iPhone OS 4.0 Brings Multitasking, Ad Framework For Apps 983
Low Ranked Craig writes "Apple had an event today to show off the next major update to the iPhone OS. iPhone OS 4.0 should arrive this summer (presumably with a new iPhone) for iPhone and iPod Touch, and in the fall for the iPad. According to Apple the update has more than 1,500 new APIs and 100 new features including the sorely missed multitasking. Other highlights include unified inbox, improved security, support for multiple Exchange accounts, application folders, iBooks, and iAd, an advertising framework for developers to put ads in their applications. The official word from Steve on Flash and Java remains a simple 'No.'" Updated 20100408 22:09 GMT by timothy: Read on for more information, including some bad news if you want to program for the iPhone in C# or Flash CS5.
alphadogg points out some what he calls surprise capabilities targeted at enterprise users and IT departments, including e-mail encryption and "mobile device management."And CWmike adds more infomation at MacWorld about iAd, which he considers the biggest news in today’s announcement, writing that one way to look at the new advertising hooks "is that Apple can now leverage the App Store/iTunes ‘ecosystem’ lock-in in effect, and deliver to advertisers a huge captive audience."
Finally, binarylarry writes with a look from Daring Fireball at the new user agreement that goes along with 4.0: "Looks like Adobe's release of CS5 with the Flash-to-native compiler has been nixed by Apple's new user agreement: '3.3.1 — Applications may only use Documented APIs in the manner prescribed by Apple and must not use or call any private APIs.'"
No ads please (Score:5, Insightful)
Ads on mobile phone? DO NOT WANT. Unless I get a free phone and free service, but even then I'm not sure if I could tolerate it.
Re:No ads please (Score:5, Insightful)
The ads are for the apps that choose to use them, not for the phone service.
Like them or hate them, the more money Apple funnels towards the developers, the better software support it will have. If it's successful expect Android to follow suit.
Re:No ads please (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:No ads please (Score:5, Insightful)
People are laughing at me when I suggest that future iMacs will have app store lockdowns and now will be "ad-supported" to boot. It's iPhone 4.0 today and OSX 11 tomorrow. And it will still be irresistibly shiny.
You slashdotters out there: did you first get into computing and technology in order to consume more advertising and to have someone else tell you which software to run? Or did you turn to technology and computing in rejection of advertising and lockdowns (aka "command and control")? When you first got into computing and technology did you learn more from the gear that you had to fiddle with or the gear that "just worked"?
I swear to you by all that is holy, by the time this is over, we're going to regret having been in such an all-consuming hurry to suck the iDick.
Watch and See.
Re:No ads please (Score:5, Insightful)
Yes, they're laughing because you're woefully misinformed (or maybe just a troll). Apple has a very good thing going with developers and OS X -- and it's a completely different from their consumer electronic business because it's a completely different market. Many devs love OS X but wouldn't be caught dead with an iPhone or iPad. Many iPad or iPhone users are looking forward to the day they can replace their computer with an iPpliance -- totally different markets.
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
Apple has a very good thing going with developers and OS X
And an even better thing going with the iPad and the iPhone.
If Apple decides that it's more profitable to have a locked down desktop that can only install apps from the app store then they'll do it. It wouldn't surprise me if they locked down iMac and left the Mac Pro for people who want to use professional applications.
Having said that, why wouldn't Apple put Final Cut on the app store if that's how they wanted their desktops to be run? If Apple decided to lock down, who's to say Adobe wouldn't just go wit
Re:No ads please (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:No ads please (Score:5, Insightful)
Final Cut Studio is a great example of how the two markets are different. The iGadgets are for the consumption of media content. Macintoshes are for the creation of media. What could possibly be gained by locking down the latter like is done on the former?
Re:No ads please (Score:5, Insightful)
Does apple even care about personal computers any more?
The last noteworthy computer they announced was the Air (which in retrospect seems like a super-advanced iPad that was largely ignored).
Re:No ads please (Score:5, Informative)
This already exists in the App Store, but the feature has to be coded specifically per-app. This adds an API to make it easier to implement. It will not be universal, but will likely be used for "lite" apps that exist on the store (as they do now, for free) that have a more fully featured paid version. This makes it easier to add an ad-supported stream to your free app, and not have to source the ad providers yourself.
OS X will continue as it always has.
