iPhone 1.1.4 Update is 165-MBytes of “Bug Fixes”

Leander Kahney ()

iphone_update.jpg

Apple on Tuesday released a 1.1.4 firmware update for the iPhone and iPod touch.

Available through iTunes, the update is a beefy 165-MByte download, but incredibly, adds no significant new features.

According to iLounge, which examined the update closely and quizzed Apple about it, it’s nothing but bug fixes.

The update is probably laying the groundwork for the iPhone SDK, which Apple promised to release this month.

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About the author

Leander Kahney

is the editor and publisher of Cult of Mac, and author of three books about technology culture: Inside Steve’s Brain, the New York Times bestseller about Steve Jobs; Cult of Mac; and Cult of iPod. Leander has written for Wired, MacWeek, Scientific American, and The Guardian in London. Follow Leander on Twitter @lkahney and Facebook.

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Posted in iPhone, Software |

  • christian

    “Who wants to hack their iPhone to load applications if there’s a nice SDK a way to load them through iTunes?”

    what about us in europe and asia and all the other people that doesent want to pay AT&T, what about us!

    dont think that apple is going to let anyone make apps for the phone either.

  • http://bethepower.com Todd

    Every iPhone update is this large. As I understand it, they just wipe the old OS and install an entirely new one.

  • http://TeddyTheBear.blogspot.com Teddy T. Bear

    you wrote: Who wants to hack their iPhone to load applications if there’s a nice SDK a way to load them through iTunes?
    1.) iTunes works only if you have a PC or Mac connected to your iPhone via USB, which negates the idea of having a truly portable computer, where you can install new software from anywhere in the world, where you have an internet connection. Installer works great when you are travelling without your iPhone, iTunes only works at home :-(
    2.) Given Apple´s track record in the past it might be, that only BIG developers will have access to the SDK, and possibly only in a very restricted way.
    3.) There are less than 300 million people in the USA who are able to use an iPhone (on a really lame AT&T network), whereas there are billions of people worldwide with access to highly advanced GSM networks all over th e world, that have been waiting for years to finally buy a decent, user friendly mobile phone/portable PC. Nearly every traveller to the US currently takes a few iPhones to his home country. Apple won´t be able to stop this!

  • cs

    Was just about to post same thing. The title (and wording in article) makes it sound like 165MB was big for just bug fixes. But every update has been that size (give or take a MB or two). Each update is pretty much the whole OS and firmware again. Stop trying to be sensational.

  • rp

    “Who wants to hack their iPhone to load applications if there’s a nice SDK a way to load them through iTunes?” – People who want direct access to the file structure and load apps Apple will likely not sanction – (VoIP, tethering, direct song/ringtone swaping bewteen Touches/iPhones, adult content, etc.).

  • http://rightsaidjames.blogspot.com/ James

    The release of the SDK will not supercede the need to jailbreak. It will simply be another way of getting applications onto the device. Freedom of choice is the key; apps released through Installer are designed with the user in mind, whilst paid-for SDK apps will be designed to make money. Thus there is a clear difference in the end result.

  • Franklin

    The bug fix includes a glitch that had caused the phone to drop calls on the AT&T network. Neither company wanted to promote this.

  • Dig

    I don’t think Leander Kahney was really trying to be sensationalist. Probably just doesn’t know that much about the iPhone. I use an iPhone and didn’t realize they updated the entire system until the 1.1.3 update because the servers are blazingly fast and the download is so quick.