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Multitasking on the iPhone

S

SeanWalsh16

macrumors newbie
Original poster
May 30, 2009
6
0
:apple:
Hi,:)

I just finished making a really bad animated demo of how I think Apple should include multitasking on the next iPhone/OS update. The way of switching applications is kind of like expose.(no accent mark;))
Post your thoughts on how you want multitasking on the iPhone to be.:)

In the video, you can see Safari opened up,
Going back to the home screen
opening mail
double clicking to start the expose-like thing
going back into safari
..... I think you can tell what's going on....:rolleyes:

Here's a link to my video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Aa0xnBE_WM

Oh and subcribe if you want, because I'm am getting my new MBP soon and I will have A LOT of videos coming.:apple:
 
A nice thought, but the double-tap home button feature already has about 6 different functions. You're better off attaching it to the Spotlight screen, which could easily show 4 app icons running between the search bar and keyboard.

However, the major major issue is battery life. I think background processes would be good for MLB At Bat to listen to audio while doing something else. HOWEVER, the streaming audio over 3G sucks that battery quickly. If (well, when) Apple ever does this, it must be done with an explicit on/off control in settings, just as I say any Flash plug-in should have. Function on mobile devices is still WAY ahead of power management.
 
So essentially you moved the two apps to a page by themselves.

...I really don't see what the point of this would be. The apps are together on my homepage now as it is. No offense.
 
I wish they could maybe use three finger swipe to activate a coverflow like display to show all your running apps and then to move between apps you would use 1 finger and to exit the coverflow view you would press the home button.

But first they have to have a way to exit the app fully easily
 
milk242 said:
I wish they could maybe use three finger swipe to activate a coverflow like display to show all your running apps and then to move between apps you would use 1 finger and to exit the coverflow view you would press the home button.

But first they have to have a way to exit the app fully easily
Click to expand...

Three finger gestures are being used for voice over under accessibility.
 
SeanWalsh16 said:
:apple:
Hi,:)

I just finished making a really bad animated demo of how I think Apple should include multitasking on the next iPhone/OS update.
Click to expand...

Why bother? WebOS already has the best solution to the problem; the closer Apple can copy it, the better.

Honestly, Apple will have to rebuild the springboard entirely for anything they implement to match the card system - hopefully they would work on the notification system while they are at it.
 
Eso said:
Why bother? WebOS already has the best solution to the problem; the closer Apple can copy it, the better.

Honestly, Apple will have to rebuild the springboard entirely for anything they implement to match the card system - hopefully they would work on the notification system while they are at it.
Click to expand...

Yeah, because Apple doesn't already use a card system for their "web applications?" Safari...

The only implementation difference is on WebOS you swipe cards off the screen and on iPhone you tap a red circle with with an X.
 
SeanZy said:
So essentially you moved the two apps to a page by themselves.

...I really don't see what the point of this would be. The apps are together on my homepage now as it is. No offense.
Click to expand...


Sorry, these apps were bad examples.

A better example would've been if one of the apps opened was a game.
I forgot that safari and mail restore what you were doing before, but if I used a game it would take you back to where you left the game paused, instead of starting all over.:p
 
Backgrounder is a good example of how it can work.

Hold down the home button for three seconds and a pop up tells you backgrounding is enabled. While there is an icon badge to indicate which apps are currently backgrounded it does need a quick access to those apps accessible from any application.
 
darngooddesign said:
Backgrounder is a good example of how it can work.

Hold down the home button for three seconds and a pop up tells you backgrounding is enabled. While there is an icon badge to indicate which apps are currently backgrounded it does need a quick access to those apps accessible from any application.
Click to expand...

Or you can turn on the list in backgrounder, and a list pops up showing you which apps are running, and lets you switch easily between them. I can't wait until backgrounder is updated for 3.0, because I miss it.
 
Apple made the 3gS fast, so that when you were in a app you could close and open another app fast to make it seem like multi-tasking.
 
SeanZy said:
So essentially you moved the two apps to a page by themselves.

...I really don't see what the point of this would be. The apps are together on my homepage now as it is. No offense.
Click to expand...
Because the two apps would be running at the same time, not just on a home screen by them selves.

Imagine those two apps being Pandora and Email instead of Safari and Email.

Right now, you can't listen to Pandora and do anything else on the phone.
TSX said:
Apple made the 3gS fast, so that when you were in a app you could close and open another app fast to make it seem like multi-tasking.
Click to expand...
Right.

But that is still not acceptable.

I want to be able to listen to Pandora while simultaneously surfing the web.

Can't be done on a non-jailbroken iphone.

Also, unless a game is programmed well (like, say, Flight Control), then you will lose your place in the game.
 
Rat-Boy said:
Because the two apps would be running at the same time, not just on a home screen by them selves.

Imagine those two apps being Pandora and Email instead of Safari and Email.

Right now, you can't listen to Pandora and do anything else on the phone.
Right.

But that is still not acceptable.

I want to be able to listen to Pandora while simultaneously surfing the web.

Can't be done on a non-jailbroken iphone.

Also, unless a game is programmed well (like, say, Flight Control), then you will lose your place in the game.
Click to expand...

