Any way to disable apps running in background?

mproudfoot · Jun 29, 2010

Yes, some people might read my title and wonder if I'm a little nuts but I really don't like this feature.

I'm an avid app-hopper.. on my 32Gb 3GS, I have a tendency to hop from app to app, into safari, then into another app etc. What I'm finding is that after doing this, some titles (usually games such as Airport Mania and Monopoly) start running really slugglishly (and Monopoly starts complaining that it's running out of memory) until I open the taskbar and start closing everything there.

I may have missed it but is there any way to tell which apps are 'running' in the background and which aren;t - or do we assume that all apps in the taskbar are doing so? (although when I have restarted an app from the taskbar, most load up again from scratch).

So I'm just wondering if there's a way to disable this feature so that when I press the Home button, I know the app is actually closing properly?

SpankWare · Jun 29, 2010

As far as I know there is no way to disable it. Also, there are no apps running in the background. That's the beauty of Apple's iPhone multitasking, only specific types of threads are allowed to run and from the examples you gave I doubt those apps have any threads running. As a result, they would simply be paused where they left off. If those apps have not been updated for multitasking then they are actually closing and would have nothing to do with your perceived slowness.

hoogen · Jun 29, 2010

double click the home button to pull up the multitasking window, hold your finger on the app (just like you would to move or delete a normal app) and hit the (-) bubble, and whala

Chimpware · Jun 29, 2010

SpankWare said:
As far as I know there is no way to disable it. Also, there are no apps running in the background. That's the beauty of Apple's iPhone multitasking, only specific types of threads are allowed to run and from the examples you gave I doubt those apps have any threads running. As a result, they would simply be paused where they left off. If those apps have not been updated for multitasking then they are actually closing and would have nothing to do with your perceived slowness.

Agree with respect to only certain threads running, but don't they remain in memory and therefore eventually could cause slower performance? Not sure myself, just asking.

Julien · Jun 29, 2010

mproudfoot said:
...I may have missed it but is there any way to tell which apps are 'running' in the background and which aren;t - or do we assume that all apps in the taskbar are doing so? (although when I have restarted an app from the taskbar, most load up again from scratch).

So I'm just wondering if there's a way to disable this feature so that when I press the Home button, I know the app is actually closing properly?

What Apps do you have that run in the background? There aren't many iOS4 Apps out and most will just stay dormant in the background (restart where left off) and will not hinder performance. True background running Apps would be like TomTom.

If you are seeing lots of OS3 Apps in your multi bar they are not open and if you click on one it loads from he start. The Apps there are more of a short cut and have no effect on performance.

VulchR · Jun 29, 2010

I think it would be good to have some simple way of killing all background apps rather than having to use the home button and tap on each program icon. However, I must admit that I haven't really sen any evidence of sluggishness, instability or excessive battery drain if I just ignore background apps. Does anybody have any good data about this (other than Apple)?

Julien · Jun 29, 2010

VulchR said:
I think it would be good to have some simple way of killing all background apps rather than having to use the home button and tap on each program icon. However, I must admit that I haven't really sen any evidence of sluggishness, instability or excessive battery drain if I just ignore background apps. Does anybody have any good data about this (other than Apple)?

Again name some background Apps that are running. They aren't running (unless they are Apple approved iOS4 true multitasking Apps like TomTom). Click on one and it's the same as if you click on the App from the page.

Gryzor · Jun 29, 2010

mproudfoot said:
I'm an avid app-hopper.. on my 32Gb 3GS, I have a tendency to hop from app to app, into safari, then into another app etc.

Why did you buy an iPhone 4 then?

Just had to have the latest, and as it would seem, not the greatest.

Mad Mac Maniac · Jun 29, 2010

Gryzor said:
Why did you buy an iPhone 4 then? Just had to have the latest, and as it would seem, not the greatest.

where did he say he has the iphone 4? He said he has a 3GS. and both of them have this multitasking "feature" so if he doesn't like it upgrading doesn't hurt him. It would actually help him for his purposes because of the faster speed and more RAM.

samcraig · Jun 29, 2010

For those that criticized me after the keynote when I spoke about how this is not true multitasking and got responses on how most people don't care/know how it works and don't want to have control over what is running and what is not - and that Apple has created an elegant solution for it to "just work"

This is exactly the problem. With no task manager (steve says if you have to manage applications then it's a fail - remember?) you confuse people. Is this app running? Is it multitasking? Is it taking up memory? Is it just for a quick launch? Why do all of these icons stay in the queue? Are they taking up memory? Resources?

