Apple Releases Another GM Candidate for iOS 4.2

Apple had promised a November release of its next version of iOS which will bring app switching and folders to the iPad as it had with iOS 4 for the iPhone and iPod touch. iOS 4.2 which apparently had meant to be made available in early November was met with a delay.

On November 1, Apple had seeded the Golden Master version of iOS 4.2 for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch. Typically this represents the final development release of a software before it’s launched to the public. Instead, Apple had seeded another Golden Master for the iPad apparently to fix some minor issues, some say to do with wireless networking.

Aside from application switching and folders, iOS 4.2 is expected to bring an improved dock shelf which allows users to adjust screen brightness in addition to volume, without leaving an app. It is also expected to return the function of the slider near the top of the iPad from being a rotation lock switch to a mute button, in line with how it works on the iPhone and iPod touch.

Apple has less than two weeks to fulfill the deadline it had set itself for iOS 4.2