Apple Announces Multitasking in iPhone OS 4.0
Image courtesy of Gizmodo.com
At its 'Sneak Peek Into the Future' media event today, Apple announced several major feature additions, including multitasking and an in-app ad network, to iPhone OS 4.0 for release this summer.
The most significant new feature of iPhone OS 4.0 highlighted by Jobs is multitasking, which recent rumors had indicated might be coming. Apple had not previously implemented this feature out of concern for battery life and overall performance, although Jobs said that the company had found a way to implement multi-tasking without these negative effects.
Providing a demonstration of multitasking, Jobs showed a pop-up tray at the bottom of the iPhone's screen - which is triggered by double-clicking the home button - with the icons of all currently-running apps displayed. Clicking on the desired app opens it without closing the other apps. Scott Forstall, SVP of iPhone Software, described the multitasking feature in more detail, claiming that the company "distilled the services" that third-party apps need to run in the background, and these services are available as APIs to developers.
The seven multitasking APIs now available to developers are: background audio, voice over IP (VOIP), background location, push notifications, local notifications, task completion, and fast app switching. Demos highlighting the new APIs used Pandora, Skype, TomTom, and Loopt. Incoming notifications can be shown just below the status bar or in a pop-up dialogue on the home or lock screen.
While the iPhone 3GS and late 2009 32 GB and 64 GB third-generation iPod touch will be fully-compatible with iPhone OS 4.0, earlier models of the devices will not support all of the features announced today. Notably even the iPhone 3G and second-generation iPod touch will not support multitasking. iPhone OS 4.0 will also come to the iPad in the fall.
Top Rated Comments
(View all)
24 months ago
jailbreaking is pretty much obsolete now other than for those who pirate, or those who use apps like gvoice, i.e not available in app store.:apple:
24 months ago
While the iPhone 3GS and late 2009 32 GB and 64 GB third-generation iPod touch will be fully-compatible with iPhone OS 4.0, earlier models of the devices will not support all of the features announced today. Notably even the iPhone 3G and second-generation iPod touch will not support multitasking. iPhone OS 4.0 will also come to the iPad in the fall.
Not surprising, considering the 3GS is significantly faster than the 3G and multitasking is probably very processor intensive. The 3G probably wouldn't be able to handle it or it would be unbearably slow
24 months ago
Pausing apps in the background isn't multitasking. Why can't my Twitter app be getting tweets in the background? Why can't Mail be downloading mail from my various accounts in the background?
Why can't I run two applications on the screen at once? I'd love to have Mail on the top two-thirds, and my Twitter feed on the bottom third.
This is completely unimaginative. Apple should be ashamed to develop such an underwhelming OS update.
FAIL.
Why can't I run two applications on the screen at once? I'd love to have Mail on the top two-thirds, and my Twitter feed on the bottom third.
This is completely unimaginative. Apple should be ashamed to develop such an underwhelming OS update.
FAIL.
24 months ago
Apple addressed nearly every geek complaint - with the exception of that pesky Adobe plug-in. More than I ever dreamed of.
Go :apple:!
Go :apple:!
24 months ago
I'm not too impressed. I hope they have really good hardware or else this is going to be a pretty lame summer........
24 months ago
A+ update for sure.
Sorry for the iPhone 3G folks, but you can't do much more if the hardware won't support it! Strange that the iPad has to wait until the fall.
Sorry for the iPhone 3G folks, but you can't do much more if the hardware won't support it! Strange that the iPad has to wait until the fall.
24 months ago
So now the question is will I be able to hold out until summer or will android prove too tempting...
24 months ago
If Jobs had given us only Folders and unified inbox, Dayenu! Is it summer yet?:p
[ Read All Comments ]
Analytics firm Chitika today released a report showing that by its metrics iOS has now surpassed OS X in overall web traffic share in the United States. Chitika's methodology involves an analysis...
One of the most frequent reasons for an iPhone to go on a trip to the Apple Store's Genius Bar is because of water damage. Typically, a water damaged iPhone can be replaced for a flat $199...
TheVerge's Joshua Topolsky summarizes the iPad 3 casing findings reported earlier today, but also adds his own sources regarding some details of the iPad 3.
Image from RepairLabs
As...
Last July, Apple discontinued the white MacBook from its consumer lineup, pushing consumers toward the company's popular MacBook Air line or the 13-inch MacBook Pro. The company didn't kill...
Popular iPhone Twitter client Tweetbot has finally arrived on the iPad, with a user interface instantly familiar to any current Tweetbot user. Designed for the Twitter power-user, Tweetbot packs a...
