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iPhone now supports accessory app downloads

iPhone OS 3.0 has recently added support for external iPhone accessory-related apps.

David Martin
David Martin has more than 20 years of experience in the industry as a programmer, systems and business analyst, author, and consultant.
David Martin

Griffin

According to iLounge, Apple has added a feature to the iPhone OS, as well as to Made-for-iPod and Works-with-iPhone certified devices, to include automatic download prompts when connecting accessories supported by iPhone apps. If you connect one of these accessories to you iPhone or iPod Touch, an alert box warns you about the missing application and asks for permission to install it.

iLounge

Griffin's iTrip, an FM transmitter with app support, is the first already-shipping accessory we found that supports this new iPhone OS feature.

Griffin

The iTrip app is optional. According to Griffin, the app enhances the usefulness of the iTrip by allowing you to control it from your touch screen. Once installed you can:

  • Tune your iTrip
  • Scan for clear frequencies
  • Display the current FM station iTrip is using to transmit your music
  • Have one-tap access to SmartScan
  • Use a large, on-screen tuning knob
  • Access three user presets

We're curious to see what future innovations developers will make using this new hardware/app compatibility.