iPad - no user accounts?

[ukpetey]

Hi,

My apologies if this has been covered off before, I've searched but I couldn't find it.

I've finally taken the plunge (thanks to Black Friday discounts) and bought an iPad. I was going to wait until v2...

There will be multiple users of this device in our home, the idea being it sort of sits handily around, and can be used by all. It has dawned on me that as it uses iOS4 - like my iPhone - will there be multiple user accounts, so we can all use our own email, prefs, bookmarks etc. Or will it be like the iPhone - one account?

If there is no multiple account support - it's going back to Apple unopened! Thanks in advance to any who contribute

Peter

 

[poloponies]

Oh, rest assured it's been covered before. The iPad OS does not support multiple users. You can set up multiple email accounts but they will be accessible to anyone using the iPad. Jailbreaking can give you multi-user features.

 

[Piggie]

Yes, as has been said.

This has been talked about before, and yes, I agree Apple should have allowed user accounts in some way.

So that perhaps the kids can use the device, and mum and dad don't have to worry about their data being erased or looked at.

The problem is, currently Apple see the iPad in the same way they see the iPhone or the iPod.

They see it as a solo device and it's not yet occurred to them that it could well end up being a family device, and hence separate accounts.

They want every family member to own their own device (which is a bit stupid given the price)

In time this may change and they rethink the intended position of the iPad in the home.

But as of now. No, apart from a few points as pointed out above, there is no multi user facility as you have on a proper computer.

 

[ibookster]

When you think of it the iPad really is a multiuser device. I imagine a lot of family members share the device between them and as such it has even more need for accounts.

 

[Piggie]

When you think of it the iPad really is a multiuser device. I imagine a lot of family members share the device between them and as such it has even more need for accounts.

I agree, and I feel anyone who does not is just no accepting the obvious.

A small touch is obviously a pocketable personal device.

A Phone (with you mobile account) is obviously a pocketable personal device.

The iPad is much more a home / coffee table device that anyone in the family may pick up and use.

You would not expect a family of 5 to have 5 iPads, but they could all have a phone.

This is great, till you get games, with high scores and they only give 1 name as the player, or emails, or web browsing favorites etc etc.

Perhaps some more memory in the device would be idea first.

But I really really feel that being able to log in with your name onto the iPad would be useful to many families and avoid security worries, or kids deleting parents items etc etc.

Perhaps it will come in time.

It all depends how Steve Jobs sees the iPad as a device, at the moment he see's it only like a giant iPod Touch, which it's not. It's much more than that.

 

[Night Spring]

Leave feedback at Apple!
http://www.apple.com/feedback/ipad.html

 

[mrl72]

I've been wondering about this too, since I'll be getting one this Xmas and would like to protect certain things like email, Facebook and website auto login info hidden or inaccessible to others in my house.

So what are the options to do this if I jailbreak?

 

[maturola]

iOS is not a Multiuser OS

Sorry, but iOS is currently not a multiuser OS, there isn't much you can really do but to keep email and apps using web clients. Now some App allow you to have multiples account (some Facebooks clients, twitters, etc) but still not quite "Multiuser" it is more target to individuals with multiples accounts.

 

[Piggie]

Sorry, but iOS is currently not a multiuser OS, there isn't much you can really do but to keep email and apps using web clients. Now some App allow you to have multiples account (some Facebooks clients, twitters, etc) but still not quite "Multiuser" it is more target to individuals with multiples accounts.

Not Yet.

If Apple wants it to have multiple account then it will.

It can't be THAT hard, after all, it's only 1 OS running, it just needs user data put to one side and the correct data called up and displayed depending on who types in their name.

I'm not saying it's a 5 minute job, but I'm sure it's not impossible.

It must have been one of the things they talked about and currently dismissed.

Perhaps in time it will change, but only if 1 person thinks it should.

 

[Phil A.]

You would not expect a family of 5 to have 5 iPads, but they could all have a phone.

I'm sure Apple would love that family to have 5 iPads
As others have said, it would take a lot of re-engineering to make iOS a multi-user OS and it's not something I can see Apple doing.

 

[maturola]

Not Yet.

If Apple wants it to have multiple account then it will.

