example. There are many others, but apparently (judging by the fact that yours is a third reply trying to derail the discussion in exact same way), users of Apple devices just can't comprehend what multitasking is. I'm forced to conclude that there is some surgical procedure performed on the brain of those unfortunate who wander into Apple Stores before they are allowed to part with their money to ensure that they don't ever devise a usage scenario that runs into the feature limitations of iOS.

Getting back ontopic, substitute "torrents" with "Amazon Instant Video", and try to address the salient point of my post.

Re:Still?

[shutdown -p now]

My argument is that iOS can only multitask for a certain very limited set of scenarios, and cannot multitask outside of that set, even though there are many useful activities that require such multitasking.

(I'm not the AC who wrote the "piece of shit" comment that started the thread)

Re:Still?

[jasomill]

While I agree that iOS should extend support for "opt-in" background downloading, for a mobile device, in practice I still prefer the iOS status quo to the desktop alternative of "arbitrary programs running in the background draining battery and bandwidth". A consolidated, system-level "background download manager", while unlikely to address the torrent case, seems like a nice compromise.

Re:Still?

[Anonymous Coward]

No, this discussion is about multitasking.

Yeap and iOS multitasks.

Re:Still?

[shutdown -p now]

The proper way to handle this sort of thing is to allow arbitrary background tasks, but require that any such present a clear indication to the user. On Android, for example, this is done by requiring background activities to have associated notifications in the notification drawer. This way, you can quickly tell what might be running in background just by looking at the status bar on top - if there are any icons on the left, those are either notifications or background apps.

Win8 has a similar model, where it requires apps registering background services to also show a notification icon on the lock screen. It actually goes one step further than Android by making it subject to user approval - the app can try to add itself to the lock screen, but that pops the dialog where the user asks if he agrees. If he denies the request, the app cannot bug him anymore, and must make do with what it has. The user can also add and remove apps to the lock screen manually by going into its settings. The OS also restricts resource usage of background services by giving them a certain CPU time and network quota, to ensure that they don't run battery into the ground.

The problem with a "background download manager" is that it can only handle a narrow case - downloads - and even then only some specific protocols. It doesn't deal with numerous other cases where a background service is required. For example, it may be an app dealing with a server via some legacy protocol that requires polling over TCP.

Re:Still?

[Anonymous Coward]

And android can only multitask in the limited set of scenarios that someone has bothered to write a program for.

Re:Still?

[shutdown -p now]

Android the OS does not restrict the set of scenarios. And, in practice, software available for Android covers practically the same range as software available for PCs - in other words, all real applications. If I ever run into something that is not covered, I can write it myself, or pay someone else to do it for me. With an iOS, your only option is put it aside and use a different device. Or to convince yourself that you don't really need all that, aka "you're holding it wrong" argument.

Re:Still?

[Anonymous Coward]

While I agree that iOS should extend support for "opt-in" background downloading,

Already there.

Re:Still?

[Anonymous Coward]

There's nothing wrong with being able to use CM on most devices.

What we're complaining about is the dogshit state of actual device support when compared to the iPhones. Android devices (platform reference device excluded) can come with current or already-outdated versions of Android when they're sold. Then you consider yourself lucky if you ever see an update for the device. And if you do, it'll still have crapware on it and come after they've released the next version, leaving you one or two behind.

Device support is one way that Apple has the Android devices beat, hands-down. Between the carriers and Samsung you could grow old and die waiting for any updates. Your only alternative is, if you can, to install a community rom and hope for the best.

Re:Still?

[Dragonslicer]

Any process sent to the background has the kernel's sword of damocles hanging over it at all times - it can be killed instantly and without warning if android decides it needs the resources. That's not "for real" multitasking in my book.

I learned recently that the Linux kernel does this, too. If it's pretty much completely out of memory, it will kill a process to get some memory back. As noted above, the alternative is for the kernel to just crash.

Re:Still?

