The iOS 4 for iPad update is on a lot of people’s minds since the most recent iPhone update.  One of the questions I get asked a lot lately is ,”Do you know when the iOS 4 upgrade will be coming for the iPad?”  No one knows the exact date and there has been no official word from Apple on this other than it will be coming this fall.  Read on for updates.

Update July 20th, 2010: Apple to charge $5 for iOS4?

In a breaking story from Product Reviews Net they are reporting that Apple may charge $5 for iPad upgrades to iOS 4.  Apple has not commented on this nor has anyone else.  The question that everyone will have if Apple does decide to do is is WHY? If Apple were to charge for an upgrade to iOS 4 for the iPad then it would almost seem like the upgrade offered a lot more than just some simple features!  I suspect that if this is a true rumor, there better be a very good reason for charging.

And this rumor has now been debunked. The  iPad licensing agreements specifically state that the “next major iPad OS software release” will be free for hardware owners, casting some doubt on the rumor. Releases beyond that, however, may come with a charge.

Update: July 16th, 2010:  Still no word on the actual date for iOS 4 for the ipad, but there are rumors about smaller iPads and OLED screens. I don’t think this will come with IOS 4 updates but one never really knows what Apple has up their sleeves.

Update: July 8th, 2010:  The latest word is that the iPad iOS 4 Update (in the Fall) will not be what we think it is.  It definitely will bring surprises to the iPad that did not come with the iPhone iOS 4 update.  Stay tuned and check back here for the latest…

Update:  Word from AdAge is that iAd will be coming to iPad in November, which means iOS 4 for iPad will definitely be Fall.  Some are saying November but I still say the update will be September for Back-To-School!

With the most current release of the iPhone iOS a lot of forums have once again raised the question about what we can expect to see in the coming iPad iOS 4 update later on this year.  This story over on beatweek confirms we do not yet know the exact release date.  However, in the meantime we did a study of the most requestes ios 4 features. Here they are…

While we do not know all specific details we do know that there will be similar functionality to the new iPhone iOS 4 feature set.

Top 10 User Feature Requests

I did a pass through the forums on a few of the larger Apple sites as well as asked my Twitter followers (who are awesome by the way) to find out what people really want to see improved with the iOS 4 update.  Here are the top 10 user feature requests based on hundreds of responses.

These are weighted in terms of how many people requested a certain feature:

• A File System
• Multitasking
• Wireless Printing
• Less reliance on a Mac or PC
• Improved Safari App
• Clock App
• Folders
• Better Calendar App
• Improved Photo App
• Multiple User Accounts

Some of the requested features above are ones we know are coming, since they are already included in the new iOS 4 update on the iPhone.  Here are some resources to learn more about them

Multitasking

Folders

Analysis

I fully agree that the iPad needs better wireless printing support and less reliance on a Mac or PC for management of apps, photos and staying in sync.  Perhaps a wifi sync?  I also think it’s fair to say that the core apps could use some updating, especially the photo app and safari.

Where I slightly disagree is the file system request.  I just don’t see that coming even with the iOS 4 update.  I see where a lot of people are trying to replace their laptops with the iPad and referring to what their netbooks can do that the iPad cannot do (yet).

My reasons for disagreeing are based on the original keynote when the iPad was announced.  It was never stated that it would be a netbook, yet, a majority of us were really wanting it to be and as such we have tried and tried to have the iPad take the place of our laptops/netbooks.  Yet, we run into its limitations very quickly as a full replacement.  I don’t see where Apple will make this transition yet with the iPad in its current version of 1.

Perhaps Apple will watch and see what the competitors do and how widely adopted the iPad becomes across multiple markets and industries before making any further decisions to add netbook-like features.

For now, I see vast improvement in the apps and updates to the current OS which bring us quite a few features from the list above – albeit not all of them.  That’s my take at least.

So, what do you think of the list? What are your thoughts in regards to the iPad being a laptop replacement?