Apple holding iPhone OS 4 event, April 8th!

Looks like grand central dispatch has been added silently to the OS too, this just shouts that the next iPhone will have a multi-core CPU which will be nice.

Folders and games center were the big supprises for me, everything else had been rumoured for a while. I can't wait for folders though, finally some organization!

The folders are pretty nice - just need an iTunes update to stop it from wiping them on sync!
 
I've got a 2G. The reason I haven't got a 3G/3GS is not due to cost, it's purely because I've had no need to upgrade - I don't have a decent 3G signal around where I live and all I typically ever use is WiFi either at work, at home or via O2 Cloud.

My gripe really is about features being withheld purely for business case reasons. I firmly believe there is no technical reason why 2Gs can't do MMS. They have a camera, they support GPRS - that really is all that's needed, and it's been a feature in older phones with slower hardware since time immemorial. Yet, despite the iPhone being a revolutionary phone I still have to pick up MMS by going to a website, simply because Apple thinks I'm a lower-class citizen.

Same with this "task switching" really. I don't believe the 3G is incapable of doing it, there isn't a huge difference in processing power between the two and if apps are being "state frozen" then who says it has to use the internal memory to do that? It could suspend to the 16GB of storage if it so chose. Same with 2G really. Task-pausing and minor background task jobs isn't exactly taxing and the iPhone (all of them) is no slouch compared to other phones that have done these things for years.

I'll likely be buying the next iPhone "just cos" but it's a sobering reminder than come next year whichever one is released this year will probably be excluded in some fashion for nebulous "technical reasons" that don't stand up to scrutiny.

Have you compared a 2G/3G Vs. a 3GS.

The 3GS is WAY faster in everything it does, having more apps open at once (and they will have to be in the main memory, as the core thread is still doing X, Y, Z) would slow it down even more.

I've seen a jailbroken 3G and once more than like 2 apps are open it slows to a crawl so I can see why Apple isn't bothering.

Also Windows 7 Mobile won't run on the HD2 or whatever HTC phone they have just launched, so be happy your getting something at least tbh.
 
Have you compared a 2G/3G Vs. a 3GS.

The 3GS is WAY faster in everything it does, having more apps open at once (and they will have to be in the main memory, as the core thread is still doing X, Y, Z) would slow it down even more.

I've seen a jailbroken 3G and once more than like 2 apps are open it slows to a crawl so I can see why Apple isn't bothering.

Also Windows 7 Mobile won't run on the HD2 or whatever HTC phone they have just launched, so be happy your getting something at least tbh.

Hear hear!

My iPhone 3G was slow enough as it was on OS3 (and now the OS4 beta). It certainly doesn't need multitasking to slow the phone down.

I jailbroke my iPhone 3G to add multitasking. I was back on an official OS install within the hour. My phone slowed to a crawl, apps were slow to launch, the keyboard become unresponsive and laggy. This was with only 2 apps running in the background.

Apple have always been about the whole experience being the best it can. I'm glad Apple haven't added multitasking to the 3G. Although it may be technically possible, using the phone would be crap. Crap experiences are not something apple want to be associated with. It's not something I want, or I am sure, many, many others would want. I'd rather lack features but have a lag free phone.

Adding official multitasking to the iPhone 2G/3G would reduce the experience I receive while using my phone. Not something I want to happen.

Well done to apple for showing a bit of restrain (like they did with copy and paste), until they were sure they had it right / the hardware could handle it. Not many other companies do and they end up with buggy, unstable POS software.

On a side note: I bet we wont ever see apple use the same CPU in two iterations of phone again. They are effectively phasing out two generations of phone at one here. They won't want to do that again any time soon.
 
Thats what makes me laugh most when I hear people complain.
Look at how some other companies treat software to hardware upgrades and Apple are a saint compared to windows mobile, and android, he'll look at how nokia drops support after a year, and for most of them when an update comes it usually to fix bugs. Nevermind adding newer os versions with obvious new features!
 
I've seen a jailbroken 3G and once more than like 2 apps are open it slows to a crawl so I can see why Apple isn't bothering.
People keep bringing this up.

