Why iOS4 was the most exciting Service Pack ever

Yesterday was a bit of an IT first for me. Along with, I’m sure, many others, I got excited by an Operating System upgrade.

Yes I’m talking iOS4, the upgraded operating system for the iPhone, available to 3G and 3GS customers as well as to anyone lucky enough to be getting a new iPhone 4. For me, and I’m sure I’m not alone, the iPhone is the first Apple computing product I’ve experienced (not counting iPods here). In all other respects I’m Microsoft throughout, my last phone being an HTC Hermes running Windows Mobile.

As far back as I can remember, upgrades made to Microsoft operating systems (or Service Packs) have been to fix bugs and make other, invisible, changes to the underlying running of the OS. Even in the mobile world, I can’t think of a Windows Mobile upgrade which was anything like iOS4.

Exciting. Feature-Rich. Anticipated. These are not words I attribute to operating system upgrades. Yet that is everything that iOS4 was. We knew the features before it was launched, thanks in part to the WWDC keynote and walkthroughs. I’ll unashamedly say that I looked forward to yesterday, and downloaded as soon as I was able. (And for the record, I’m loving the new features!)

This is fundamentally different from what I’m used to in the Microsoft world. Why don’t Microsoft add great new features when they upgrade their operating systems? It helps keep the OS fresh and current, and keeps it remaining as a competitor in a busy market. Wouldn’t it be great if Microsoft announced that Windows 7 SP1 included some great new search tools, or some new utility applications. I don’t see it happening though.It’s never happened before (at least as far as I can remember). Service Packs fix bugs, they don’t add features.

Are all Apple OS updates like this? If I buy a PowerBook can I expect the OS to be freshened up every couple of years at no extra cost? It’s a brilliant way of getting some extra milage out of customer loyalty, and a big boost in the minds of users everywhere. The world expects more now. Bugs should be fixed silently before we notice them. Service Packs should be for new things. Congratulations to Apple: Microsoft, we’re watching you.