I don't care if the apps are running or not. When I double click - on a daily basis I clear out all the icons. Maybe it's not necc. Don't care. I don't like the "mess"

rookie1082 · Jun 29, 2010

samcraig said:
For those that criticized me after the keynote when I spoke about how this is not true multitasking and got responses on how most people don't care/know how it works and don't want to have control over what is running and what is not - and that Apple has created an elegant solution for it to "just work"

This is exactly the problem. With no task manager (steve says if you have to manage applications then it's a fail - remember?) you confuse people. Is this app running? Is it multitasking? Is it taking up memory? Is it just for a quick launch? Why do all of these icons stay in the queue? Are they taking up memory? Resources?

I don't care if the apps are running or not. When I double click - on a daily basis I clear out all the icons. Maybe it's not necc. Don't care. I don't like the "mess"

What?! You clear out the icons? Like a... Dare I say... TASK MANAGER!?! NOOOO! FAIL!

The real fail is the terrible implementation of this new "feature".

Julien · Jun 29, 2010

samcraig said:
...This is exactly the problem. With no task manager (steve says if you have to manage applications then it's a fail - remember?) you confuse people. Is this app running? Is it multitasking? Is it taking up memory? Is it just for a quick launch? Why do all of these icons stay in the queue? Are they taking up memory? Resources?

I don't care if the apps are running or not. When I double click - on a daily basis I clear out all the icons. Maybe it's not necc. Don't care. I don't like the "mess"

If I understand correctly there will basically be 3 types of Apps:

1: Standard Apps: When you hit the Home key they close. They are easy to spot because when you hit the App icon again it loads the App from the start. THEY USE no resources and it doesn't matter if he icon is in the bar.

2: Suspend Apps: These will be a faux multitasking. When you hit the Home button the App suspends itself and uses NO resources. When you hit the App icon the App starts where you left off (a game would be a good example since you don't have to start over).

3:True multitasking: Apps that run in the background and WILL use resources. These should be less common and include Apps like TomTom and Pandora.

aristobrat · Jun 29, 2010

mproudfoot said:
I may have missed it but is there any way to tell which apps are 'running' in the background and which aren;t

When a program is truly 'running' in the background, you'll see an indicator on the menu bar, up by the clock.

GPS apps running in the background will display a compass needle.
Audio streaming apps running in the background will display a play button.
If you're on a VoIP call, I think the whole menu bar turns red.

ianray · Jun 29, 2010

Julien said:
If I understand correctly there will basically be 3 types of Apps:

1: Standard Apps: When you hit the Home key they close. They are easy to spot because when you hit the App icon again it loads the App from the start. THEY USE no resources and it doesn't matter if he icon is in the bar.

2: Suspend Apps: These will be a faux multitasking. When you hit the Home button the App suspends itself and uses NO resources. When you hit the App icon the App starts where you left off (a game would be a good example since you don't have to start over).

3:True multitasking: Apps that run in the background and WILL use resources. These should be less common and include Apps like TomTom and Pandora.

Well explained

One minor nit-pick: many 'standard' Apps take care to remember their state, and so when they are re-launched they restore that state; Tweetie was a great example of this kind of design.

Small White Car · Jun 29, 2010

Julien said:
If I understand correctly there will basically be 3 types of Apps:

1: Standard Apps: When you hit the Home key they close. They are easy to spot because when you hit the App icon again it loads the App from the start. THEY USE no resources and it doesn't matter if he icon is in the bar.

2: Suspend Apps: These will be a faux multitasking. When you hit the Home button the App suspends itself and uses NO resources. When you hit the App icon the App starts where you left off (a game would be a good example since you don't have to start over).

3:True multitasking: Apps that run in the background and WILL use resources. These should be less common and include Apps like TomTom and Pandora.

Bingo.

And here's what you do for each after you've hit the home button:

1) Nothing. It's closed, nothing to worry about.

2) Nothing. It's closed and if the phone needs that RAM it's using then the phone will automatically clear it.

3) Just use the app as it was made to be used. Want Pandora to stop playing music? Hit the 'stop music' button in Pandora. Now it's gone back to item #2 on this list which means you do nothing else.

People who like the task-switcher should double click and use it. People who don't like it should not double click. Those are the choices, everyoned should be happy with one of them.

mrblack927 · Jun 29, 2010

Julien said:
If I understand correctly there will basically be 3 types of Apps:

1: Standard Apps: When you hit the Home key they close. They are easy to spot because when you hit the App icon again it loads the App from the start. THEY USE no resources and it doesn't matter if he icon is in the bar.

2: Suspend Apps: These will be a faux multitasking. When you hit the Home button the App suspends itself and uses NO resources. When you hit the App icon the App starts where you left off (a game would be a good example since you don't have to start over).

3:True multitasking: Apps that run in the background and WILL use resources. These should be less common and include Apps like TomTom and Pandora.