[MachDelta]

Desktops have the option of swapping out programs before they hit that point though. A phone has limited memory and no swap, so Android is hyper-aggressive about crushing apps (particularly ones that see infrequent use) that are waiting in the background once you start doing other things. My personal litmus test for multitasking is that, on a desktop, I can generally set aside a program and be confident that it will keep churning along indefinitely. On my phone, anything sent to the background for even a minute will probably be punted while i'm looking something else up. It's most noticeable with browsers. Since they tend to be memory hungry they're often the first thing sobbing in the corner after Android has had it's say, and when you return to it you notice the page reloading rather than simply popping up from memory. Fortunately, most apps fall into two categories, one being "it doesn't need to do anything unless you're actually doing something with it" (apps) and the other being "it needs to maybe do something small all the time" (services). I don't personally know anyone who compiles code on their phone, or some other intensive background process. That type of thing would almost surely be nuked the second you glanced away from it. So maybe "multitasking lite" is a better description for Android.

Re:Still?

[Dragonslicer]

Desktops have the option of swapping out programs before they hit that point though.

Swap space is not unlimited. When I said out of memory, I meant swap space as well.

Re:Still?

[Anonymous Coward]

There are no technical reasons why iOS should not be considered to not be a multitasking OS.

Yes. For the exact same reason why there are no technical reasons Mac OS X should not be considered UNIX.

Except, ya know, for the fact that it doesn't run any actual UNIX software and is useless for the things that make UNIX great.

And, yes, I'm aware that Apple bribed the Open Group to name an old version of OS X "Unix," but much like Apple bribed EPEAT to call their unrecycleable shit "green," I don't really care what a meaningless organization says. Technically, OS X is "Unix" and Linux is not.

In practical use, OS X is useless except for GUI apps, and iOS is a useless toy OS.

Re:Still?

[Anonymous Coward]

It's clear you know nothing about how multitasking works. Idiots like you probably even think smartphones use virtual ram.

Re:Still?

[Grudge2012]

No, this discussion is about multitasking, with torrents as a specific example. There are many others, but apparently (judging by the fact that yours is a third reply trying to derail the discussion in exact same way), users of Apple devices just can't comprehend what multitasking is.

Maybe it is because you tried to detract from the fact that the iPhone can multitask by bringing up torrents? Nah, that can't be it.

Re:Still?

[gutnor]

You are weakening your own argument - what did you really expect ? You could have waited 5 min and found one of the countless examples of multithreading being unambiguously useful.

Re:Still?

[shutdown -p now]

Torrents are unambiguously useful, and a real and common use case. Their legality is completely orthogonal to the question at hand.

Re:Still?

[shutdown -p now]

I was never trying to argue that iPhone cannot multitask. It obviously can, since the very first version (as you could always play music in background). The problem with it is rather that its multitasking is severely limited for third-party apps, to the point that it precludes many useful scenarios that other platforms allow.

Re:Still?

[Anonymous Coward]

a) Onskreen
b) Overskreen
Multitasking on Android is like iOS squared, because shit just got REAL.

Re:Still?

[murphtall]

So playing music in one app while racing cars or flinging birds in another is not multitasking? Using the phone app while surfing the web is not multitasking either? I guess you are correct, i thought those were multitasking examples and I guess therefore I don't know what multitasking is.

Re:Still?

[murphtall]

iOS can multitask Outside of those examples. The simple fact is that it does not. Which is distinct from declaring it can not.

Re:Still?

[wealthychef]

So BSD isn't a "real unix" to you?

iTouch?

[Anonymous Coward]

There's no such Apple product as an iTouch. That's what your creepy uncle did to you as a child. Someone must be thinking of the iPod Touch.

Re:iTouch?

[Anonymous Coward]

It's FAR too common as slang for my taste, but that's what an iPod touch is called to the masses.

frosty peeee aye nigga

[Anonymous Coward]

u kno wut time it is duke

Oh lord

[Moheeheeko]

"Blessed" with an update?

They really do think Apple is God.......

Re:Oh lord

[Anonymous Coward]

They really do think Apple is God.......

