Okay, so Apple’s iPod Nano doesn’t exactly have the best video recording of all gadgets, but HD video is gradually shaping up to be a crucial feature to be included in next-generation devices.  Some hints have surfaced that HD video may just be implemented on the next iPhone.

If you’ve seen our post on the “N89” codename in the iPhone OS SDK, a tipster has just taken a look at the MediaValidator.plist file  - it reveals several enlightening stats: the maximum video width is up from 768 pixels to 1280, and the maximum number of pixels per frame is up to 921,600, resulting in a 1280 x 720 resolution. The device’s AVC profile has been bumped from 3.0 to 3.1, too, which adds support for 720p.  Seems like everything points to the direction of HD video – thoughts?

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With iPad buzz out and about, those worried that Apple might be slacking on building its other product (yes, the iPhone) may now breathe a sigh of relief, at least for now.  The latest iPhone operating system 3.2 SDK reveals that the next iPhone is currently in the works, specifically, the codename of the new iPhone, the “N89”.

According to some tipsters over at Engadget, it’s “likely the codename of the next iPhone (previous versions were called the M68, N82, and N88)”.  Also may be true is the new model “N80” included in Apple’s released 3.1.3 firmware, which may very well be the new iPod Touch codename.

We’ll keep you updated with anything else we find.  Any thoughts what the N89 or N80 may come out with?

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Like the camera references, this could just be another case of vestigial SDK weirdness — but for whatever reason, devs have noticed (and we’ve been able to reproduce) a “Touch to return to call” bar in the iPad emulator just like you’d expect to find on an iPhone during a traditional GSM call. It certainly seems like Steve would’ve bothered to mention during today’s festivities if you could do something crazy like pair up a Bluetooth headset and go to town (and you’d need a voice plan on top of that $29.99 data anyway), so who knows: either Apple’s just made every UI element as adaptable as possible regardless of whether it’s applicable to a particular device, they’re planning a higher-res iPhone down the road, or they’re integrating the bar into some VoIP action. Or… you know, none of the above.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

iPad won’t handle GSM voice calls — or will it? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Jan 2010 03:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Great news for the VoIP world: iCall, the maker of the iCall VoIP iPhone app that can catch a GSM call and flip it over to WiFi, has issued a press release saying that the new iPhone SDK allows for VoIP over 3G cellular connections. Previously such calls had to be made over WiFi, since AT&T’s network (or someone well acquainted with AT&T’s network) didn’t think it was man enough to take the VoIP traffic. Interestingly, iCall says its 3G-friendly VoIP app is available now, and is the first and only such app in the App Store — which seems like some pretty quick turnaround on everyone’s part, but apparently the 3G restriction wasn’t anything to do with the software itself, but instead a server-side block. We just tested this out and it totally works, and while we’ll be looking for more verification that the ban has indeed been lifted, it sounds like it’s time for some cheaply connected international parties in the streets.

Filed under: Cellphones

Apple lifts VoIP over cellular restrictions in new iPhone SDK originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Jan 2010 22:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone owners holding out hope that OS 3.2 would bring some of these fancy new iPad spoils to their devices might be in for a disappointment, because two of the big ones — split view and popovers — are both referred to in Apple’s updated human interface guidelines as “iPad-only.” Realistically, this shouldn’t come as a surprise; both of these UI elements were built to shine on larger displays, and it’s hard to say how you could make either one of them work on HVGA — but it’s important for devs to note that heavily investing in these are definitely going to make it difficult to make their apps compatible across all iPhone OS-powered devices. Considering that iPhones will almost certainly continue to dominate iPads for sales volume, we know how we’d be developing.

In other news, running the updated iPhone simulator in iPad mode gives you the option to take photos, which doesn’t make a heck of a lot of sense considering that it doesn’t have a camera. There are plenty of plausible explanations for the muck-up, but our guess is that Apple’s left the vestigial capability on-board since the framework’s already in place for the iPhone and there could very well be iPads down the road that have a cam (or two). Follow the break for a shot of the iPad’s Address Book imploring you to take a photo — and savor it, since it’s probably the closest you’ll actually get to snapping a shot on the device any time soon.

[Thanks, iPhone Dev and Eric]

Continue reading iPhone SDK calls out nonexistent iPad cam, confirms split views and popovers are iPad-specific

iPhone SDK calls out nonexistent iPad cam, confirms split views and popovers are iPad-specific originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Jan 2010 18:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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An unintentional update to the iPhone Developer Program License Agreement was caught today by developers in the form of a placeholder, reading “Need to update this for the 27th launch.”

Could this mean something big?  Like app developers will be able to give a go at an newly update iPhone OS alongside the “unintentionally confirmed” tablet?  Also take the fact that McGraw-Hill CEO Harold Mcgraw was kind (or confused?) enough to confirm the tablet launch for tomorrow, as well as the possibility of an iPhone-OS variant running on the tablet device.

As a burgeoning app dev myself, this is going to be very interesting  to see what Apple can concoct up this time with their mobile operating system.  OS 3.x?  4.0?  Whatever it is, we’re hungry to see more.

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