Will the iOS and the iPad ever have true multitasking?

Why can't you just 4 finger swipe between apps? What is the difference?

It does support true multitasking, which depends on the app.

There is no reason for a game to continue playing when leaving the app. For games that have been updated for multitasking, the game will be paused when leaving the app. When returning to the app, the game will continue where it left off.

Apps such as music streaming apps will continue playing music in the background when leaving the app.

The iPad shares the same OS as with all other iOS devices - the iPhone and iPod Touch. The iPad is a computer replacement in some aspects but not all.

http://whenwillapple.com/blog/2010/04/19/iphone-os-4-multitasking-explained-agai n/

"Double tap" the HOME button will bring up the App bar across bottom of screen, allowing you to switch Apps.

The iPad supports true multitasking, but with limited RAM the habitual whiners would need to be committed if their iOS device failed to operate properly due to 15 or more apps open and running in the background when not necessary. If every single app that is launched remained launched and running in the background, it would force users to be constantly quitting apps.

http://whenwillapple.com/blog/2010/04/19/iphone-os-4-multitasking-explained-agai n/

Example 1: Often when I am using Safari I will click on a video and will be switched to Youtube. Currently, when I am done I have to go back to the home screen and re open Safari and now Youtube is in my recently used Apps. What would be ideal is that when I am done watching the video, I close Youtube (which is closed and not part of my "open" apps) and I am taken back to Safari because I never chose to close it.

This has nothing to do with multitasking. An app being in the recently used apps bar or dock does not mean the app is actively running in the background. It means the app is recently used, and you can switch back to Safari from the recently used apps bar or dock in this situation without having to go back to the home screen where Safari is located.

Example 2: I use the directv app all the time to control my tv. The app shows me all the channels and what is currently on. Currently if I switch to another app and then switch back to the directv app it currently has to completely reopen because it does not have the ability to run in the background continue to get updates via my home network. True multitasking would allow it run and get updates if I chose to let it.

This is up to DirectTV to provide such tasks in the background when leaving the app just as Pandora has included the option for music to continue streaming in the background when leaving the app and GPS navigation apps have included the option to continue running in the background when leaving the app.

http://whenwillapple.com/blog/2010/04/19/iphone-os-4-multitasking-explained-agai n/

Message was edited by: Allan Sampson

alexfromvenice wrote:

This type of functionality is only available to certain types of apps. A "special state". Audio streaming and location services are the main types of background services allowed. While this is multitasking it is VERY limited and not true open multitasking.

That's all that you're going to get. There's nothing that we can do to change it. Live with it.

Your first example has nothing whatsoever to do with multitasking.

Please explain how you switch from one open app to another on your computer.

Have you read that article you linked to?

Yes, and if you have your reading comprehension needs work.

This type of functionality is only available to certain types of apps. A "special state". Audio streaming and location services are the main types of background services allowed. While this is multitasking it is VERY limited and not true open multitasking.

It is avaialble to app developers that want to make use of it with their apps. There is no reason for an app such as a game to continue running in the background when leaving the app, but there is a reason for a game to be suspended when leaving the app and being able to start again where the game was suspended when returning to the app. The same is available to app developers for their app - for their app to be quit or suspended when leaving the app.

The iPad is a computer replacement in some aspects but not all.

If I had an app open and then opened another app and then closed that app, my original app would be there waiting for me.

What about when you have 15 apps launched and actively running as you provided earlier?

Name the iOS apps when it would be beneficial for the apps to be actively running in the background using processor cycles when leaving the apps - vs the apps being suspended when leaving the apps.

So back to my original question:

Will the iOS and the iPad ever have true multitasking?

By your bogus definition, no.

The iPad runs iOS because that is how Apple has designed it. Don't like it, get something else.

Just because you don't agree does not mean I do not have knowledge of the subject - I have plenty, and obviously you only want to have a discussion with those that agree with you.

This is an open discussions area which means anyone can post here. You don't dictate who can post and who can't, but thanks for playing.

alexfromvenice wrote:

Thanks for the all responses!

@iCrizzo,. The reason that doesn't work for me is that typically during the day I will open about 15 apps and now they are ALL included when I just really want to swipe between 2 apps. The fact that I cannot dictate what is open for switching and what is not is a big limitation. Also, the fast app switching fails a lot in apps that have swiping motions as part of the interface.

You can dictate what is open, simply close the other apps that you do not need, it takes all of 2 seconds to close an app. As far as apps that have swiping, double tap the home button and choose your app then. I am not really understanding why these do not solve your problem, I understand you want iOS to work a different way but iOS works the way Apple intended it to work.

Also iOS for iPad is different than iOS for iPhone, if they were the same then iPad apps would run on the iPhone, iPad would have Siri, iPad would have weather, iPad would have stocks, iPad would be able to make calls, etc.