Apple iOS 4.3 Drops Today At 10AM PT?

Could iOS 4.3 be landing earlier than expected? Steve Jobs announced that the updated OS would arrive on Friday, March 11, alongside the new iPad 2, but a new rumor has pegged it for release today. BGR's source – who also had some interesting tidbits to share about the iPhone 4 mobile hotspot situation – claims iOS 4.3 will in fact be released at 10AM PT today.

That's three days early, and if true an unusual decision by Apple considering the March 11 date has been so well publicized. iOS 4.3 will be available for the first-gen iPad, the iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS, and the 3rd and 4th generation iPod touch.

As for the mobile hotspot service, while Apple says the connection sharing system "works with up to three devices over Wi-Fi, three devices over Bluetooth, and one device over USB" the source claims that's an artificial limitation. If a carrier requests different – such as the more common five WiFi devices – then Apple will supposedly tweak the app to support that instead.