It can't be THAT hard, after all, it's only 1 OS running, it just needs user data put to one side and the correct data called up and displayed depending on who types in their name.

I'm not saying it's a 5 minute job, but I'm sure it's not impossible.

It must have been one of the things they talked about and currently dismissed.

Perhaps in time it will change, but only if 1 person thinks it should.

yield the word "Currently" on my post.

Anyway I don't think that is the case, iDevices are "Personal" portable devices, intended for singel users, Apple want you to buy one per user and no one per household. If you want a multiuser get OSx and Get one MacBook Air or iMac. I know that is BS but I said it many times, Apple is out for your money not for your happiness.

 

[jmmo20]

Sorry, but iOS is currently not a multiuser OS, there isn't much you can really do but to keep email and apps using web clients. Now some App allow you to have multiples account (some Facebooks clients, twitters, etc) but still not quite "Multiuser" it is more target to individuals with multiples accounts.

iOS is by design a multiuser OS.
In fact the system app runs as root user and all other apps run as the user "mobile".

it's just up to Apple to add an UI to support multiple user logings and fast user switch… but the basics are already in place.

 

[Night Spring]

iOS is by design a multiuser OS.
In fact the system app runs as root user and all other apps run as the user "mobile".

it's just up to Apple to add an UI to support multiple user logings and fast user switch… but the basics are already in place.

But how would apps handle multiuser data? For instance, say there is a game that currently saves data for only a single player. And Apple implements user accounts for iOS. So you play the game in one user account, log out, log in to another account, and start the game as a new user. Now where do the game app store the new user data? How would it know it has to start a new data set?

Seems like apps would have to be rewritten in order to handle multiuser accounts. Or am I missing something?

 

[Don Kosak]

But how would apps handle multiuser data? For instance, say there is a game that currently saves data for only a single player. And Apple implements user accounts for iOS. So you play the game in one user account, log out, log in to another account, and start the game as a new user. Now where do the game app store the new user data? How would it know it has to start a new data set?

Seems like apps would have to be rewritten in order to handle multiuser accounts. Or am I missing something?

Well, the Apps write to a "sandboxed" filesystem for both data files and databases -- so that's not an issue. The sandbox for user "John" would just be in a different directory than the one for user "Mary". The App wouldn't need to change at all. Apps just asks iOS for the sandbox directory when it needs to write data (just like all Apps do now).

The part people need to understand is that Apps are bound to a specific iTunes user. So if user John buys Angry Birds it gets installed under HIS account. Mary signs into the iPad, and she doesn't have the App -- she needs to buy it from HER iTunes account to play it.

Same would go for Music, and Photos, and Sync'ing. Mary's Music / John's Music, Mary's Photos / John's Photos, Mary's Apps / John's Apps.

On a Mac, (or Windows PC) you generally are buying an App for the "Device". The Software Licenses generally read, "You can use this on one software computer... yada yada..."

In iOS you are buying an App for a "User". The software license allows you to use this application on any of your iOS devices (iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad...)

That's a big difference, and changes how multiuser stuff works in practice on iOS devices.

 

[Night Spring]

Well, the Apps write to a "sandboxed" filesystem for both data files and databases -- so that's not an issue. The sandbox for user "John" would just be in a different directory than the one for user "Mary". The App wouldn't need to change at all. Apps just asks iOS for the sandbox directory when it needs to write data (just like all Apps do now).

But in the current iOS, data files are saved under a subdirectory for each App. Like this:

Apps Directory
- Game1
-- Program Files
-- Data Files
- Game2
-- Program Files
-- Data Files

In order to do what you are saying, the file system would have to be completely reorganized so you get something like:

Apps Directory
- Game1
-- Program Files
- Game2
-- Program Files

User Directory
- Mary
-- Game1 Data Files
- John
-- Game1 Data Files
-- Game2 Data Files

I'm just not so sure that you can get apps to look for their data files in a different location without modifying the code for each app.

The part people need to understand is that Apps are bound to a specific iTunes user. So if user John buys Angry Birds it gets installed under HIS account. Mary signs into the iPad, and she doesn't have the App -- she needs to buy it from HER iTunes account to play it.