Re:No ads please (Score:5, Insightful)
the ads are for those applications that want to make money thru ads. If developers dont want them, even on their free application, they dont have to include them. The whole thing is so that if you want to include ads, they have some hooks on the SDK so that it's easy for the developer.
also, about app store lockdown, I seriously doubt it. In fact, when steam announced that they were releasing a mac client, appleinsider interviewed them (link here [appleinsider.com]). John Cook from Valve was asked if Apple was helping them. He replied:
"Cook: Yes, we've been working with them a bunch as we get more acquainted with their platform. They've been a great partner so far and we look forward to growing our relationship with them over time."
So yeah, even tho some slashdot trolls and some slashdot haters do not like apple and make up stuff, what you said, it's not going to happen.
Watch and See
Re:No ads please (Score:5, Funny)
Re:No ads please (Score:5, Funny)
Re:No ads please (Score:4, Insightful)
"Cook: Yes, we've been working with them a bunch as we get more acquainted with their platform. They've been a great partner so far and we look forward to growing our relationship with them over time."
Ah, the embrace phase of embrace, extend, extinguish.
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
So do you really think that Google is supporting Android for any other reason than to supply advertising? Their whole business strategy is based on ads. Microsoft is even placing ads in their bundled apps for the Zune.
Re:No ads please (Score:4, Funny)
People are laughing because you sound like the Glenn Beck of computing trends.
Re:No ads please (Score:5, Interesting)
I wonder if you're aware that you're making excuses. The real objection is not about whether you like to see ads or don't like to see ads. No. The objection is that the moment you see a single ad you did not wish to see, you have lost control over the device. That's completely unacceptable when you are already paying. That's why personal preferences towards advertising are completely irrelevant.
For something like broadcast TV or broadcast radio, that's acceptable, since it costs money to produce those things and you are viewing ads instead of paying a bill. You are obtaining something of value to offset the cost of watching ads. That makes it a fair exchange. However, when you are paying for a phone, phone service, and the application, and still see ads, this is no longer justifiable. It's a form of double-dipping. Thus, it's an adversarial way of relating to your customers because it amounts to taking advantage of them.
It has nothing to do with whether anyone likes ads. It has to do with the fact that a company is making money from ad revenue without earning that money by providing something of value in return. If you're already paying for it on your own, they are failing to do this but are still collecting ad revenues. It's foolish to reward this behavior because it's parasitic in nature. Do you ever wonder why there are so many companies that take advantage, exploit, and find ways to screw people over? It's because we reward them with our business.
The only time this would be acceptable would be for free apps that would otherwise cost money. Please read this quote from the summary and tell me whether you believe Apple is going to restrict these ad functions to free apps only (emphasis mine):
Re:No ads please (Score:5, Insightful)
False. That's your objection, not mine. My objection would have nothing to do with control. It has to do with functionality. If the appliance does what I want from it, I have no problem. There are no excuses involved, since there is nothing to excuse.
And yet millions of people pay for cable television, or for magazines, which still have ads in them. I fail to see the problem. When people have the choice of services or appliances to use, then the problem solves itself. Content servers find a way to operate profitably with some kind of split revenue from customer billing and from ad revenues. Why shouldn't ad serving subsidize subscription cost?
I don't understand. You can freely choose not to accept the services of that company, and not have to see any ads from them. Bully for you -- stand by your principles and don't do business with that company. Meanwhile, the fact that the company has two separate revenue streams doesn't bother me -- our CHOICE is to evaluate whether the service provided is worth the cost, where the cost includes the inconvenience or annoyance of ads, and the cash we lay out to the company.
And that's our individual choice to make. You place a high value on maintaining "control" of your devices, or on not needing to see ads. I don't. So when presented with the same choice, you and I may choose differently. The market sorts out what business model is successful, not your personal value system.
That's silly. All profit-seeking enterprise is parasitic in nature if you look at it that way.
No need to re-read, since I disagree with your premise. Why should we not have a choice between apps that are free and ad-laden, expensive and ad-free, or some other combination? Why does it have to be black-and-white? Why can't I choose an app that gives me what I believe to be the best service, but costs me some cash and also serves ads? Why not let the market decide which model (or even likely multiple models) is out there for me to choose from?
And for that matter, so what if this were to go to the ridiculous extreme and Apple requires all apps to serve ads, or they won't get approved? So what? Then you can simply not use an Apple appliance. Nothing is forcing you to do business with them.
Seriously, I don't understand where you're coming from. Because of a set of values YOU hold, that are far from universal, you want to limit the choices available to me as a consumer, and to developers also?
Apple is playing catch up (Score:3, Insightful)
Android has already had this since the G1
AS well as a bunch of features the iPhone is just now getting, and a bunch it doesn't have.
