Apple's iPhone 4.0 to support multitasking via Expose-like interface - Page 4

Nice post.

I don't really get how task-switching improves things from where they are now. The iPhone OS - or rather iPhone apps - are supposed to save their states so that when you return to them, you're right back to where you left off. All the apps that I use do this perfectly, even games.

I remember when the Palm Pre first came out, and people said "I can leave my browser, flick it away and send off an email, and then flick back to the browser and I'm right where I left off. You iphone users try that!"

But iPhones do exactly that right now without "multitasking." If you click the home button, go do something else, in most cases when you come back you're wherever you left off.

Adding some additional expose-like UI for task switching would seem to me to just clutter things up while adding nothing.

Yeah, I agree. According to the article, it sounds like a single-click of the Home button would quit the app, and a double-click would leave it running, and possibly also invoke some list of running apps. Blech.

The point is, Apple is not "inventing" this interface, and it's nothing like Expose.

Besides, Apple and Nokia are not really competitors. iPhone and Android are the two big boys in the US, Nokia has zero presence here.

Android is programmed in Java. There is no manual memory management model in Java.

That sounds like a faulty methodology for enabling running apps. I only read that double-tapping the Home button would access Exposé's list of running apps.



Sure they are. The iPhone is sold outside the US. More than half their sales are outside the US and shortly Europe will account for more sales than the US.

I'm curious about this also. It seems pretty obvious though since you have productivity apps like iWork available for the iPad that you are going to have to be able to save files, and this implies some kind of file management/filesystem. This also raises the question about being able to map/mount network drives, and also printing is another question here. My hope is that OS 4 will address all of these items in addition to multitasking though I have to think that at least basic file management has to be included in the iPad at launch.

Yeah, it would be terrible, but I'd like to hear ideas on how else you could distinguish between quitting and switching.

I still frankly just don't believe it. I could see them allowing backgrounding on a case-by-case basis, such as allowing Pandora to work like iPod music works now, but I see mostly confusion and very little benefit to allowing all apps to run freely in the background.

Most people who write about this just say "Apple needs to turn on multi-tasking" as if they just click a box when they compile the OS and it's done. This is a huge UI problem - just look at Windows and Mac OS - and I can't even envision how it can be implemented on the iPhone without creating the same UI problems.

Invoking an expose like app in order to multi task could work well. Imo it would need to be an app itself, preferably in the dock and which shows how many apps are currently running. It's only purpose would be to let users select apps and to display the number of apps currently running. Prefs would enable user to switch 'extended' multitasking on and off and to limit the number of apps allowed to run simultaneously.

That's true. To be honest, when she mentioned it and I had a look myself it is one of the few occasions I've found myself looking at the iPhone and thinking, "that's not really good enough".

I don't really care much about what the solution is called, but it did seem like something that could be made better.

Again I ask: if it will be included at the iPad's launch, then why hasn't it been detailed like the rest of the functionality?

Why? Because it's true? Or because you have no rebuttal and must resort to ad-hominem attacks?

P.S. I see a ban in your future for the language.

I'm with you. I don't think there should be any user interaction with the very technical concept of multi-tasking on a mobile device. I don't want any dialog boxes or pop ups asking me what to do when I hit the Home button. I don't want to have to choose which apps to quit if memory starts running low. If there's a way for Apple to implement this with no or very little user involvement, then fine. But users shouldn't have to start thinking about or worry about technical things.

The general concept I'm expecting is laid out under my reply to Dick Applebaum in this post.

Will this ignorance never die? IPhone OS multitasked from day one with a limtation of one third party app.

That is crap, who do you think is asking for these features? Some of those requests are direct and others indirect, the end result is a demonstrated need for more third party multitasking.

What are you a Democrat wanting to silence people here? You certainly sound like one. I know this bothers you terribly but people have opinion that differ widely from yours, Apples and everyone elses.

Besides I'm not so much interested in multitasking as I'm interested in correcting a lot of the ignorance on these boards. More user control over multitasking doesn't mean more battery drain in every case, for some it could mean less power usage. Likewise with memory. Even when a background app is demanding that is clearly the users responsibility, apple will never know what combo of apps will be used at the same time so the system implemented needs to be suitable for general needs.

Yes and some people never grow up. Think about what you are saying here, because the implication is that Apple should never respond to user needs nor look forward to improved technology. Instead you seem to be of the opinion that iPhone OS is done, finished with nothing better possible in the future. That is a sign of a mind that can't dream, can't imagine
nor desire. This to me is very sad.


Dave

In the demo videos there is no mention of saving apps and no save command as far as I can see. It would make sense to be able to save locally. I suspect a lot of people will have the iPad as their only computer. The file system might be in the form of an app similar to the mobileMe app where the most recently used files are available locally. This idea could / ought to be extended to direct local storage without a requirement to have a iwork.com or mobileMe subscription.

