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Apple gives its Iphone basic functionality
FRUITY TOYMAKER Apple is likely to bring multitasking to the next version of its Iphone OS, according to various sources.
Fanbois' bible Appleinsider reports that people with a "proven track record" in divining Steve Jobs' thoughts have said that the cappuccino firm has a "full-on solution" to one of the most widely cited criticisms of the Iphone, its lack of multitasking OS support.
Actually the Iphone OS does support multitasking, however Jobs has, in his egomanical zeal to assert control over all he surveys, disabled it for all but the core Apple applications. Apple apologists counter this with flimsy arguments revolving around either their own limitations or those of the hardware. The fact is that Apple intentionally crippled the underlying Iphone OS, which is based on the capable - and multitasking - OS X.
There was perhaps a pragmatic case to be put forward that, on a device such as a smartphone, the need for multitasking is diminished because the screen real-estate naturally limits the display of applications. That didn't fully convince us, but it served as a convenient excuse, perhaps. However today is the day that Apple will start taking orders for its latest toy for the well-heeled, the Ipad. That device will feature a screen that should be physically able to display more than one application at a time, and it will run the Iphone OS.
Surprisingly for Apple, a company that realises that a portion of its users are technologically not to mention logically inert, the latest Iphone SDK has caused some head scratching. First, the release brought in support of two new gestures, including a three finger salute and a single long finger press. The second is the removal of references to video capabilities in Ichat, which had given rise to the notion that a camera might be included on the Ipad.
It stands to reason that, if these references are removed from the SDK, then either Apple doesn't want to allow developers access to it or, more likely, wants to use it as a 'killer feature' for later revisions.
Apple has been unable to capitalise on the falling or plateaued marketshares of its traditional rivals, and it has simply failed to evolve the Iphone OS, which was nothing short of revolutionary in 2007. Aside from a content delivery mechanism, copy and paste functionality is just about the only 'major' software feature that has been added in almost three years. Although coming late to the party, Google's Android has picked up the baton of innovation simply by allowing developers to do what they want with the system.
Those who desperately want basic operating system features from their Apple devices should only have to wait a little while, as the Iphone Dev team is usually not far behind Apple with their releases. In the meantime, we'll let Jobs' Mob bask in some glory for finally providing functionality that it intentionally and somewhat inexplicably took away right from the start. µ
Tags: Apple
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I have seen both of them... why is it that Apple fanbois can't understand that there is more than one reporter who thinks Apple peddles junk?
Google and HTC should sue!
You want a shitty processor with a shitty screen running shitty one finger apps to multitask? Perhaps you just want to halve the battery life? Or maybe just make the web page twice as slow? Or maybe you dont have enough ads and want them loaded in the background?
Ignorant marketing buzzword wettylickpants.
The OS might be capable of supporting multi-tasking, but have you ever tried to load a big page in Safari? Even over WiFi it chugs, there's no way the processor can handle doing something else complicated at the same time (I'm mainly referring to my 1st gen Touch and my iPhone 3G here, I don't have a 3GS).
I know it can play music while you do something else, but MP3 decoding is hardly difficult and I've found some games do lag a lot more when playing music in the background. I'd like to see what happens if you want to leave the sound on a YouTube movie playing in the background as you surf the web. In fact, I wouldn't like to see that...
I used to have my email set to auto-check, but whenever I was playing a game it would drag the thing to a standstill too.
The OS might be capable, but the hardware isn't. If Apple plan to add multi-tasking, I would expect it on a new dual-core model only.
While I happen to agree with most of Nick's criticism's of Apple, I really wish he'd stop associating their overpriced hardware with such a noble and tasty caffeinated beverage
One of the biggest sources of user confusion for non-nerds using modern computers is multi-tasking. Non-programmers who think of computers as tools to get a job done rather than a toy to fiddle with endlessly don't find MT intuitive or easy, they find it frustrating and confusing. It's probably #2 on the list after hierarchical file systems.
Apple saw this and knew that the iPhone and iPad would sell overwhelmingly to ordinary non-technical people and so obeyed the oldest law of system design - Keep It Simple Stupid. They also realised that MT greatly shortened the very limited battery life in handheld devices (another source of user frustration with other smart phones). 45m handset sales later it seems they made the right call. But as usual the geniuses at The Inquirer know better of course...
I like my iPhone but my friend just laughs with his N97 when I am frustrated that it cannot act as a USB drive or send any file via Bluetooth. Isn't that basic functionality too? Or is that blocked by a higher authority such as the RIAA?
