Apple released the new iPhone, iPhone 4, in June to a nation full of anxiously awaiting iPhone enthusiasts. Right around this time, Apple also released its online download to update the iPhone operating system, iOS 4. Crowds of people with high hopes of getting one of the new iPhones lined up outside Apple Stores around the country. But even those who were not fortunate enough to get their hands on a new iPhone, but already have an older generation iPhone, can enjoy many of the same benefits by updating their iPhone operating system.
In many ways, the iPhone 4 is in a league of its own when compared to older generations of iPhones. It has a totally new design that simply looks more pleasing to the eye than previous generations. It has videophone capacity, enabled by a lens positioned on the face of the phone. It has a 5-megapixel camera and a better video recorder. And it has the retina display, which provides users with a whole new level of clarity when viewing the Web.
All of these improvements aside, however, there are many things that iOS 4 provides to iPhone owners that can help them enjoy some of the new iPhone features without upgrading to an iPhone 4. In other words, even people with an iPhone 3G or iPhone 3GS can enjoy much of what people have been raving about. To those who have been unable to upgrade their iPhone itself, this news should be refreshing. That’s not to say that updating the operating system fully takes the place of switching to an iPhone 4, but rather that making the update will provide owners of older iPhones with some substantial benefits.
To begin with, many of the updates that iOS 4 provides are limited to only the more recent generations of iPhones and iPod Touches. Those with iPhone 3GS can enjoy everything that iOS 4 has to offer. Those with an iPhone 3G, on the other hand, are somewhat more limited. The biggest limitation for those with an iPhone 3G is that the multitasking update is not available to them. Multitasking is perhaps the most talked about update that iOS 4 provides, and it only works on iPhone 3GS and newer. Additionally, iPhone 3G does not support the iOS 4 update that provides wallpaper.
These two limitations aside, much of what iOS 4 provides is available to both iPhone 3GS and iPhone 3G owners. To begin with, iOS 4 provides an improvement for email inboxes that works with every iPhone and allows users to manage more than one mailbox at a time. Additionally, iOS 4 provides all iPhone owners with an update that allows them to get Folders that make it simpler for them to manage and organize the data stored on their iPhone. Moreover, iOS 4 provides all iPhones with an integrated spellchecker. Lastly, iOS 4 provides all iPhone users with an update to their Spotlight Search feature.
In summary, the iPhone 4 is still a must-have device for technology fans. But, for those who for whatever reason cannot get a new phone at this time, iOS 4 provides a good means to update their existing iPhone.
