iOS 5 Available Now – Gives Your iPhone 4 More

It’s here folks! Apple has released possibly the biggest iOS update thus far – iOS 5! Not only is this preparing for the release of the iPhone 4S this update will make your iPhone 4 feel brand new.

If you’re umming and ahing of whether the iPhone 4S is worth splashing out for when you have a perfectly lovely iPhone 4 in your pocket you may want to update to iOS 5 first.

Granted, the iPhone 4 isn’t going to get that Siri virtual assistant everyone’s chatting about (and to, probably), and you’ll have to remain using that non-upgraded camera and familiar processor but what you will get is some other tasty bits.

Your refreshed iPhone 4 will get the new iMessage app – a new free instant messaging service that works over 3G and Wi-Fi.

You’ll also get improved notifications, Reminders, and more. Altogether, Apple says there are over 200 new features in iOS 5!

iOS 5 is compatible with the iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS and both iPads as well as the 3rd and 4th Gen iPod Touch.

I’m still toying with iOS 5 on my iPhone 4 but the whole thing is akin to me getting a new iPhone! I kid you not.

I’m digging the tasteful new notifications system. Instead of those brash pop-up boxes that plaster themselves across your screen when you’re in the middle of something you are now politely sent a note that appears at the top of the screen. They are gathered together in a neat tray that you can swipe down to access. Anyone that has used an Android phone will be familiar this already.

The new iMessage app is a direct face-off with RIM’s popular BlackBerry Messenger. Well, it was popular when it was working anyhow 😉 Apple’s new app lets you chat to one person or a group, send pictures and videos, or a map of where you are. The beauty is that you wont get charged for texts as the messages go over the data network.

Geotagged reminders are genius! Have a habit of forgetting the essentials at the supermarket? Just set yourself a reminder to ping off when you’re in the supermarket car park telling you to get milk, bread, cheese, toilet roll and what not 🙂 Perhaps you tend to get to the tube station before you remember to check for your Oyster Card – set a reminded to check your pockets when you’re leaving home. You get the idea.

Just because you haven’t upgraded to the new 8MP camera on the iPhone 4S doesn’t mean that the iPhone 4’s camera has been ignored. You can now get to the Camera app by double-clicking on the home button, even from the iPhone’s standby mode. There’s also new editing features that allow you to touch up photos easily, including cropping and red-eye removal. No more relying on third-party apps – well, unless you want to.

To get your iPhone 4 v2 first upgrade to iTunes 10.5 which slipped out yesterday and then do the usual iOS update thang.

The great news is that this could be the last time you ever have to plug your iThingy into your computer – future updates will be over-the-air. This means that your Apple device will get refreshed automagically without the need for leads 🙂 Just go into iTunes Summary page and tick the Synch with this iPhone over Wi-fi and apply. Genius! 😛

There’s plenty more but it’s probably more fun if you get the update and play around yourselves.

Let me know the cool stuff that you find 🙂