Close. For the most part you're right but just to clarify:

1. These apps are actually just 3.x apps that havn't been recompiled in OS4 yet. They start over again every time you launch the app because that's how OS3 worked and that's the only thing they know.

2. This is called "fast-app switching". Every app that is compiled for OS4 does this automatically. As developers, we do nothing to add this feature. It just happens. Every app that is updated or released from now on will have this by default. "Type 1" apps will start disappearing rather quickly as new versions of apps are released.

3. These are just apps that use one of the other 6 multitasking APIs. Apple released 7 "multitasking tools" for developers. The first was fast-app switching, which applies to everyone. The other 6 are for more specific circumstances, shown here. Apps that use one of those APIs still don't fully run in the background, just a part of it does. For example if you run pandora in the backround, the whole app doesn't stay running, just the music stream stays active.

The important thing to remember is that all 7 of these multitasking tools are super-efficient and implemented by Apple so that they won't hinder system performance. You don't have to worry about using resources or anything like that. Just sit back and enjoy it.

mcarthon · Jun 29, 2010

if anyone has the system app you can check to see how much free memory you have. After i close all the apps in multitasking i have more memory free. So i know the apps arent running, but they still take up some memory.

angevil · Jun 29, 2010

mproudfoot said:
So I'm just wondering if there's a way to disable this feature so that when I press the Home button, I know the app is actually closing properly?

I can sell you my 3G and problem solved

computermilk · Jun 29, 2010

I think the OP's problem is probably a coincidence of those games just running badly in iOS4 or something.

Because i have tons of Apps in my bar, they are NOT running. they are just there for shortcuts.

Julien · Jun 29, 2010

mrblack927 said:
Close. For the most part you're right but just to clarify:

1. These apps are actually just 3.x apps that havn't been recompiled in OS4 yet. They start over again every time you launch the app because that's how OS3 worked and that's the only thing they know.

2. This is called "fast-app switching". Every app that is compiled for OS4 does this automatically. As developers, we do nothing to add this feature. It just happens. Every app that is updated or released from now on will have this by default. "Type 1" apps will start disappearing rather quickly as new versions of apps are released.

3. These are just apps that use one of the other 6 multitasking APIs. Apple released 7 "multitasking tools" for developers. The first was fast-app switching, which applies to everyone. The other 6 are for more specific circumstances, shown here. Apps that use one of those APIs still don't fully run in the background, just a part of it does. For example if you run pandora in the backround, the whole app doesn't stay running, just the music stream stays active.

The important thing to remember is that all 7 of these multitasking tools are super-efficient and implemented by Apple so that they won't hinder system performance. You don't have to worry about using resources or anything like that. Just sit back and enjoy it.

Thanks for the clarification.

At least I wasn't just talking out my a$$ and had the gist of it correct.

Small White Car · Jun 29, 2010

mcarthon said:
if anyone has the system app you can check to see how much free memory you have. After i close all the apps in multitasking i have more memory free. So i know the apps arent running, but they still take up some memory.

True. But having free memory is pointless so there's no reason to even think about it much less go out of your way to do something about it.

Fraaaa · Jun 29, 2010

Again with true and faux multitasking?

Computer multitasking - the apparent simultaneous performance of two or more tasks by a computer's central processing unit.

mrblack927 · Jun 29, 2010

Fraaaa said:
Again with true and faux multitasking?

Computer multitasking - the apparent simultaneous performance of two or more tasks by a computer's central processing unit.

Click to expand...

That's a good point! At the CPU level even desktop operating systems don't have "true" multitasking. They have execution threads that run in priority order. Dual-core CPUs can only run 2 concurrent threads so the appearance of having several programs running "at once" on your desktop computer could be considered an illusion when you really get down to it.

Daveoc64 · Jun 29, 2010

Fraaaa said:
Again with true and faux multitasking?

Under that definition, it's not multitasking.

With "fast app switching" the CPU is not executing any code, nor does it give the appearance that it is. The application cannot do anything when you close it.

It's more like Hibernate mode on a computer (the state of the computer is saved to the hard drive so that the power can be completely switched off).

Likewise with the notification system, the iPhone can only trigger pre-programmed notifications without a server pushing them.

The only real multitasking APIs are the Location, VOIP and Audio Streaming ones as they are being run in real time on the CPU at the same time that another App is running.

The other API (Task Completion) is also "true" multitasking.

Bodhi395 · Jun 29, 2010

I understand how everyone is saying the apps in the multitasking bar are not running or using any resources except if they are ones like pandora or tomtom.

So, does this mean any perceived 'slow down' by switching between a bunch of apps with the multitasking bar is in people's minds, or is there some justification for the phone slowing down by using the multitasking bar?

Any way to disable apps running in background?

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