When you're talking about jailbroken iPhones using ProSwitcher or whatever - the apps it's running are actually running concurrently (i.e. true multitasking), which isn't what Apple is even offering in 4.0. Task "freeze & resume" is not multitasking in the truest sense of the word, and allowing certain privileged apps to do minor things in the background (e.g. GPS lock, etc) is hardly the same thing as running completely different apps, in full, at the same time, that ProSwitcher et al on jailbroken phones allow you to do.

I'm quite happy to agree that the iPhone can't handle running multiple apps that each expect to have the full resources of the device at their disposal simultaneously, but I'd wager the 3GS doesn't handle this particularly well either.

The better question surely is have you compared true multitasking on 3GS vs 3G, because otherwise you aren't comparing like for like at all.

Adding official multitasking to the iPhone 2G/3G would reduce the experience I receive while using my phone. Not something I want to happen.
How do you know that? You've got absolutely no frame of reference to make that statement at all and are just swallowing whatever Apple happens to tell you no questions asked.

If you're quite happy to be obliged to upgrade for no other reason that Apple wants you to by forcibly obsoleting older devices for nebulous technical limitations then more fool you frankly. You're their ideal customer, someone who doesn't even question their motives or statements in the slightest.

Again, true multitasking on a jailbroken iPhone isn't the same as what they're offering in 4.0. Saying "oh multitasking is slow ipso facto 4.0 task-switching would be slow on 2G/3G" is fail, it's not a legitimate comparison.
 
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Am I right in thinking that because if the way apple is implementing multitasking, you still won't be able to have an instant messenger running in the background?
 
People keep bringing this up.

When you're talking about jailbroken iPhones using ProSwitcher or whatever - the apps it's running are actually running concurrently (i.e. true multitasking), which isn't what Apple is even offering in 4.0. Task "freeze & resume" is not multitasking in the truest sense of the word, and allowing certain privileged apps to do minor things in the background (e.g. GPS lock, etc) is hardly the same thing as running completely different apps, in full, at the same time, that ProSwitcher et al on jailbroken phones allow you to do.

I'm quite happy to agree that the iPhone can't handle running multiple apps that each expect to have the full resources of the device at their disposal simultaneously, but I'd wager the 3GS doesn't handle this particularly well either.

The better question surely is have you compared true multitasking on 3GS vs 3G, because otherwise you aren't comparing like for like at all.

How do you know that? You've got absolutely no frame of reference to make that statement at all and are just swallowing whatever Apple happens to tell you no questions asked.

If you're quite happy to be obliged to upgrade for no other reason that Apple wants you to by forcibly obsoleting older devices for nebulous technical limitations then more fool you frankly. You're their ideal customer, someone who doesn't even question their motives or statements in the slightest.

Again, true multitasking on a jailbroken iPhone isn't the same as what they're offering in 4.0. Saying "oh multitasking is slow ipso facto 4.0 task-switching would be slow on 2G/3G" is fail, it's not a legitimate comparison.

The 3G is still "current" hardware I don't believe that Apple thinks that knocking out multitasking for a current line up phone is anything other than the hardware struggles with selective parts of multitasking and hence if it can't do it all then whats the point. The hardware in the 3G will be three years old by the time OS 4 rolls round, that is a LONG time in computing...

I have to agree with apple on this on to be honest, before you belate them look at other manufacturers. If cu3ed is right and Nokia drop software support after a year then you have jack all to complain about.

Hell in a years time OS 5 will probably not allow some features on my 3GS, but it will be 2 years old then and it will be upgrade time!

If you can afford an iPhone in the first place you can afford to upgrade at least one every two years...
 
Am I right in thinking that because if the way apple is implementing multitasking, you still won't be able to have an instant messenger running in the background?
Not unless it does it via push notifications already. Tasks get their state frozen in the background (think hibernating your PC), the advantage is they restart much quicker and in their last state quicker than loading them again. Whilst it is a form of multitasking, it's not the kind most would expect when hearing the word.
 
If you can afford an iPhone in the first place you can afford to upgrade at least one every two years...
You're missing the point completely. Why should I be forced to upgrade when the device itself could I'm sure technically handle task-switching, MMS, etc but Apple just decide it can't for business/sales reasons?

Tell me how a phone with a camera & GPRS "can't support MMS"? Tell me how a phone with a more powerful processor & more memory than "can't support task-switching" when its rivals have proper multiple applications running simultaneously and have done for years?

