Following iPad tablet, Apple has released its lastest iPhone OS 4.0, over 100 new features was added, including the long-awaited multitasking, to the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. Yes, it is an OS from Apple, but the following 4 main features seem to imply something, in a sense, iPhone OS 4.0 is NOT ONLY an Operating System,  it should be concerned by Apple’s competitions. At least, Amazon,Google, Microsoft and RIM no pleasure in iPhone OS 4.0.

1. Multitasking

Google and Microsoft no pleasure in Apple iPhone OS 4.0.

iPhone users have been requesting this feature for years. It should be a basic feature, but until the current iPhone OS doesn’t support running more than one application at a time. Now, Apple has been the member of the multitasking party although Jobs acknowledged that Apple was late:

“Now we weren’t the first to this party, but we’re gonna be the best. Just like cut and paste.”

In fact, it gave other especially Google’s Android and Microsoft’s WindowsMobile OS quite a shock. Before Apple OS 4.0 released, Google and Microsoft prided in their multitasking and hurt Apple’s.

In addition, iPhone OS 4.0 added virtually every feature Android currently wields as an advantage, and little else, the following table(*table from tech.icrontic.com) outlines the new features described by Apple in OS 4 presentation, as well as the status of those features in the Android ecosystem.

Feature	iPhone OS 4.0	Android 2.1
Tap to focus
In-app SMS API
Home screen wallpaper
5x digital zoom		Varies by phone
Playlists
Bluetooth keyboard API
Data-only settings
Multitasking
Picture/video API
Recent searches
Alert/SMS font sizes
Background location API
Background task completion
Push notification API		Google services only
Location notification API
Suspended background apps
Desktop folders
Home screen wallpaper
Lock screen wallpaper
Unified inbox
Multiple Exchange accounts
On-handset attachment opening
Threaded emails
iBooks
Encrypted email		Possible with API
Encrypted email attachments		Possible with API
Centralized device management		Possible with API
Exchange 2010 support
SSL VPN
Administrative app distribution
Ad infrastructure		Only if the FTC approves the Google/AdMob deal
Social gaming network

2. Enhanced email & Enterprise

RIM no pleasure in Apple iPhone OS 4.0.

The new iPhone mailbox features that allow users to merge all of your email accounts into a single inbox, individual messages by thread and the ability to open email attachments in other apps.(you can also see this ZDNet video for more details).

Apple outlined some “great features for the enterprise,” including:

• Even better data protection
• Mobile Device Management
• Wireless app distribution
• Multiple Exchange accounts
• Exchange Server 2010
• SSL VPN support

All of above shows that Apple started to get more interesting for business users—before this, RIM’s BlackBerry has been a dominating firm in this space—according to the quarterly results of RIM: Gross margins at 46 percent, net income up from the year-ago quarter and strong international sales. BlackBerry probably must face a stronger challenge from Apple. Because not only above, Apple also keeps offering customers solutions centered around customer values and everyone else talks about slick hardware and touchscreens, in other words, technology.

3. iBooks

Amazon no pleasure in Apple iPhone OS 4.0.

With the 4.0 Apple updated iPhone the ability to get the iBooks app as well. This app will also come with a free digital copy of "Winnie the Pooh." More importantly, the iBook linked iPhone and iPad—users only need to buy once in any one account, then can read in the two devices.

Some analysts and critics analyzed that Amazon had a few problems to contend with that might be related to pressure from the iPad’s coming iBooks application. Amazon just caved to the demands of major book publishers regarding Amazon e-book pricing, and some analysts believe the online retailer needs to cut the price of its Kindle e-ink devices to compete with the iPad.

4. iAd

Google no pleausure in Apple iPhone OS 4.0.

iAd is aimed squarely at Google’s AdMob and other mobile advertising networks. Other mobile ads take you somewhere else after you click, but iAd advertisements can be interactive while keeping you in the app. Before iAd, Google has been a dominating firm in the advertising space, however, Apple is now aiming at becoming the leader.

Jobs shared that the average iPhone user spends 30 minutes per day using apps. He said,

“If we said we wanted to put an ad up every 3 minutes, that’s 10 ads per device per day. That would be 1 billion ad opportunities per day.”

Some key takeaways from iAd are:

• Emotion + interactivity
• Ads keep you in your app
• Built into iPhone OS
• Apple sells and hosts the ads
• 60% revenues go to the app developer

Then, do you also think Apple iPhone OS 4.0 is ONLY an Operating System now?