The latest iPhone operating system – iPhone OS 4 has been released and contains some exciting new capabilities that will have dramatic ramifications for the mobile networks.

As we have detailed before, the new OS4 contains many new features, but the most significant one is the new multi-tasking capability, allowing multiple applications to run in the background. This feature is crucial for unifying communications because now the iPhone user can be automatically alerted of incoming chat, voice and video over IP calls, something that was previously impossible.

This new multi-tasking capability of the iPhone OS will spawn the release of several new Unified Communications applications that will ultimately integrated and deliver better communications to enterprise and businesses alike.

Of course all this new technology is only useful if the mobile networks are up to it which means either optimising their existing 3G networks to support video and voice over IP or eventually upgrading to them to 4G LTE technology. 4G LTE (long term evolution) technology is already being tested by mobile networks across the globe including Verizon in the USA and O2 in the UK and can offer speeds of up to 40mb download and 2mb upload – more than sufficient for good quality video conferencing and video calling.

Things are really starting to change in the communications industry, and it has been mentioned once or twice that we really are on the brink of a technology shift, unheard of for a generation.

Today, Dell released plans for Streak, a 5-inch Android™-based Tablet designed to provide people the best “on-the-go” entertainment, social connection, and navigation experience.

The Dell Streak is a compact and powerful companion for people who want to expand their ability to access their digital lives on the go, and realize tomorrow’s technology today. The spacious 5-inch screen is ideal for experiencing thousands of Android Market™ widgets, games and applications, all without squinting or compromising portability. B uilt-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and available 3G connectivity brings easy access for downloading and listening to music, updating social networking status in real-time, and staying connected to friends and family through e-mail, text, IM, and voice calls.

On-the-go students, mobile professionals, and active families will find Streak’s web-browsing capabilities as natural as a laptop. The 5-inch screen is large enough to present Web pages in their natural form, create a comfortable viewing experience, and make turn-by-turn navigation simple and safe. The Dell Streak leverages Qualcomm’s Snapdragon™ solution with integrated 1GHz processor to combine basic functionality, performance, and benefits of a laptop in a pocket friendly size.

As you can see this is a very impressive list of feature. For a long time now, we have been talking to people regarding the future of communications really transferring to the hand held and smart markets. The real question for us is the use of these devices in the world of unified communications

Smartphones are making strides in its reputation as an inexpensive solution for a communications platform both from the consumer position and the comercial one. In addition to a smartphone’s telephone functions, standard features usually include e-mail, text messaging, e-mail and Web browsing. Smartphones also boast an address book, which doesn’t sound impressive — maybe it conjures imagery of a grubby little pad of paper forever lost in the kitchen junk drawer. But smartphones are a key platform for social networking features, and the more we use them, the more useful the address book becomes. Contact information from a lot of social applications, such as Facebook, can be synced on the go.

Smartphones are loaded up with social networking programs, features that blur the line between business and personal interest, such as Google Apps, and intellectual property saved as data. Communications providers realize that their target market is already accustomed to (or dependent on) using smartphones and are making the most of the opportunity. In some cases, existing users don’t even need to invest in new hardware. SIPCOM provides UC solutions that allow companies to access all of their business functions from any smartphone that meets current technological standards, without extensive modifications.

So, once you’ve got your pocket-sized device filled with confidential business secrets and sensitive contact information, how can you possibly carry it around? Well, some mobile phone manufacturers are aggressively pursuing business customers with high-tech security features to protect all that valuable data. The Nokia E71, for example, features data encryption for the phone’s internal memory and removable memory cards. The Apple iPhone can be locked or erased remotely if it’s lost or stolen. LG’s eXpo has fingerprint-based security. As the smartphone’s ability increases to perform most of the communications tasks of a desktop computer, don’t overlook its potential as an integral part of business communications.

Professional dependence on UC is pushing the technology to new and interesting places.[source:HowStuffWorks]