Apple buying small developer to improve iOS notifications?
updated 03:15 pm EST, Fri February 11, 2011
May solve long-standing complaints
Apple is not only working on a new notification system for iOS, but is buying a small developer to make it possible, a source claims. One of the less popular aspects of the firmware, the current notification system is sometimes seen as intrusive, and potentially confusing, since there may be little room to display text. The developer Apple is planning to buy is unknown except for the fact that it already has an iPhone title in the App Store.
Last year Apple rehired the main architect of HP/Palm's webOS notifications, Rich Dellinger. The webOS approach is typically considered to be superior to iOS, but if Dellinger has been working on the notification issue, the results have not manifested in v4.x firmware. Apple could conceivably be buying extra help to ensure new notifications are ready for iOS 5.
If it follows historical patterns iOS 5 will likely be announced in March and ship in June, in time to accompany the launch of a new iPhone. The firmware could theoretically be revealed at the same time as a second-generation iPad, which is expected to ship in March or April. It should be the first full version of iOS to be released for all iOS handhelds simultaneously.
