Apple Releases iOS 4.3 Early

Apple may have not given us everything we were hoping for in iPad 2, but the company does want everyone to start experiencing iOS 4.3 before iPad 2 officially starts shipping. Developers have had access to early releases for a couple of months already. That means we will have an easier time getting our hands on applications that take full advantage of the new features iOS 4.3 offers.

For starters, this new release offers enhanced AirPlay. iOS users can take advantage of this new update to stream content from their iPhone, iPod, and iPad to their HDTV (through Apple TV). Music, photos, and movies can be streamed using AirPlay (streaming videos from Photos app is supported too).

Many iPad owners use their slates to surf the Internet. iOS 4.3 takes advantage of Nitro JavaScript engine to offer faster browsing experience in Safari. iTunes Home Sharing is pretty useful too. It allows you to play your iTunes library anywhere in your house (you just need a PC/Mac and an iOS device). iPad side switch is interesting but not a deal maker by any means.

The personal hotspot feature for iPhone 4 was highly anticipated before iOS 4.3 release. iOS users can now share their cellular data connection with up to 5 of their devices (3 devices can be connected via WiFi). You will need a tethering plan to take advantage of this though some may found this to be outrageous.

iOS 4.3 is a very nice upgrade over previous versions. The hotspot plan is worth being excited about though it is not perfect by any means. We did not get advanced multi-touch gestures in this release. Then again, there is always an iOS 5.

Your thoughts: What’s missing in iOS 4.3?