Turn off Multitasking

You ARE a troll.

apps now need to be rewritten or updated to take full of advantage of multitasking!!! The game Real racing with the HD update takes advantage of the multitasking. So when I pause it in the game I can be in the middle of a race, pause game, then hit home key go do something else.. double click home key and resume real racing right where I paused the game!!! So it is worth it and apps just need to be updated to take advantage of it!! I like it!

Every single application but music streaming and core apps are in a suspended.

Many of the GPS and navigation apps also run in background.

I'm joinin in on this convo for one purpose... after updating to OS4, I noticed my battery draining really quickly. Upon reading about the new 'double-click' home feature, I did so and realized almost all my apps were in there.. likely because I use a bunch of apps all the time. I know I can turn them off by holding/clicking the red button, but my main issue is - how do I know what apps are causing battery drainage (I mainly use FB the most - never use my iphone for email) and why is there not a setting somewhere in the prefs that just allows me to turn off backgrounding? seems simple enough to provide that option should someone want it... I was just getting used to double clicking to get to my phone faves... :P

In all honesty, why the **** do you have iOS 4? Multi tasking is its main feature and you're crying like a baby about it.

Apps get suspended and use minimal power to stay suspended, the ammount of memory and power it uses is so small you wouldnt notice any difference even if they was totally closed down.

Dave Gouveia1 wrote:
..... how do I know what apps are causing battery drainage (I mainly use FB the most - never use my iphone for email) and why is there not a setting somewhere in the prefs that just allows me to turn off backgrounding? .....

As I understand it there are four possible ways an app may be running in background.

1) Any app when closed might run for up to 10 minutes often to finish up work like uploading a pic to Facebook.

2) An audio player (iPod, but also streaming audio apps) may be running in background (only one such at a time) and you'll know by the little 'play' triangle on the top bar or because you actually can hear the audio. If paused then the app isn't actually running.

3) Voice over IP apps (not sure if there is a symbol to let you know).

4) GPS navigation apps which you know are running because there is a little pointer (like a compass needle) symbol in the top bar.

In all other cases the iPhone just saves away the state of the app so when you go back it will know where you left off.

Good news, most aren't running in background.... Bad news (sort of) no FULL multitasking like computers have.

ChristianM19 wrote:
Every single application but music streaming and core apps are in a suspended.

If it's not been coded against the iOS 4 SDK, then it is not even in suspended mode.

DCGOO wrote:
Many of the GPS and navigation apps also run in background.

Only if it specifically requesting your location. Trapster must be shut down from the multitasking bar. Navigon and other apps only background while they are navigating. They don't constantly run unless they are location tracking, which only happens when you are navigating.

@jcbikeski
You forgot local notifications.

Also, computer multitasking on a phone or other small device is pointless, because it won't be able to fully be utilized.

I completely understand how multitasking on the Iphone 4.X is supposed to work. However I've had MASSIVE battery problems with my Iphone 4. I only had the 4.0 OS on my 3Gs for about a week prior to recieving the new phone. I love being able to use GPS and Pandora and Email without reopening logging in setting up each time etc.

That being said, Saturday, I took my phone off the charger at 100%, and put it in my pocket for about 2 hours. I pulled it out and took 5 photographs and 1 1.5 minute video. Used the home screen to close out after etc.

4 hours later, I pulled it back out to see if what time it was, and the battery was dead, and the phone had turned off.

Now. I've since learned that app's in the "multi-task pop up" continue to use resources. For example, Navigon seems to drain my battery non stop when not on the road. So does trapster. And there are many more. I didn't realize it was happening until one day I got a RADAR alert from trapster at 1 AM.

So now, after driving to a client, the office, or home, I have to go in and manually close every app using the hold down and minus thing. The only alternative is to charge is 2-3 times a day.

So I understand the posters pain. It would be GREAT to let the OS handle this and I hope soon in the future, I am able to, regardless if Apple updates fix it, or Application updates do it.

MrDGO, I'm hoping your post isn't related directly to mine.. I was in no way 'crying like a baby' about this feature. I didn't even know this feature was coming... I'm not immersed in apple culture waiting on the next big thing... all I wanted to do was inform others about my situation, and that this issue only surfaced after the iOS got updated. Personally I think the feature is great - as long as I don't have to sacrifice battery power - and if I do, it would be nice to have the OPTION to be able to shut that feature off. And even though you say the amount of memory used is small, i can tell you that this issue is new to me, and I only have a handful of apps - and nothing intensive like a GPS app. So 'something' is eating my battery power.

IT Results wrote:
I completely understand how multitasking on the Iphone 4.X is supposed to work. .......
Now. I've since learned that app's in the "multi-task pop up" continue to use resources. For example, Navigon seems to drain my battery non stop when not on the road. So does trapster. And there are many more. I didn't realize it was happening until one day I got a RADAR alert from trapster at 1 AM.

So now, after driving to a client, the office, or home, I have to go in and manually close every app using the hold down and minus thing. The only alternative is to charge is 2-3 times a day.
.....

Understanding how it works you can see that you would only need to kill the navigation app in this case. It's not guesswork which may be running, but rather based on the simple rules I mentioned. And you could easily tell the nav app was running by the little icon on the top status bar.

ChristianM19 wrote:
Tell that to WM6.5 and previous and Android phones.
They can do true multitasking and still get 5+ hours on a single charge AND they run flash.
There's a reason for Apple's longer battery life, it doesn't multitask and doesn't use heavy video encoding over 3G/wifi.

Wow 5+ hours. I got 8+ hours and 21 hours yesterday and had 24 apps in the task switcher bar. I guess android is behind the times in battery management.

ChristianM19 wrote:

anilsudhakaran wrote:
I like that my recently used apps are displayed down in the recently used apps area. However there should be some indication on the app icons as to which ones are multi-tasking. So I can selectively close them if needed.

Every single application but music streaming and core apps are in a suspended.

Not just core apps. If the developers use any of the 7 multitasking api's then they can do the same as the core tasks. Most apps are already getting updated to use these api's now. Again you don't need to close them because they don't use much battery unlike your favorite crappy android does. The only apps that will waste the battery are apps that use location services and the one I have now called Trapster that does that lets you know that it is still running when you close with the home button. After you do that you can go and close it or let it run if you want. If you like android so much then go back to your droid and leave the true smart phone folks in peace.

btw, here's the info direct from the source

http://developer.apple.com/technologies/iphone/whats-new.html#multitasking