iOS 6

We've talked about iOS 6 and it's unusual focus at length already, but it's been in bits and pieces, scattered across a range of articles, and tangential to other points. I think it's valuable to collect it all together, though. Unlike any full point release before it, iOS 6 is more about Apple, their platform, and its future, than it is present user attraction. And it's worth collecting that, exploring why it is, and looking at what it means for iOS users.

Back in February, iMore reported that Apple would be switching away from the traditional 30-pin Dock connector currently found in all iPhones, iPods, and iPads, to a new, miniaturized Dock connector, both to save space inside new, battery-needy devices, and in recognition of wireless technologies like AirPlay and Wi-Fi sync replacing some of the old Dock requirements. Now 9to5Mac's Mark Gurman has gone digging inside iOS 6 beta 4 and found reference to a 9-pin connector.

Siri, as introduced in iOS 5 on the iPhone 4S, is an able if not particularly well-rounded personal assistant. With iOS 6, however, Siri is expanding to the iPad, and adding sports to its repertoire. Now, in addition to keeping you in contact, on time, on course, and on schedule, Siri will also serve you up the latest scores.

Of all the rumors that have been thrown around in regards to the next generation iPhone, a larger display is probably the most persistent. There may actually be evidence in iOS 6 that points to a taller display measuring in at 640 x 1136.

iOS 6 beta 4 removes the native YouTube app from the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. This isn't a huge surprise. As we reported back in May, Apple is apparently going to use iOS 6 to remove as much of Google as possible from their mobile operating system. Access to iOS user data is hugely valuable to Google, and Apple doesn't want Google having that kind of competitive advantage. That's why Apple has gone to the trouble of building their own native iOS 6 maps app, that's why they're using Siri to intermediate and broker queries away from Google, and it could also be why the YouTube app is gone from the iOS Home screen.

Apple has just released iOS 6 beta 4 (10A5376e) for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad to developers. iOS 6 beta 4 is currently available to paid developers via Apple's developer portal, developer.apple.com and as an over-the-air (OTA) software update via Settings, General, Software Update on iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.

Shortly before WWDC 2012 and the unveiling of iOS 6, Rene wrote a monumental article on the "higher hanging fruit" that Apple could still add to the iPhone and iPad to make them more competitive. Sure, iOS isn't for geeks, but that doesn't mean Apple can't show the geeks some love! I for one wish they'd added a few of the things on his list!

Since WPCentral is asking what users want on Windows Phone, I figured I'd ask if anyone here at iMore feels like I do -- that Apple could give us more! How about you?

tShirtOS lets you display anything and everything you want right on your t-shirt, and control it all with your iPhone and an iOS app. Wearable electronics could be a huge part of the future, both for fashion and functionality. Google is already jumping out of planes, and bringing us along for the ride, wearing their Glass technology. tShirtOS has a different goal, though. To make us the display. This system consists of a washable t-shirt with an integrated display panel and camera. It can then display Twitter updates, Facebook content, Instagram photographs and much more.

Apple is rumored to be working on a way to pass data between iOS devices over BlueTooth 4.0, allowing everything from notifications to communications to be seamlessly transferred from iPhone to iPad, or theoretically even an iPod nano watch... This type of connectivity has been dreamed of/speculated about for over a year, but now iLounge's Jeremy Horowitz says it could be planned for as early as iOS 6 this fall.