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Following the money means devs will focus their energies on where it's profitable. Make it dirt simple to do and the iPhone becomes a more attractive platform. Sway enough dev-work their way, Google responds with their own. Thus not being able to get away from it.
Re:No ads please (Score:5, Insightful)
Of course iPhone users have a choice. The ratings for apps are right there on the app page, along with user comments. If they get abusive with ads (and there are already some apps that tried this), the users complain, and the app gets a low rating. Since there are more apps than you can throw a phone at, it's rarely difficult to find one you like, even among the free offerings.
"Lack of lock-in means I can find and use an alternative without ads. Or better yet, use an open source alternative if one exists. iPhone users have no such choice."
Re:No ads please (Score:5, Informative)
It's for apps that already have ads, such as the NPR app. ("NPR is brought to you commercial free by the partner whose banner ad is covering half the screen.")
Basically it's a unified ad service for smaller developers who don't have the resources to roll their own. You won't suddenly see ads on your iPhone unless you download ad-supported apps.
Re:No ads please (Score:5, Interesting)
Its a unified ad service to give Apple 40% of the pie.
Expect apps using home rolled ad solutions to be bounced
It's a unified ad service to keep the information gathered by an ad service out of Google's hands.
Re:No ads please (Score:5, Informative)
Expect apps using home rolled ad solutions to be bounced
Except that Steve Jobs specifically said during the Q&A developers were free to use other ad services. But don't let facts get in the way of a good troll.
Re:No ads please (Score:5, Funny)
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
If you don't want apps with ads, don't download them. As with computer software, it is likely that many apps will be available in free versions without ads and also in paid, add-free versions.
Re:No ads please (Score:5, Funny)
But I deserve free apps with no ads! I'm not sure why I deserve it, or how I can force people to provide what I desire, but I'm gonna whine while I'm not getting my way.
Re:Apple Is Absolute Panic Mode Over Android (Score:5, Interesting)
It's just going to keep getting worse with the rate Android is leaving the crappy old iPhone OS behind and the absolute flood of new Android based devices that make the iPhone hardware look like old 1970s pocket calculators in comparison.
Actually, the rate at which new devices are coming out is holding developers back at truly using Android to it's potential. Android is awesome as a platform, but in the end applications make or break the experience of your device. I tried to find 10 decent games for Android tonight and it was an absolute pain to get things that weren't complete pieces of crap. The quality of the apps in Apple's App Store is really *a lot* better, there's more to choose from and they're generally cheaper too. Android's got some serious work in this field until they can really compete.
Re:Apple Is Absolute Panic Mode Over Android (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Apple Is Absolute Panic Mode Over Android (Score:5, Insightful)
Ahh, the typical Apple approach to things.
"What, that??! That's not a feature!". "Multitasking? That just drains your battery, nobody wants that!".
Android will bury Apple for the same reason the PC buried the Mac. There will be a dozen companies coming out with fancy new hardware at a breakneck pace that Apple cannot keep up with.
It's already happening - the HTC Evo is to the iPhone what the iPhone was to an el-cheap Windows Mobile phone. Sure, the next iPhone will bridge the gap but Jesus, what's coming out later this year in the Android camp? I can't imagine.
Fantastic news (Score:5, Funny)
Every time I use an iPhone, I can't help thinking, "if only this had more *ads*." I mean, really, what good is a smart phone without pop-over advertisements?
Re:Fantastic news (Score:5, Insightful)
I can't wait to see how many annoying (but non-flash) ads full of animation and video can do to get me right up to my 5GB data limit every month.
Re:Fantastic news (Score:5, Informative)
If you don't want to see the ads, don't buy ad-supported apps. There is almost always a more expensive ad-free version. iAd is just so every developer doesn't have to implement their own ad system every time.
God, the uninformed, reactionary Apple-haters are out in full force today.
The Revolution Will be Sponsored for You By (Score:4, Insightful)
``If you don't want to see the ads, don't buy ad-supported apps. There is almost always a more expensive ad-free version.''
Gad! Stop kidding yourself with statements like these: you paid full price so ads wont appear for the now fully fed. Fallacious: see cinemas with 30 minutes of boring-obnoxious ads & trailers!
See paid! cable television "broadcasts" riddled with ads. See PBS shows larded with 5 minutes of introductory wheat fields, granaries, mines, wind fields ads. See XM/Sirius radio with ... ^.^
Re:Fantastic news (Score:4, Informative)
I don't know if you've ever used any free Apps but most of them are ad-supported. Normally they use some sort of construct to show you an ad. Apple is making a framework for ads so developers no longer have to kluge them in.
