Apple released a software upgrade for its iPhone 3G and iPod Touch, bringing new features to the devices and also fixing some reported stability bugs.

Users can now get better results on their Google Maps app, as the update allows a closer view of locations with its Street View feature. Other improvements brought to the app are the integration of walking and public transportation directions, the adjustment of the user interface and also the possibility of sharing locations via e-mail.

Ryan Reith, senior research analyst for mobile phone products at IDC, talked about Apple’s release and explained for InternetNews.com that the upgrades were necessary. "The focus is definitely now on apps," he said, adding that "I think if you looked at RIM [Research in Motion, maker of the Blackberry], they lag when it comes to software upgrades and Apple has made more progress in software upgrades." He concluded by saying that the 2.2 OS is "an enhancement to the big announcements that were made around the time of the original 2.0. Moving forward, I expect Apple will be making continuous upgrades."

The update also provides users with the ability to download audio or video podcasts directly to the device on the go using Wi-Fi or the cellular data networks.

The smartphone’s Safari browser also received some updates, and it now performs better and also features a search bar next to the address bar.

The App Store has also improved when it comes to user experience and visitors are now invited to rate the applications. Other features included in the update are the ability to turn off the auto-correction, an improved formatting of HTML e-mail and also an improved sound quality for the Visual Voicemail.

A flaw that allowed the display of SMS messages if the device was set to emergency call mode was also taken care of, and another fix involves a limit on the emergency call setting. Until now, a person was able to make long-distance calls which would have been charged to the phone’s owner. From this point on, emergency calls are limited to a certain set of numbers.

New features have been included to prevent malicious code attacks from certain dangerous Web sites. TIFF images or Excel files.

To get the update, users must connect their iPhones to iTunes and click on the "Check for Update" button.

The release comes with one month ahead of the holiday season and the timing is perfect for the company’s business. The update should attract a significant number of customers, which will be added to the massive success recorded by the 3G iPhone.

There are still certain aspects not yet covered, such as the copy/ paste feature which the company promised for quite some time, a to-do list, and also one that integrates with iCal and Outlook. One of the biggest things missing is the push alert system presented by the company at this year’s WWDC. Still, Apple stated that it will continue with the updates, so these matters should be addressed sooner or later.