Steve Jobs on Lack of Custom Wallpapers in iOS 4 for iPhone 3G - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Steve Jobs on Lack of Custom Wallpapers in iOS 4 for iPhone 3G

092006 ios 4 home screen

As has been widely discussed, while the iPhone 3G and second-generation iPod touch are compatible with Apple's iOS 4 released yesterday, they do not support all of the features of the updating operating system. Multitasking has been the highest-profile feature unsupported by these older devices, but Apple has also noted (iPhone, iPod touch) three other unsupported features: Bluetooth keyboard support, home screen wallpapers, and data protection.

The inclusion of custom home screen wallpapers has been questioned by a number of users, as it does not initially appear that the feature should require particularly advanced hardware. Gizmodo reports that one user emailed Apple CEO Steve Jobs to ask about the issue, and received a response noting that unsatisfactory performance of icon animations on top of the custom wallpapers was the reason for the omission.

The icon animation with backgrounds didn't perform well enough.

Custom wallpapers have obviously been supported on jailbroken iPhones and iPod touches for quite some time, so it is not obvious just how Apple's implementation differs, but it seems clear that Apple's implementation of custom wallpapers simply didn't reach the company's standards for performance during the development and testing process.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

apple pro tell logo

Apple Launching Five New Products Today

Thursday November 5, 2026 12:59 am PST by
Apple is launching five new products on Friday, November 6, following pre-orders that opened last week, including its first touchscreen MacBook Pro models. The following new products will be available from today: iPad mini with OLED display and A20 Pro chip iMac with M6 chip 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6 chip 14-inch MacBook Pro with OLED touchscreen 16-inch MacBook Pro with OLED...
hero medium 2x feature1

Apple Surveys iPhone Duo Buyers About Crease and Camera

Thursday November 5, 2026 4:22 pm PST by
Apple is sending email surveys to some iPhone Duo buyers to get feedback on display size, crease, under-display camera, and other features. The first question asks why the buyer chose the iPhone Duo now, with answers like "I wanted to try Apple's first foldable," "It was an impulse purchase," and "I expect smartphone prices to increase." Other questions ask about the size of the iPhone...
silver iphone 18 pro

Apple Rumored to Drop the iPhone's Action Button Next Year

Friday November 6, 2026 6:07 am PST by
Apple plans to merge the iPhone's Action button with the Camera Control starting next year, according to the leaker known as "Instant Digital." In a new post on Weibo, the leaker claimed that a single press of the combined button would open the camera, while a long press would trigger the function assigned to the Action button. They explicitly clarified that the dedicated Action button would ...

Top Rated Comments

uberamd Avatar
214 months ago
Without a doubt, BS. It's called planned marketing obsolescence.
No... it isn't.


Apple, EASILY, could release IOS 4 for the original iPhone with at least some of its features.
It did. Folders for example. However there is only so much you can do software wise when the limitation is in the hardware. Unless you are talking about the 2G, but this thread is titled for 3G so I will assume thats what you are talking about. If you are saying 2G, then sorry but your device isn't any less without the new features.


Apple is starting to become a parody of comedy bits about itself.

Everyone has to have a new "MAPPLE" product, yet everyone hates how the company treats them afterwards. (Simpsons episode)
Seriously? Are you serious? What other company provides a constant stream of free software updates to a mobile device? Apple can't work miracles, they can't get certain parts of software to run on a device that CAN'T SUPPORT IT. Thats the same reason your original XBox can't play XBox 360 games, and why the PS2 can't play PS3 games. USE YOUR HEAD.


You would think Steve Jobs, after a liver transplant, would grow up and start treating his customers who spent over $500 on an original iPhone better, but nope.

Jobs is still the same spoiled brat who treats his customers like $HlT and disowns his own child.
How can you say this? Hm? Does Microsoft treat the customers who purchased the original XBox better still? Does Sony treat original PS2 buyers better still? Does World of Warcraft treat its 4 year straight @ $15/mo subscribers better? NO. Want new features? Buy a new XBox, buy a new PS3, buy the new WoW expansion, and keep PAYING. That's what companies do. You have gotten free updates to the OS for years now! What more do you want?! Why don't you actually try some programming and see if you can work miracles when hardware is the limitation...