A common misconception among the Apple-rati. Me, I picked my iPad up this morning after not having touched it for several weeks and was struck by how much smoother Jellybean on my Galaxy Nexus and Xoom are compared to iOS 4 on the Apple device. Maybe iOS 5 and 6 are better but Google has really stomped iOS with the latest Android iteration. About time too. Can't wait to add the new Nexus 7 to my stable. Called Sam's Club this morning and they were completely sold out everywhere in the city. Oh well.

Re:Oh lord

[Anonymous Coward]

why don't u upgrade ur ipad then dumbass? see unlike android piece of shit craplets you can actually upgrade the os an ipad!

Re:Oh lord

[cultiv8]

They really do think Apple is God.......

Simmer down now, I saw Apple rise from the dead, although Steve Jobs was there saying, "I"m not quite dead yet" the entire time. Maybe that's what Jesus was saying the entire time he was in his tomb. I digress.

Re:Oh lord

[oztiks]

What's even more surprising is the FPU work being done with custom compiles of Android code, If they get a Gentoo style Android solution cranking and reinvent the old adage of creating efficient code under the handheld industry it's future is looking quite bright.

I'm already expecting this to be marked troll because I haven't said anything nice about Apple. I haven't said anything bad either, I've just inferred that Android is better and done so without being AC, so go on mark me down ... I LIKE IT!!!

Re:Oh lord

[Anonymous Coward]

Because compared to my Xoom with Jellybean, the iPad is a boring functionless piece of shit. That's why I don't bother to take the 30 minutes to update it.

Re:Oh lord

[Anonymous Coward]

They really do think Apple is God.......

When someone asks if you're a god, say YES

Re:Oh lord

[the_B0fh]

Apparently Android users liked the M part of BDSM.

Then again, they do continue to let Samsung/HTC/non-Google manufacturers screw them over...

Re:Oh lord

[cpu6502]

I figured the word "blessed" was sarcasm, because now ap developers have to go back and tune their code. Again. After only 21 days.

Re:Oh lord

[Anonymous Coward]

Getting Android updates is easy. It's called get a device with the word Nexus in the name. This has been discussed ad nauseum but trolls like you just keep forgetting it for some reason. Educate yourself, fool.

Re:Oh lord

[busyqth]

I'm right with you, brother!
It's about time someone recognized that we need a self-compiled version of Android for efficiency.
When you go to sleep, you just plug in your phone, skate over to the build app, and tap "rebuild" - all the newest code is automatically downloaded, compiled, and installed so that the OS is always up to date and optimized for your particular system.
If Google would only do this, Apple would be totally left in the dust and be a distant memory. No one would want to buy an iPhone if they could compile their own Android kernels and userland every night.

Re:Oh lord

[spire3661]

Thats great, too bad it took this long to get a good android experience. P.S. My Nexus 7 gets delivered tomorrow.

Re:Oh lord

[Tough Love]

I'm already expecting this to be marked troll because I haven't said anything nice about Apple.

They tried. Ever talked to a Scientologist?

Re:Oh lord

[Anonymous Coward]

too bad it took this long to get a good android experience

What difference does it make? The fact is that you can get an Android device both phone and tablet that is fantastic with Jellybean. Step into the now and stop living in the past.

Re:Oh lord

[oztiks]

Heh, i just realised BDSM is a palindrome from MSDB :) I wonder if that was on purpose LOL

Re:Oh lord

[dwightk]

where by "they" you mean some random author from some random site called parity news

Re:Oh lord

[spire3661]

Tell that to all the Android device owners left out in the cold with regards to Jelly Bean. (yes i know ipad 1 is dropped from ios6) You cant just wave your arms and say 'but but its good NOW'. Every platform carries the weight of its past. I would like to point out i didnt think iOS was up to par until iOS 5 either.

Re:Oh lord

[Anonymous Coward]

Tell that to all the Android device owners left out in the cold

There are only 4 "Android" devices at this point and none of them are being left out in the cold. If you have a phone that purports to be Android and isn't getting updated within a reasonable couple of years of ownership then maybe it isn't really Android in the first place. Maybe you should call it Touchwiz-droid or MotoBlur-droid or Sense-droid. But blaming the platform for what the OEM's do when you can quite easily avoid the whole issue by purchasing a real Android is just ludicrous. Frankly you sound like a fucking entitled crybaby.