That's a very good and concise analysis... maybe AI should hire you to write the articles.

I certainly would enjoy them more without the niggling Prince digs, inferences and biases.


The iPhone OS has an existing facility that could to resolve the Yelp-to-Map-to-Yelp issue:

1) One app can launch another app and pass it information. At present the launching app terminates.
2) The launched app starts and can recognize the fact that it was launched by another and has been passed some information
3) The launched app does its thing then could relaunch the original app (or any other app in a daisy-chain) and pass results to it.

A variation of this would allow an app to show, say, a list of an artists albums for sale, to access the iTunes stores (Music, App, Books); browse/buy items; then return as if you never left the original app.

A small change to Push notifications would allow a notification to silently start an app (no dialog alert). This would, necessarily,
require pre-approval by the user.

I've made Feature Requests for both of the above.

*

So these arguments are fine for us geeks, and don't tell chronster, but if he were just a tad less "up in my face" about it - I could agree with many of his points. The fact remains that the iPhone is targeted for the average consumer, not us. Just like the fact that you (and I) don't mind running "unapproved apps" (which is again great), the average consumer isn't necessarily as savvy as you nor are able to cope with odd little idiocyncracies as the rest of us here. That's the perceived draw-back of the Apple approach - lowest common denominator stuff, not feature-driven. And yeah, I've installed all kinds of CRAP on my computer (Mac and PC alike) because I could (Limewire anyone?), but in the odd case that it messed me up - I'm fine with rebuilding, repairing, removing or hacking the problem. The average person isn't. Why do you think that ubiquitous items like regular appliances and vehicles tend towards the simple and common interfaces and controls? Why is automatic transmission standard equipment (try driving a Model T sometime - gives you an appreciation for modern vehicles). I LOVE kit like the N900 or N97 Nokia, but they aren't as user-friendly out-of-pocket as the iPhone. And worse, while I like the concept and look forward to Android building out for Nexus One and other devices, I don't want to have to think twice when I need ease-of-use instantly and without question. Which is why I've never jail-broken my iPhone.

And let's face it - there are millions more of the "average consumer" than there are of us geeks. Yeah some are smarter than others and some are more adventurous than others but when it comes down to it, Apple broke-open the smartphone category and invited in a bunch more average consumers than had ever before used a smartphone. Our private little garden is being trampled by the clueless and simplistic, which means that Apple will cater first to what makes things work best for them, and then get around to giving some attention to our wants, needs and desires once the marketshare is assured. Fair? Hell no. Locked-down yeah that suxxors too. Limiting, yes, much too much some days. The best experience, arguable but totally dependent on the user. I happen to like how Apple implemented their version of cut/paste, and I'm glad they spent the time to get it as good as it is. Can I live with a closed system - sure as long as it let's me have the ease-of-use I want, the reliability and incremental improvements that seem to keep coming.

I don't think accents count as punctuation either (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punctuation)
Most generally this would rather be a job for the spelling police, or maybe a job for a diacritic.

Tell me about it!

Just as "There's always a bigger fish" it's also true that
"just when you think you're a pedant, you realise you've not been pedantic enough"!


Fair cop and who says one doesn't get an education on this site!

Oh! So, a good programmer could write a better multitasking app for the iPhone than for Android.

I guess that might be one of the reasons that Apple is deemphasizing Java support.

*

System wide printing is not there, the file sharing is. As I understand it, you can enable sharing on an app, then when you connect the iPhone your your computer that app shows up as a drive (or folder within a larger iPhone drive, not sure) that you can add files to or remove files from.

Personally, I've never put my hands on an Android phone so I'll take your word on the features and advantages there. However, I honestly don't think the closed nature of the iPhone is comparable to the more open nature of Mac OS X. The reason is that computers are devices that people rely upon, but are almost expected to have problems of some kind. These problems may be in the form of viruses, lousy Internet connection, application bugs, etc. I think most people view their phones more like a utility and as such it has a higher level of expectation to work. This makes taking extra pains to keep it secure are not unreasonable.

The other issue here is user cost. Specifically, there is the possibility that someone could "hijack" your phone to make calls that you are then responsible for the charges for. This is another completely valid reason to take the security of this device to greater extremes than a computer. I think a part of Apple's goal here is to help shield consumers from someone writing an app that would basically be a backdoor to route calls to China thru. Imagine getting a $1000 phone bill with numerous long distance calls to China that you have never made but appear to have originated from your phone. And yes, I also agree that Apple is in business for Apple and the App Store is a money making endeavor.

Indeed most commenters on this site are far too blinded by what they perceive as the ONLY great technology available. Sad. There is such a loathsome dearth of objectivity on this site at times, it's positively nauseating.

