iPhone OS 4.0 to deliver multitasking?

[TooNice]

Posted on DailyTech, who sourced the information on AppleInsider, so I am not sure how reliable the information is. Normally I do not keep up with iPhone related rumours, despite owning one, simply because I am rarely the first one to update (in fact, I've only updated twice, and both times were so that I am able to update *one* particular application I use all the time).

But I suppose that it would make sense for them to finally include this feature. Bit late for the launch of the iPad, but better late than never, and it is a common criticism if I am not mistaken. And with the 3GS, the iPhone is now more suitably better equipped (hardware wise), to deal with running more than one 3rd party application. There are two applications that I -must- have, and one permanently runs in the background of my jailbroken 2G phone. I wouldn't say it's a resource hog, but it's enough of a resource drain to cause, but it's enough to cause more demanding applications to run out of memory. I wouldn't expect the 3GS, with twice the memory to run into that problem (well, unless you pick two fairly 'heavy' applications).

Well, for me, it's not the feature I want the most. That'd be a native Kanji IME pad: the existing one is designed for traditional Chinese and far inferior to Windows' IME pad for Japanese. Yet I reckon that it's an important feature for everyone else who might consider an iPhone/Touch/Pad this year.

[Singh400]

Bit late for the launch of the iPad, but better late than never, and it is a common criticism if I am not mistaken.

Is it? Just thinking, when they launch iPad 2.0 it will be "...and now it multi-tasks".

[TheAnimus]

its the fact that so many people have pre-ordered a device they haven't even seen, and all the information out there points to it been quite lacking.

The thing is, I honestly don't believe there are that many people who can afford to squander $700 on something, I would really love to know the number of people buying them on credit.

A few years ago someone opened a presentation with "The Audi TT has the highest percentage of owners buying the car on credit", with the iPad I can't help but feel its the same!

[aidanjt]

..... Wow, they're rumoured to be delivering a solution to a problem solved over 40 years ago. Aren't Apple awesome?

[Rob_B]

its the fact that so many people have pre-ordered a device they haven't even seen, and all the information out there points to it been quite lacking...

I know, losers! I can't yet order the iPad I'll be buying

As for multi-tasking, never needed it on my jailbroken iPhone, I'd prefer more options to disable stuff to give me at least 2 days of standby!

[TooNice]

its the fact that so many people have pre-ordered a device they haven't even seen, and all the information out there points to it been quite lacking.

The iPad? Well, it's basically a much bigger iTouch isn't it? Think DSi XL type of upgrade, just even bigger (and expensive!).

I do find the iPhone's battery to be a weak point (then again, I've been spoiled by Sony Ericsson phones that lasts well over over a week on standby), but if you are talking standby, mine does just about two if not longer on standby.

Well, as previously stated, I don't care that much personally, but I am quite sure that when I glance at threads either here or elsewhere regarding the iPhone/Pad shortcomings, lack of 'multi-tasking' people's is a common complaint.

[autopilot]

IMO, the need for multitasking on the iPhone has been massively overplayed by the people who love to hate Apple and have probably never owned an iPhone. If Apple do add a certain amount of multitasking to the iPhone, it will be largely down to PR and synergy with the iPad, rather than any real need.

I'm a heavy user of my iPhone, but i have never thought wow i could do with multitasking (other than making a call and using a sat nav app). It's just not the way i use a smart phone. The thing about the iPhone is that applications, when coded well, will launch doing exactly what they were closed doing. And because only one third party app is running, its so snappy that app's launch just as quick as it would take to switch to an already running app. So ultimately in the the vast majority of cases its absolutely irrelevant, its just as if they were sent to the background anyway.

Of course for the iPad, which has the screen space for using more than one app, its a different story.