"Expose-like" Multitasking in iPhone 4.0?

**Paul Daniel Ash** · 03-31-2010, 04:16 PM

The wait for stock iPhones to be able to do what jailbroken phones have been able to do for a long time may be drawing to a close. AppleInsider is again reporting that iPhone OS 4.0 will enable all apps to take advantage of the multitasking that is already available to native apps like iPod and Mail, among others. Previous leaks had divulged that Apple was indeed working on multitasking, but without discussing the specific way it would be implemented in the user interface. Now, a source is telling AppleInsider that iPhone 4.0's app-switching "will resemble Apple's desktop Exposé feature."

Earlier this month, "people with a proven track record in predicting Apple's technological advances" were reporting that Apple had come up with a "full-on solution" to multitasking on the iPhone OS. Now, according to "people familiar with Apple's plans for the new firmware," hitting the Home button twice will bring up an" Exposé-like interface" displaying icons that represent the currently running apps. You tap the icon for the app you want to switch to, and the task manager zooms out, taking you to the new app.

It's not clear why it's called "Exposé-like," though: Exposé on Mac OS shows "thumbnail" minimized views of the actual running apps, not their icons. Pressing Command-Tab on the Mac OS brings up the icons. AppleInsider's source, however, says that the app-switching method "exhibits several characteristics of the Exposé brand," which is not very informative. As far as I know, Exposé pretty much just has one characteristic: showing all windows and showing the Desktop: yes, pressing F10 instead of F9 shows just one screen per app, but that's pretty much it. And it's not clear how that function would be relevant with just icons rather than app screens, and without a keyboard to choose different modes.

Still, good on Apple for finally getting this in there. Not seeing any reason I'd give up ProSwitcher for this, but we'll see what Apple eventually comes up with: this feature could certainly be cooler than the story makes it sound.

**RonHC** · 03-31-2010, 04:24 PM

i bet Apple is gonna low blow us with Multitasking: 4th Gen iPhone Exclusive
like they did with the video recording on the 3GS

**i3exa** · 03-31-2010, 04:27 PM

just hope the new battery can handle all this multi-tasking...

**battlecrushr** · 03-31-2010, 04:28 PM

awesome

**lolcats1** · 03-31-2010, 04:29 PM

the jailbroken version looks better than whatever apple will make as the official one. xD

**MetallicaFan1991** · 03-31-2010, 04:34 PM

How will it use the Home button by hitting it twice? So I guess all the stuff you can choose the double click Home opens will be all gone..

**s1l3nt** · 03-31-2010, 04:37 PM

they should make it like circuitous

**rickybobby** · 03-31-2010, 04:38 PM

I can see alot of home buttons being broken from over use of this

**Maarten16** · 03-31-2010, 04:58 PM

it's about time

**sziklassy** · 03-31-2010, 05:02 PM

I am well aware that the image isn't necessarily "real", but if it looks anything like that I would sure be let down. Every other option in Ctdia looks 10x better...

**adsonjustin** · 03-31-2010, 05:10 PM

interesting...

**risingkazuya05** · 03-31-2010, 05:15 PM

I still like Circuitous and ProSwitcher better :P

**ajl917** · 03-31-2010, 05:15 PM

Originally Posted by MetallicaFan1991

How will it use the Home button by hitting it twice? So I guess all the stuff you can choose the double click Home opens will be all gone..

Yeah the double-tap for iPod is a great feature, hopefully if this happens, enabling it will be through holding the home button...

**Fodd1337** · 03-31-2010, 05:19 PM

I am on Apple's side 100%, but I personally think Multitasking will be one thing Apple never implements into the iPhone. And if they do, it will only be for certain apps like Pandora that could really use backgrounding. Not Facebook, not Evernote, not any games. And thirdly, if they do implement backgrounding, it will certainly not be visual like PS or this. It will be a silent, always running backgrounding.

EDIT: After re-reading the post, IF by some MIRACLE Apple DOES add a VISUAL multitasking feature, making it look like Command-Tab would be pretty cool ^^

**n00neimp0rtant** · 03-31-2010, 05:22 PM

Originally Posted by MetallicaFan1991

How will it use the Home button by hitting it twice? So I guess all the stuff you can choose the double click Home opens will be all gone..

That's the mistake Apple made with putting one button on the device.

**sami4021** · 03-31-2010, 05:28 PM

I like ProSwitcher better.

**whereswaldo** · 03-31-2010, 05:30 PM

Originally Posted by Fodd1337

I am on Apple's side 100%, but I personally think Multitasking will be one thing Apple never implements into the iPhone. And if they do, it will only be for certain apps like Pandora that could really use backgrounding. Not Facebook, not Evernote, not any games. And thirdly, if they do implement backgrounding, it will certainly not be visual like PS or this. It will be a silent, always running backgrounding.

EDIT: After re-reading the post, IF by some MIRACLE Apple DOES add a VISUAL multitasking feature, making it look like Command-Tab would be pretty cool ^^

my exact thoughts +1

**eyepoper** · 03-31-2010, 05:35 PM

I think this is not the actual screen but they might introduce Backgrounding/Multitasking..althous we already have Multitasking but only with the PHONE APP, MAIL, iPOD app....only those 3 can run togherter and still doing the things they have to do..

I think they will come with something that you can choose which app you want to set to be Backgrounded.
Except Games and other that really use LOTT MEmory and CPU...
And if 4.0 is coming with that.. What will be this for 3G iphone users? Will they be able to run it? I dont think so right? Or they might scrap some features of the 3G like they did with Video for the 3GS only etc..etc..?

**Winterboarder** · 03-31-2010, 05:38 PM

If I was the ProSwitcher developer I would have patented it and sued Apple over it. Them sons of biaches deserve it.

**reaves205** · 03-31-2010, 05:44 PM

No...Chuck can set Ants on fire by squinting his eyes while looking at them....

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