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Apple Adds Multitasking to iPhone OS 4.0

Apr 8, 2010, 12:17 PM by Eric M. Zeman
updated Apr 8, 2010, 12:25 PM

Today at a special event Apple showed off new features that it will bring to the iPhone with operating system 4.0. Apple said that it will ship iPhone OS 4.0 this summer, though it is giving developers a preview of the operating system today. Part of the new developer tools includes 1,500 new APIs (application programming interfaces) for the iPhone and its applications. In addition to the developer tools there will be over 100 new user-facing changes in the operating system, though Apple only spoke of seven in detail. The biggest new feature will be multitasking, which allows users to operate more than one program at a time. Apple said it has worked hard to be sure that power consumption is approrpiately optimized. By double-clicking the Home button, users will call up a dock with a list of the running applications. Users simply choose which app they want to jump to and they are taken there. Users can then return to the previous app exactly where they left off. Apple says that it will allow developers to enable their apps to run in the background with the use of the new APIs. Apple demonstrated how a network-based music streaming service such as Pandora can run in the background while the user performs other tasks. With iPhone OS 3.x and lower, this isn't possible, Pandora stops when users go to other applications.

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Comments

This forum is closed.

This forum is closed.

Kayslay34

Apr 8, 2010, 12:26 PM

SO SO SAD!

😢 It is sad, they are just now getting real multi-tasking. Whats even more sad is I can see all the iphone sheep coming now, OMG we have multi-tasking, this is so Fing cool..... Sad Sad Day 😢

justfinethanku

The sad thing is you are upset because this phone was the best BEFORE it had multi tasking, and now you are losing any and all of your reasoning for not getting one!

Anti-Apple trolls are going to be posting everywhere today!

...

justfinethanku

Apr 8, 2010, 12:27 PM

It was the best phone BEFORE multi-tasking...

And it is still the best.

honestly...

all I really have to say is...

WHAT NOW????????????????????

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Kayslay34

😲 I think you messed up on your post, but i fixed it for you. 😁

...

hkphooey

Lame..... you need a girlfriend.

My Macbook Pro runs circles around your iToy

...

bluecoyote

Apr 8, 2010, 12:35 PM

How iPhone multitasking is different

Until now, Apple has cached applciations on exit. This remains, but now only select API's are instructed to run when an application is off screen.

This is different than Android or WebOS- both idle background applications, consuming CPU resources.

justfinethanku

I am reading the live blog right now, and it all looks really nice, problem is, how are they going to keep it simple and easy to use????

Kayslay34

You obviously now nothing about CPU usage, even when the iphone app is off screen, it still uses resources just to keep it open..... I love how you just open your mouth and spew incorrect information. And i cant wait till this iphone comes out, cause ...
(continues)

...

Menno

This sounds a lot like what Microsoft was planning, no?

acculabs

Apr 8, 2010, 12:24 PM

OMG !!! Another innovation by King Jobs and Apple

The only ones impressed will be the fanboiz.

justfinethanku

What phone do you have again?

...

iDont Care

Apr 8, 2010, 12:39 PM

OMFG!!!!! iPhone rules!!!!

Wow multitasking???? Really??? 🙄 As my handle says, iDon't Care. My Hero works just fine and it'll be upgraded to Android 2.1 next month. Crapple just needed this cause they're scared about WiMax and the HTC Evo phone coming out in the summer which I can't wait to get.

Sadly the kool-aid drinkers will think this is just another innovation like the useless iPad.

Kayslay34

The ipad is so useless, one of my friends has one, and he is sadly disappointed, he said it was a huge waste of money and is returning it, he said its the same thing as his Iphone 3gs just bigger.

ygbhen

🤣
If you do not care, then why did you post? As for kool-aid drinkers, Android and iPhone fanboys are two of a kind. My Hero does this, my iPhone does that. I guess that's why you all don't get alone that much on the forum. You are all alike :l...
(continues)

itkevin1234

Apr 8, 2010, 12:23 PM

4.0

when it the 4.0 going to be coming out for the iphones

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