That would soooo not work, especially if each time a different user logs in to the device, they get a totally different set of music/videos. If John has a 30GB iTunes library, and Mary has a 15GB iTunes library, then the iPad would need to store 45GB worth of media, and any time Mary logs in, there would be 30GB of used space on the iPad that's just dead space because she can't access it. I think user accounts on iDevices should have nothing to do with iTunes accounts. Each user on an iDevice should have access to all the media and apps on the device (except maybe parents can set up some access permissions for kids' accounts), and the apps should save a different data set for each user (although exactly how they are going to do that, I'm not sure, as I stated above.)

 

[Merthyrboy]

A good way to put this feature in is to have like you tap on you're name on the lock screen. Say it is 4 users then you'd have four sections and then each would bring up the passcode for that user unless they don't have one.

 

[w00t951]

Probably not. This requires a file system, which is not going to be implemented in iOS4.

 

[ukpetey]

...There will be multiple users of this device in our home, the idea being it sort of sits handily around, and can be used by all. It has dawned on me that as it uses iOS4 - like my iPhone - will there be multiple user accounts, so we can all use our own email, prefs, bookmarks etc. Or will it be like the iPhone - one account?

If there is no multiple account support - it's going back to Apple unopened! Thanks in advance to any who contribute

Peter

Ok, so I lied!!! It hasn't gone back, I've opened it, am using it, and love it! But nobody else in the house is getting to use it, which is a shame.

Thanks for all the comments, I think I will suggest it to Apple. Of course they have already thought of it, but t can't hurt to make the request. I remember how long it took to get "cut & paste" but we got I eventually, so never say never...

I doubt we will be a multi-iPad home, so we currently just miss out on sharing this wonderful device. Are you listening Steve Jobs....?

Peter

 

[sapporobaby]

Ok, so I lied!!! It hasn't gone back, I've opened it, am using it, and love it! But nobody else in the house is getting to use it, which is a shame.

Thanks for all the comments, I think I will suggest it to Apple. Of course they have already thought of it, but t can't hurt to make the request. I remember how long it took to get "cut & paste" but we got I eventually, so never say never...

I doubt we will be a multi-iPad home, so we currently just miss out on sharing this wonderful device. Are you listening Steve Jobs....?

Peter

There is an app that allows for the creation of individual user accounts....

 

[Cougarcat]

Probably not. This requires a file system, which is not going to be implemented in iOS4.

It already has a filesystem, it's just not visible to the user.

Multiple users is needed, and I'd be very surprised if it's not an iOS 5 feature.

 

[w00t951]

It already has a filesystem, it's just not visible to the user.

Multiple users is needed, and I'd be very surprised if it's not an iOS 5 feature.

You know what I mean.

 

[Cougarcat]

You know what I mean.

No, I don't. iOS is built on Unix, Unix has built-in support for user accounts. There's already a "root" user on iOS. It wouldn't be difficult to make accounts a part of the GUI, and it wouldn't require access to a visible file system.

 

[w00t951]

No, I don't. iOS is built on Unix, Unix has built-in support for user accounts. There's already a "root" user on iOS. It wouldn't be difficult to make accounts a part of the GUI, and it wouldn't require access to a visible file system.

Dangerously close to crossing the line into doucheyness. I meant that the iPad does not have a file system that is visible to the user, and therefore things that come with a filesystem (such as folders) would not be able to be implemented with iOS4.

 

[Cougarcat]

Dangerously close to crossing the line into doucheyness. I meant that the iPad does not have a file system that is visible to the user, and therefore things that come with a filesystem (such as folders) would not be able to be implemented with iOS4.

Of course, but that has nothing to do with implementing multiple users.

 

[ukpetey]

There is an app that allows for the creation of individual user accounts....

I'm sure there is, but I'm also sure that it lives in a murky world, about which I know little. I just want Apple to give me something that seems so obvious - legitimate individual user accounts.

Why, oh why, does Apple seem unable or unwilling, time after time, to give it's customers something so often desired?

I'd email Steve, but I hate terse replies.... so I'll just wait. For me, the iPad is great, but lacking, and so I couldn't wholeheartedly recommend to my friends, based on there being no individual user accounts. I'm sure that it will come, I just have to be patient...

Peter