ITS GOT A NEW HAT!

Perhaps this version will have advanced features such as MMS messaging, video recording, a camera from this century, and a battery that can last out the day?

Seriously though, it can hardly come as a surprise that there's a new version in development. Every phone company needs to bring out a new model at least every year or so, to convince people they need to upgrade and continue to pay their ridiculous contract costs. Apple is no exception to this rule.

Surely it is completely unsurprising that a consumer electronics company in a fairly fast moving field is going to be looking at the next version of a product? Its the only one they have in the field, and unless they continue to innovate they'll lose market share as the competition catches up. The surprise would have been that they weren't looking forward.

The interesting point is the change in major revision. Given the 3G version only merited a minor revision, a change in major revision would seem to point to a new form factor, whether that be Nano or something else.

Of course they're making a new model, just like they are always making new versions of the iPod. Only this one will have MMS out of the box, and maybe even copy/paste. Something that could easily be added to the older gen phones through a firmware update, but it won't, because then you wouldn't have to buy a new phone!

> The firmware revelation is exciting though, so we’ll keep you posted

Very exciting, I almosy jizzed in my pants.

Seriously though - this is not a story!

What about if some numpty got thier fingers mixed up and typed 2,1 instead of 1,2.

Could be a load of hype for nothing.... :)

Of course they have a new one in developement. They've tied themselves into an 18month developement (upgrade) cycle.

The current one has its battery oblierated if you run anything more complex than the music player, Rolando running on a dual-core will flatten the thing in about 10 minutes.

Blimey. Did El Reg get suddenly taken over by Ars Technica?

this firmware update is exciting?

yeah...im about to wet my pants about this...

Or just a typo? fairly easy to accidentally 2,1 instead of 1,2

"The firmware revelation is exciting though, so we’ll keep you posted"

What's so exciting about it ? It could be an error and even if not nothing is revealed about enhancement or future capability. Dual core ? Steve Jobs was complaining that 3G impeded battery life too much !

Seriously, does anyone, anywhere think that Apple isn't developing a new iPhone model? What would be news would be if there was some firm indication that Apple were not doing so. But here we are, about a year since the release of the generation 2 iPhone, and the merest hint of a generation 3 design fills people with excitment? Get a grip.

Well it has been a few months...

Next week, big news, apple announce the iphone 2,2

Reg needs a "meh" icon

I know it's not exciting, but it could just be a typo.

Can't be any worse - can it?

Shocker.

IPhone - The Resurection?

Get the milking machine ready, for the cash cow is heading to the barn!

Maybe the new one will be able to multi-task, or <gasp> copy 'n' paste. Perhaps it will allow users to copy files around. Surely not video?

Apple fingered in continuing development of successful product shock!

Ahhh coool. So they'll introduce one with MMS... Started with nowt, then came 3G, then MMS, version 5 or 6 we might have video calling.... or even copy and paste... wow....

Still I love me iPhone really :)

Wake me up when something happens.

Are they so desperate for news that they're resorting to sifting through the firmware of a mobile phone !?

If you jailbreak you can have proper copy/paste, the two solutions atm are not perfect but they do work across the phone...

Still, not the most exciting story this.

....pass me a tissue...

Paris, for REAL excitement

... their software patents to come through for these secret innovative new feature that are going to revolutionise the way the world and god use their phone. Rumor has it their going to be called iCopy and iPaste. Each will carry a separate $15 upgrade fee.

Do we really care?

Paris, just beause

You morons shrieking about MMS - GET A CLUE!!!!!

MMS will NEVER be ANYWHERE near ANY Apple product.

I pity you fools who don't understand this.

MMS is CRAP OLD EXPENSIVE technology.

EMAIL EMAIL EMAIL

YOU IDIOTS for GOODness SAKE!!! ARRRGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

This one will have stereo profile on bluetooth. Imagine that.... world's best music player / phone can only handle mono audio...

And maybe the GPS will have a 3d view and vvoice turn by turn naviagation instead of only being a dumb map reader .... and maybe there sill be an SD card slot like any normal phone...

and maybe just maybe you will be able to save GPS map information so you can find your way around places that have no cell phone coverage , maybe they will even let you install tomtom ...

ah one can only dream. until the above things are not possible , i'm not interested. wake me when something usefull comes along ...

I hear the hardware is the same, they're just waiting for the Cut'n'Paste patent to go through.

I only bought my iPhone this week...

I've never ever missed having Cut'n'Paste on a phone - what do you think it is, a word processor?

My N95 didn't have it, my current LG didn't have it, our BlackBerry fleet at work doesn't have it .. can someone please explain?

Is available for those who really desperately need it as an add-on through Cydia (for jailbroken iPhones). Not that I've ever had a desperate need for it either.

Jolyon

Attention Morons! There is an MMS application available from the App Store that makes viewing MMS much easier and even allows you to send MMS (at a price).

Just saying.

Nothing to do with this "story" but BlackBerry phones have always had cut/copy and paste - since the last generations of monochrome display models at any rate.

Just my two penn'orth. I'll crawl back into my hole now...

If the code has no function, why include it in the firmware?

Simple, it stokes rumours on sites like Mac Rumours and El Reg so the Apple die hards start foaming at the mouth.

This then means that less marketing is required when the device comes out and people will be queuing to buy it.

Excellent marketing but rather sad that there are people that obsessed with a company's products.

I suspect that the release cycle will start to fall into that of the iPod, one a year with slightly tweaked features and a new gimmick

guaranteed there's some smug little git sitting in Cupertino chuckling heartily to himself knowing full well that adding this to the firmware would have iPhoneTards everywhere literally creaming themselves at the very prospect.

instead of "third-gen apple iphone in development?" this should have been titled "men like blowjobs?" for true Digg-style "this from the state the bleeding obvious" department.