Re:Oh lord

[Anonymous Coward]

My Nexus One stopped getting updates after 18 months.

Now, look, I understand they didn't want to hobble ICS just to cater to whatever graphics chip they managed to hastily source back when they started the Nexus project in 2009, but still. Upgrades are not as reliable. Frankly, they're not super reliable on iOS, either; old phones will get nominally upgraded but with features missing. The whole smartphone software stack industry is disappointingly immature.

Re:Oh lord

[Anonymous Coward]

My Nexus One stopped getting updates after 18 months.

The Nexus One got two major operating system updates to Froyo and then to Gingerbread so I wouldn't complain too much. Fortunately the One had an unlockable bootloader so loading ICS isn't too hard.

Re:Oh lord

[Anonymous Coward]

Heh, i just realised BDSM is a palindrome from MSDB :) I wonder if that was on purpose LOL

The msdb database is used by SQL Server Agent for scheduling alerts and jobs. You probably meant MSDN

Re:Oh lord

[the_B0fh]

Apparently you don't know how to read. Check out that "non-Google manufacturers" part.

Re:Oh lord

[Anonymous Coward]

don't forget how the last supported iOS update for an iDevice slows the thing down to an unusable mess, so you're prompted to buy the new one. happened to my iPhone 3G and my iPad 1.

apple: not even once.

Re:Oh lord

[oztiks]

Either way, the joke was supposed to infer that anything Microsoft related was akin to BDSM.

Re:Oh lord

[Anonymous Coward]

I missed it because what kind of idiot would intentionally gimp their choices to not get the best devices? Dumbass.

Re:Oh lord

[the_B0fh]

Well, it's the idiots that give you the "Android is so big" range. Without them, how many percent of the market does Nexus own again?

Re:Oh lord

[Anonymous Coward]

Funny how that iPad piece of shit shits its pants because it crashes so often, huh, dookie?

Re:Oh lord

[Gumbercules!!]

Far better to let Apple screw you over, instead, hey? A much better idea to pay a premium for yesterday's technology - after all, all those lawyers protecting Apple's rectangle aren't cheap to pay for, you know.

Guy at work sitting less than 2m away from. iPhone 3GS. Can he get iOS6? No, he can't.

Anyway, iOS6 is essentially iOS1 + a few features stolen from Android Cupcake, so of course you can run it on old hardware. The iPhone 1 and the iPhone 4S are fundamentally the same hardware with the same software, so of course you can use the latest iteration of the 5 year old OS. It basically hasn't changed since initial release. Now compare JellyBean to Android 1.0 and let's see how much innovation has occurred on this side of the fence.

Re:Oh lord

[oztiks]

Hey don't you DARE classify me as an Apple Fanboi. Look at my post history WE ARE ON SAME SIDE!!! now holster you're side arm.

Re:Oh lord

[Dog-Cow]

Well, since Android started at about 5 or 6 years behind iOS, it had to change a lot in order to catch up.

Re:Oh lord

[Dog-Cow]

Wow. You live in a fantasy world. Who tunes their code for iterations of a beta?

Re:Oh lord

[mattack2]

Wait, aren't there Android phones/tablets being sold NOW with an out of date Android OS with no intention of being able to upgrade to the current Android OS?

I sure see mention on the CNET tech reviews (that my Tivo downloads) that so-and-so phone isn't running the latest Android OS and they have no info that you'll be able to upgrade it to the current one.

I actually agree with you about obsoleting hardware too early, but it seems to me that it's worse on Android, if you can buy current hardware that's not even running the latest OS, and has no guaranteed timetable when it will.

Re:Oh lord

[jbolden]

up to 16x the storage space
4x the RAM
single core to dual core, each processor over twice as fast and more efficient
custom video hardware added
2x the screen resolution in both directions.

How exactly is that the same hardware?

Oh NO!!!!

[Anonymous Coward]

Great...
" and whether to measure distances in miles or kilometers"

Now Apple's patented the metric system... buy maps while you can!!!

