Days before the release of the iPhone 4, iOS4 (iPhone OS 4 minus the “Phone”) launches today. There are many small updates and a few major feature additions. Most notably, multi-tasking is finally coming to the iPhone.
Multitasking is not really multitasking as we know it on the desktop or other devices. Rather than opening things up for developers and allowing true multitasking, Apple is simply letting applications do a few specific things in the background. These include:
- Audio – This is probably the most obvious argument for multitasking. We all like listening to music in the background while doing other stuff, but this was previously impossible. Exiting Pandora, for instance, kills the music. Now, you will be able to listen to music while doing productive activities like email.
- VoIP – For applications like Skype, you can keep the conversation going while you go do other things.
- Location – Tracking your location can now be done in the background as well, so you can still get your directions without having to stare at the same app the whole time.
- Local notifications – Previously, apps relied on push notifications. For many applications, this doesn’t even make sense and required you to have a network connection for some pretty simple things. Now, you can get alerts directly from applications on your phone without them having to travel the entire Internet to get to you.
- Complete tasks – If you start some boring task that doesn’t really need your attention, you can now switch from that and let it complete in the background.
- Fast app switching – You can put one app on hold, jump to another one, and then pick up where you left off.
While multitasking is exciting for many iPhone fans, most of those fans won’t be able to access the functionality. Existing apps will need to be updated to take advantage of the new feature, but those same apps will no longer run at all on the original iPhones. The iPhone 3G and the 2nd generation iPod Touch can still run the apps, but with no multitasking goodness.
Other feature additions include folders for storing more apps on your screen, iBooks, 5x digital zoom, tap-to-focus, playlists, unified inbox with threading, spell check, and the ability to “gift” applications. For an extensive overview of iOS4, check out Ars Technica. Also check the specs at Apple and learn how to upgrade.