Iphone multi-tasking

There is another use case where background applications would be handy apart from those already mentioned. When your phone goes into sleep mode (screen goes off and the phone locks, by default after 30 seconds) it suspends any running application apart from the iPod. For most applications this isn't a problem but there are some where being able to run whilst asleep is handy.

One such application is OSMTrack which is a GPS logger for OpenStreetMap, the application can prevent the phone from locking so it doesn't get suspended but it means leaving the screen turned on. Even at the lowest brightness the screen still kills the battery, this is the 'workaround' that developers have had to use as background support is not available. It also ties up the phone so you can't snap a picture or check an email whilst this app is running. I'm sure there are other applications like this.

As other people have said it's fine 99% of applications but there is the 1% where background support would be of a great benefit.
 
Mr-White said:
I find it extremely annoying trying to multi-task, it's as if the iphone closes down the app when you switch to something else and when you switch back it has to reload it.

MW
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It's not like that, it's exactly that, from what I've read of how it works.

Apps have to be written so that they can resume within a given timeframe to retain the illusion of multi-tasking.
 
The standard stuff on the phone will run in the back ground.

I play Mr Aahh while listening to the ipod.

Some things are really stupid, like if you get a text during a phone call it bleeps and vibrates in your ear as if your not in a call, then you can't end your call without closing the text first.

Apart from that I have never really had any issues with not being able to multi-task.
 
As a user of Backgrounder, background running apps or should I say task switching is immensly helpful. This is one of those typical things where just like cut & paste/mms the user won't see the benefits until it hits them smack in the face.

I normally task switch between Stanza (ebook reader), Rooms (irc) and Tweetie on my 3G. Apps aren't always quick to fire up, especially bigger more complex apps so task switching to and fro is a great deal faster.

My ancient Nokia 6600 did multitasking very well and I never had an issue with any Symbian apps at the time. Obviously apps and the S60 OS weren't as complex as what we have today.
 
Sorry but I have to laugh...

I'm often on my Xperia with music playing in the background, browsing the web, with a couple of other apps open - can take a photo, open up an image editor and make some adjustments and then switch back to the browser and upload it to say facebook - without opening or closing anything - no lag or slowdown either.
 
Rroff said:
Sorry but I have to laugh...

I'm often on my Xperia with music playing in the background, browsing the web, with a couple of other apps open - can take a photo, open up an image editor and make some adjustments and then switch back to the browser and upload it to say facebook - without opening or closing anything - no lag or slowdown either.
Click to expand...

starting and closing apps is as fast as switching between open ones, i assume you could do it while using the ipod bit for music.
 
Well I don't mean to turn it into a massive debate but...

But if you have apps opened up and using them, changed configuration, half way through a task, logged into a web site, etc. then I assume you'd have to redo all that on reopening them.

I can have something finishing off in the background while working on the next thing with no slowdown or interuption.

Just seems really odd to me.
 
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