Apple says turn-by-turn GPS coming to iPhone, copy / paste not a high priority

by Nilay Patel, posted Jul 14th 2008 at 7:33PM

There's been a lot of random misinformation about the iPhone 3G floating around out there, like David Pogue's baffling comment that the device's GPS antenna is "too small" to support turn-by-turn directions, and Apple's iPod and iPhone marketing head Greg Joswiak recently sat down with AppScout to clear up some of the confusion. Greg says that Apple has an internal priority list of features for the iPhone, and that the company went as far down the list with the 3G as it could -- and that copy / paste support simply didn't make the cut. Similarly, there are no technical issues preventing turn-by-turn directions, just other "complicated issues" (read: legal agreements) that need to be sorted out, and Josiwak expects developers to "amaze us." as things "evolve." Hopefully that means that nav app TomTom's got in the labs will evolve its way into the wild sometime soon. Finally, Joswiak said that he's not aware of any technical reasons an office suite isn't already in the App Store, but that the lack of a cross-application file structure could impede development. Yeah, and maybe the lack of copy / paste, you think?

Filed under: Handsets, Apple

Tags: copy and paste, CopyAndPaste, gps, greg joswiak, GregJoswiak, iphone, turn-by-turn

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Highly Ranked

Russ @ Jul 14th 2008 8:15PM

Is that Jason in the home key???

Neutral

Squid7085 @ Jul 15th 2008 1:45AM

Bahhahha, it is. They reused the image that was used when the Tom-Tom story first hit the interwebs. It happened to be friday the 13th, and all the posts had that hidden in it.

Highly Ranked

t-pain @ Jul 14th 2008 8:25PM

Did he happen to mention any reason for why it isn't sporting MMS yet?

Neutral

billgrove @ Jul 14th 2008 8:43PM

Amen to that. No MMS support is just unbelievably silly. AT&T's viewmymessage.com's ridiculous usernames/passwords combined with iPhone's lack of copy/paste means that I have to use my computer to check MMS messages because no way can I remember those long, random usernames! My wife and I both have iphones, so if either of us receive an MMS, we use the other's phone to check it so we can have the two side-by-side to read the username/password. Maybe that's AT&T's plan with Apple. Let's make it SO unusable that folks have to have TWO iphones and TWO phone contracts just to use MMS! How masterfully evil.

Bill

Neutral

Squid7085 @ Jul 15th 2008 1:48AM

Apple has said why many times. Because they included a far superior technology, rich text email. However, don't put me down for supporting Apple on this one, while they have a good reason, its too early, as many people still use MMS. I would be fine with Apple not introducing MMS support as long as they don't block and discourage it through the App Store.

Neutral

Marc @ Jul 15th 2008 10:17AM

Viewmymessage.com is a joke. It's barely useable on a T1 line, let alone 3G support. Apple and AT&T have to do better than that.

Neutral

chrisharperosu @ Jul 14th 2008 8:50PM

Are you people aware that there is a copy and paste feature.. it may be subpar but youre able to take anything that is on the screen of your iphone.. say zoom in on a paragraph or if youre in a text convo.. whatever is in the field of view on the screen youre able to copy that into your photo library and send it to a friend via email!!

Highest Ranked

Brandon @ Jul 14th 2008 9:47PM

No dude...just no.

Highly Ranked

RMB @ Jul 14th 2008 10:01PM

Copy and paste is a big deal for enterprise users. If they are serious about business users, they might want to bump copy and paste up on the priority list...

Highly Ranked

champ22 @ Jul 14th 2008 9:17PM

what about texting in landscape mode .....we needz that !!!!

Neutral

jrk @ Jul 14th 2008 9:20PM

i find it hilarious that the iPhone does not have copy/paste... my little sony ericsson w580i (read: dumbphone) has freaking copy/paste. for being such an 'innovator,' how could they consider that feature 'not a high priority'?

Low Ranked

chrisharperosu @ Jul 14th 2008 10:08PM

for those that dont know about the subpar copy and paste feature and would like to be able to save articles or pictures to your photo library to view later or email to a friend. All you have to do is hold down the home key while pressing the screen on off key and whatever is in your field of view will be saved to your photo album

Neutral

brephophagist @ Jul 16th 2008 1:21AM

Please tell me you're applying for a job at an AT&T kiosk.

Oh wait, I've got it! Death Star Bot! Death Star Bot!

|_0|\|6 |_|\/3 73/-/ |2383|_|_|0|\| !

Neutral

BLee @ Jul 14th 2008 10:30PM

shouldnt consumer opinion affect priorities?

Neutral

brephophagist @ Jul 16th 2008 1:38AM

Apple? Nevar.

Remember '98, and all those lonely, lonely floppies?

Neutral

phoenixpr @ Jul 14th 2008 10:34PM

I've always been number 1 fan of all Apple...
Especially that I've been waiting for an iPhone since it was a rumor. I was so excited I told everybody I was gonna get one. But the one thing that got me to jump ship on the iPhone was a simple fix. I had to be dependent on an Apple rep to change my battery. That don't fly with me at all, especially with identity theft in an upraise. I don't know who is hire in retails these day. It will be my luck I handed over my iPhone, if I had one to a disgruntle employee. You hear this crap all over the news every day, about employee stealing company information for their own gain. It's nothing new at all. It's happening NOW as you read this. Big issue here as well is you can not walk in with battery problems, you must make an appointment with an Apple Genius. Which adds even more DOWN time of you cell phone use. What next I have to go to Athletic Footwear to have them tie my sneakers, cause I bought it from their store?????? Please! Find another SUCKER! At least with an LG Dare your guaranty ZERO down time if you ever had battery issues. Because you can change it your self. The way it is suppose to be in life... In NYC it's THE LAW to use hand free dialing. So I use voice dialing like ten thousand times a day. I been using voice dialing for 22 years on so many CHEAP FREE phone. Hmm.. Why should anyone be looking toward the App Store to get sh*t it should already have in it? Shouldn't the App Store be for innovative Apps? Voice Dialing isn't innovative and shouldn't be in the App Store. It's like offering a phone with out a dialing capability, so now you will have to go to the App Store to download a dailing App to make Calls. Hello! It is 2008 isn't it?

Neutral