Just this morning we heard rumors about iOS 4.3 and how it'll likely bring Personal Hotspot functionality to all iPhone users, and now the first beta of that very bit of software has arrived. Apple just dropped iOS 4.3 beta 1 into the hands of eager developers, and one of the biggest inclusions is the fact that non-Apple apps will be allowed to send video to an Apple TV via AirPlay. Interestingly, there doesn't seem to be any mention of the hotspot feature we mentioned earlier.
It's pretty great that Apple has apparently decided to let all apps in on the AirPlay fun rather than keep it all to themselves, but it's also kind of strange that there's no hotspot functionality to be found. The likeliest scenario is that, since Verizon's iPhone was on iOS 4.2.5 when the feature was demoed, the two OSes aren't quite finished being mashed together. We'll update you as more info comes to light, and if you're an iOS dev, be sure to tell us what you find!
UPDATE: It looks like the Personal Hotspot feature is indeed present, although it has to actually be enabled by the carrier to work. There's some more exciting news for iPad owners here, too, as there are four and five-finger gestures inside iOS 4.3 beta 1. You can use a four or five-finger swipe to perform actions like: pinch to the home screen, swipe up to reveal the multitasking bar, or swipe to either side between apps. Additionally, the side switch can now be set to either mute the iPad or be used as an orientation lock. Hooray!
