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

ipad mini 2021 youtube

New Report Reveals When to Expect the iPad Mini 7

Tuesday October 1, 2024 2:09 pm PDT by
Apple is working on a new iPad mini that will "potentially" be released "by the end of 2024," according to a report today from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Last month, Gurman reported that Apple had "new iPads in the works," including an upgraded version of the iPad mini. At the time, he said the device was "on deck for Apple's October event" alongside the first M4 Macs. The wording in his...
airpods pro 2 gradient

AirPods Pro 3 Expected Next Year: Here's What We Know

Tuesday October 1, 2024 5:47 am PDT by
Despite being released over two years ago, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 continue to dominate the wireless earbud market. However, with the AirPods Pro 3 expected to launch sometime in 2025, anyone thinking of buying Apple's premium earbuds may be wondering if the next generation is worth holding out for. Apart from their audio and noise-canceling performance, which are generally regarded as...
apple silicon mac lineup wwdc 2022 feature purple

MacBook Pro, iMac, and Redesigned Mac Mini With M4 Chips on Track to Launch 'This Year'

Tuesday October 1, 2024 1:57 pm PDT by
Apple plans to release new MacBook Pro, iMac, and Mac mini models with the M4 series of chips "this year," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman initially said these Macs would likely be announced during a virtual event this October, but he has been more vague about the timing lately, with wording such as "in the coming weeks" and now merely "this year." In any case, it is clear that...
15 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18

15 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18.1

Friday September 27, 2024 6:14 am PDT by
Apple is set to release iOS 18.1 in October, bringing the first set of Apple Intelligence features to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models. This update marks a significant step forward in Apple's AI integration, offering a new Siri contextually-aware experience and a range of additional capabilities powered by on-device machine learning and large language models. There are a couple of handy new...
iPhone SE 4 Thumb 2

Apple's Next New iPhone to Debut in the Spring: What to Expect

Tuesday October 1, 2024 3:14 am PDT by
Apple's budget-friendly iPhone SE is set for a major overhaul with a fourth generation model expected to launch in spring 2025. The upcoming model will mark a significant departure from its predecessors, adopting several features from higher-end iPhones while maintaining its position as the most affordable new model in Apple's lineup. According to recent reports, the iPhone SE 4 will sport a ...
iPhone SE 4 Thumb 1

iPhone SE With Apple Intelligence, New iPad Air, and More Reportedly Launching 'Early Next Year'

Tuesday October 1, 2024 12:38 pm PDT by
Apple plans to release a new iPhone SE with Apple Intelligence support, new iPad Air models, and an updated Magic Keyboard for the iPad Air at some point "early next year," according to a report today from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The next iPhone SE will have a similar design as the iPhone 14, including an edge-to-edge screen with a notch, according to Gurman. This means the device will...
m3 mbp space black

What to Expect From an Apple Event in October: iPad Mini 7, Redesigned Mac Mini, and More

Friday September 27, 2024 11:47 am PDT by
Apple will likely hold another event in October this year to announce new Macs and iPads. If so, it would be the fourth time in the last five years that Apple has held an event in October. Last year, Apple held a virtual event on Monday, October 30 to announce new MacBook Pro and iMac models with the M3 series of chips. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we...
Generic iOS 18

iOS 18.0.1 Coming Soon: What to Expect for Your iPhone

Wednesday October 2, 2024 5:50 am PDT by
Following the release of iOS 18 for the iPhone last month, Apple is preparing to release iOS 18.0.1 with bug fixes in the near future. We previously reported that Apple has been internally testing iOS 18.0.1, and today a private account on X with a proven track record of sharing iOS-related information said the update will have a build number of 22A3370. We expect iOS 18.0.1 to be a minor ...

Top Rated Comments

uberamd Avatar
186 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)
rols Avatar
186 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)
bahooki Avatar
186 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)
wujonathan1994 Avatar
186 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)
duncanapple Avatar
186 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
186 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)