Him and Warren Buffet are starting to look like a world leaders, yet Jobs hasn't changed one bit. That's a shame. Apple has more value now than Microsoft and Steve Jobs has a new liver and doesn't have a freaking care in the world. F the customers.
F the customers? By not providing wallpapers? How old are you? Honestly, I feel like I am reading something a uneducated 10 year old wrote.


Who cares? The lemmings will still buy more insanely great products and toss the old ones in the trash just to contribute to global pollution just because Steve Jobs tells them to, not because the device is outdated. Wonderful. Good way to save that billions of dollars in the bank Steve.

Thank you Apple.

[tosses original $500 iPhone in the landfill with everyone else]
Ugh, you are such a ignorant uneducated person I don't know how to even properly respond to you. I wish I could meet you in person and actually have a debate with you and see how long it takes before you just collapse due to a lack of knowledge on the topic at hand.

A few points for you, buddy:

* When you purchased the original iPhone, were you EVER promised Folders? Multiatasking? Wallpapers? Answer: NO! You were NEVER told you would get those things and you are NOT owed them
* Did you purchase your original iPhone with the thought that you would be able to use custom wallpapers? NO! Why? Because that was NEVER an option back when you decided to purchase your device.
* Does your iPhone perform the EXACT SAME TASKS it did back when you purchased it originally? YES!
* Has ANY functionality been REMOVED from the device that was there in the past? NO. You have the SAME phone you have always had


Conclusion: You purchased your iPhone because it was able to perform certain tasks. Through free software updates that Apple released (none of which you were owed or were entitled to) your phone started doing MORE than it could when you originally purchased it. Your phone was made BETTER through free software updates, that once again you were never owed in the first place. GROW UP.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
214 months ago
They aren't missing much, I find the screen a lot harder to read andd switched to the darkest wallpaper I could. Can't find an option for a plain black screen anywhere yet.

I put the phone on a table and took a picture of nothing, then used that. I wish it had a 'no background' button because unless it's smart enough to figure out my black background is really black, then it's probably rendering invisible shadows on the icons I don't need and slowing the phone down. Backgrounds under the icons was ugly, not providing a black background was stupid, not providing a no-background option was ridiculous.

Waiting for 4.1. :D
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
214 months ago
Disgusting.

How stupid does he think we are?

Are you new to these forums? It's full of people that actually think Apple cares about them.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
214 months ago
I know....I know the raging crappy multi-task doesn't fit my I touch 2 GEN... but is it too much to ask a damn friggin wall background??:mad:
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
214 months ago
Everyone does know that you can barely even see the wallpaper through the icons, right? :rolleyes:
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ouimetnick Avatar
214 months ago
Well on my Original iPhone who died several months ago, I could have it jailbroken, an have backrounder for multitasking, MMS to send photos, Video recording (was great in light, but was terrible in lower light locations) I had themes or I could stick with the default Apple springboard with a background. Being honest, multitasking was great. The phone took so log to open up iPod, Safari and messages, so I enabled them to run in the background, and they opened the millisecond I tapped on their icons.

Even with a background and backrounder for multitasking, tr battery still lasted a day and a half, and the animation wasn't anymore laggy as it had already need on stock firmware.

