Release record
Release notes
Editorial synthesis with inline references and a source ledger when citations are available.
The public release brought Game Center’s friend challenges, automatic matchmaking, achievements, leaderboards, and game discovery to supported devices. On the new iPod touch, iOS 4.1 also underpinned FaceTime video calling alongside multitasking and folders.[1][2]
Apple’s security bulletin documents a VoiceOver correction for location-service indicators, stronger certificate handling for FaceTime calls, safer TIFF and GIF parsing, and numerous WebKit memory-safety fixes. These entries are representative rather than a one-record-per-CVE transcription.[3]
Source ledger
Sources are linked to the claims they support. Publication and access dates are shown when available.
Apple Newsroom · 2010-09-01T00:00:00Z · Game Center, FaceTime, and September 8 update
Apple Support · 2026-07-30 · iOS 4.1 security content
Apple Newsroom · 2010-09-01T00:00:00Z · iOS 4.1 features and September 8 availability
Documented & observed
Source-linked features, fixes, known issues, removals, and community-observed behavior recorded across this version’s appearances and verified builds.
Release changes
Features, fixes, removals, and regressions first observed in this release record.
enhancement · introduced
Settings included a control for disabling automatic spelling checks.
Recorded at Beta 1
enhancement · introduced
Adding a contact favorite exposed a choice between a voice call and a FaceTime connection.
Recorded at Beta 1
enhancement · changed
The developer seed restored Game Center with a changed visual presentation.
Recorded at Beta 1
compatibility · changed
The seed carried baseband firmware 02.07.01 for the device’s cellular radio.
Recorded at Beta 1
enhancement · introduced
Parental controls added separate restrictions for FaceTime access and multiplayer gaming.
Recorded at Beta 1
behavior · changed
Rotating the camera interface repositioned its flash and camera-selection controls.
Recorded at Beta 1
behavior · changed
The seed changed the mapping between measured cellular strength and the visible bars while enlarging the shorter indicators.
Recorded at Beta 1
compatibility · introduced
AVRCP support allowed compatible accessories to control more playback functions than volume alone.
Recorded at Beta 1
bugFix · knownIssue
Contemporaneous testing still found unintended display activation during iPhone 4 calls in Beta 2.
Recorded at Beta 2
compatibility · removed
The beta no longer exposed Game Center on iPhone 3G or the second-generation iPod touch.
Recorded at Beta 3
feature · introduced
Supported games could connect players with friends or automatically selected opponents while surfacing scores, achievements, and games played by friends.
Recorded at Public
security · fixed
The change made the location-services status cue available to VoiceOver users instead of leaving it visual-only.
Recorded at Public
security · fixed
Apple tied the issue to an attacker in a privileged network position and addressed it through stricter certificate handling.
Recorded at Public
compatibility · introduced
The new iPod touch could place Wi-Fi FaceTime calls to another compatible iPod touch or iPhone 4 and switch between front and rear cameras.
Recorded at Public
security · fixed
Crafted images could terminate an application or execute code; the release improved image handling and bounds checks.
Recorded at Public
security · fixed
The repaired use-after-free, invalid-state, and memory-corruption conditions could otherwise terminate the browser or permit code execution on a malicious page.
Recorded at Public
Release changes
Broader context included for understanding, not claimed as new in this release.
feature · introduced
The candidate enabled direct high-definition video uploads while connected to Wi-Fi.
Recorded at GM
bugFix · fixed
The release-wide iOS 4.1 presentation said the unintended-call-input problem would be corrected.
Recorded at GM
feature · introduced
The software added access to rented television episodes through Apple’s media storefront.
Recorded at GM
feature · introduced
The candidate carried multiplayer invitations, scoreboards, achievements, and friend discovery into the release boundary.
Recorded at GM
bugFix · fixed
The candidate was announced with corrections for previously reported Bluetooth behavior.
Recorded at GM
bugFix · fixed
The GM state included work aimed at the severe slowdowns reported on iPhone 3G.
Recorded at GM
feature · introduced
Supported hardware could combine differently exposed frames into one high-dynamic-range photograph.
Recorded at GM
Milestones
Every recorded channel appearance in chronological order. Open an appearance for any available build, scope, notes, and sources.
Developer beta
Beta 1 is an editorially reviewed historical archive page with 8 structured, source-backed milestone records and an explicit account of its surviving evidence boundary.
Developer beta
Beta 2 is an editorially reviewed historical archive page with 1 structured, source-backed milestone record and an explicit account of its surviving evidence boundary.
Developer beta
Beta 3 is an editorially reviewed historical archive page with 1 structured, source-backed milestone record and an explicit account of its surviving evidence boundary.
Golden master
GM is an editorially reviewed historical archive page with 7 structured, source-backed milestone records and an explicit account of its surviving evidence boundary.
Public release
iOS 4.1 introduced Game Center to the public release line, expanded FaceTime support on the new iPod touch, and delivered security fixes for accessibility, FaceTime trust, image parsing, and WebKit.
Historical context
Pace, intervals, and duration compared with earlier releases on the same platform.
Historical avg for .1 releases
47 days, 5.2 milestones
Based on 20 previous iOS .1 releases
Cycle vs. platform average
56d (avg: 58d)
2 days shorter than the iOS average
Duration ranking
#38 of 92
Middle of the pack iOS beta cycles
Longest gap in this cycle
29 days
Between Beta 3 and GM