Re:Oh NO!!!!

[Anonymous Coward]

This is contrary to the current setting of.. not having a setting.. If you happen to map a route within the US, you get miles. Canada or elsewhere, kilometers. I can think in terms of both, but not everyone can.. It's a little thing, but damn it'll be nice.

omg news for nerds!

[Anonymous Coward]

Thanks slashdot for this breaking story about a new BETA release of iOS. I can't imagine what anyone would do without this breaking story about BETA software that applies to nearly nobody. I can't imagine what the serious iOS developers would do without slashdot's story of a new BETA release for testing.

Please post more iPhone 6s LTE HD+ Mini rumors while you're at it because slashdot just doesn't post enough fluff stories.

Re:omg news for nerds!

[Grudge2012]

Thanks slashdot for this breaking story about a new BETA release of iOS.

Following a breaking story about a new BETA of the Linux kernel. Well, minus Linus complaining it's too big.

I'm an Apple fanboy...

[Anubis IV]

...and even I don't care about this. Let me know when a release date for iOS 6 is announced. Until then, let's hear some real news for nerds.

Re:I'm an Apple fanboy...

[MobileTatsu-NJG]

I'm inclined to agree. I mean even the summary says:

MacRumours notes that this update doesn't come with any change list and developers seeing the over the air update get the message that iOS 6 Beta 3 contains some "bug fixes and improvement".

Non-story.

Re:I'm an Apple fanboy...

[Anonymous Coward]

Right, because none of the "nerds" who read Slashdot are developers who happen to make a living from the platform. Are you serious with this horse shit or are you just trolling?

Re:I'm an Apple fanboy...

[Anubis IV]

Announcing a new beta with no new announced features is non-news. Unless the submitter can add something to the story, there's no point in mentioning it here instead of simply allowing the developers to notice that an update is available. Not to mention the fact that coverage of insignificant Apple happenings like this are spotty here (hence my annoyance at this one), meaning that any professional who relies on Slashdot for news of a new beta is a fool.

Re:I'm an Apple fanboy...

[Truedat]

Well have we seen release dates/pricing for Microsoft Surface or Office 2013? I love getting the inside track on up and coming tech - and besides if you don't think it's newsworthy then just don't then click on the story.

Re:I'm an Apple fanboy...

[Paradise Pete]

Right, because none of the "nerds" who read Slashdot are developers who happen to make a living from the platform.

Apple sends them an email. I got my notice last night, but it didn't even cross my mind that it was "slashdot-worthy."

(cue the humorous posts about that last phrase.)

Re:I'm an Apple fanboy...

[Anubis IV]

There's a big difference between a major product announcement and an "announcement" that the integer following "beta" has been incremented by one. If they had announced new features, or even specified new features that were implemented in this particular build or listed out the bugs that had been fixed, I would have let it go, since it would have given people an idea of how much further than had to go before iOS 6 would be ready. Instead, they specifically announced that there was no announcement regarding changes. That's the definition of non-news, and it serves no purpose other than letting us know that an arbitrary milestone has been reached.

Re:I'm an Apple fanboy...

[Truedat]

You may have a point. Regarding MS though, I think that was a cynical and highly artificial milestone with no product to back it up. But probably more newsworthy.

Miles or Kilometers?

[Sponge Bath]

When will the rest of the world catch up to the awesomeness of imperial units?

Re:Miles or Kilometers?

[busyqth]

Kilometers suck because 100 Km/h is too slow to be such a nice round number.

Re:Miles or Kilometers?

[Anonymous Coward]

40 rods to the hogshead, etc.

Re:Miles or Kilometers?

[Anonymous Coward]

That's just about 0.85 meters per liter.
40 is a more convenient number than 0.85.
Q.E.D.

Re:Miles or Kilometers?

[pegasustonans]

Kilometers suck because 100 Km/h is too slow to be such a nice round number.

Problem solved, just go 100 Km per minute. Elon Musk should be able to help you.

Re:Miles or Kilometers?

[Anonymous Coward]

Ah, but 100 meters per second is wunderbar.

Re:Miles or Kilometers?

