Why won't Apple allow me to load the same app twice on my iPhone?

[braddick]

There are a few of apps, that for convenience sakes, would work out well if I could load the application on my iPhone4 twice. While on vacation my wife will borrow my iPhone and it would be easy if I had [app]Calvetica Calendar[/app] on my home page twice. One of her, one for me.

There are other apps, like [app]Starbucks Card Mobile[/app] and a running app (with GPS). that would be cool if we could share the same iPhone yet have our own applications.

Why won't Apple allow the same application to be placed on a single iPhone twice?

 

[sammich]

If it were possible, both apps would access the same local storage, and thus the same data. Both apps would appear exactly the same (who knows what would happen if you tried to multitask). The data is stored locally under the name of the app, and unless you can change the package identifier in the app it won't work properly as separate apps.

You could ask the App Dev to make you an identical app but with a different package/app ID.

Or Apple could implement the probably-won't-happen multiple users feature into the iPhone.

 

[GoCubsGo]

It is perhaps because it will use the same app data and preferences that will make your entire point moot? I fully understand how it would be nice and useful, but I don't know that it will allow you differentiate completely different settings even if they did allow two of the same app.

 

[0007776]

I think, they don't do it, because there are very few people who need it, and Apple would prefer you to just buy your wife a second iPhone. Maybe it will happen eventually if Apple decides the iPad needs user accounts, that may trickle down to the iPhone, but I don't think it will happen.

 

[JRoDDz]

The iPhone is a phone, meant for a single user in terms of apps. You would need something like multiple profiles if you wanted more users.

 

[AdeFowler]

In the case of Calvetica, it supports multiple calendars so why not create one for you and one for her. Maybe ask the running app developers if they could support multiple profiles, I'm sure it's possible – I have a few game that do it.

 

[ucfgrad93]

The iPhone is a phone, meant for a single user in terms of apps. You would need something like multiple profiles if you wanted more users.

I think this is the reason, a phone is designed to be used by a single user. I don't see Apple changing this.

 

[jfyrfytr25]

they dont because the desire for such a thing is limited to a few people (yourself included).

Also, is supposed to be a personalized item. to do what you want you would need to have seperate "accounts" to keep the data seperate.

 

[Carl G35c]

you should just buy another iPhone to fix this

 

[braddick]

Of course you're right.

(That was directed at all of you!)

 

[EDF]

Buy her an iPhone, problem solved.

 

[lapocompris]

Buy her an iPod Touch, it's cheaper, or a pocket agenda if you're cheap.

 

[Small White Car]

I think this is the reason, a phone is designed to be used by a single user. I don't see Apple changing this.

It'll be a problem for iPad users very soon, though. How many are shared by a whole family?

I expect iPad user profiles sometimes soon. Once they've put the work into programing it, will they allow it on the iPhone?

Dunno. I'd sure hope so, but I could see them just leaving it off.

But either way, they're certainly working on it for iOS in some form or another.

 

[neko girl]

Why won't Apple allow the same application to be placed on a single iPhone twice?

You can't do this with most desktop applications, either. The problem is multi-user capability, not the ability to run the same application twice.

 

[iMaven]

I can't recall any phone doing this. Does Android allow more than one app/user?

The only thing that will come close to what you want is if the app has a full and a lite version.

 

[eastercat]

In ical I can create different labels for calendars. In iphone, the calendar app can display only one or more labels. This might work as an ad hoc solution.

 

[ucfgrad93]

I expect iPad user profiles sometimes soon.

While I could see them on an iPad, I just don't think they make much sense for an iPhone.

 

[milani]

While I could see them on an iPad, I just don't think they make much sense for an iPhone.

It makes perfect sense! One for you, and one for the thief who stole your phone!

 

[jclardy]

I think it won't happen because the iPhone is a phone, and pretty much every phone is designed to be used by a single user.

There is a small chance that iOS becomes multi-user and that is because of the iPad. The iPad is not necessarily tied to one person and there are many more people looking for a multi-user solution for that device. So it could possibly trickle down to the iPhone if Apple decides to implement that.