IPhone OS 3
2009 mobile operating system
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
iPhone OS 3 (stylized as iPhone OS 3.0) is the third major release of the iOS mobile operating system developed by Apple Inc., succeeding iPhone OS 2. It was announced on March 17, 2009, and was released on June 17, 2009. It was succeeded by iOS 4 on June 21, 2010, dropping the "iPhone OS" naming convention.[2]
| iPhone OS 3 | |
|---|---|
| Version of the iOS operating system | |
![]() iPhone OS 3.1 home screen on an iPhone 3GS | |
| Developer | Apple Inc. |
| Source model | Closed, with open source components |
| Initial release | June 17, 2009 |
| Latest release | 3.2.2 (7B500) / August 11, 2010 |
| Update method | iTunes through a computer |
| Package manager | App Store |
| Supported platforms | iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad |
| Kernel type | Hybrid (XNU) |
| License | Proprietary software except for open-source components |
| Preceded by | iPhone OS 2 |
| Succeeded by | iOS 4 |
| Official website | Apple - iPhone - New features in the iPhone 3.0 Software Update at the Wayback Machine (archived August 18, 2009) |
| Support status | |
| Obsolete, unsupported since shortly after the release of iOS 5[1] | |
iPhone OS 3 added a system-wide "cut, copy, and paste" feature, allowing users to move content more easily. It also introduced Spotlight, a search indexing feature designed to help users locate specific information on their device, such as contacts, email messages, or apps. The home screen was expanded to let users add up to 11 pages, showcasing a total of 180 apps. The Messages app received support for MMS, the Camera app received video recording support on the iPhone 3GS, and a new "Voice Memos" app let users record their voice. In-app purchase capability was added to third-party applications in the App Store as well. Apple also added the accessibility screen reader option VoiceOver to iOS devices with this release.[3]
iPhone OS 3 is the last version of iOS that supports the first-generation iPhone and first-generation iPod Touch as its successor, iOS 4, drops support for both models.
iPhone OS 3.2 is the first iPhone OS version to support the first generation iPad.
Default apps
System features

Cut, copy, or paste
iPhone OS 3 introduced a "cut, copy, and paste" bubble dialog when users press and hold text. The "paste" button would incorporate anything stored in the device's clipboard into the marked area.[4][5][6]
Spotlight
Spotlight is a system-wide indexing and search feature that helps users search their device for specific contacts, email messages, calendar appointments, multimedia files, apps, and more. It is accessed by swiping to the right from the home screen.[7]
VoiceOver
VoiceOver is a screen reader accessibility feature for blind or low-vision users that reads the text on the screen. This feature was first introduced with OS X 10.4 Tiger in 2005.
Home screen
iPhone OS 3 increased the maximum number of home screen pages to 11, for a total of 180 apps.[8]
Find My iPhone
Users with MobileMe subscriptions could remotely track, lock, and erase their iPhones if they were lost.
App features
Messages
The Messages app received native support for the Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS), allowing users to send and receive messages that include pictures, contacts, locations, voice recordings, and video.[9][4]
Camera and Photos
The Camera app introduced video recording for the iPhone 3GS.[10][8]
The Photos app featured a new copy button and the ability to delete multiple photos at once.[8]
Cost
Upgrading to iPhone OS 3 was free for iPhone users. Upgrading to iPhone OS 3 originally cost iPod Touch users $9.95;[11] updating to 3.1.x from 2.x cost only $4.95.[12][13]
iPhone OS 3 was the last major version of iOS for which iPod Touch users had to pay to upgrade. Starting with iOS 4, iOS upgrades became free for all users, including users of the iPod Touch, as the Sarbanes–Oxley Act was revised to allow software upgrades for free with hardware that is not subscription-based.[14]
Supported devices
All devices that supported iPhone OS 1 and 2 support iPhone OS 3; however, only the iPhone 3GS supports video recording.
Version history
| Version | Build | Codename | Release date | Notes | Update type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0 | 7A341 | Kirkwood | June 17, 2009 | Initial release on iPhone 3GS
|
Initial Release |
| 3.0.1 | 7A400 | July 31, 2009 | Fixes a bug that allowed a maliciously crafted SMS message to allow arbitrary code execution[15] | Bug Fixes | |
| 3.1 3.1.1[a] |
7C144 7C145[a] 7C146[b] |
Northstar | September 9, 2009 September 17, 2009[b] |
|
Feature Update |
| 3.1.2 | 7D11 | October 8, 2009 |
|
Bug Fixes | |
| 3.1.3 | 7E18 | SUNorthstarTwo | February 2, 2010 |
|
Bug Fixes |
| iPad (1st generation) only: | |||||
| 3.2 | 7B367 | Wildcat | April 3, 2010 | Initial release on iPad (1st generation).
|
Initial Release |
| 3.2.1 | 7B405 | July 15, 2010 |
|
Bug Fixes | |
| 3.2.2 | 7B500 | August 11, 2010 |
|
Bug Fixes | |
Reception
Reception for iPhone OS 3 was overwhelmingly positive, as it addressed nearly all the major functional features that critics had highlighted since the iPhone's debut. However, it was criticized for being slower on older hardware, adding an upgrade fee for iPod touch users, lacking multitasking, and having terrible carrier dependencies.
