iPhone OS 4.0: Multi-tasking & Multi-touch Certainly, HD Maybe Not
by Bill French on 06/04/10 at 5:00 am
Bill French is an information architect specializing in Internet applications. He is also the co-founder of MyST Technology Partners and Senior Editor for iPhoneCTO.
It’s unusual for Apple or any company for that matter, to schedule big events back-to-back unless there’s a really good reason. Apparently iPhone OS4, scheduled for April 8th at 10AM PT, a “sneak peek of the next generation of iPhone OS software”, is one of those cases which means, it must be pretty big news.
The announcement title is telling; it sends the signal that Apple is sticking with the iPhone brand as the core OS name for iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch devices. Someday iPad will probably have a phone in it, and if not, consumers will find ways to make phone calls on it.
This release also allows Apple to invoke additional costs. If you haven’t looked closely at the iPad licensing documentation, there’s a new and interesting clause in the final build number (7B367):
Apple will provide you any iPad OS software updates that it may release from time to time, up to and including the next major iPad OS software release following the version of iPad OS software that originally shipped from Apple on your iPad, for free. For example, if your iPad originally shipped with iPad 3.x software, Apple would provide you with any iPad OS software updates it might release up to and including the iPad 4.x software release. Such updates and releases may not necessarily include all of the new software features that Apple releases for newer iPad models.
This opens the door for an OS upgrade charge to new iPad owners and another reason for analysts to issue higher price guidance on Apple’s financials. I think the days of the free OS upgrade gravy train are coming to an end, but it’s still uncertain whether Apple will invoke these rights so soon on early iPad adopters.
Here’s what I think is coming in the announcement on the 8th…
Multi-tasking
While earlier iPhone and iPod Touch models only carry 128mb of RAM, iPhone 3Gs, late model iPodTouch, and of course iPad all sport memory configurations that may allow multi-task operations.I think we’ll see Apple roll out at least some form of background operations capability.
Unified Inbox
While the iPad email client is astonishingly more functional than the iPhone version, a merged inbox would be a key improvement and especially useful for iPad users that are mobile email fanatics (like me). The typical connected customer has at least two email accounts; switching between them is a real waste of time and often causes confusion, support calls, and missed messages.
Multi-touch Gestures
This is very likely and will be especially useful with iPad. There’s more room (on the display) and more occasion to use two finger and two hands.
Nothing About iPhone HD
Apple will remain tight-lipped about the next generation iPhone; iPhone 4(g) or HD (reportedly double the screen resolution) is more likely to be an event reserved for WWDC.
