Difference Between Apple iOS 4.2.1 (4.2) and iOS 4.3.1

July 2022 · 8 minute read

Apple iOS 4.2 vs iOS 4.3.1 | Compare iOS 4.2.1 vs iOS 4.3.1  Performance, Features , Functions and Compatibility

iOS 4.2.1 and iOS 4.3.1 are the two versions that run on most Apple iDevices. iOS 4.3.1 is the first revision to iOS 4.3. iOS 4.3 as a very new release is used on all new iPad 2s and few users of the other iDevices, namely iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPad, iPod Touch 3rd and 4th generation have upgraded their devices to iOS 4.3. However, there are many others who are using 4.2.1 are waiting for iOS 4.3 to stabilize to upgrade their devices. Their wait is justified with the release of the first revision to iOS 4.3 within 2 weeks of introducing it. iOS 4.3 was released on 9 March 2011 and the iOS 4.3.1 was released on 25 March 2011. iOS 4.3.1 was released to address the user complaints and to fix the bugs. It is available for download from iTunes.

Apple iOS is the proprietary mobile operating system developed by Apple. It’s the live blood of the Apple iDevices and it’s liked by the users for its simple, user friendly and clean user interface. iOS has a very good power management and a fast operating system. One of the other reason for its users getting addicted to iDevices is the number of applications supported by iOS. So far App store has the maximum number of applications and due to controlled third party applications, it’s very secure to download applications from Apps store. And users have the advantage of sharing the applications purchased to one iDevice with any of their other iDevices.

Apple iOS 4.3.1 (Release: March 2011)

Apple iOS 4.3 was introduced with iPad 2. It has some new features and incorporated all the existing features in iOS 4.2.1 with improvements to some of those features. iOS 4.3.1 was issued as a revision to iOS 4.3. It was released to fix some bugs and resolve some issues raised by users. Some of the new features in iOS 4.3 include iTunes Home sharing, improed AirPlay with additional video streaming features and personal hotspot. Airplay features include additional support for photo slide shows and support for video, audio editing from third party applications and share content in social network. And performance of the Safari browser improved with a new nitro JavaScript engine, it is now more than 2x faster at running JavaScript.

Two applications are also introduced with iOS 4.3. One is the new version of the iMovie, Apple boasts it as a precision editor and with iMovie you can send HD video around with one tap (you don’t have to go through iTunes). With one tap you can share it with your social network, YouTube, FaceBook, Vimeo and many other. Its priced at $4.99. With the new iMovie you get over 50 sound effects and additional themes such as Neon. Music automatically switches with themes. It supports multitrack audio recording, Airplay to Apple TV and it is an universal application.

GarageBand app is the other, you can plug in touch instruments (Grand Piano, Organ, Guitars, Drums, Bass), get 8tracks recording and effects, 250+ loops, email AAC file of your song and it is compatible with Mac version. This also priced at $4.99.

Apple has left out iPhone 3G, iPod Touch second generation and the previous editions from enjoying the added features in iOS 4.3. Those devices are not compatible with iOS 4.3. Also Verizon iPhone 4, which is a CDMA iPhone, is also not compatible with iOS 4.3.1. Verizon iPhone 4 or the iPhone 4 CDMA model uses iOS 4.2.6. However Apple already incorporated the features like personal hotspot in IOS 4.2.5.

Apple iOS 4.3.1

Release: 25 March 2011

Improvements and Bug fixes

1. Fixes an occasional graphics glitch on iPod touch (4th generation)

2. Resolves bugs related to activating and connecting to some cellular networks

3. Fixes image flicker when using Apple Digital AV Adapter with some TVs

4. Resolves an issue authenticating with some enterprise web services

Compatible Devices:

• iPhone 4 (GSM model), iPhone 3GS

• iPad 2, iPad

• iPod touch (4th generation), iPod touch (3rd generation)

Apple iOS 4.3

Release: 9 March 2011

New Features

1. Improvements to Safari Performance with Nitro JavaSript Engine

2. iTunes home sharing – get all iTunes content from anywhere in the house to iPhone, iPad and iPod over shared Wi-Fi. You can play it direct without download or sync

3. AirPlay features improved – stream videos from photo apps direct to HDTV via Apple TV, Auto search Apple TV, Built in slideshow options for photo

4. Support Video, Audio editing Apps in Apps Store such as iMovie

5. Preference for iPad Switch to mute or rotation lock

6. Personal hotspot (iPhone 4 only feature) – you can connect up to 5 devices over Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and USB; up to 3 of those connections over Wi-Fi. Auto switch off to save power when personal hotspot no longer in use.