The fact you seem quite happy for Apple to decide on your behalf when your phone is obsolete, in spite of technological capability, is a real shame. One day the 3G is perfectly capable, the next day it's a relic - and people seem happy to just swallow this "fact" whole.
 
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You're missing the point completely. Why should I be forced to upgrade when the device itself could I'm sure technically handle task-switching, MMS, etc but Apple just decide it can't for business/sales reasons?

Tell me how a phone with a camera & GPRS "can't support MMS"? Tell me how a phone with a more powerful processor & more memory than "can't support task-switching" when its rivals have proper multiple applications running simultaneously and have done for years?

The fact you seem quite happy for Apple to decide on your behalf when your phone is obsolete, in spite of technological capability, is a real shame. One day the 3G is perfectly capable, the next day it's a relic - and people seem happy to just swallow this "fact" whole.

I don't dispute the fact the 3G should have some more basic functionality such as MMS, etc. I'm only talking about 'multitasking' here. Apparently the N95 can multitask, but its NOT running more high end apps like the iPhone does, how can it? The hardware is two years older and about 4 times slower.

For example, pausing a game while you text, it will stay in memory, because thats the point of memory, its quicker than anything else, and games use lots which probably almost certainly every time means the 128Mb isn't enough. That means that is a maximum memory use requirement that apple thinks probably too restrictive and therefore no point.

Also, if they support the 3G they have to support the 2G, a 3 year old phone, which phone manufacturer does that?

As for apple dictating when I upgrade, well no its not. I have a 2 year upgrade cycle which my MacBook Pro has passed and hence is going to get replaced when the new machines come out. My iPhone will be replaced June 2011 (2G -> 3GS was two years), My Mac Pro Early 2011...
 
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People keep bringing this up.

When you're talking about jailbroken iPhones using ProSwitcher or whatever - the apps it's running are actually running concurrently (i.e. true multitasking), which isn't what Apple is even offering in 4.0. Task "freeze & resume" is not multitasking in the truest sense of the word, and allowing certain privileged apps to do minor things in the background (e.g. GPS lock, etc) is hardly the same thing as running completely different apps, in full, at the same time, that ProSwitcher et al on jailbroken phones allow you to do.

Why are you treating us like technical morons? We all watched the keynote, we understand this.

I jailbroke my iPhone. Tried ProSwitcher, it made my iPhone a buggy piece of mess (i've already said this once). I switched back to the "stock" os 3 within the hour. Stock OS 3 is already laggy enough for my liking, without even having some form of minor multitasking. Sure the 3G is technically capable, but the hardware inside just isn't fast enough to provide any form of decent experience for the user.

I don't like it when my phone hangs for even a second, which it does. Frequently. My mum finds it frustrating it gives my dad the outright rage. Apple cater for the mass market. Adding any form of multi-tasking, to a phone already struggling to provide a far from seamless experience, is a bad decision. Just because you can doesn't mean you should.

On how the multi tasking works: You really thing my dad cares how it works as long as he can listen to Last.FM while surfing the web? Or he can receive Skype calls or messages at any point?

Durzel; Switch to android if you want full multi-tasking badly. You could even switch to windows phone 6.5 if you wanted. Hell, what about Windows Phone 7 when that comes out.... oh wait, Microsoft realised the same thing Apple did a couple of years ago.

EDIT: Durzel: are you annoyed that Apple said the hardware doesn't support it and the hardware does? Would it have made you less annoyed if they had turned round and said "Yeah we think the experience it would provide on the iPhone 3G would just be way too slow"?
 
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Seems like quite an elegant solution to multitasking in my opinion and I'm sure there'll be creative ways to get apps like IM working properly. I still don't see the massive benefits of multitasking though on a phone.

Folders is long overdue, I'm guessing it wasn't in the original design as Apple had no idea that people would be storing huge amounts of apps on their phone at a time.

