Developers working with the iPhone firmware 2.2 beta that was released a short time ago have uncovered a few new features. These will be a welcome addition to the iPhone’s features, and one in particular should help to increase the iPhone’s appeal in Japan.

Developers uncovered the existence of emoji, small graphic images used often by the Japanese in text messaging, hidden in the iPhone’s firmware. 461 (!) of these were found, and they appear to include a number of smiley face emoticons that texters in the U.S. and other countries have been used to on other phones.

Screenshot courtesy of MacRumors

At the announcement of T-Mobile’s Android-based G1 phone, Google street view made its first appearance on a cell phone. That street view capability appears to be coming to the iPhone as well based on the contents of the 2.2 firmware beta.

Here in the EIC forums, members often search for ways to turn off the auto-correction feature, and while there is a bit of a workaround involving the selection of international keyboards in the Settings menu, there isn’t a global on/off switch. This looks like it’s going to change with the 2.2 firmware, with a setting dedicated specifically to enabling and disabling the auto-correct feature.

There’s no information on when the 2.2 firmware will be released. Note that Apple has not yet enabled or announced the availability of the back push notification service that was promised earlier this year for September, either. Hopefully, iPhone users won’t have to wait much longer.

Via MacRumors
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