Apple Talks iPhone OS 4, Introduces Multitasking, Folders
Apple Talks iPhone OS 4, Introduces Multitasking, Folders
Posted 04/09/2010 at 6:15am
| by Paul Lilly
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Ending months of speculation, Apple yesterday finally and formally introduced the world to iPhone OS 4, the upcoming followup to the software that drives the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.
As many expected, iPhone OS 4 will bring multitasking to the table, a much needed feature if Apple is to keep its mobile OS relevant. App developers will have access to seven new multitasking services, including background audio and VoIP. This means apps like Pandora will be able to stream music in the background, while VoIP apps can receive calls regardless if the iPhone is asleep or if the user is doing something else.
iPhone OS 4 will also include Folders, another much needed feature and one that brings the OS up to par with competitors like Android. The way it works is users will drag an app icon on top of another to automatically create a folder. The new folder is then given a name based on the App Store category of that app, though these can be renamed. By utilizing folders, users will be able to install and access over 2,000 apps on their iPhone.
For email duties, iPhone OS 4 introduces a Unified Inbox. This will make it so users can see messages from all email accounts in a single box. Messages will also be threaded by conversation, and email attachments can be opened with compatible apps from the App Store.
Other features include iAd, Apple's new mobile advertising platform; a Game Center somewhat similar to Xbox Live in that users will be able to invite friends to play a game, start multiplayer games through matchmaking, and even track achievements; and a Mobile Device Management service of interest to IT gurus, which can be integrated with third party servers to wirelessly configure, query, and wipe or lock managed iPhones, as well as enable enterprises to securely host and wirelessly distribute their own apps to employees.
Not all features will work across the board. You'll need at least an iPhone 3GS or third generation iPod touch (late 2009 models with 32GB or 64GB) to use multitasking, so if you're rolling with an older mobile device, here's your justification to upgrade your hardware.
The iPhone OS 4 beta software and SDK are available now for iPhone Developer Program members at developer.apple.com. For everyone else, the update will roll out this summer, with a version coming to the iPad this Fall.
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nadako
April 09, 2010 at 11:48pm
Google is really the main threat out there. The iphone doesnt have a free gps nor will Microsofts phone. Even though Microsofts layout looks really good i still wouldnt buy it for that reason.
lien_meat
April 09, 2010 at 4:38pm
I hear the new OS has a ton of new programming api's too...which will probably spark lots of development.
However, I'm not interested in getting Aids...cough...cough, I mean iAds...It will be fun to make fun of all the Aids, er, iAds victims for not choosing a safe phone partner....heh.
Keith E. Whisman
April 09, 2010 at 2:53pm
So the Iphone is going to get what the Android OS had when it was born. I get the feeling that Android is getting Flash long before Iphone though.
Caboose
April 09, 2010 at 3:24pm
Android already has a form of flash, for playing YouTube videos. When I've looked at installed apps/plugins/whatever there's a flash thing that's installed...
-= I don't want to be dead, I want to be alive! Or... a cowboy! =-
Keith E. Whisman
April 09, 2010 at 7:18pm
That's only for youtube. It wont let you play videos from hulu or anywhere else. And it doesn't let you enjoy Flash websites like the StarTrekMovie.com website. So it may as well as not have flash at all.
violian
April 09, 2010 at 11:07am
I'm sure Apple had reasons for why it wasn't released from the start on the iPhone 3GS and the sorts. And besides, if multi-tasking was the deciding factor for many people (for which it seems like everyone is complaining about) then how is the iPhone taking up the market by storm?
lien_meat
April 09, 2010 at 4:33pm
Last quarter, only android and rim (blackberry) incresed in market share. MS and Apple went down in the US smartphone market. Apple only lost like .2% or something insignificant, but compared to androids 200% growth and MS's 15% loss, you can't really say apple is "Taking the market by storm" anymore. They seem to (at least last quarter) to have flatlined in the phone market. However, I could see a new OS sparking new interest and giving them more growth again. I like the iphone, I just don't like at&t (bad reception in my area, my girlfriend has at&t...) and I am not exactly happy with the way apple's store works. Its gonna be interesting to see what happens with the new OS.
aviaggio
April 09, 2010 at 5:21pm
You also have to remember that people who own iPhones are stuck in 2 year contracts, so don't expect to see much of a change on a yearly basis. You're going to see change bi-yearly bases upon the last iPhone release (cause that's when a large bulk of users upgrade and renew their contracts).
Most people who are unhappy with their iPhones or service and want to swtich to another phone/carrier are unwilling to pay the termination fees and will simply wait it out. That's when it's a good time to look at the numbers and see how many people are running from Apple as fast as they can.
lien_meat
April 09, 2010 at 6:48pm
I didn't think about that. Really good point. I had more to say but the spam filter won't let me say anything....
Caboose
April 09, 2010 at 11:16am
"... then how is the iPhone taking up the market by storm?"
Because anything created by Apple is THE best thing ever! Doesn't matter if it's crap, missing features that every other product has, costs a million times more than the competition, or does nothing at all! If it's got the Apple logo, and is an iSomething, Mactards will buy it in droves...
-= I don't want to be dead, I want to be alive! Or... a cowboy! =-
Neufeldt2002
April 09, 2010 at 9:42am
So let me get this straight. Apple has released an OS that basically catches up on the rest of the mobile market, and adds just one thing, ads on your phone? I'll pass, I'm not that dumb.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
I wanted a signature, but all I got was this ________
cjbriare
April 09, 2010 at 10:21pm
iAds is not an advertising platform for the phone itself; it simply allows developers to implement advertisements in their apps. Its not like you'll see "Netflix" logos all over your home screen.
aerotive
April 09, 2010 at 9:32am
I've had multitasking for a year and a half on my jailbroken 2G. This is planned obsolesence crapola on Apple's part.
Caboose
April 09, 2010 at 10:59am
And this surprises you?
-= I don't want to be dead, I want to be alive! Or... a cowboy! =-
Sebie Kay
April 09, 2010 at 9:08am
With the way apple loves to sue people, I'm guessing it wont be long before we see Microsoft turn the tables and sue apple for making a mobile OS that can multi-task and runs with the concept of 'folders'.
Yeah, other mobile OS's do the same thing, but Apple and Microsoft have a special 'love' for suing eachother.
I wonder if the lawsuit is already in the works?
-=Do unto others... THEN RUN!!=-
Caboose
April 09, 2010 at 10:57am
Ya, I really want to know what all the Mactards say about iAds
-= I don't want to be dead, I want to be alive! Or... a cowboy! =-
cynical
April 09, 2010 at 10:56am
Why? So that way you can have the first gen iPhone experience with no multitasking or copy and paste? Android is pretty much the only worthwhile smartphone OS and will be for awhile until Microsoft can get their Windows Phone Series 7 up to snuff.
aviaggio
April 09, 2010 at 8:00am
So lessee... I have to buy the phone, sign a contract, pay a stupid amount of money every month to use it, AND now will have to deal with pop up ads that can interrupt anything I'm doing?
So when iAss goes out looking for a new ad, who exactly pays for that airtime??? I'm thinking it's gonna be US.
n0b0dykn0ws
April 09, 2010 at 6:46am
I'm waiting for the zealots to defend the iAds.
Only someone so brainwashed would bask in the 'glory' of advertisements on your smartphone.
You know, the smartphone that you paid for that runs on a network that you pay for access to and runs applications that you pay for.
n0b0dykn0ws
dracx619
April 09, 2010 at 3:52pm
so reason 135461358 (ok not THATmany lol) i dislike apple and blind apple users.
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