(Product) Red iPhone & Firmware 2.1 Imminent

Author	Gordon Kelly
Published	27th Jul 2008

(Product) Red iPhone & Firmware 2.1 Imminent

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The iPhone 3G may have just launched (and is already causing a storm on our comments section) but rumours of upgrades and new editions are rife around the web.

First and most simply is chitter chatty that a (Product) RED edition of the handset is due to be released in the US within the next couple of months. According to MacBlogz, the info comes from an 'insider' at Apple (it always does, doesn't it?) and given the company already sells (Product) Red editions of the iPod nano and shuffle this isn't the greatest leap in the world is it?

For the uninitiated, the pretentiously formatted (Product) RED brand was founded by equally pretentious U2 front man Bono in his honourable attempt to raise money for the Global Fund to fight HIV/AIDS in Africa. All products with the branding contribute a proportion of their RRP to the cause.

Second up, Apple is also said to have seeded firmware 2.1 with developers as it looks to quickly address the many bugs and performance issues reported in 2.0. Most interestingly, beyond the fixing and patching, are said to be enhancements to the currently limited A-GPS system which will enable it to detect direction and speed - two vital components in paving the way for turn-by-turn navigation. A beta version of Apple's push notification system is also said to be in there which will send users updates about applications not usually allowed to run in the background of the handset.

A word of warning: if testing doesn't go smoothly these features aren't likely to make the final version of the firmware, but it does suggest we will be seeing them at some point in the near future.

Whatever next? Cut AND Paste...?

Update: There is also some talk of Orange becoming the second carrier in the UK to sell the iPhone. Personally I hope not: 3G on Orange... I'd rather not.

Link:
(Product) RED via MacBlogz
Firmware 2.1 via Gizmodo

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GoldenGuy said on 28th July 2008

I understand the diagnosis, but did they really need to make these products look like blood?

ilovethemonkeyhead said on 28th July 2008

kinda makes me wonder, though - with the whole idea of (product) red is companies giving 10% or so of how much you paid for a product to charity... why don't companies do it a... more