[R3d M3rcury]

Just out of curiosity, is it smart enough to figure out that--at least by default--I want metric units if I'm in Europe and Imperial units if I'm in Liberia?

Re:Miles or Kilometers?

[Anonymous Coward]

Yes, unlike Android.

Re:Miles or Kilometers?

[ChunderDownunder]

Around the time yanks learn to spell 'metre'.

meter = A thing to put coins in when parking a car.
metre = A measurement of length.

Re:Miles or Kilometers?

[Anonymous Coward]

Metre is french and meter is the german word (both for the metric unit for length).
What is called "meter" in english is a "parking clock" in german. Btw, do they still exist?

Just some irrelevant input ....

Re:Miles or Kilometers?

[Builder]

Where in Europe ? The UK still uses imperial...

Adjustable volume

[amRadioHed]

Nice, adjustable volume for the turn-by-turn navigation. Maybe eventually Android will get this feature and catch up with current iOS and also Android from a year ago, before Google in their infinite wisdom removed the option.

Re:Adjustable volume

[Anonymous Coward]

protip: someone has a pattent for that. both adding it and removing it. go figure

Re:Adjustable volume

[Anonymous Coward]

Many apps could benefit from a custom (slider) volume. For example, just because I want high volume on a phone call doesn't mean I want high volume on I-radio.

Re:Adjustable volume

[amRadioHed]

Yup, and Google is going in the exact wrong direction on this. First tying navigation volume to music volume, then tying notifications to the ringer volume. I love my Android phone, but some of these decisions are just stupid.

Re:Adjustable volume

[Tough Love]

Tim Cook will soon follow up Apple's groundbreaking Retina display[tm] innovation with Eustachian Tube[tm] speakers.

Use Waze

[Picass0]

Waze is the best turn by turn GPS for either Andriod or iOS. Supports real time traffic conditions submitted by other waze users (police visible, traffic jams, construction and road hazzards, etc...)

Free app. It's worth installing.

Rapid Release Hell

[Anonymous Coward]

Wonderful... Apple has drunk the Rapid Release Kool-Aid. Hey Apple, take a look at how Mozilla and their flagship application Firefox turned out when they started Rapid Releasing things.

*gets off soapbox*

Re:Rapid Release Hell

[Anonymous Coward]

This is a beta; Apple is continuing the yearly iOS updates. Could you at least try to pretend to have a point?

Fix Siri

[Picass0]

By many accounts, including Woz himself, Siri is giving poorer quality answers as Apple dials back the processing time allowed on it's servers for individual queries.

Apple has invested a great deal of their clout in the Siri app. Siri could easily become the poster child for buggy portable apps if Apple lets this slide.

Re:Fix Siri

[Anonymous Coward]

I've used Siri. And Siri ain't no Google Now.

quick button for onboard mic vs BT mic.

[spire3661]

The best thing they added to Siri is a little button next to her button that allows you to force Siri to use the phone mic instead of whatever is on the other end of the BT connection.

supporting apple = supporting shady patents

[StripedCow]

How can developers who are active on apple's platforms even look at themselves in the mirror anymore?
Come on guys, show some balls, and stop supporting this greedy lawfirm.

Re:supporting apple = supporting shady patents

[Anonymous Coward]

Yes, developers should fall in behind Google instead. It's totally not building a patent arsenal, that's just unfounded speculation....

Face it, corporations are scum. Microsoft is scum, Apple is scum, and Google is doing the world no favors.

Re:supporting apple = supporting shady patents

[scot4875]

There's a big difference between building a patent arsenal -- which is what every tech company has been doing for decades now -- and unleashing your 'patent' arsenal in an offensive assault in an effort to keep competitors out of the market. It's especially egregious in Apple's case, as they have practically zero R&D to speak of.

--Jeremy

Re:supporting apple = supporting shady patents

[Anonymous Coward]

It's especially egregious in Apple's case, as they have practically zero R&D to speak of.

Facts say other wise.