Also they are developing a ecosystem so that ad-content revenue is handled differently. Normally a developer would have to negotiate with the ad generator. Instead Apple can handle all that for you. App developers can still use the old system if they wish but it probably will not be as advanced.
Re:Fantastic news (Score:5, Informative)
Okay, since Slashdotters are clearly going to be completely reactionary and assume this means ads are going to be popping-over all your apps (did you even watch the media event to see it in action?), let's get this out of the way:
1.) This is for apps that are already ad-supported, like all those free and .99 versions that complement the more expensive, ad-free versions.
2.) The point is so that every app developer doesn't have to roll their own ad systems like they do now.
2.) The ads are just little HTML5 banners.
That's all it is, Slashdot.
Multitasking NOT coming to iPhone (Score:4, Informative)
Read the article:
Apple looked at thousands of apps to determine what services apps would most need to keep running while in the background. "In iPhone OS 4, we're providing those services as APIs to developers,"
In other words, the iPhone still isn't capable of doing true multitasking, something that other smartphones - well, never lacked.
Instead you're still stuck with only being able to do the things that Apple has decided to allow their sheep the ability to do on Apple's phone - not what the lowly sheep that bought it wishes they could do.
Re:Multitasking NOT coming to iPhone (Score:5, Insightful)
True multi-tasking isn't coming to the iPhone. The multi-tasking will be limited. If it falls under 7 different categories [appleinsider.com] it will be supported.
Apple has always been against mult-tasking because they claim it hampers performance and drains the battery. As a Window Mobile user, I can't count the number of times my phone was freaking sluggish only to find that certain apps were running in the background that didn't kill themselves properly. With this Apple will allow certain types of behavior. Most of the multi-tasking that most consumers have wanted falls under one of these categories. Now if you're trying to sequence a genome while twittering your friends, that's probably not supported.
Re:Multitasking NOT coming to iPhone (Score:5, Funny)
"We weren't the first to this party," Jobs said of the new multitasking feature, "but we're going to be the best. Just like cut and paste."
Also, apparently Apple is the market leader in cutting and pasting.
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
I would have been pissed if they'd copied WinMo's or most other implementations. As it is, it's at about the edge of my tolerance level. I loved the old Palm PDAs, which had execute-in-place but no background tasks to bog the thing down. It was great knowing that when an app was closed it was using zero system resources without losing any unsaved work. Most devices I've used since then turn into a whack-a-mole of ending programs I'd forgotten about and processes that decided they just wanted to stick ar
LOL! Apple Hipster Douchebag Fanboys (Score:5, Funny)
The Apple Hipster Douchebag Multitasking Roadmap
> Multitasking sucks and is unneeded. I don't want stupid multitasking I just want to focus on one app at a time.
> OMG!!! We are finally getting multitasking!!!
> Apple's half-assed multitasking is 'pretty slick' Apple 'invented' multitasking
Re:LOL! Apple Hipster Douchebag Fanboys (Score:4, Insightful)
Mac OS 9 and earlier only had "co operative" multitasking and Mac zealots of the day used to proclaim it was better than "true" multitasking and came up with all sorts of rationales for it, until OS X came along of course. So history is repeating itself and Apple is bringing back their "it's better because it's worse" philosophy of the 90's. LOL.
Re:Multitasking NOT coming to iPhone (Score:4, Interesting)
I have, and it doesn't impress me. It is far from true multitasking. If you want to see "slick", you need to look at how Palm WebOS does it, and has been doing it for the last 9 months the Pre has been out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waS1jKCrm5I&feature=player_embedded [youtube.com]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mMIHQhSyw4 [youtube.com]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-bGE7FCmDQ [youtube.com]
Re: (Score:3)
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Not everybody wants a SSH console on their mobile phone.
.. and that's the only thing multi-tasking is useful for, right?
Sorry, what was your point?
Whoa, whoa (Score:5, Insightful)
Wait a second here. Wasn't the lack of multitasking a feature that made the iPad and iPhone so great? It allowed you to relax and compute!
What are they doing? Why is Apple taking all of the zen [wirelessweek.com] out?
Re:Whoa, whoa (Score:5, Informative)
Not particularly. In fact, they've always had multitasking, just not for 3rd party apps. What made them great was having a consistently fast, responsive user interface and reliable essential functions that did not bog down because of apps hogging the processor. But everybody figured that Apple would eventually work out a way to offer background processing to 3rd party developers while maintaining those strengths.
Re:Whoa, whoa (Score:4, Insightful)
"In multitasking, if you see a task manager, they blew it. Users shouldn’t have to ever, ever, ever think about that stuff."
