iPhone 2.2: App Rating and Direct Podcast Downloads?

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(Image via TUAW)

Hot on the heels of all the iPhone 2.2 firmware Beta 2 goodness from Google, which included Street-View, Transit and Walking Directions, and Location Sharing, comes word on a couple more features for us to rumor over. TUAW says:

A tipster shared with us some screenshots of the new firmware, including what appears to be the ability to download podcasts directly to your iPhone (and presumably your iPod touch)

TUAW says this could explain Apple's rejection of PodCaster, but an explanation still does not a justification make. Still, this would be awesome functionality for those who don't always have a chance to tether and sync for their podcasts. We're guessing it will still be limited to WiFi only, however, like the iTunes store, to limit carrier data load for 50MB+ sound files -- and even them will the (typically much larger) video podcasts be enabled?

MacRumors (via iPhoneHellas), meanwhile, shows off a new alert box that asks users deleting an application to rate it prior to deletion. Valuable metrics, or Just Another Annoying Pop-up?

Rene Ritchie
Rene Ritchie

Rene Ritchie is one of the most respected Apple analysts in the business, reaching a combined audience of over 40 million readers a month. His YouTube channel, Vector, has over 90 thousand subscribers and 14 million views and his podcasts, including Debug, have been downloaded over 20 million times. He also regularly co-hosts MacBreak Weekly for the TWiT network and co-hosted CES Live! and Talk Mobile. Based in Montreal, Rene is a former director of product marketing, web developer, and graphic designer. He's authored several books and appeared on numerous television and radio segments to discuss Apple and the technology industry. When not working, he likes to cook, grapple, and spend time with his friends and family.
10 Comments
  • Finally, the inability to access the podcast section of the store has always puzzled me. Guess this is why Podcaster was rejected.
  • It's about time.
    I don't think that there will be a 3G restriction, short of file size. AT&T wants a piece of the music download revenue hence the reason why the iPhone music store will only via WiFi. Since there's no money attached to Podcasts it opens the door to work similarly to the App Store.
    I'm very much looking forward to getting 'classic' versions of TiPB Podcast downloaded to my iPhone directly from the 'Podcast store'.
  • Podcaster was rejected because all content management must go through iTunes. All music, all apps, all movies, etc.
  • 2 Thoughts: Hopefully the podcast feature will be available. Also hope that it is not via WiFi only, but time will tell. If you are deleting an application, isn't there normally a reason why you would be (i.e. didn't like the application, etc.)? I can see this being useful for applications that crash or do not work as advertised, but my guess is that it will negatively skew the ratings downwards. Maybe the solution is to have a built in Ratings section within Settings or somewhere else.
  • where-the-F**K is copy/past and MMS
    Apple needs to learn that people like copy/past and MMS, video recording, use itunes songs as ringtones, and did i say copy and past
  • For real where is copy and paste
  • I don't think MMS is still needed though.. With 3G and Email, it's more powerful than MMS. Copy and Paste is what we need.
  • there are a lot of things the iPhone needs. A battery that lasts, landscape mode for SMS and email, a gps that works, 3g that is as fast as it claims, fewer dropped calls, and mms are just a few thing apple could start working on. It's just a shame they keep stringing us along with software updates. With each update apple claims that the past problems are suppose to be fixed, however that's not the case. I just want this 400 dollar battery hog to work the way it is suppose to.
  • We need apps to run in the background!!! I want chat clients to notify me when I receive a message when I'm not using the app! This is crucial for so many aspects of the iPhone.
  • I would love to have MMS on my Iphone, as there are many people I like to send pictures to that don't have email support on there phone. Almost every far less expensive phone has MMS.