Research and Development Expense (“R&D”)
R&D expense increased $260 million or 45% to $841 million during the second quarter of 2012 compared to the same period of 2011 and increased $443 million or 38% to $1.6 billion during the first six months of 2012 compared to the same period in 2011. These increases were due primarily to an increase in headcount and related expenses to support expanded R&D activities.

Re:supporting apple = supporting shady patents

[tlhIngan]

How can developers who are active on apple's platforms even look at themselves in the mirror anymore?
Come on guys, show some balls, and stop supporting this greedy lawfirm.

Easy, iOS still makes lots of money. To make money on Android (yes, it's possible) means having to put in a bunch of ads in your app, which then gets the Android community in a tizzy because now you need "Full internet connectivity," "Phone State," and "Contact List" access in order to support your ad platform.

Or you could, I guess, starve.

If Google really wanted to kill iOS (and they probably won't, since AdMob still produces a lot of money for them on iOS), all they really have to do is increase ad rate payouts and such on Android so developers make much more money on Android. Or find ways to get people into the play store and buying lots of apps so developers can rake in money.

Re:supporting apple = supporting shady patents

[Anonymous Coward]

Or get people with money who want good apps to buy Android. Most Android users are losers who live in their mom's basement and have no money; or people who just needed a phone and the carrier gave them a low end POS Android.

Either way, they aren't people that will pay money for apps.

Re:supporting apple = supporting shady patents

[Anonymous Coward]

if u want more android apps write them urself, its open source(tm) after all!

Re:supporting apple = supporting shady patents

[Anonymous Coward]

In my experience Puerto Ricans and Mexicans use Android while Whites and Asians use Apple.

Re:supporting apple = supporting shady patents

[Dog-Cow]

Like it or not, that's what patents are for. Keeping others out of a market. Licensing is nice, but that's not the point of patents.

So basically, you're an idiot and wrong.

Re:supporting apple = supporting shady patents

[Anonymous Coward]

"Keeping others out of a market."

How (since the article is about Apple) is Apple using patents to "keep others out of a market".

Apple has never once said that other manufacturers shouldn't sell phones. Or Music players. Or computers. What they have said (and what patents are for) is "Don't copy our stuff".

Now you can argue the merits of that, obviousness and all of that too. But amazingly, what self proclaimed patent haters don't like to admit, there is a way to invalidate patents through prior art.

It's not like Samsung, Google, or Motorola (let alone lots of others) don't have the resources or will to invalidate a patent that might be bogus.

But to summarily dismiss all patents as bad is niave, ignorant and dangerous. Patents were one of the few things that were woven into the original constitution of the US - the founding fathers saw the value in fostering and protecting innovation.

Do I think it's perfect? Nope. Do I think there would be FAR more harm than good if patents were entirely thrown out? Hell yes! The truth, as in most things, is somewhere in the middle. The correct attitude is to get involved and make the concept better - not just punt and throw it out or snype from the sidelines.

Waze, bitches!

[Wraithlyn]

OMG I just installed this yesterday, cannot believe something this amazing is free.

I mean, virtually all other options with turn-by-turn voice navigation have either a $50 price tag (TomTom, Navigon, Magellan), or a recurring subscription price (TeleNav Scout, MotionX, GoKivo, etc).

Add to that the awesomeness of crowd-sourced realtime updates, and solidly implemented features like automatic route recalculation, and Waze is a real winner. And it's FREE! TomTom and Garmin must be shitting bricks right about now.

Re:Waze, bitches!

[agentgonzo]

I mean, virtually all other options with turn-by-turn voice navigation have either a $50 price tag (TomTom, Navigon, Magellan), or a recurring subscription price (TeleNav Scout, MotionX, GoKivo, etc).

You've obviously never owned an android mobile.

Re:Waze, bitches!

[tehcyder]

You appear to have inadvertently posted your advertisment on the main slashdot site rather than directing your letter to the commercial department.

Yes there are release notes

[mhocker]

... you just have to be a developer under NDA to read them. There are lots of changes and improvements but it's still beta software.

Whacky

[tehcyder]

From TFS: "The 3rd update, dubbed iOS 6 Beta 3"

You don't have to be crazy to work at Apple - but it helps!