iPhone OS 4.0 to Bring Expose-like Multitasking?
AppleInsider offers some details on multitasking in iPhone OS 4.0, which would allow users greater ability to run multiple apps at a time and easily switch between them. According to the report, multitasking on iPhone OS 4.0 will utilize an interface similar to the Expos function found in Mac OS X.
Those familiar with the design of iPhone 4.0 said that the user interface will resemble Apple's desktop Expose feature, in that a key combination -- reportedly hitting the Home button twice -- will trigger an expose-like interface that brings up a series of icons representing the currently running apps, allowing users to quickly select the one they want to switch to directly. When a selection is made, the iPhone OS zooms out of the Expose task manager and transitions to that app.
While Apple currently offers limited multitasking for apps that ship with the iPhone operating system, it has yet to implement true multitasking for all applications despite it being one of the highest profile requests from users. Apple developed a workaround with Push Notifications, launched last June, which allow applications that are not currently running to serve alerts to users via a remote server.
Talk of true multitasking in iPhone OS 4.0 surfaced in the weeks leading up to the iPad media event in late January as some observers expected the updated operating system to be demoed there. Additional claims arrived earlier this month, and Daring Fireball's John Gruber also hinted earlier this week at the capability for iPhone OS 4.0.
Today's report also notes two other features that have reportedly been observed in iPhone OS 4.0: a "global mailbox view" and the ability to place individual contacts to the device's home screen. Neither of these advancements are a particular surprise, however, as Apple CEO Steve Jobs himself recently claimed that a universal inbox is under development, and a patent application published in January revealed Apple's interest in adding contacts to the home screen.
Popular Stories
Apple today released iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5, the fifth updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that came out last September. iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5 come a little over a month after Apple released iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4.
The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. The iOS 18.5 update has a...
Apple is considering raising prices for its upcoming iPhone 17 models set to release this fall, according to people familiar with the matter cited by The Wall Street Journal.
The company reportedly aims to pair the potential price hikes with new features and design changes to justify the increased cost to consumers, rather than attributing them to U.S. tariffs on goods from China.
The...
Apple today released tvOS 18.5, the latest version of the tvOS operating system. tvOS 18.5 comes a little over a month after the launch of tvOS 18.4, and it is available for the Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD models.
tvOS 18.5 can be downloaded using the Settings app on the Apple TV. Open up Settings and go to System > Software Update to get the new software. Apple TV owners who have...
Apple today released macOS Sequoia 15.5, the fifth major update to the macOS Sequoia operating system that launched last September. macOS Sequoia 15.5 comes a little over a month after the launch of macOS Sequoia 15.4.
Mac users can download the macOS Sequoia 15.5 update through the Software Update section of System Settings. It is available for free on all Macs able to run ...
Following more than a month of beta testing, Apple is expected to release iOS 18.5 to the general public this week. While the software update is relatively minor, it still includes a handful of new features and changes for iPhones.
Below, we recap everything new in iOS 18.5.
Pride Wallpaper
Apple recently announced its 2025 Pride Collection, including a new Apple Watch band, watch face,...
Apple is planning to allow users to natively control iPhones, iPads, and other devices using brain signals later this year, The Wall Street Journal reports.
The initiative involves a partnership with Synchron, a neurotechnology startup that produces an implantable brain-computer interface (BCI) device called the Stentrode. The Stentrode enables users with severe motor impairments, such as...
