iPhone OS 4 Adds Multitasking

TechnologyApril 2010 • Views: 1,759

The iPhone OS 4 event held this morning had some fantastic news for iPhone owners (which includes me), with a host of great new features including the big one: true multitasking. Apps running in the background will be able to use system calls to provide multitasking services, avoiding the performance issues that have been the hang-up so far.

Engadget lists the new features:

Notable new features for users (“tentpoles” are in bold):

Multitasking.

Spell check (like on the iPad).

Bluetooth keyboard support (again, on the iPad).

User-defined wallpaper (a jailbreak favorite).

Tap to focus when recording video, just like with photos, and a 5x digital zoom for the camera.

Playlist creation and nested playlists.

App folders for sorting apps! You can even put an app folder in the dock.

Enhanced Mail! You can have a merged inbox view, switch between inboxes quickly, and sync to more than one Exchange account. There’s also threaded messaging (at last!) and in-app attachment viewing.

iBooks, just like on iPad, only smaller. You can wirelessly sync books between platforms, a la Kindle.

Enterprise features, including remote device management and wireless app distribution.

Game Center. It’s like Xbox Live, but for iPhone games. Includes achievements, leaderboards, and match making. It will be available as a “developer preview,” and out for consumers later this year.

Developers are getting plenty of new tricks too:

Full access to the camera.

Date and address “data detectors.”

Background audio (think Pandora).

Background VoIP (think Skype).

Background location data, both with live GPS for backgrounded turn-by-turn, and cell tower-based for lower power draw.

Local notifications. Like push notifications, but sends a notification straight from the app without needing a push notification server, perfect for an alarm, for instance.

Fast app switching. Saves the state of an app and resumes it from where you left off, without dwelling in memory.

iAd. Apple says it’s for keeping “free apps free.” The ads keep you in the app, while also taking over the screen and adding interactivity — using HTML 5 for video — up to simple gaming in-ad. Apple will offer a 60 / 40 split on revenue, and users can even buy apps straight from an ad.

Apple says the new OS will ship this summer.

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88 comments

darthstar Thu, Apr 8, 2010 11:37:46am

I want one of these

reine.de.tout Thu, Apr 8, 2010 11:39:44am

re: #1 darthstar

I want one of these

You don’t have one?
Get it!
I love mine.
It’s - everything, in one small handy device. Incredible.
I kind of thought for a bit that it would be more than I really needed - but it isn’t.

MrSilverDragon Thu, Apr 8, 2010 11:41:50am

After all these years, I still do not have a cell phone. I still carry a pager for work, and that’s it. 1987 forever!

(but that does look like a nice list of features, and it does make me lean towards having one, I’ll give it that)

reine.de.tout Thu, Apr 8, 2010 11:45:01am

re: #3 MrSilverDragon

After all these years, I still do not have a cell phone. I still carry a pager for work, and that’s it. 1987 forever!

(but that does look like a nice list of features, and it does make me lean towards having one, I’ll give it that)

The Roi has no pager or cell phone!
He’s really out of touch.
Also, he tends to be a bit of a grump, doesn’t want people bothering him.

Four More Tears Thu, Apr 8, 2010 11:46:00am

avoiding the performance issues that have been the hang-up so far

Pun intended?

MrSilverDragon Thu, Apr 8, 2010 11:48:05am

re: #4 reine.de.tout

The Roi has no pager or cell phone!
He’s really out of touch.
Also, he tends to be a bit of a grump, doesn’t want people bothering him.

An individual after my own heart, to be sure!

reine.de.tout Thu, Apr 8, 2010 11:49:46am

re: #6 MrSilverDragon

An individual after my own heart, to be sure!

:-)
I love my grumpy Roi.

lawhawk Thu, Apr 8, 2010 11:49:51am

So the iPhone gets it but what about the iPad. Isn’t that one of the big problems - the lack of true multitasking for the iPad? Does this mean that iPad users will have to wait until the summer as well?

Political Atheist Thu, Apr 8, 2010 11:52:28am

re: #4 reine.de.tout

I think he is right. Almost nothing I hear about on my cell could not have waited. And as for internet/email/video content- I could care less on any phone size screen. That is why I have a laptop.

Varek Raith Thu, Apr 8, 2010 11:53:06am

re: #4 reine.de.tout

The Roi has no pager or cell phone!
He’s really out of touch.
Also, he tends to be a bit of a grump, doesn’t want people bothering him.