Except this thread is really about a task switcher. Not multitasking or even third-party background apps, despite the title. These terms seem to be used a synonyms on this forum even though they are not.
 
Rat-Boy said:
Because the two apps would be running at the same time, not just on a home screen by them selves.

Imagine those two apps being Pandora and Email instead of Safari and Email.

Right now, you can't listen to Pandora and do anything else on the phone.
Right.

But that is still not acceptable.

I want to be able to listen to Pandora while simultaneously surfing the web.

Can't be done on a non-jailbroken iphone.

Also, unless a game is programmed well (like, say, Flight Control), then you will lose your place in the game.
Click to expand...
I guess apples worried about battery life or something. Maybe that will be on the next iPhone, they got to do something to make people to want to upgrade. They can't give us all the goodies in one phone or why would we want to buy another?
 
BaldiMac said:
Except this thread is really about a task switcher. Not multitasking or even third-party background apps, despite the title. These terms seem to be used a synonyms on this forum even though they are not.
Click to expand...
True.

But without multi-tasking, you don't really need a task switcher in the first place.
 
Honestly I see nothing wrong with the way that Windows Mobile handles multitasking either. Why not have a small icon in the top corner where if you click it you can see what apps are currently running and just choose whichever you want. This could be implemented without having to redesign everything. I understand Apple doesn't trust us to conserve our own battery power, so why don't they limit it to having 2 apps running at a time? I think most people would be satisfied with that. They could have Pandora running and check their email. Have a live stat tracker running in the background while they perform other tasks. Your right Apple, we don't need to have a ton of apps running at the same time, but you can let us run 2 at once, the processor can handle it, I promise.
 
Apple made the 3gS fast, so that when you were in a app you could close and open another app fast to make it seem like multi-tasking.
Click to expand...

Absolute nonsense.

Let's say we have ten menu pages of apps, and we start one from each page.

No way in this universe can we find and start those apps in a row, anywhere near as fast or as pleasantly as simply flipping through them already running.

And that's assuming each app saves its exact state, which isn't true today.

We're not even getting into multitasking examples such as GPS background watchers, which cannot be simulated by hand switching.
 
Rat-Boy said:
No, it doesn't really multitask fully.

Only selected apps.
Click to expand...

The iPhone is "fully" multitasking. You are trying to add to the definition. Apple simply does not allow third-party background processes at this time.
 
BaldiMac said:
The iPhone is "fully" multitasking. You are trying to add to the definition. Apple simply does not allow third-party background processes at this time.
Click to expand...

Main Entry:
mul·ti·task·ing Listen to the pronunciation of multitasking
Pronunciation:
\-ˌtas-kiŋ\
Function:
noun
Usage:
often attributive
Date:
1966

1 : the concurrent performance of several jobs by a computer
2 : the performance of multiple tasks at one time

Sorry, but that is the definition, and to say the iPhone is "fully" multi-tasking is, well, wrong.
 
Rat-Boy said:
No, it doesn't really multitask fully.

Only selected apps.
Click to expand...

like? sms? it always brings you back to your last sms (and with 3.0 u can exit out of it or even start a new sms as it's being sent)
calender? it always brings you back to what you were last looking at
photos? same deal
camera? same
youtube would be the exception it wont start where u last left it but will show u wat you last looked at
stocks?
maps? will show you your last location u were on
calculator will show the number u last inputted
itunes and app store both pick up from where u left off
mail will open up last email u were on
safari always loads what page u were viewing when u last looked at it, and on the 3GS it doesn;t have to reload the page, even with multiple tabs open
ipod as u know will play in the background no matter what ur browsing and will even play music over most games.

so, i dont know, if you ask me if you ever exit out of any of the default apps you always get back to what you were originally doing

I'm trying to consider what modes of mutiple at the same time processing could u come up with in an iphone situation?

granted pandora running in the BG while browsing is multitasking that doesnt happen unless u jailbrake, but i cant come up with another other reason for wanting mutiple processes going on while you're on one current task
 
I like the idea of it being similar to Cover Flow, though I don't know where you would keep it so you could go between it and the home screens (having it after 11 pages of Apps wouldn't go over so well I don't think)
 
TrunksGoku said:
so, i dont know, if you ask me if you ever exit out of any of the default apps you always get back to what you were originally doing
Click to expand...
Why are threads like this constantly out of control where it seems no one gets it.

I mean, that is awesome if you refuse to visit the app store and just stick with the default apps. But if you are going to do that, you are wasting your money on the iPhone anyway, because the 3rd party apps are a huge selling point.

Bottom line.

I am playing a game, and my phone rings. It is up to the developer of the game to ensure that I can start where I left off. Not all developers ensure that.

I am listening to Pandora and I want to check my email. The iPhone can't do it. Almost every other smart phone can.

This is so simple...

Spin it how you want, but the iPhone is weak in this department, plain and simple. And that is from someone who LOVES his iPhone.
1Zach1 said:
I like the idea of it being similar to Cover Flow, though I don't know where you would keep it so you could go between it and the home screens (having it after 11 pages of Apps wouldn't go over so well I don't think)
Click to expand...
I LOVE this idea.

Why not, when on the home screen, where turning the phone to landscape does nothing anyway, allow you to cover flow between running apps.

That would be down right awesome.
 
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