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Rumors have been going around that Apple may be considering implementing a simple multitasking feature to the next generation iPhone. It would allow only some 3rd party apps to run in the background while others can't. Two possible ways Apple may choose these 3rd party apps are:

Apple might allow users to select two apps that can run in the background. Specifically, one source says there's some evidence of this in a new beta of Apple's iPhone 3.0 software developers kit. (We don't have the SDK, and wouldn't know where to look if we did.)

Apple might selectively allow some apps to run in the background. We assume that developers could apply for permission to run in the background, and that Apple might approve or deny them based on the resources they need, how well they behave with the operating system's stability, and how much network bandwidth they need.

(via Business Insider)
Daring Fireball's John Gruber says:
I heard something very similar from a decent (but second-hand) source back in January during Macworld Expo. What I heard then was that Apple was working on a vastly improved dock for your most-frequently used apps, and that there’d be one special icon position where you could put a third-party app to enable it to run in the background. Take it with a grain of salt, though: my source in January described it as an idea Apple was working on, nothing more.
TechCrunch has also stated additional information:
Basically, my source says that while this is in no way a done deal yet, Apple is definitely trying to come up with a way to offer background support for third-party apps. They went on to note that while Apple may have something to say about it at WWDC, it’s very unlikely that any solution would be ready at that time, and could be a situation similar to how Apple announced Push Notification at WWDC last year but said it was coming in a few months (which it later was delayed until iPhone 3.0).
With the rumors of the new iPhone specs, limited multitasking could be possible. This is a rumor though, so don't get too excited.

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1 comments

  1. Yenova // May 18, 2009 at 1:39 PM  

    You have a really great blog here... Keep up the good work.

    The idea of multitasking on the iPhone is an interesting one. The possibilities are endless. I'll check back here for updates on what the iPhone is capable of with multitasking!

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