Nothing else struck me as very exciting though, I guess the next iPhone will be a lot of hardware changes. Hopefully nothing that makes me want to upgrade before June 2011 when my 3GS contract expires :P
 
Durzel; Switch to android if you want full multi-tasking badly. You could even switch to windows phone 6.5 if you wanted. Hell, what about Windows Phone 7 when that comes out.... oh wait, Microsoft realised the same thing Apple did a couple of years ago.
I don't want full multi-tasking, where have I said I did? Jesus christ. I'm talking about features that Apple just says a phone can't or won't do because they say so and that's it, not because of technical limitations. That's what grates. Stop misrepresenting my position please.

Tell me how a 2G iPhone with a camera & GPRS "can't support MMS"? Apple says it can't, so people like me have to visit a website to view MMS messages. I had MMS on my phones long before the iPhone came about which could send and receive images without issue, yet "for technical reasons" the 2G "can't support MMS", just like the 3G "can't support task-switching".

Again, all of this you appear to accept without question. I don't accept it just because Apple says so, that's where we differ. I'm not happy to pay X hundred for a new device when an existing one could do these functions, but isn't allowed to.

EDIT: Durzel: are you annoyed that Apple said the hardware doesn't support it and the hardware does? Would it have made you less annoyed if they had turned round and said "Yeah we think the experience it would provide on the iPhone 3G would just be way too slow"?
I'd be happier being told the truth, yes. I'd also be happier being told it was for business/sales reasons and not technical ones where it applies.
 
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Careful when you state that JB'ing your phone makes it laggy because I hugely disagree. It entirely depends on what crap you install afterwards. Installing Winterboard (which most tend to do) on an a 3G with OS 3.0 is asking for trouble and yes that will bog the phone down horribly. No idea if that has been resolved.

Without winterboard a 3G will fly, even when multitasking but of course it all depends on the apps you use. If you're careful about what you install, and mod icons/themes manually without crappy WB then you'll have a 3G that is as fast as a stock one.

It's hard to expand further without treading on the rules so I'll stop here.

Durzel is correct with regards to Apple's stupid statements regarding olde hardware. They do tend to sprout a lot of crap, which doesn't do their reputation any good when the very feature is already supported by third party devs.
 
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Again, all of this you appear to accept without question. I don't accept it just because Apple says so, that's where we differ. I'm not happy to pay X hundred for a new device when an existing one could do these functions, but isn't allowed to..

I think the arguement doesn't lie in if it can do it (of course it can) but if it can do it well. And I don't think it could from how slow a 2G/3G is compared to a 3GS.

@ Kainz,
My mates jailbroke 3G hasn't actually got winterboard installed and only has the multitasking things enabled.

In-fact in some (isolated) cases its so poor I can actually go out to a text and load the game *again* quicker, (usually in the case of complex games that use a lot of memory). Apple isn't going to enable multitasking if its slow, jumpy or effects the usability in any shape or form.

And there is nothing wrong with his phone as he restored it, re-jail broke it and the case is the same, GPS doesn't work either which apparently is a possible side effect from jailbraking.

I wouldn't be surprised at all if the iPhone HD came along with a feature that the 3GS doesn't run, however with the rumours I suspect that its lack of hardware rather than lack of software features this time round.
 
*cough* iChat *cough*

When i had by 3g is was always JB, and i ran Winterboard, SB, Multi tasking, carnt remember the name but i pulled down the status and i could update my twitter/facebook, and the sence (android) theme. As well as loads of other stuff that didnt run in the background. Only programme i ran in the background tho was IM+

And i never had any lag that i could notice, altho the battrey was pretty poor lol, even worse than normal :p
 
@ Kainz,
My mates jailbroke 3G hasn't actually got winterboard installed and only has the multitasking things enabled.

In-fact in some (isolated) cases its so poor I can actually go out to a text and load the game *again* quicker, (usually in the case of complex games that use a lot of memory). Apple isn't going to enable multitasking if its slow, jumpy or effects the usability in any shape or form.

Yep, fine I can accept that. I know from experience that the whole JB experience tends to be rather varied from one phone to another for some silly reason.

Apple not supporting the 3G was always going to be down to the RAM rather than the processor and I was expecting this all along. Even with say Tweetie 2 and any other app loaded the free ram figure drops to about 10-12mb. Add in a third app and you're skating on thin ice. Again it varies on the apps a person uses but this is mainly why they didn't go with the 3G.

As Durzel said though, it wouldn't hurt Apple to tell the truth for once instead of treating everyone like imbeciles when we all know better.
 
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