Fast forward a year
"In this new iPhone OS 5.0, we've working on a new revolutionary feature, a real task manager, this is going to greatly improve your experience with the devices, it's so great, even we are amazed!"
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
And if you have anything except an iPhone 3GS... (Score:4, Informative)
Re:And if you have anything except an iPhone 3GS.. (Score:5, Informative)
Go ahead and jailbreak an iPhone 3g and try to run more than 2 apps at the same time. It slows to a CRAWL.
Re:And if you have anything except an iPhone 3GS.. (Score:5, Interesting)
My Android phone (Milestone) does this,
no...
wait...
It doesn't.
Many devices can implement proper multi-tasking without sacrificing speed. I easily have 3 to 5 applications running at the same time on Android without any problems, the only slow downs I have ever seen on Android were when I used a custom ROM on my HTC Dream, replacing that with HTC's Android 1.6 image fixed it.
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
Older devices will have a trimmed down version of the iPhone OS 4.0 which will not include multitasking because the older devices have 128MB of RAM.
They will most probably have the ads API.
Apple "Innovation" (Score:5, Insightful)
Couple things:
The multitasking method described is essentially identical to the one MS is using, with the process being halted in the background and the potential for it to be freed from memory at any time. The new addition is a background daemon or two that a program can contact to leave bits running while the rest is halted. Sort of a "low power multitasking." This is actually quite clever, and makes me wonder if it isn't using Grand Central closures to keep those bits spinning while the main process is halted.
The task switching method has apparently been cited as looking extremely similar to the way S60 switches. I wouldn't know, but that's pretty funny if true.
All in all, the critical juncture remains for me: The platform has been and will remain extremely closed. That alone is enough to ensure that I will stick with my N900 for the time being, and likely well into the future. I'll put my OS and developer interests behind MeeGo, and encourage openness.
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
God, I hope not. I hope Apple does a better job of not letting background processes suck up all the processing power and battery that some apps on my Windows Mobile phone did.
Yes, it is using GCD (Score:4, Insightful)
I just downloaded some of the release notes (the beta is slowly coming over my pipe), but yes, it is using Grand Central to do the multi-tasking. It is listed as one of the key foundational technologies added.
There's also quite a bit of documentation on how to use "blocks" (closures and lambdas to you unwashed, non-Apple people).
I agree, it is clever to use GCD. But I'm also very surprised--I didn't think GCD was light-weight enough for something like the iPhone. Pretty cool!
P.S. I'd link or copy and paste, but *technically* that would violate the NDA you sign as an iPhone developer. Hey wait, does talking about it ... [Apple gestapo busts down door] :-)
Welcome to the N900 age (Score:5, Insightful)
Now if only iPhone owners could do what they want with the hardware they purchased.
Re:Welcome to the N900 age (Score:5, Insightful)
Tell me about it. iPhone owners want to run Sendmail on the iphone they purchased and ssh into it from their laptop.
Oh wait, maybe it actually does do what they want, just not what _you_ want. Is it possible that the N900 is right for you and the iPhone right for others?
Re:Welcome to the N900 age (Score:4, Insightful)
The thing is "what I want" is different for different people.
On the n900, if you want to run sendmail on it, sure, you can. If you don't want to, you don't have to. It doesn't have to be something as geeky as running sendmail on it, though. Maybe what I want is porn or tethering, or scanning for wifi networks.
On the iPhone what you can do is limited to what Apple thinks users should be doing, and that list keeps shrinking.
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
Of course not...what *I* want is what everybody wants, they just don't know it!
Re:Welcome to the N900 age (Score:4, Insightful)
Some of the most obvious uses of multitasking were covered by this apple update (mostly around voip, audiostreaming, and gps), but a few is not the same as everything to the core. Maybe the average iphone owner dont want to ssh to their phones, but you always ends finding a situation where you would want that your smartphone do more than a thing at once.
:'( poor open source babies (Score:5, Funny)
Cry a little louder and harder, bitches! We can't hear you from way up here on awesome mountain! What's that? You're mad and are going to form an open committee to discuss ways to retort in a GPL-based, socially pluralistic manner? In three years time, you'll have a shoddily constructed riposte AND a donated-by-Cory handkerchief with which to wipe away your salty tears? Keep debating, pansies! I'll be figuring out a way to put some TRUCK NUTS on my iPad.
Re::'( poor open source babies (Score:4, Funny)
Cry a little louder and harder, bitches! We can't hear you from way up here on awesome mountain! What's that? You're mad and are going to form an open committee to discuss ways to retort in a GPL-based, socially pluralistic manner? In three years time, you'll have a shoddily constructed riposte AND a donated-by-Cory handkerchief with which to wipe away your salty tears? Keep debating, pansies! I'll be figuring out a way to put some TRUCK NUTS on my iPad.
