iPhone 4 Already Shipping, iOS 4 Up for Download

The wait for iOS 4 is finally over. Apple has finally made the update available to all iPhone and iPod Touch owners. While it does take quite a while to get the update installed on your device, it is worth the wait. Multi-tasking was the feature we were looking forward the most. It’s unfortunate that not all apps will be taking advantage of that feature, but that alone makes this update a must install. Let’s not forget about folders, iBooks, and home page wallpaper.

Not all is well with iOS 4. Some people seem to have had issues working with Exchange and Google apps products after updating their iPhone. The bigger issue is Apple gathering and sharing users’ precise information. That is going to be a major privacy headache for iPhone owners and Apple itself. Of course, Apple is not sneaky about this. It does explain the changes in its privacy policy.

To provide location-based services on Apple products, Apple and our partners and licensees may collect, use, and share precise location data, including the real-time geographic location of your Apple computer or device. This location data is collected anonymously in a form that does not personally identify you and is used by Apple and our partners and licensees to provide and improve location-based products and services. For example, we may share geographic location with application providers when you opt in to their location services.

Apple promises that the data is collected in an anonymous fashion. But some experts argue that the shared data can be used to identify individual users.

For those of you who are fine with Apple’s new privacy policy (you should be if you intend to use Apple iTunes), there is some good news. It seems Apple is finally shipping iPhone 4. Those of you who ordered the device early on should have gotten your shipment confirmation e-mail by now. Those of you who didn’t will have to wait a bit for Apple to keep up with all the demand. In the meantime, you can download and play with iOS 4 on your old phone.

What iOS 4 feature are you excited about the most?