Anyone else not thrilled with the new Multitasking/4.0?

[maflynn]

Not without relaunching and reloading the program..

I'll bet that 99% of the people using an iPhone has no idea that they're relaunching an app as opposed to switching too it. I've used a number of apps that remember the state they were in and for intent purposes there's no difference between relaunching/switching when that occurs. At least to the consumer.

 

[kylos]

Not without relaunching and reloading the program..

I haven't seen actual reports on how this particular form of multitasking will be implemented, but if you have any understanding of operating systems in general, all that's needed is a context switch. A decent OS can do that without requiring any changes to existing apps. So, unless I'm missing something here, the scenario you described would be possible once OS 4 comes without requiring any changes to the Chess app code.

Other "multitasking" features, such as background tasks, will of course require some extra code, but I really don't see how suspending an app will require any extra coding. I can run an infinite busy wait on my computer without freezing it up thanks to the miracle of preemptive-multitasking and context switching. Apple would be seriously doing something wrong if your Chess app had to be re-written to take advantage of this basic "multitasking" feature.

 

[kylos]

I'll bet that 99% of the people using an iPhone has no idea that they're relaunching an app as opposed to switching too it. I've used a number of apps that remember the state they were in and for intent purposes there's no difference between relaunching/switching when that occurs. At least to the consumer.

Good point. Actually, the current system requires more developer effort to save state than a simple context switch would.

 

[SXR]

You don't know whether you like the new multitasking in 4.0 or not. Even if you have the beta, none of your apps have been modified to take advantage of it, so you don't actually know truly how it functions or how devs will be able to take advantage of it.

I agree with that. I think multi-tasking will play out nicely once devs adjust their apps to it.

Multi-tasking on the iPhone isnt enough for you?

 

[Applejuiced]

Well, my main issue is that apps have to be re-written. Some of the apps I use, such as chess, I just like to have open and switch back and forth while I wait for someoen to move. I do not expect the developer to update it quickly if at all. Plus, that is not something (as far as I understand) that is covered under the 7 multi-tasking APIs.

That is just one example.

But again, I understand I am not a typical user and have no problem using backgrounder.

I just with they would come up with more activation methods.

Why do you care if they have to be re-written?
You wont have to do it, just update them.
And again it wont be a whole rewritting process, just a modification/addition to the code.

 

[Applejuiced]

This one puzzles me as well.

As a user, the focus should be on what can be achieved, and how resource-efficient it is in operation, not on the low level details of how it gets done (that's a developer concern).

So I'd ask the same thing ... what is it that you need/want to do that this approach doesn't offer?

I asked the same question in an Android discussion, and the responses were, from a consumer perspective, fairly ludicrous. Things like "run a mail server", or "run a folding client". Really? On your phone? You don't have a better way to do that?

Anyone can come up with contrived requirements that will defeat any set of capabilities. In real world terms I am at a loss to come up with any truly interesting/useful (as in enough people would care that it actually matters) use-case that these capabilities do not facilitate to the same degree that having apps constantly running full-bore (or at reduced priority) would also resolve.

Exactly.
People like to complain over nothing.