Report: iPhone OS 4.0 to Support Multitasking

[Paul Daniel Ash]

AppleInsider is quoting "people with a proven track record in predicting Apple's technological advances" as saying that the next major release of the iPhone OS will support multitasking: the holy grail of many enthusiasts. The informants - who asked that the details remain secret as development on the new OS has "a way to go" - say there will be new "multi-tasking manager" software as part of iPhone 4.0, and that the main obstacles to multitasking up until now have been battery life and security.

The iPhone OS is based on the same Mach microkernel that is at the heart of Mac OS X, and so is already capable of multitasking. Apple enabled this for certain native apps - such as iPod and Messages - so that you can get SMS notifications and play music while doing other things. Up until now, the sources say, the main reason Apple has avoided allowing third-party apps to run in the background is to pre-emptively prohibit any spyware or malicious code from being run on the iPhone. Secondary reasons include resource management and battery life. So what might have changed to allow Apple to reconsider?

Probably the most significant development is Apple's new A4. The energy efficient system-on-a-chip, reportedly allowing ten hours of video playback, will power the iPad and is widely rumored as the heart of the next generation iPhone. This could render concerns about battery life moot, at least on newer devices, and Apple may use this as an inducement to owners of current iPhones to get an upgrade. That's total speculation, but it sure sounds like a classic Apple move. The iPad, of course, would be able to take full advantage of multitasking, and Apple doubtlessly has considered user disappointment when they discover they can only do one thing at a time on the new device.

The iPhone user interface would obviously have to be redesigned to allow users to take advantage of multitasking. It could be something like a ProSwitcher-style "double-push" of the Home button… or maybe this is the use for the mysterious "triple tap" that's been found in the3.2 beta release of the iPhone SDK. It will be interesting to see how Apple implements it… and how it can be hacked to work better.

[StealthBravo]

I hope its true

[CaptainChaos]

10 hours of video? Lol

[Zeal]

fFINALLY

[frozenra1n]

Sweeeeeetttttt
that would be fannnnntastic

[jrlrule]

i want the new iphone nowwwwww my 3g just seems soo sluggish compared to the 3gs

[ukoda]

While this well overdue and good news I wonder how if it will be enabled on older phones or used as a wedge to force a hardware upgrade cycle. Also you can bet they will try even harder to stop jail breaking. Worse case I guess if you don't mind not really controlling the new phone you had to buy they should be able to create decent VOIP apps which remains the unfulfilled hope that made me purchase an iPhone in the first place. It replaced a Windows phone that had also failed with the same hope. My guess it will be Android who can deliver a full usable VIOP client before either Microsoft or Apple.
Thats the bottom line here, Apple is only really playing catch up with Android and if they don't do this, and soon, they will start to look very old school.

[k9srkool]

OS 2.0 was rumored to have multitasking, then it didn't. Then OS 3.0 was rumored to have multitasking, then it didn't. Now OS 4.0 is rumored to have multitasking. It won't

[Atomi]

OS 2.0 was rumored to have multitasking, then it didn't. Then OS 3.0 was rumored to have multitasking, then it didn't. Now OS 4.0 is rumored to have multitasking. It won't

maybe this is just a new apple trick to ppl buy new 4g phone.

" 3g, 2g and 3gs battery sucks thats why we didnt add multitaskin in 4.0 software for them " by Apple (nomnom)

[k9srkool]

Exactly.

[CaptainChaos]

It has multi-tasking. Your mail app, the iPod, etc etc.

[xchemical]

I always wanted to watch 10 hours of porn on my iPhone

[Kroo]

Unless the next version of the phone comes with a battery that can withstand multitasking, then I'm betting it won't happen. When I've enabled multitasking apps on my jailbroken 3Gs to test this, it doesn't last the day. It's not a tradeoff I'm happy to give up. Not only that, the cpu has to withstand background running and multitasking alongside your general use. Can't see that on 1st and 2nd gen phones, or even the 3Gs. This next version would have to be the Jesus phone with the twelve apostles.

[adp]

At least give credit to the guy who posted this hours ago in the member-section.

iPhone OS 4.0 will support multitasking

[ajl917]

Apple usually follows what jailbreaking has first (MMS, Video etc.), so I could believe this. Hopefully that and a better battery happens...

[CaptainChaos]

Throw in an oled screen and their may be hope.

[k9srkool]

It has multi-tasking. Your mail app, the iPod, etc etc.

You know full-well that I'm talking about listening to pandora while checking your email, or not having to lose your place in a game just to respond to a text.

[alirz]

Apple usually follows what jailbreaking has first (MMS, Video etc.), so I could believe this. Hopefully that and a better battery happens...

True. I believe that Apple's engineers just sit around, wait for the JB community to do all the thinking and come out with cool new features and apps. Then when apple sees it as a good feature, BOOM they put their under paid coders to code a replica of the feature and include it is a native iphone OS feature.

[CaptainChaos]

I don't really care about multi-tasking, but I know what you mean. It will come simply because other smart phones are, once again, surpassing the Jesus phone. However, people will ***** and whine about their battery life even more than before. New processor or not. The battery has to be larger. I bought the ipt3g to use for media so that my phone would last all day. And that is sad.

[lerry]

who the hell cares about battery life...... I've had the iPhone since day one, yes the battery is crap, but 60% of the time my iPhone is connected to some type of power supply. The reason that I want or NEED multitasking is because I'd love to drive using tom tom and listening to pandora.... thats about it.... Now having said that, if I'm on the road its hooked to my tom tom car kit. If I'm in the house its hooked to my dock charger. And if I'm not home or on the car its in my pocket were multitasking is not needed..... So again...... Steve, I really dont care about my battery.... I have never had a problem with my phones battery.....