I'm sorry, I couldn't hear you over the Awesome of my Android.
Not true multitasking (Score:4, Interesting)
Sorry, but it is NOT true multitasking. Applications will have to be re-written to act like a service, then they will be "suspended" and enable quick application switching: http://www.precentral.net/apple-plays-its-multitasking-card-its-no-ace [precentral.net]
"What Apple is doing instead of 'true' multitasking is offering seven different OS-level services that apps can take advantage of in lieu of actually running in the background: audio, VOIP, location, push notifications, local notifications, task finishing, and fast app switching. To switch to a recently opened app, you double-tap the home button and a dock of your recent apps pops up"
If you want to see real phone multitasking in action, and with a wonderful UI to go along with it/manage it, look at how Palm WebOS does it.
Re:Not true multitasking (Score:5, Insightful)
The three-hour battery life part or the going bankrupt by catering to whims of tech forum trolls part?
Fairly idiotic. (Score:5, Insightful)
You prove the parent's point nicely. You're so attached to multitasking that you're willing to sacrifice battery life. Of course battery life has something to do with the topic, IT'S A PHONE. And you can say "Welcome to fast smartphones" all you want, but for most people these features:
- Has a reasonable battery life
- Doesn't require me to swap batteries
- Lets me listen to music in the background
Are more important than this feature:
- Lets me run sendmail in the background
iPhone has the first three and has since the beginning. You running around saying "Yay! Multitasking!" isn't saving Palm, and I say this as a Palm customer of over a decade that has gone iPhone.
Re:Not true multitasking (Score:4, Informative)
The number of CPU cores has absolute nothing to do with singletasking vs. multitasking. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_multitasking [wikipedia.org]
Big F U to Adobe (and others) (Score:5, Informative)
In revised iPhone SDK License agreement:
3.3.1 -- Applications may only use Documented APIs in the manner prescribed by Apple and must not use or call any private APIs. Applications must be originally written in Objective-C, C, C++, or JavaScript as executed by the iPhone OS WebKit engine, and only code written in C, C++, and Objective-C may compile and directly link against the Documented APIs (e.g., Applications that link to Documented APIs through an intermediary translation or compatibility layer or tool are prohibited).
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
Maybe if Adobe pulled its thumb out of its ass and made a decent implementation of flash for OS X then Apple would be more willing to throw them a bone on the iPhone OS.
Re:Big F U to Adobe (and others) (Score:4, Informative)
Not so. Here's section 3.3.1 of the iPhone OS3 license agreement:
And here's 3.3.1 for iPhone OS4:
They explicitly say that -- even if you are using documented api's -- you may not use any language other than c, obj-c, or c++ to do it.
RAM, ipad (Score:5, Informative)
The older iphones and ipod touches don't get multitasking likely because they only have 128 MB of RAM.
I was disappointed to find out the ipad only has 256 (same as the 3GS). RAM is cheap, and there's no lack of space inside the ipad for an extra chip. With the way Safari currently works, it starts dumping web page caches as memory fills up. That means going to another "tab" (through an expose-like interface) can often mean re-loading the page from scratch, in practice. Word is the iphone 3GS does this a lot less, so it's definitely something they need to address for the ipad. Because the expose is two taps instead of the one required for tabs, and because of this reloading, I find myself using substantially fewer open browser windows on the ipad than on a desktop.
I'm starting to think they need to use part of the flash memory to cache things, especially with multitasking (that's what the "fast app switching" I presume does - save the full state of app memory on flash). The biggest downside to this is it wears down the flash.
I was a little disappointed to find out that the ipad release will be "fall". So far, though, the only time I've really wanted multitasking (or some pseudo-multitasking) is to play audio from Pandora or Magnatune while doing other tasks (and you can use the Magnatune website to stream since Safari's media player multitasks). Most of the other features are really for iphone users (ibook app, improved mail - though unified inbox will be nice).
By the way, anyone looking for an extremely thorough review of the ipad should look here [daringfireball.net]. I have no relation to the author, but I found he covered things extremely well.
Re:RAM, ipad (Score:5, Informative)
RAM is cheap, and there's no lack of space inside the ipad for an extra chip.
The iPad's A4 processor has the RAM inside the A4 package [ifixit.com] using package-on-package technology. Perhaps the RAM inside the A4 could have been a higher density, but space inside the iPad is not relevant.
