Apple has laid the framework for a great mobile OS in what they’ve offered so far.  Note that I say they’ve “laid the framework”.  I think that there are several areas of functionality that Apple has neglected.  Without these areas addressed, the iPhone OS will never be what it can be.  If I were in charge of Apple, I’d include five definite features in iPhone OS 4.0 to patch the functionality that up until now, Apple has failed to address.  Now that we’ve got the groundbreaking features out of the way in OS 3.0, (read:  cut, copy, paste, landscape keyboard support, etc), it’s time to look at what some of Apple’s most overlooked functionality gaps.  Read on for addition one of five.

First, before we dive in to the features that I’d include, let me offer the following disclaimer.  I’m not a fanboy of Apple.  Everything they do is not tinged with gold.  Nor do I hate everything Apple.  They are not an evil company.  Their OS, the computer one that is, is brilliant.  I have an iPod Touch and it’s a great device.  It also has a lot of shortcomings.  For the better part of the last year I’ve had the opportunity to talk daily with users about how software works on their iPhones’ and iPod Touches.  The actual users, doing everyday things.  I’ve listened to their concerns.  I’ve tried to explain that some of what they thought they would be able to do, simply isn’t an option due to currently imposed restrictions.  Based on these observations I’ve put together my top five features that I’d add to the top of the list in OS 4.0.  Today, we cover item number one.  Read on…

Feature #1:  USB Based Sync Support for 3rd Party Applications

It’s a well known fact that if a third party application interacts with the desktop in any way, it has to be done wirelessly.  Via wifi, via Bonjour, via the phone’s data connection, period.  Yes, USB syncing is possible.  Your iTunes songs sync, your photos sync, your movies, all of your media syncs.  See the pattern here:  USB based syncing is only reserved for the built in applications that Apple provides on the iPhone.

This is a problem for a number of users.  People have come to the iPhone and iPod Touch from mobile platforms where USB based syncing with the desktop was the default method.  Users from the Palm OS, from Windows Mobile, from Blackberry, are all accustomed to syncing via USB.  Plug it in, hit a button, and everything is synced.  Palm’s Hot Sync really captured the essence of simplicity in this area.  Not everyone has a wifi network at their disposal.  Not everyone has access to wireless capabilities in their work environment due to security concerns.  USB based syncing for third party apps would really be helpful for these people.  Simple as that.

I for one cannot think of a good reason why Apple doesn’t provide this as an option to third party developers.  Why not provide the developers with a conduit SDK that would allow them to have their application tie into iTunes?  The framework is already in place.  In the Applications tab in the sync portion of iTunes, there’s already the ability to specify which application get’s synced (as it currently is, installed).

If I were in charge of Apple, this would be the first area that I’d address in the iPhone OS 4.0 update.  Based on my conversations with users, a lot of people would find it useful.  Sounds like a good enough reason for me to incorporate it.

What about you?  If you were in charge of Apple and could make major decisions as to the functionality that would be included in version 4.0 of the iPhone’s OS?  Would USB based syncing be included?  Let us know your thoughts below and be sure to check back tomorrow evening for the second of five features I’ve give you in iPhone OS 4.0.

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