iOS 4.3 Features

It’s here! Apple’s iOS 4.3 software update has just arrived and is available through iTunes download today. While it may not add completely new changes such as brand new user interface such as the move from iOS 3 to 4, it does add a couple new features and some improved ones as well. Here is the run down.

Airplay Enhancements
If you don’t know already, Airplay allows you to stream media from your iOS device, be it your iPhone, iPad, or iPod, to your television via an Apple TV device. For example you can stream a movie on your iPhone to your TV and watch it on the big screen. Airplay also lets you stream music to either you Apple TV or Airplay enabled speakers so you can listen to your favorite songs better. With the iOS 4.3 update, as I far as I understand from the wording of Gizmodo’s post, “You're now able to shoot videos from your iOS device to your Apple TV.” I translate this to you’ll be able to see what the iPhone camera sees but on your TV instead of the small iPhone screen. I’ll have more word on whether this is correct later on.


Faster Safari Performance
Apple has apparently given Safari a long awaited upgraded as it is now powered by a new Nitro JavaScript engine. According to Apple this will allow Safari to run JavaScript twice as fast as the previous version giving you faster page loads and less time waiting for pesky interactive features.


iTunes Home Sharing

Before, iTunes Home Sharing only allowed you to play and transfer music between iTunes libraries on different computers. Now with the iOS 4.3 update, you can play your entire iTunes library on an iOS device. For example with TV shows you’ve bought on iTunes, you could watch them on your iPad anywhere that your home Wi-Fi reaches. You could also listen to music or a podcast on your iPod that isn’t already synced on. I assume/hope that iTunes media streaming will also work with Apple TVs and Airplay enabled speakers allowing you to watch a movie on your computer from your HDTV or listen to music from speakers in another room.


iPad Side Switch

A complaint with the iPads have been that the side switch only mutes the iPad, something that can be done just by simply holding down the volume down for about two seconds. With the iOS 4.3 update you can now configure via Settings if you want to the set the switch as either a mute button or a rotation lock that allows you to lock the iPad in either Portrait or Landscape mode.


Personal Hotspot
Arriving just a little bit late to non-Verizon iPhones (aka the AT&T ones), iOS 4.3 allow you to share your 3G connection to five devices via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or USB. This way, if you are ever in the airport and don’t won’t to pay for the pricey airport Wi-Fi, you can just turn Personal Hotspot on and give your laptop internet access. An added feature is password protection so only you (or friends) can access the hotspot and Hotspot even turns itself off once it detects it is no longer in use.


All you need to do to update is simply connect your iOS device to your Mac or PC via USB connection and click on “Check for Update” in the corresponding device tab. Interestingly enough iOS 4.3 is only available to AT&T customers hence the Personal Hotspot feature. Whether or not a future update for Verizon iPhones to catch them up will available soon is still in question. It could be possible that there might be a 4.3.1 update to for both carriers but anything is possible.