iPhone OS 4.0 Claimed to Include Multitasking, Revamped Interface

[nagromme]

A new UI and ways to deal with apps is badly needed (folders!!) but please don’t give us Android-style “sink or swim” multitasking (and I’m sure Apple wouldn’t). Give us more smart alternatives, like push notification. For instance, a central background service just for streaming audio (like Pandora) would be welcome. Android-style multitasking burns battery and slows the device down to the point of being literally unusable. Ask my friend who got one With some time and effort you can get it working better—or you can just not use it for much. That helps battery life a lot

Just don’t slow my 3G down any more than OS 3.0 already did, please

 

[zap2]

Good, good.

The iPhone UI is great, but its a bit old at this point. Lack of multitasking is a killer(played with my friends Droid, background streaming Last.FM was great). Also a new notification system would be great. It sorta seems like Apple's homepage is a bit odd...all app right on the main page?

Eitherway, I'm eager to see what they talk about

 

[starkruzr]

As usual, I'll wait until Cydia, Backgrounder, Kirikae, GRiS and Terminal are ported before upgrading.

 

[Boots-]

I don't know if this has been posted before but will this work on my brand new iPod g3 because if not that's a bad apple right there

 

[NorrisKillsKids]

Am I the only one who thinks that putting 4.0 in focus this early means the hardware changes will be a lot more significant come June? Or am I wrong in thinking this...

 

[Peace]

Am I the only one who thinks that putting 4.0 in focus this early means the hardware changes will be a lot more significant come June? Or am I wrong in thinking this...

You're not wrong per.se.
Apple could put out a new iPhone in March along with the new device.

I've noticed the Moscone Center has a whole month on it's schedule for a "corporate event" in June. Could just be a placeholder though.

 

[kdarling]

If not multitasking, at least give us a simulated action context.

Like when we click on a link in an app's list of search results, and it takes us out of the app into Safari. Then when you just want to go back and make another choice from the list... well, oops, you have to start the app again.

On other systems, you simply click a global "back" button to return where you came from. Piece of cake, and your train of thought... the context... is not lost.

 

[Rodimus Prime]

So by the sounds of it Apple AMAZING update is yet more things that should of been on the phone on Day 1.

Multitasking - Should of been a day 1 thing
Notification (if on lock screen) - Another day 1 item.

What has apple added to the iPhone besides basic hardware updates that are not day 1 items.
So far most of the AMAZING things for the iPhone should of been day 1 items. The list so far I have seen that should of been there on day 1.

3G
MMS
Multitasking
Tethering.
Voice dialing.

Am I missing anything. A lot of the big updates to the iPhone since it has come up have either been day 1 items or basic CPU and memory upgrades. The App store being about the only item I can let apple slide on.

 

[STEVESKI07]

Am I the only one who thinks that putting 4.0 in focus this early means the hardware changes will be a lot more significant come June? Or am I wrong in thinking this...

I think it's unrelated and just wishful thinking by you. I think if there is an early software release it is due to the fact that a lot of new competing phones are being released now and they want to be competitive and/or these changes will be somehow interlaced with the iTablet.

 

[mcmlxix]

I don't know if this has been posted before but will this work on my brand new iPod g3 because if not that's a bad apple right there

Using history as a guide, I would think so. OS 3.0 worked both for equivalent iPhone and iPod touch devises. Though since the iPod touch isn’t subsidized, its upgraders had pay $10.

 

[Mr.damien]

I want them to fix Push. It only works for Apple apps, all other applications doesn't work at all or just few days.

 

[STEVESKI07]

I want them to fix Push. It only works for Apple apps, all other applications doesn't work at all or just few days.

Push works just fine for me

 

[NorrisKillsKids]

You're not wrong per.se.
Apple could put out a new iPhone in March along with the new device.

I've noticed the Moscone Center has a whole month on it's schedule for a "corporate event" in June. Could just be a placeholder though.

Yeah that all makes sense, should be interesting.

I think it's unrelated and just wishful thinking by you. I think if there is an early software release it is due to the fact that a lot of new competing phones are being released now and they want to be competitive and/or these changes will be somehow interlaced with the iTablet.

