After pushing the iOS 4.2.1 update out the door earlier this week, Apple has reportedly moved on to the next version of their mobile operating system.
Macstories reports that Apple is aiming to release iOS 4.3 on December 13th. According to a ""reliable source"", the Mac maker had already been planning for an iOS update release in mid-December while version 4.2.1 was in development.
It is reportedly unclear what, if any, impact multiple delays to the release of iOS 4.2.1 will have on the iOS 4.3 update. The Macstories source also reported that 4.3 will address user complaints with the much-hyped AirPlay feature and third-party apps such as Hulu and Netflix.
But the show-stopping feature of the next update, according to Macstories, will be app subscriptions, giving developers and publishers the ability to charge for daily, weekly, monthly or yearly updates or editions of their apps. It has been pointed out that such a feature would be needed to support ""The Daily"" a rumoured ""iPad newspaper"" being cooked up by Apple and Murdoch"s News Corp.
Mr Murdoch has confirmed The Daily"s existance, but offered no further details. The Daily would reportedly cost $0.99 per new edition.
Daring Fireball"s John Gruber has also weighed in on the rumours, stating that Apple will hold a press event announcing the update around December 9, though the event could be pushed back to the following Tuesday. He believed that app subscriptions would be the focus of the event.
""My understanding is that this initiative is going to launch with a press event, with Murdoch (and perhaps other newspaper and magazine executives) joining Steve Jobs on stage. This is not going to be a quiet launch, to say the least,"" he said.