"the Iphone OS, which was nothing short of revolutionary in 2007"
Gosh! You sure weren't saying that at the time.
You blokes need to get a clue. Multitasking is simply NOT NEEDED on the iPhone. In any way, shape or form other than what it already is done with.
If the cpu only has to deal with 1 program at a time then the phone will be more responsive.
I tried out an iphone and it was responsive at showing images in the album. The photos were not very good quality, but it was easy to use.
Did apple buy fisherprice? Fanbois, don't get too flustered.
The Inquirer, where is the friction, the depth and the dirt?
D: - nice comment just above mine.
@Mike: Your ignorant response casts you in an unflattering light. A company’s brand is not a marketing spin. iPod isn’t simply name. It’s a logo to the product like a swoosh is to Nike and spelling rules do not apply. Your analogy is laughable and it sucks the credibility out of your argument. Allow me to break a few more grammar rules: BlackBerry, FedEx. Methinks your your seemingly impeccable grammar won’t be much use without some common sense and rational thinking.
And Mike, please brush up on your history skills. Mozart could hear fine. Beethoven was the deaf one.
"d - Here in the USA (corporate home of Apple) first graders are taught that the first letter of a proper noun is upper case and the rest are lower case. Insisting Apple's style is correct over Nick's, is an admission that you favor marketing spin over substance. Or, would you have them be written aPple and nIck?"
I have an iPhone 3GS, and I think it is an iSuck as a phone. It's a great iGadget.
Jack, if you get Firefox with the Ad Blocker add-on by Vladimir Palant, your problem will be solved.
Why all this baseless exaggeration of the Android system?
It's still a system in development. Behind the scenes, it's only a production system thanks to the help of the phone makers, especially Motorola.
And, no, it does NOT let the developer do anything he wants with it. The phone maker has some latitude but you need to check the agreements with Google to find that that latitude is severely limited. App developers write to published APIs on the Android, just as they do for any other system, including the iPhone.
the Inquirer is becoming pathetic. Years ago was totally better
"I'm surprised we aren't seeing anymore fanbois crying yet" BC every jailbroken iphone had this feature for years and every "fanbois" has it.
d - Here in the USA (corporate home of Apple) first graders are taught that the first letter of a proper noun is upper case and the rest are lower case. Insisting Apple's style is correct over Nick's, is an admission that you favor marketing spin over substance. Or, would you have them be written aPple and nIck?
sF - nIck clearly does not need new material, his article got many hits and even comments - you had to load a web page twice to read the article and then post a comment - that's two advertizing hits. :)
jEalous iNquirer - please note the irony: mOzart was nearly deaf! And, how does the ability to speak help someone appreciate aPple products more?
LOL - asking the Inq. to spell Apple products as Apple request is like asking Apple to spell things in the Queen's English in the first place.
Who is the most incorrect?
I believe the spelling to be both intentional and to annoy.
And judging by the comments it works.
I'm sure Nick scores a victory every time he reads such a comment.
I don't believe that you are not impressed by Apple's products. That would be ridiculous unless you are blind, deaf and dumb. I feel that you and or theinquirer.net are kinda like Salieri to Mozart. You think you have the talent but you NEVER EVER will... If you don't like it just don't buy it. Or better yet. Try to create something better. But you can't...
Lawrence Latif doesn't look like Nick Farrell to me.... (even though his writing does indeed).
Anyway, FREE BSD is indeed a capable OS. With or without fancy fruit-themed graphical interface.
Hey, get some new material.. your cappuccino fruity toymaker joke is in every one of your lame "Flame Apple just to get more traffic" bog posts. Or maybe you are a paid product basher? hmmm.... maybe I'm wrong, since you have used the iPad so much... oh wait, never mind.
Taking jabs at Jobs is fair enough, but your personal insult to iPhone users and people that are excited about the iPad (thus, your readers) is extremely lame. I want to talk to your supervisor.
When will you learn how to spell Apple products correctly? Get it right if you want to be credible.
Lets review:
iPhone
iPod
iPad
iTunes
This is my first comment on one of these stories, I always enjoy when you tell it as it is, I'm surprised we aren't seeing anymore fanbois crying yet, maybe it was the great detail you went through to explain what the problem was before, although knowing a few trolls I'm guessing it's coming.
Great article.
Let the Jobs Mobs come! :P
Just to hear Ferret describe OSX as "capable" was worth reading the rest of the article for.