Apple Releases iOS 4.3 Software Update

Apple's iPad 2 is coming, and that means iOS 4.3 is coming. Oh, wait. It's here already! Consider it an early gift from Apple, but those with iPhone 4s and newer iPod touch devices (as well as the first iPad) can now download iOS 4.3, the company's latest version of the highly popular iOS mobile operating system. The software update went live on Apple's servers today, bringing Personal Hotspot to AT&T's iPhone 4, iTunes Home Sharing, new AirPlay Features (play videos from the Photos app including the Camera Roll album, iTunes previews, enabled third-party apps and websites on Apple TV) and faster Safari performance with the Nitro JavaScript engine.

There's also HD video out support using the company's Apple Digital AV Adapter, a slew of new Ping features, misc. bug fixes and a couple of new settings. The full list of changes is below, but we may caution you to give it a few days. It's not unusual for these new software updates to cause some unintended consequences, and if you're content as-is, it's probably not worth risking unless you absolutely need one of these new features.

    About iOS 4.3 Software Update

    This update contains new features and improvements, including the following:

        * Personal Hotspot*
          Share iPhone 4 cellular data connection with up to 5 devices (combination of up to 3 Wi-Fi, 3 Bluetooth, and 1 USB)
        * iTunes Home Sharing
          Play music, movies and TV shows from a shared iTunes library on a Mac or PC (requires iTunes 10.2)
        * New AirPlay features**
          Play videos from the Photos app including the Camera Roll album, iTunes previews, enabled third-party apps and websites on Apple TV
          Play slideshows from Photos on Apple TV using transitions available on Apple TV
        * Faster Safari performance with Apple Nitro JavaScript engine
        * HD video out using the Apple Digital AV Adapter***
          View 720p HD videos from Videos app, iPod app, Photos, YouTube, Safari, Keynote, and enabled third-party apps on an HDMI display
        * Ping features
          Push notifications for comments and follow requests
          Post and Like songs directly from the Now Playing screen
          Parental controls
        * New Settings
          Messages setting for number of times to repeat an alert
          iPad side switch setting to lock screen rotation or mute audio notifications and sound effects
          Single tap conference call dialing with a pause to send a passcode
        * Bug fixes

    *Requires iPhone 4 with tethering data plan
    **Requires Apple TV (2nd generation) running software version 4.2 or later
    ***iPhone 4, iPad, iPod touch (4th generation)

    For information on the security content of this update, please visit:
    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1222

    This update is available via iTunes.