You're definitely right in the wishful thinking part. It's funny because I feel like I would like to see significant hardware changes but then when I really think about it I don't see much that they can do. OLED screen, 5mp cam and flash, slightly thinner, and made the screen will be longer. That's all I can think of. I think they will eliminate the home button as it is now as well. I consider these all pretty realistic expectations. I don't think of myself as those rabid and crazy apple fans with unreal ones.

Ah well like I said, just interested to see it all. It will be my first iPhone when the hardware change does happen, guess that explains my attitude.

 

[MacFly123]

How can you still be excited?

I think you're supposed to see a doctor after 4hrs if that happens...

Anywho, I'm not jonesing for it, but multitasking would be welcome on my 3GS with 4.0, so long as it can be jailbroken.

Haha, well probably something to do with it actually becoming REALITY!

We seem to forget that this is totally in line with the explanation that Apple has been feeding us all along: that their interpretation of GAAP dictates when they are allowed to provide updates for free. They amortized the money they received for the sale of the iPhone over a 24 month period, during which time they were allowed to add new features to the iPhone free of charge.

Now that it has been more than 24 months since the original iPhones went on sale, the 24-month amortization period for the original iPhones is used up. Which would mean that, if they wanted to add any more new features to the original iPhone, they would have to start charging for them.

But that would make average, non-savvy original iPhone owners angry, because they have to pay for something which is being given to other iPhone users for free. (These non-savvy users don't care about any distinction between original iPhones and 3G or 3GS iPhones, or amortization periods or anything like that.)

Rather than charging some iPhone owners for something that is free for other iPhone owners, it would probably less incite less resentment to simply say that the new OS is simply unavailable to original iPhone owners under any circumstances, but still free for newer owners. While there's still a double standard, it's a double standard which would probably be easier to accept.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the ecosystem, iPod touch users are already used to the fact that they have to pay for every new major version upgrade of the OS. So first generation iPod touch users probably would have been willing to pay for the upgrade to OS 4.0 as well. But that would also serve as another way to alienate original iPhone owners: first generation iPod touches are allowed to purchase the new OS, but first generation iPhones are not.

Again in an effort to avoid inciting too much resentment, the same standard will probably be applied to original iPod touch owners as to original iPhone users: original iPod touches will not be able to use the OS, but newer iPod touch users will be allowed to purchase it as always.

It would be perfectly reasonable on Apple's part to compromise between adhering to their established plan for implementing their interpretation of GAAP, whilst minimizing the number of people who end up getting pissed off in response. And it also presents a perfect opportunity to make a clean break from the older hardware and introduce kick-ass new features which wouldn't have performed very well on the older machines anyway.

Yes you do have an interesting point there. Although, the GAAP no longer applies as the law has changed, and as much as I know Apple likes people to buy new hardware, I really doubt the battery, processor, and RAM in the original iPhone would be up for multi-tasking and everything in iPhone OS 4.0. Also, I would not be surprised if iPod Touch updates all become free soon. It is highly in Apple's best interest to keep the entire platform UNIFIED for developers. Thus presenting another hurdle in your theory! Some thoughts to consider.

 

[lightpeak]

The Motorola Motoroi coming to the US in March, has a 8MP camera that records video in 720p and an HDMI output to tv. Maybe we can see something close to that in iPhone G5?

Wow, thanks for the specs and pic, lex. Looks sweet.

It's amazing how some Apple users here like being treated like lab mice in having Apple keeping so incredibly tight-lipped about upcoming specs, that you have to nibble at small "maybe" rumors here like a crumble of cheese. It feels like Apple is hovering over their grand maze in large scientist-in-labcoat form w/ a clipboard going: "Okay. They seem to be acting crazy over 'x' and indifferent to 'y'. Let's decide what tidbit we'll leak next for 'z'."

Where as the competitors just go: "BOOM! There ya have it." Total transparency.

 

[statik13]

As excited as I am to finally see multitasking, please Apple, just give me a snooze button for alarms! Or the ability to dismiss one alarm and have the other still active. It drives me nuts that the iPhone is so terrible at calendars & alarms. My Palm Pilot from 1996 handled calendar entry and alarms better than a 2010 iPhone does.

 

[Peace]

As excited as I am to finally see multitasking, please Apple, just give me a snooze button for alarms! Or the ability to dismiss one alarm and have the other still active. It drives me nuts that the iPhone is so terrible at calendars & alarms. My Palm Pilot from 1996 handled calendar entry and alarms better than a 2010 iPhone does.

Like this ?

