Apple launched iPhone 2.2 software into the wild late last week, giving the lusty smartphone a hodgepodge of new features simultaneous with rival Research In Motion’s launch of the BlackBerry Storm.

But perhaps most important, Apple says the software means fewer dropped calls, the ability to turn off auto-correction in the on-screen keyboard, better sound quality in voicemail and more stability in the Safari browser.

Several changes apply to the Mail and Google Maps applications. In Mail, customers get bug fixes for scheduled fetching and for HTML formatting. In Google Maps, additions include street view, public transit and walking directions, plus the ability to share locations by e-mail.

Also, podcasts now can be downloaded through iTunes, the company said.