When Will Apple Add Copy/Paste To The iPhone?

operating system iPhone Hellas

In addition to a redesigned MobileSafari interface, the iPhone 2.2 update will reportedly add Google Street View, transit route information, walking directions and over-the-air podcast downloads, according to Gizmodo, which described iPhone Hellas as "consistently reliable."

Gizmodo noted that because the 2.2 feature list hasn't changed from previous beta versions, it's possible that Apple could decide to sneak copy/paste into the 2.2 update, a development that could lead to a collective outcry of joy from iPhone users who've long been clamoring for this basic functionality.

Although third-party copy/paste software is available from the AppStore, Apple has yet to provide a road map for adding it natively. This omission is ironic in light of Apple CEO Steve Jobs' recent claim that the iPhone is basically the same thing as a netbook.

Chris Carlton, a systems engineer with Mac Business Solutions, doesn't think the lack of copy/paste is a big deal for some iPhone users, given the broad range of other iPhone features. But for users who treat the iPhone as a laptop replacement, the lack of copy/paste is "glaringly obvious," he said.

"As more iPhone applications come out, and people want to do more editing and e-mail, copy/paste is really becoming more of an issue than when the iPhone first came out," Carlton said. "Even lesser devices have that basic functionality."

But despite some users' anxiety over copy/paste, November has been full of positive industry reactions to the iPhone.

Earlier this week, NPD Group reported that the iPhone has overtaken the Motorola RAZR for the top spot in handset sales to U.S. adult consumers. SquareTrade, which sells extended mobile device warranties, published data that shows the iPhone is twice as reliable as the BlackBerry and three times more reliable than the Palm Treo.

And earlier this month, J.D. Power and Associates said the iPhone ranked highest among business users in terms of customer satisfaction, beating out smartphones from Research In Motion, Samsung, HTC, and Motorola.