Integrating the RAM minimizes the pinout of the A4 and may have allowed them to avoid a difficult-to-breakout BGA pitch. (Changing from a 0.5mm to 0.4mm pitch allows more pins but complicates PCB routing and PCB expense.) I can't tell from this shot of the A4 [ifixit.com] what pitch is used, but the pin count is pretty high. Note: You need the blank areas in order to breakout traces and place vias.
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Sure, lots of older computers had far less than 128 MB of RAM and did real multitasking. The issue is whether iphone OS and its apps on the earlier generations of hardware work well enough. You can bet they tested its performance. I suspect they
Most important: restriction on app development (Score:5, Insightful)
Interestingly enough nobody seems to have mentioned this gem [daringfireball.net] yet. To summarize, Apple has decided to forbid
While this is clearly aimed squarely at Adobe and their Flash compiler I can't help wondering what does it mean even for C++ libraries such as Qt or wxWidgets (that I'm personally most interested in) as, with a bit of bad faith (that Apple doesn't seem to luck), they could be construed to be "intermediary compatibility layers" too. And this definitely seems to exclude using Perl, Python, Ruby or anything else.
If anybody had any doubts about Apple openness, this should hopefully be enough to dispel them (although whom am I kidding... there will surely be people able to justify this as well).
Re:Most important: restriction on app development (Score:5, Insightful)
Because only great devs can write flashlight and fart apps?
The reality is you can write good or bad code in any language. Their closed system is all about them keeping control. It does NOTHING to keep out "crap" developers (as completely shown by the amount of complete and utter "crap" already on the App Store).
Wrong quote from the user agreement (Score:5, Informative)
"Looks like Adobe's release of CS5 with the Flash-to-native compiler has been nixed by Apple's new user agreement: '3.3.1 — Applications may only use Documented APIs in the manner prescribed by Apple and must not use or call any private APIs.'"
That's the old agreement. The new agreement adds:
"Applications must be originally written in Objective-C, C, C++, or JavaScript as executed by the iPhone OS WebKit engine, and only code written in C, C++, and Objective-C may compile and directly link against the Documented APIs (e.g., Applications that link to Documented APIs through an intermediary translation or compatibility layer or tool are prohibited)."
That's the bit that nixes Flash.
Re:Wrong quote from the user agreement (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Wrong quote from the user agreement (Score:4, Insightful)
"Applications must be originally written in Objective-C, C, C++, or JavaScript as executed by the iPhone OS WebKit engine, and only code written in C, C++, and Objective-C may compile and directly link against the Documented APIs (e.g., Applications that link to Documented APIs through an intermediary translation or compatibility layer or tool are prohibited)."
Wow, just... wow. Apple has historically been not friendly to third-party developers since iPhone release, but this sinks it down to an entirely new level.
So, let me see. First, this obviously kills off any attempt to use any language other than C, C++ and ObjC for iPhone app development. We're not just talking about Flash here - compiling to C has historically been a popular cheap way to bootstrap a language, and many stick with it after getting it running - e.g. ISE Eiffel is a mature development tool that "compiles" to C.
The whole bit about "translation or compatibility layer" is also very broad. From the sound of it, this would definitely prohibit any attempt to develop a cross-platform framework that'd let you build an application for iPhone as well as other platforms from a single codebase (like e.g. Qt lets you do on the desktop today), whether third-party or developed in-house.
In fact, it sounds like it could also stretch far enough to prohibit any framework that wraps iPhone APIs, period - say, if someone came up with a C++ wrapper for ObjC classes for those of us who dislike square brackets - this might just restrict that kind of thing.
Between that, and the underwhelming WP7 announcement, I'm very glad that I've bought a Nexus One.
Flash (Score:4, Informative)
"Applications must be originally written in Objective-C, C, C++, or JavaScript"
Looks like the flash cross compiler just had a stake driven in it's heart.
Here's why mobile ads will be an epic fail (Score:3, Insightful)
Currently, developers use the in-application ads to monetize free applications. This means that the only people who will see those apps are freeloaders who don't want to pay $0.99 for the full version of the app. Those folks won't tap on the ads, and even if they do, they won't buy stuff. Epic fail.
But... multiple e-mail users? (Score:5, Interesting)
The article is unclear if e-mail has been expanded to support multiple user logins. This to me is the deal-breaker with an iPad -- I'd have one sitting on the coffee table today if it had support for multiple user logins to keep e-mail sorted and private. But I'm not going to get an iPad for each member of the household just to keep e-mail private. So is that fixed or not? When they fix it, instant sale. Until then, nope.
