iPhone Software

Apple as usual has made a business decision that could lead to exciting new features on the next generation iPhone and beyond. The company has acquired Swedish company Polar Rose, known for its mobile face recognition technology FaceLib among other similar products.

With full face detection and tracking of faces in video, the solutions Polar Rose delivers could change how you interact with your iPhone. Now that the iPhone 4 has a front-facing camera, passcode lock could end up going the way of the dinosaurs.

Looking for more ways to improve your jailbroken iPhone? Many applications are available that expand the features and functions of your iPhone beyond what Apple allows. Tethering is one such function that makes it possible to use your 3G data connection to create a Wi-Fi hotspot for other devices. AT&T has finally made an official tethering solution available, but many customers don't want to pay the extra expense.

Enter MyWi 4.0. This jailbreak app creates a Wi-Fi hotspot instantly and allows multiple notebooks or other devices to use the iPhone data connection. USB tethering is also an option, and the Wi-Fi network you create will feature WEP security.

Even though jailbreaking is more accessible to iPhone users than ever before, some may question whether or not apps developed outside the App Store are really necessary. The fact is that Apple limits some functionality for security and other reasons. Here are two great apps that make it possible to do more with your 3G connection if your iPhone is jailbroken.

Auto3G switches your iPhone's 3G cellular data connection to EDGE (2G) automatically every time you lock your device. Why not stay connected to the 3G network when the iPhone is locked? Battery life, that's why. Your battery life can be extended when the 3G network is only used when necessary.

iPhone Dev-Team member MuscleNerd has posted a screenshot of his jailbroken iPod touch 4G. A bootrom vulnerability has been discovered by @p0sixninja that will make it possible to jailbreak all iOS devices running the latest firmware including the iPhone 4. Chronic Dev Team members are currently developing new jailbreak tools based on the vulnerability, otherwise known as SHAtter.

Now those looking for some good apps on jailbroken iPhones can participate in one-stop-shopping. The two jailbreak app stores known as Cydia and Rock Your Phone are merging into one entity. The resulting app store (to be known as Cydia) will be the largest independent iOS app store.

Rock Your Phone has been providing apps to the jailbreak iPhone community for 18 months, with $3.3 million in sales. Saurik over at Cydia explains that the merger is really more of a strategic reorganization of the two companies to foster cooperation.