Mobile Computing News

Photo: Apple

The iPhone is the fastest selling consumer electronic device in history, and for good reason, too. It revolutionised the smartphone industry by integrating hardware and software closely, as well as created a platform for thousands of others to develop businesses on the platform. It is not perfect, though, and Apple looks to silence its most vocal critics by introducing multitasking to the device with the iPhone 4.0 software update.

Hello multitasking

Photo: Apple

Possibly the biggest criticism of the iPhone is its inability to multitask – to allow multiple apps to be open at once or to allow apps to run in the background when tasks like picking up the phone or going to the home screen are performed. AppleInsider reports the oft-demanded feature will be available on the iPhone 4.0 software.

Preventative measures

While many have assumed these measures were put in place due to technical reasons, the truth is Apple have had multitask prevention measures in place for security reasons. If applications – especially network connected ones – cannot run in the background, malware and spyware cannot make their way onto your device without you knowing it.
The classic Apple strategy

This could also mean that the iPad will feature multitasking as well at a later stage, or very soon after launch, which will go a long way to dealing with the criticisms leveled against that device. And since iPhone 4.0 is expected to be released on the same day as the iPhone 4G, multitask will be available on from day one.

Photo: Apple

The allowance of a rudimentary function like multitasking and then punting it as if it were a massive technical achievement is perfectly in line with Apple’s iPhone strategy of introducing features that have been around for a long time and making them seem new. They did so with tethering and MMS on the iPhone 3GS, and to expect the marketing team at Apple to do the same with the iPhone 4G and with iPhone 4.0 is not unreasonable.

If Apple’s iPhone release strategy continues uninterrupted, the iPhone 4G and its necessary software update should be announced around June 2010.