We are all living in the world of Steve Jobs (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:We are all living in the world of Steve Jobs (Score:4, Interesting)
You're still working in their Multitasking API sandbox. Without having seen the list of APIs myself, I can imagine that there would be cases which don't fall into any of the functions provided, and you really just want a GenericMultitaskHook or somesuch.
For example, one of the most brilliant jailbreak tools is SBSettings, which lets you flick WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, or Edge/3G off without having to dig down into the Settings app. Turning on bluetooth with SBSettings (for when you want to play multiplayer Flight Control, for instance) is a swipe of the status bar and a tap on a button, then another to close. With the Settings "app", it's Quit to Home > Go to Settings > General > Bluetooth > Flick switch > Quit to Home > Reopen app.
Will Apple allow the built in Settings app to run in the background? will they expose APIs to manipulate these settings?
Depressing... (Score:4, Insightful)
I'm not sure about other people, but that sanitized future world is kind of really depressing.
Next step is you'll have to spend all your digital money to the 4 big corporations that control and enforce each of their platforms integrity in totalitarian ways.
News... that only come from a couple big media agencies.
Games... that check permanently online they're unmodified, and require trusted platforms banning any form of liberty/homebrew.
Videos&Music... that only come out in DRM form with you-are-only-renting-from-us terms.
Internet connections... where you can only do what the isp deems safe.
etc...
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
It's their store. If you don't like it, don't buy their device. Or jailbreak it.
Re:So no flash or java, but we get ads! (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Can the old hardware handle this? (Score:4, Informative)
The 3G and second gen ipod touch can get the update, but no multitasking support.
The 3GS and third gen ipod touch get multitasking (probably in large part because they have 256MB of RAM instead of 128).
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
Oh, good. This means that iTunes will stop pestering me about upgrading my first-gen iPod Touch to the latest-and-greatest firmware.
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
Can someone tell me why I would want a multitasking phone yet this study says it adversely affects brain learning?
Because a phone is not a brain? A mutitasking computer helps *me* to not multitask by doing things in the background for me. "You, program. Do this. Okay, now that that is being worked on, I can forget about it until it's done."
Re:Why would I want to multitask? (Score:5, Funny)
Can someone tell me why I would want a multitasking phone yet this study [eurekalert.org] says it adversely affects brain learning?
I don't follow your line of reasoning, but find it fascinating.
Re:Why would I want to multitask? (Score:5, Funny)
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Will ads only be shown when ad-supported apps are running...
Yes.
or ***HOT SLASHDOTTERS WANT TO TALK TO YOU!!!*** will you be interrupted with ads no matter where you are?
I'm sorry, but it's hard to take you seriously when you're happily posting on an ad-supported site about how you say 'no-thanks' to ad-supported apps.
Re:Multitasking (Score:5, Funny)
Re:I'm not upgrading... (Score:4, Insightful)
I shouldn't have to literally break the law to make my phone run and work how I, the USER, want it to.
You, the USER, didn't buy an open source phone. You bought a phone with a specified platform and method of operation. Maybe you should back the bus up and ask why you, the USER, bought a phone you didn't like.
Re:I'm not upgrading... (Score:4, Insightful)
I'm with you. I bought a 2G iPhone years ago because it was the only smartphone with a user experience I considered to be acceptable. When they launched the app store, I expected openness, but was sorely disappointed. I've been waiting ever since for Android to catch up and in my opinion it finally has. I'm going to switch to Android some time this summer. Currently exploring my options. The HTC Desire looks like the best so far.
Re:I'm not upgrading... (Score:5, Interesting)
Why did you buy it then, and not an Android based phone? It clearly didn't do what you wanted it to do and you knew that before you bought it.
I can't use a Corvette to move a sofa without extensive modification or strapping it to the roof in an unwieldy manner, but I don't whine about it.
Re:well, sorta (Score:4, Interesting)
While i agree with most of what you said, there's one thing that i think you should know about the multitasking bit.
The way that apple described it's multitasking capabilities in iPhone OS 4.0, seem to be identical in how android handles multitasking - eg your app can have a background worker, that does stuff in the background (media player, IMs, background task for periodically checking stuff), and then the user-visible multitasking of switching apps, where the app that was used gets its state saved, then the process gets killed. If that app is then resumed the code handles the reading of the state.
This behaviour has been there since Android 1.0 (@override onPause() and @override onResume())
Re:Oh! (Score:4, Insightful)
Will it let you install your own applications on it however you like?
No?
Well it's still an essentially useless toy then.
Care to elaborate? I find my iPhone very useful.