Obsolete, unsupported since shortly after the release ofiOS 5[1]
iPhone OS 3 (stylized asiPhone OS 3.0) is thethird major release of theiOSmobile operating system developed byApple Inc., succeedingiPhone OS 2. It was announced on March 17, 2009, and was released on June 17, 2009. It was succeeded byiOS 4 on June 21, 2010, dropping the "iPhone OS" naming convention.[2]
iPhone OS 3 added a system-wide "cut, copy, and paste" feature, allowing users to move content more easily. It also introducedSpotlight, a search indexing feature designed to help users locate specific information on their device, such as contacts, email messages, or apps. The home screen was expanded to let users add up to 11 pages, showcasing a total of 180 apps. TheMessages app received support forMMS, the Camera app received video recording support on theiPhone 3GS, and a new "Voice Memos" app let users record their voice. In-app purchase capability was added to third-party applications in the App Store as well. Apple also added the accessibility screen reader optionVoiceOver to iOS devices with this release.[3]
iPhone OS 3 introduced a "cut, copy, and paste" bubble dialog when users press and hold text. The "paste" button would incorporate anything stored in the device's clipboard into the marked area.[4][5][6]
Spotlight
Spotlight is a system-wide indexing and search feature that helps users search their device for specific contacts, email messages, calendar appointments, multimedia files, apps, and more. It is accessed by swiping to the right from the home screen.[7]
VoiceOver
VoiceOver is a screen reader accessibility feature for blind or low-vision users that reads the text on the screen. This feature was first introduced withOS X 10.4 Tiger in 2005.
Home screen
iPhone OS 3 increased the maximum number of home screen pages to 11, for a total of 180 apps.[8]
Find My iPhone
Users withMobileMe subscriptions could remotely track, lock, and erase their iPhones if they were lost.
App features
Messages
TheMessages app received native support for theMultimedia Messaging Service (MMS), allowing users to send and receive messages that include pictures, contacts, locations, voice recordings, and video.[9][4]
Camera and Photos
The Camera app introduced video recording for the iPhone 3GS.[10][8]
The Photos app featured a new copy button and the ability to delete multiple photos at once.[8]
Cost
Upgrading to iPhone OS 3 was free for iPhone users. Upgrading to iPhone OS 3 originally cost iPod Touch users $9.95;[11] updating to 3.1.x from 2.x cost only $4.95.[12][13]
iPhone OS 3 was the last major version of iOS for whichiPod Touch users had to pay to upgrade. Starting with iOS 4, iOS upgrades became free for all users, including users of the iPod Touch, as theSarbanes–Oxley Act was revised to allow software upgrades for free with hardware that is not subscription-based.[14]
Supported devices
All devices that supported iPhone OS 1 and 2 support iPhone OS 3; however, only the iPhone 3GS supports video recording.
^abRe-release of 3.1.1 for iPod Touch (3rd generation) only
Reception
Reception for iPhone OS 3 was overwhelmingly positive, as it addressed nearly all the major functional features that critics had highlighted since the iPhone's debut. However, it was criticized for being slower on older hardware, adding an upgrade fee for iPod touch users, lacking multitasking, and having terrible carrier dependencies.
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