Heh, I don’t have a cell phone and I check my e-mail…twice a month, at best.
:)

reine.de.tout Thu, Apr 8, 2010 11:53:42am

re: #10 Varek Raith

Heh, I don’t have a cell phone and I check my e-mail…twice a month, at best.
:)

Are you the Roi?

Varek Raith Thu, Apr 8, 2010 11:54:49am

re: #11 reine.de.tout

Are you the Roi?

Nope, but I am grumpy!

MrSilverDragon Thu, Apr 8, 2010 11:56:40am

re: #10 Varek Raith

Heh, I don’t have a cell phone and I check my e-mail…twice a month, at best.
:)

Best part about this whole not having a cellphone thing, I’m a network engineer for an ISP who’s on call 24x7!… If work paid for a cellphone for me, however…

Varek Raith Thu, Apr 8, 2010 11:56:46am

Yeesh, bbl. My allergies are beating me up again.

Mad Al-Jaffee Thu, Apr 8, 2010 11:57:33am

One of these days I’m going to go to a cell phone store, check out several droid phones and tell them, “These are not the droids I’m looking for.”

Brother Holy Cruise Missile of Mild Acceptance Thu, Apr 8, 2010 11:59:29am

re: #15 Mad Al-Jaffee

you need to record that and post to You-tube.

Mostly sane, most of the time. Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:00:23pm

re: #4 reine.de.tout

The Roi has no pager or cell phone!
He’s really out of touch.
Also, he tends to be a bit of a grump, doesn’t want people bothering him.

If it weren’t for the distance, I would wonder if we were married to the same man.

;)

Mad Al-Jaffee Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:00:35pm

re: #13 MrSilverDragon

Best part about this whole not having a cellphone thing, I’m a network engineer for an ISP who’s on call 24x7!… If work paid for a cellphone for me, however…

The first cellphone I had was provided by an employer. I had to give it back when I left, and didn’t have one for two years. I didn’t miss having one, but they’re convenient. Mine’s very simple. It has a camera and texting, but no web or anything fancy.

And I still use a vcr and cds and cassettes (got an AM/FM/Casssette stereo in my car.)

You kids get offa my lawn!

Killgore Trout Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:02:19pm

East TX Man Distributed Pipe Bombs Because Of Anger At Government

reloadingisnotahobby Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:03:31pm

It should have a feature that puts it to “sleep”if in your car
and YOU are the one behind the wheel!

sattv4u2 Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:03:37pm

a host of great new features including the big one: true multitasking.

Oh ,,l goody!!

Now that person entering the highway the same time I do on my way to work can be doing even MORE shit (besides talking on the phone, eating a muffin, reading a newspaper and shaving) while driving

joy!!

MrSilverDragon Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:04:07pm

re: #19 Killgore Trout

East TX Man Distributed Pipe Bombs Because ~~Of Anger At Government~~ He’s Mentally Unstable

That should be the real title to that article.

gadlaw Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:04:24pm

Wake me up when they free that baby from AT & T! I love my iTouch, best thing since sliced bread and it would probably be really cool with a phone on it. :)
Until then it’s HTC HD2 for me.

reloadingisnotahobby Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:05:06pm

re: #18 Mad Al-Jaffee

I’ll bet ya still have all your old records too!

MrSilverDragon Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:07:43pm

re: #24 reloadingisnotahobby

I’ll bet ya still have all your old records too!

I’ve still got plenty of vinyl at home, but most of it has been replaced w/ CD versions. I’ve had plenty of people tell me that they prefer records to CDs because it sounds “warmer” to them. I like the CDs because there’s no scratch popping!

Mad Al-Jaffee Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:08:33pm

re: #24 reloadingisnotahobby

I’ll bet ya still have all your old records too!

I do, and a turntable. But that is part of an old stereo that was left by the previous owners of my house. I haven’t used that turntable much. My tv (not a flatscreen) sits on top of that stereo.

sattv4u2 Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:08:34pm

re: #25 MrSilverDragon

I like the CDs because there’s no scratch popping!

All Rap CD’s do !!!
//

researchok Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:09:13pm

re: #4 reine.de.tout

The Roi has no pager or cell phone!
He’s really out of touch.
Also, he tends to be a bit of a grump, doesn’t want people bothering him.

And the Dauphin?

MrSilverDragon Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:09:23pm

re: #27 sattv4u2

I like the CDs because there’s no scratch popping!

All Rap CD’s do !!!
//

Ok… unintentional scratch popping because some idiot bumped the record player… better?