7. Supports additional multifinger multitouch gestures and swipes. (This feature is not available for users, only for developers for testing)*

8. Parental Control – users can restrict access to some applications.

9. HDMI capability – you can connect to HDTV or any other HDMI device via Apple Digital AV adapter (need to purchase separately) and share 720p HD videos from your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch (4th generation only).

10. Push notifications for comments and follow requests and you can Post and Like songs directly from the Now Playing screen.

11. Improvement to message setting – you can set the number of times to repeat an alert.

12. Improvement to call feature – with single tap you can make conference call and pause to send a passcode.

Compatible Devices:

• iPhone 4 (GSM model), iPhone 3GS

• iPad 2, iPad

• iPod touch (4th generation), iPod touch (3rd generation)

* Apple has included a new multitasking gestures for iPad in the latest SDK release for developers to test multi finger pinch and swipe. However this feature is not available for users. We can expect this to come in iOS 5 with iPhone 5 release. With that feature, you can use multi fingers to pinch to the Homescreen, swipe up to reveal the multitasking bar, and swipe left or right between apps.

Apple iOS 4.2.1 (Release: November 2010)

The fourth version iOS commonly referred to as Apple iOS or iOS version 4 was released in June 2010. iOS 4 supports multitasking, iAd, Game Center and more. iOS 4.2.1 was a major update to iOS 4.0. It was updated to include large screen iPad in November 2010. Apple iOS 4.2.1 offers many good features and functions like multitasking, background audio, voice over IP, location notifications, iAd, Airplay, Airprint, Game Center, Find my phone, directory enhancement, messages with tone and supports 50 languages and keyboard support, different tone alerts for text, iTune TV show rental, Calender invites and responds , accessibility enhancement, notes with different fonts and better mail client functionality.

Apple iOS 4.2.1

Release: November 2010

Features introduced with iOS 4.x

1. Multitasking

This is a method of sharing common processing resources such as a CPU to multiple applications.

(a)Background audio – Can listen to music while surfing web, play games etc.

(b)Voice over IP – Voice over IP applications can receive calls and continue talking while using other applications.

(c) Background location – Provides efficient way to monitor location of users when they move and in different towers. This is a great social networking feature to identify friend’s locations. (If they allowed only)

(d) Local notifications – Application and alert users of scheduled events and alarms in the background.

(e) Task finishing – Application will run in the background and finish the task completely even if user leave it. (i.e click mail application and let the mail app check mails and now you can message (SMS) to send SMS while you are on call, still the mail application will receive or send mails.)

(f) Fast Application Switching – Users can switch from any application to any so that other applications will be running in the background until you switch it back.

2. Airprint

AirPrint makes it simple to print email, photos, web pages, and documents right from your iPhone.

3. IAd – Advertising on Mobile (Mobile Advertisement Network)

4. Airplay

AirPlay lets you stream digital media wirelessly from your iPhone to the new Apple TV or any AirPlay-enabled speakers and you can watch movies and photos on your widescreen TV and play music through the best speakers in the house.

5. Find my iPhone

The MobileMe feature helps you locate your missing device and protect its data. This feature is now free on any iPhone 4 running iOS 4.2. Once you set it up, you can find your lost device on a map, display a message on its screen, remotely set a passcode lock, and initiate a remote wipe to delete your data. And if you eventually find your iPhone, you can restore everything from your last backup.

6. Game Centre

It allows you to find friends to play or auto match someone to play with you in multiplayer games.

7. Keyboard and Directory enhancement

iOS 4.2 supports for 50 languages.

8. Folders

Organize apps in to folders with drag and drop feature

9. Messages with text tone

Assign custom 17 tones to people in the phone book, so that when you get SMS without looking at the text you can identify who sent it.

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