 

[irahodges]

It's amazing how some Apple users here like being treated like lab mice in having Apple keeping so incredibly tight-lipped about upcoming specs, that you have to nibble at small "maybe" rumors here like a crumble of cheese. It feels like Apple is hovering over their grand maze in large scientist-in-labcoat form w/ a clipboard going: "Okay. They seem to be acting crazy over 'x' and indifferent to 'y'. Let's decide what tidbit we'll leak next for 'z'."

Where as the competitors just go: "BOOM! There ya have it." Total transparency.

That is part of what I love about it - its like playoffs or the river in texas hold'em!

 

[goosnarrggh]

Yes you do have an interesting point there. Although, the GAAP no longer applies as the law has changed.

The new GAAP rules just made it so that you can hold back reporting a smaller amount of revenue; they didn't didn't actually say that you don't have to hold back any at all. Clearly, going forward, any new sales can take advantage of the new rules to allow them to show a balance sheet that's closer to reality.

But are those GAAP changes automatically retroactive? That is to say, we're talking about devices that were sold more than 2 years ago, and by now their held back revenue has already made it off the books. Would Apple be able to just arbitrarily start applying the new rules to old sales that happened several years ago, with no explanation for what had come before? Or would they have to submit revised financial statements for the last few years to change their accounting of the amount of revenue they'd held back?

 

[NeuralControl]

As excited as I am to finally see multitasking, please Apple, just give me a snooze button for alarms! Or the ability to dismiss one alarm and have the other still active. It drives me nuts that the iPhone is so terrible at calendars & alarms. My Palm Pilot from 1996 handled calendar entry and alarms better than a 2010 iPhone does.

I've always enjoyed the iPhone's ability to handle alarms. It works reliably for me every morning. There is a snooze button if you turn it on.

 

[ghostface147]

As excited as I am to finally see multitasking, please Apple, just give me a snooze button for alarms! Or the ability to dismiss one alarm and have the other still active. It drives me nuts that the iPhone is so terrible at calendars & alarms. My Palm Pilot from 1996 handled calendar entry and alarms better than a 2010 iPhone does.

+1. I know I can snooze the alarm I have to wake me up in the morning, but I want a snooze ability for calender alerts. Oh I have an appointment with the doc in two hours? Let me snooze it so I can be reminded in 20 minutes. I think that's a valid feature.

 

[distortedloop]

I'm still on 3.0.1 to keep my ability to tether... This may be just enough to sway me into upgrading... We shall see. Hopefully someone can find a way to crack open the tethering option in 4.0.

This message is being typed to you on a MacBook Pro which is USB tethered to an iPhone 3G that is running OS 3.1.2.

You don't need to stay on earlier firmwares to tether...

The fact that we're worried about losing our ability to jailbreak because Apple's not going to give us features we want is just one more tick in the "yes" column in my ongoing internal debate to switch to Android. :-(

 

[TheOrioles33]

So by the sounds of it Apple AMAZING update is yet more things that should of been on the phone on Day 1.

Multitasking - Should of been a day 1 thing
Notification (if on lock screen) - Another day 1 item.

What has apple added to the iPhone besides basic hardware updates that are not day 1 items.
So far most of the AMAZING things for the iPhone should of been day 1 items. The list so far I have seen that should of been there on day 1.

3G
MMS
Multitasking
Tethering.
Voice dialing.

Am I missing anything. A lot of the big updates to the iPhone since it has come up have either been day 1 items or basic CPU and memory upgrades. The App store being about the only item I can let apple slide on.

It doesnt really matter what the iPhone should have had or not had on day 1 at this point. Apple is only on their 3rd iteration of the iPhone and its only getting better. If they were on the iPhone version 20 and we were still waiting for things then I would be wondering whats going on. Theres a reason the iPhone is outselling other devices in its class. Sit back and enjoy the ride.

 

[severe]

I've always enjoyed the iPhone's ability to handle alarms. It works reliably for me every morning. There is a snooze button if you turn it on.

+1

The capabilities of the alarm have proven to be superior to most other mobile phones, IMO.

...Or the ability to dismiss one alarm and have the other still active...

It does exactly this.

 

[Bubba Satori]

Sounds good to me...guess Palm will have to find a new angle other than "ours can do two things at once" after this comes out

It's good when Apple catches up. You can even get iPods with FM tuners now.