I have had all three versions of the Iphone in as many years. All jailbroken. About six months ago, I bought a Mytouch just to see what the deal was with Android. I now have the Nexus One and am pretty sure there is nothing that Apple can offer to sway me back. There is just too much that goes against their walled garden. Fine for some, not for others. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the Iphone.

Now this is something that I could get behind. Basically one app calls another app, but instead of the normal transition (fading out the current app, fading in the called app), it would slide in from the right as if you are just going into another page of the current app. There would be a button with the original app's name on it, similar to a "Back" button. So when you are finished with the called app, you just hit the back button (which has the application's name on it) to go back to the original app. Or hitting the Home button would kill both apps.

It doesn't address all instances of multi-tasking, but works well for this particular instance.

Actually, it's mostly because no one else does it right.
We look at a tablet and say, "those are senseless!" Apple makes it right, we say "It's incredible!"
We look at copy and paste and say, "We don't need it if it looks the way everyone else does it!" Apple Does it right, we say "It is fabulous!
We look at multitasking and say, "I can do without it if it will destroy the battery life and great experience I'm having." Apple does it right and we say, "It will increase our productivity immensely!"
etc. etc. etc.

Just because we ridicule current features of smartphones that we don't currently have, doesn't mean we don't want them. It merely means that we are content to wait until it is done right to take advantage of it. I don't want to ride in a personal jet pack if they catch on fire 20% of the time and can cause you headaches for weeks after. I'll wait 'til someone gets it right before embarking on the future of tech.

I think that is correct

Riiiight, that's what it is. It's not calling the phone the best phone ever then dismissing why people have legitimate reasons not to call it that.

It's a bit hypocritical to call the iphone the best, then say features are coming, but then turn around and dismiss something like the Palm Pre for lacking things that are being developed, don't you think? I'm just using that as an example BTW. So for Apple products, it's worth the incredibly long wait, but for other products, it's garbage that doesn't have a chance.

And you all can say these are strawman arguments, but I'm going on what the majority of people say on articles the around here.



No, not at all. What I expect is for people to stop touting things as something they aren't. "Well Steve Jobs says that" Oh STEVE JOBS said that, did he?

Case in point: Multitasking. This rumor is very hard to believe because Steve Jobs constantly said multitasking was such a drain on the device. He sold this notion so well that people have absolutely no idea how well multitasking actually is on other devices. They convince themselves it's a bad thing they don't need, and that the iphone is actually BETTER for not having it. Now here comes this news that it's coming, which flies right in the face of what everyone was saying, and now what's the excuse? "Well if Apple's doing it, no doubt it'll be the best and it won't be a drain like the other devices."

Stop with the bullshit. If the iphone is missing a feature, don't convince yourself you never wanted that feature just to stay happy with the device. It's a great phone, but it's ok to say it's lacking. It's ok to not repeat everything Steve Jobs says.

I see the same thing happening with Flash. Whether it's a year from now or 10 years from now, Apple will some day have a device that supports Flash, and the whole tone will change. I have no reason NOT to believe such a thing because the exact same thing has happened now quite a few times.


Now, personally, this is a selling point for me. While some might have convinced themselves multitasking is horrible and they don't need it, I've actually grown so accustomed to using it that it's really something that's kept me away. This is the type of news I like because it means I'll start looking at the iphone as a viable upgrade in the future.

We've already been through this before, please stop.



Come on now, is this really necessary?

Keep fighting the good fight brother!

You pretty much summed it up perfectly. "It's crap unless Apple makes it" is definitely a statement I can understand from Apple fans.

Thank you for at least being honest about it

I'm guessing pressing the home button once, like now, will Quit the app. But pressing it twice will open Exposé for you to switch to another app and keep the existing one running.

So if you want to quickly check a stock and Quit you'll do it exactly as you do now.

You're welcome.

That's a spelling mistake, not a grammar mistake.

Enough with the Terms of Service malarkey. It's Ok to say YouTube doesn't want people storing YT videos locally.

That'd either sarcasm or you didn't read the article.

There is already an element of prevention against this. When you play something in the iPod app and launch an app that produces sound itself the app can request the iPod to stop playing (I have one app which does this during its startup routine, but I have others that don't do it).

That's as maybe, but you have to alight at Grammar Central to get to Spelling Street. Besides, I don't see what all the fuss is about in this thread. Everyone knows that only women can multi-task.

That's not even a complaint.

Most of the time, that statement is true. Not always, but very often. Not necessarily cr*p either, just not the best. Ford isn't trash, but they're not Mercedes. We're not saying that other people may not be happy with their Ford, just that we won't settle for less than a Mercedes.

P.S. I always make a point to be honest.

Go to Safari → Edit → Special Characters → Punctuation → Line 6 → Item 4, and tell me what you think!

It would be called iBook.