Mostly sane, most of the time. Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:09:31pm

This phone can:

multitask
help you spell
manage accounts and mail
take pictures
nag you to read more

…add an oven and a washcloth for your face and you have a Mom.

(The imom. New for 2011.)

sattv4u2 Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:09:51pm

re: #19 Killgore Trout

East TX Man Distributed Pipe Bombs Because Of Anger At Government

Looking at his photo(s), he’s probably pissed about the sugar taxes on sodas and twinkies the gov’t wants to impose!!

Brother Holy Cruise Missile of Mild Acceptance Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:10:32pm

re: #31 sattv4u2

I regret that I have but one upding to give that quality snark.

reloadingisnotahobby Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:10:32pm

re: #25 MrSilverDragon

My vinyl is stored.I’ve got my fav…stuff on re-mixed discs…
The remixed is 10x better at the higher volume.
..perhaps why I’m deaf…/

MandyManners Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:11:11pm

Does it wipe your nose?

reloadingisnotahobby Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:12:19pm

re: #31 sattv4u2

Damn!!
BoZo’s really let himself go kids!!

sattv4u2 Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:12:29pm

re: #32 Dreggas

I regret that I have but one upding to give that quality snark.

thanks

Love the people in a fast food joints who order Double McFattyBurger With Cheese, super size the fries, two molten lava apple pies and then get a “diet” coke

MandyManners Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:12:35pm

re: #19 Killgore Trout

East TX Man Distributed Pipe Bombs Because Of Anger At Government

His head looks like a pink egg with cotton glued on the sides.

reloadingisnotahobby Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:13:34pm

re: #37 MandyManners

I see a head like that ..I thank god I’m bald!!

sattv4u2 Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:13:57pm

re: #37 MandyManners

His head looks like a pink egg with cotton glued on the sides.

Well ,, it IS the Easter Season!

Mad Al-Jaffee Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:14:15pm

re: #37 MandyManners

His head looks like a pink egg with cotton glued on the sides.

He looks like Larry David, NOT curbing his appetite.

Brother Holy Cruise Missile of Mild Acceptance Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:14:16pm

re: #37 MandyManners

kinda reminds me of Dr. Robotnik from Sonic the Hedgehog.

Brother Holy Cruise Missile of Mild Acceptance Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:15:28pm

re: #38 reloadingisnotahobby

Stuart Mackenzie: Look at the size of that boy’s heed.
Tony Giardino: Shhh!
Stuart Mackenzie: I’m not kidding, it’s like an orange on a toothpick.
Tony Giardino: Shhh, you’re going to give the boy a complex.
Stuart Mackenzie: Well, that’s a huge noggin. That’s a virtual planetoid.
Tony Giardino: Shh!
Stuart Mackenzie: Has it’s own weather system.
Tony Giardino: Sh, sh, shh.
Stuart Mackenzie: HEAD! MOVE!

MrSilverDragon Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:16:45pm

re: #42 Dreggas

+1 for the “So I Married An Axe Murderer” reference!

reloadingisnotahobby Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:17:39pm

re: #41 Dreggas

No chance of mistaking him for the “Brain”!

Brother Holy Cruise Missile of Mild Acceptance Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:17:40pm

re: #43 MrSilverDragon

and the best line:

Stuart Mackenzie: I’m not kidding, that boy’s head is like Sputnik; spherical but quite pointy at parts! Now that was offside, wasn’t it? He’ll be crying himself to sleep tonight, on his huge pillow.

sattv4u2 Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:17:42pm

neighbors expressed surprise that the man they knew as the driver of the children’s train at the annual Henderson Syrup Festival

ruh roh ,,,, now things become clearer

Me’thinks he’s pissed because theres a push from the fat free syrup lobby!!

Sigma_x Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:17:53pm

I’ll never give up my Blackberry.

Mad Al-Jaffee Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:18:53pm

re: #44 reloadingisnotahobby

No chance of mistaking him for the “Brain”!

Narf!

Brother Holy Cruise Missile of Mild Acceptance Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:19:37pm

re: #48 Mad Al-Jaffee

one of my all time favorite cartoons

MandyManners Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:19:42pm

Pardon me for not responding to ya’ll but I have a marvelous codeine glow.

sattv4u2 Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:20:09pm

re: #34 MandyManners

Does it wipe your nose?

Yes, and if you carry it in your BACK pocket it ,,,,,

reloadingisnotahobby Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:20:55pm

Dollars to doughnuts the evil Gov…(we) paid for that
seriously over stressed wheelchair too!