Apple should give 3G users things like BT keyboard and wallpaper. Fine with me, do add shadows to icons, but if I can get all the features from a 3GS on an Original iPhone, the hardware I capable enough.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Latest Stories
More Fun iPhone Duo Apps: 30 New Picks to Try
More Fun iPhone Duo Apps: 30 New Picks to Try
1 hour ago
Hands-On With Apple's New OLED Touchscreen MacBook Pro
Hands-On With Apple's New OLED Touchscreen MacBook Pro
2 hours ago
Apple Store With All-New Design Opening Soon in Southern California
Apple Store With All-New Design Opening Soon in Southern California
3 hours ago
Control the Glowing Apple Logo on Your New MacBook Pro
Control the Glowing Apple Logo on Your New MacBook Pro
4 hours ago
Apple Shares New 'Apple Card: Apply and Use in Minutes' Ad
Apple Shares New 'Apple Card: Apply and Use in Minutes' Ad
7 hours ago
Apple Says More Than 100,000 Apps Optimized for iPhone Duo, Here's What's Still Missing
Apple Says More Than 100,000 Apps Optimized for iPhone Duo, Here's What's Still Missing
7 hours ago
Early Black Friday Deals Kickoff With Steep Discounts on Apple Watch Ultras and More
Early Black Friday Deals Kickoff With Steep Discounts on Apple Watch Ultras and More
8 hours ago
The MacRumors Show: iOS 27.3 Looks Like a Huge Update
The MacRumors Show: iOS 27.3 Looks Like a Huge Update
8 hours ago
Best Buy's Black Friday Event Begins With Sitewide Savings on Apple, TVs, More
Best Buy's Black Friday Event Begins With Sitewide Savings on Apple, TVs, More
9 hours ago
Apple Releasing Yet Another Two New Products Next Week
Apple Releasing Yet Another Two New Products Next Week
9 hours ago
MacBook Air Drops to Lowest Price in Months With Amazon's $250 Discount
MacBook Air Drops to Lowest Price in Months With Amazon's $250 Discount
10 hours ago
Apple Rumored to Drop the iPhone's Action Button Next Year
Apple Rumored to Drop the iPhone's Action Button Next Year
10 hours ago
Apple's Extended Return Policy Now in Effect for 2026 Holiday Season
Apple's Extended Return Policy Now in Effect for 2026 Holiday Season
10 hours ago
Apple Music Classical Updated With New Icon and Refreshed Design
Apple Music Classical Updated With New Icon and Refreshed Design
11 hours ago
OLED iPad Mini, M6 iMac, and New MacBook Pros Available From Today
OLED iPad Mini, M6 iMac, and New MacBook Pros Available From Today
14 hours ago
Apple Surveys iPhone Duo Buyers About Crease and Camera
Apple Surveys iPhone Duo Buyers About Crease and Camera
1 day ago
Apple's First Touchscreen Mac is Now Arriving to Customers
Apple's First Touchscreen Mac is Now Arriving to Customers
1 day ago
Claude Gets Personal Finance Feature With Bank Account Linking
Claude Gets Personal Finance Feature With Bank Account Linking
1 day ago
Apple Arcade Adds Crossy Road Rush and NBA 2K27
Apple Arcade Adds Crossy Road Rush and NBA 2K27
1 day ago
Apple's New HomeView Smart Home Hub: Here's How Much RAM It Has
Apple's New HomeView Smart Home Hub: Here's How Much RAM It Has
1 day ago
iPad Mini vs. iPad Air Buyer's Guide: Now Just $50 Apart
iPad Mini vs. iPad Air Buyer's Guide: Now Just $50 Apart
1 day ago
First iOS 27.3 and macOS Golden Gate 27.3 Public Betas Now Available
First iOS 27.3 and macOS Golden Gate 27.3 Public Betas Now Available
1 day ago
Apple Announces a New Mac Sales Record
Apple Announces a New Mac Sales Record
1 day ago
Paid $200 for Logic Pro? Apple Says You Won't Get This New Feature
Paid $200 for Logic Pro? Apple Says You Won't Get This New Feature
1 day ago
Instagram's Edits Video Editor is Now Available on Mac
Instagram's Edits Video Editor is Now Available on Mac
1 day ago
Prevent Siri and Search From Accessing Specific iPhone Apps
Prevent Siri and Search From Accessing Specific iPhone Apps
1 day ago
Best Early Black Friday Deals on iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo
Best Early Black Friday Deals on iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo
1 day ago
MacBook Pro PROLED XDR Reviews Are In: Is the Touchscreen Worth It?
MacBook Pro PROLED XDR Reviews Are In: Is the Touchscreen Worth It?
1 day ago
Early Black Friday Accessory Deals at Amazon Include TVs, Headphones, and Charging Devices
Early Black Friday Accessory Deals at Amazon Include TVs, Headphones, and Charging Devices
1 day ago
Apple Creator Studio App Updates Rolling Out, Starting With Logic Pro
Apple Creator Studio App Updates Rolling Out, Starting With Logic Pro
1 day ago