The latest scuttlebutt from the Interwebs suggests that a new version of firmware for the iPhone is about to be bestowed on the iPhone-toting public. Version 1.1.3 will bring in two new features: voice recording and use of the iPhone as an external hard drive.

It has barely been a month since Apple made the 1.1.2 firmware update available. 1.1.2 didn't bring in any notable new features, but did manage to re-brick unlocked iPhones. This time around, users of unlocked iPhones should probably expect the same trials and tribulations faced with previous firmware updates. For those who don't think voice recording and drag-and-drop file access are all that important, perhaps it is not worth the hassle.

According to CNET's team in France, 1.1.3 should be available "by the end of the week", which likely means by Saturday.

Using the iPhone for recording voice notes is a long-overdue feature, but is probably not make or break for many. The ability to use the iPhone as an external hard drive is more intriguing, though users will still need iTunes to transfer songs and other media to the iPhone. You will be able to use the iPhone to store documents, though, such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files.

1.1.3 does not bring some of the more coveted features, such as MMS capabilities. If you're impatient for that particular feature, you might try this product.

Obviously, Over the Air will report on all the details on iPhone firmware 1.1.3 as they unfold.