Brother Holy Cruise Missile of Mild Acceptance Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:21:42pm

re: #52 reloadingisnotahobby

And his SSI/Disability.

Mad Al-Jaffee Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:22:00pm

re: #46 sattv4u2

neighbors expressed surprise that the man they knew as the driver of the children’s train at the annual Henderson Syrup Festival

ruh roh ,,, now things become clearer

Me’thinks he’s pissed because theres a push from the fat free syrup lobby!!

Don’t touch the Johnson bar! It’ll explode the fuel casing! And if the Wilson-Smith indicator gets above one sixty, just turn that little nut down there one quarter turn. There’s a little screwdriver there, just put it in and turn it one quarter. Now listen Billy, we’re going into a tunnel don’t stand up because the clearance is only four foot, uhh! (Navin hits his head on the tunnel) I’m o.k., I was protected by the bill of my Engineer Fred cap!

MrSilverDragon Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:22:04pm

It’s been a fun day, folks, but time for me to “make like a tree, and get outta here”. Y’all have a good one!

Bubblehead II Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:22:15pm

HP’s answer to the iPad.

Leaked details on HP iPad challenger reveal tight fight

“The PC maker will offer a Slate with Wi-Fi capabilities and 64Gb memory with a top recommended retail price of just under $600 compared to a WiFi and 64Gb enabled iPad at just under $700, according the internal HP presentation Gizmodo says it has obtained.”

and

“Also, as reported earlier, the Slate will feature two camera-webcam and VGA-SD expansion and USB ports.”

Brother Holy Cruise Missile of Mild Acceptance Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:23:38pm

O/T:
Taitz seeks to join lawsuits against Healthcare

Velvet Elvis Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:23:55pm

So the iphone runs Android now?

Sigma_x Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:24:43pm

“They even have the internet on computers now.”

- Homer Simpson

reloadingisnotahobby Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:24:52pm

re: #57 Dreggas

Oops…I first read that as “tits”….I’ll go to the corner!
Is 5 minutes enough?

Mad Al-Jaffee Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:25:26pm

These new phones remind me of the fancy watch in Spy Kids that does everything but tell time.

Spider Mensch Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:25:53pm

re: #55 MrSilverDragon

It’s been a fun day, folks, but time for me to “make like a tree, and get outta here”. Y’all have a good one!

you know what happens when you make like a tree in my neighborhood? some dog will lift his leg and pee on you!

/it’s a zen thing :^)

Jaerik Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:26:15pm

re: #8 lawhawk

So the iPhone gets it but what about the iPad. Isn’t that one of the big problems - the lack of true multitasking for the iPad? Does this mean that iPad users will have to wait until the summer as well?

It’s the same OS.

sattv4u2 Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:26:38pm

Northern Californias major league baseball team needs to hire a spell checker for theor uniforms!!

[Link: sports.yahoo.com…]

When Giants reserve Eugenio Velez(notes) took the field for a double switch in the seventh inning at Houston on Wednesday night, he apparently had no idea his road grays read: “San Francicso.”

Barrett Brown Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:26:54pm

So, in an effort to attack Charles, some wacky blogger decided to accuse of me of being a “Jew Hater” because I was interviewed by Antiwar.org’s radio program a little while back; the idea was that antiwar is run by Justin Raimondo, who’s supposed to be an anti-Semite, and because I was interviewed by a radio station run by him, I must be good pals with Raimondo. The blogger in question didn’t realize that Raimondo actually publicly attacked me as being a shill for Israel due to my involvement with Charles. There’s some other amusing stuff, too, if anyone’s interested.

sattv4u2 Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:27:21pm

re: #60 reloadingisnotahobby

Oops…I first read that as “tits”…I’ll go to the corner!
Is 5 minutes enough?

In that she IS a boob, I see no difference!

sattv4u2 Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:30:15pm

re: #65 Barrett Brown

if anyone’s interested

Not really. Nothing personal, but I’m not into that whole “self promotion” stuff here

reloadingisnotahobby Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:30:34pm

re: #66 sattv4u2

Times up…I’m back!

Bubblehead II Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:30:45pm

re: #64 sattv4u2

Wonder how much that Jersey would bring at a sports memorabilia auction?

sattv4u2 Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:31:28pm

re: #69 Bubblehead II

Wonder how much that Jersey would bring at a sports memorabilia auction?

