Apple's IOS 4.3 will be out on 11 March for Ithings

APPLE'S IOS 4.3 will be available for Ipads, Iphone 3GS, the GSM Iphone 4 and third and fourth generation Ipods as a free software update on Friday 11 March.

The new features in IOS 4.3 include a faster Safari browser, something called Itunes Home Sharing, an improved media streamer called Airplay, a switch to lock screen rotation or mute the audio for the Ipads and the Personal Hotspot.

The hotspot, with an Iphone 4 data connection, provides WiFi for up to three devices, a connection for another three on Bluetooth, and one more if it's a USB device. While all of this is possible, it's only going to be happening with the correct data plan. Ouch.

Very modestly, Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO said, "With more than 160 million IOS devices worldwide, including over 100 million Iphones, the growth of the IOS platform has been unprecedented."

As for the faster Safari mobile browser's performance, it uses what Apple calls its Nitro Javascript engine. According to Apple, it more than "doubles the performance of Javascript execution using just-in-time compilation". Ooh.

Home Sharing is a media streamer for sending music, movies and television shows around the house over a local WiFi network to Ithings from an Itunes library on a Mac or PC.

Airplay sounds remarkably similar and really only differs in that it streams music, photos and video to Apple TV from Ithings. But it does require the second generation Apple TV, not that rubbish first one, running the latest software.

Apple adds that with IOS 4.3 you can stream "video from third party apps and web sites, videos from the Photos app and previews from the Itunes app to your TV." The mind just boggles. µ