A LOT more if it were worn by a star, and not a bench jockey

sattv4u2 Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:33:16pm

re: #68 reloadingisnotahobby

Times up…I’m back!

I’m front!

Obdicut Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:33:17pm

re: #65 Barrett Brown

I didn’t realize you got a blurb from Dershowitz. That’s high praise. I don’t agree with him on everything, but he’s a very smart man and a very decent man. He’s been very good to some friends of mine.

Obdicut Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:33:37pm

re: #67 sattv4u2

I was interested. And you don’t speak for me.

Dancing along the light of day Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:33:46pm

re: #65 Barrett Brown

other amusing stuff, too, if anyone’s interested.

Thanks, I enjoyed the read!

Slumbering Behemoth Stinks Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:34:14pm

re: #12 Varek Raith

Nope, but I am grumpy!

re: #14 Varek Raith

Yeesh, bbl. My allergies are beating me up again.

First you say you’re Grumpy, then you say you’re Sneezy. Next, you’ll be tellin’ the ladies you’re Doc, just so you can get a look up their skirts.

I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to trust you again, man.

sattv4u2 Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:34:38pm

re: #73 Obdicut

I was interested. And you don’t speak for me.

Guess you missed the “I’M” part of my post

1st person, possessive

darthstar Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:34:52pm

From the mother of the guy arrested for threatening Nancy Pelosi:

Greg has — frequently gets in with a group of people that have really radical ideas and that are not consistent with myself or the rest of the family and — which gets him into problems. And apparently I would say this must be another one that somehow he’s gotten onto either by — I’d say Fox News or all of those that are really radical, and he — that’s where he comes from.

Linky goodness

sattv4u2 Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:36:12pm

re: #75 Slumbering Behemoth

First you say you’re Grumpy, then you say you’re Sneezy. Next, you’ll be tellin’ the ladies you’re Doc, just so you can get a look up their skirts.

I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to trust you again, man.

If you were Dopey, you would!

Obdicut Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:36:12pm

re: #76 sattv4u2

Guess you missed the “I’M” part of my post

1st person, possessive

I guess you don’t understand that if you’re speaking for yourself only, you can’t say ‘Not really’ in response to ‘if anyone is interested’, without implying you’re speaking for others.

Anyway, try to have some manners. Do you kick when Alloutte posts links to the Zionist Mall?

Slumbering Behemoth Stinks Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:40:59pm

re: #78 sattv4u2

If you were Dopey, you would!

I fail to see how my recreational drug use is a factor in… OH! Never mind.

Taqyia2Me Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:53:10pm

re: #51 sattv4u2

Yes, and if you carry it in your BACK pocket it ,,,

So it DOES have a power bun warmer like the late model beemers?!?
Cool!

Randy W. Weeks Thu, Apr 8, 2010 12:53:29pm

I’ll keep my Moto Droid.

watching you tiny alien kittens are Thu, Apr 8, 2010 1:00:02pm

Bah humbug, I’m waiting for the implant version. My destiny is to become the first of the Borg!

Fazuul Thu, Apr 8, 2010 1:14:55pm

It should be noted that multitasking will not work on the iPhone 3G or 2nd generation iPod Touches.

Randall Gross Thu, Apr 8, 2010 1:21:19pm

They had to step up their game before their marketshare gets sucked up by Android and other types of smartphones, since most of those already really multitask and they have better networks backing them.

I Am Kreniigh! Thu, Apr 8, 2010 2:45:12pm

Multitasking eh?

Finally catching up to Windows 3.1! Hooray!

/snerk

harry91 Thu, Apr 8, 2010 3:58:26pm

The multitasking only seems to work on the 3GS…I have the 3G. I got the upgrade to the GS but my wonderful wife, bless her dark dark heart, took it from me and said:

“For once I’m gonna have the most advanced tech in the house”

So she gets multitasking and I get……

Well there is always the 4G!

She can pry that from my cold dead fingers.

keithgabryelski Thu, Apr 8, 2010 4:22:47pm

It’s great news — it hits all of my first level wants (except for longer battery life).

We’ll see a camera flash case, now — excellent.
We’ll see a real instant messaging clients
A mail client with a quick view from any other app
Google Latitude will benefit, although this will basically lead to location-based ad targeting.

BTW (horn tooting), my company’s app is now #1 in the news category (FluentNews) — and when steve jobs presented this information, today, the FluentNews icon was prominently displayed behind him (albeit with a bunch of other apps)

Spy Mode Auto

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