no apps in the background. seriously?

[terrordemon]

so from what i understand it is impossible to run ANY app in the background. is this correct?

so this means that traditional background apps, such as AIM, can only be used if theyre on your screen? so if i'm using aim, i can't do ANYTHING else on my phone?

does this sound terrible to anyone else?

 

[byron_hinson]

so from what i understand it is impossible to run ANY app in the background. is this correct?

so this means that traditional background apps, such as AIM, can only be used if theyre on your screen? so if i'm using aim, i can't do ANYTHING else on my phone?

does this sound terrible to anyone else?

Not when they stated this would be the case until september nope.

 

[clayj]

Yes, this is correct. Steve Jobs is on record as saying that apps running in the background would be a Bad Thing, since it might negatively impact the performance of the app running in the foreground. If you keep only one program running at a time, you can eliminate a lot of the crashes associated with multitasking.

 

[ucfgrad93]

so from what i understand it is impossible to run ANY app in the background. is this correct?

so this means that traditional background apps, such as AIM, can only be used if theyre on your screen? so if i'm using aim, i can't do ANYTHING else on my phone?

does this sound terrible to anyone else?

For me it is a minor annoyance, nothing more.

 

[nickspohn]

There will be a fix for this in the fall.

 

[terrordemon]

there will be a fix in the fall to allow for background apps? or for the aim app? and the "fall" just means the future? or do you actually know the fall

 

[nickspohn]

there will be a fix in the fall to allow for background apps? or for the aim app? and the "fall" just means the future? or do you actually know the fall

As i recall they said September. So even if it's delayed until October, it is still Fall.

 

[terrordemon]

thanks spohn; just to clarify, the fix is for all apps to be able to run in the background?

 

[grapes911]

From what I understand, the update won't allow apps to run in the background. Rather it will be a server that 3rd parties will be allowed to use to push messages to your iPhone. Example: AOL could push a message saying that you have an IM. Then you open up AIM and get the IM.

 

[byron_hinson]

From what I understand, the update won't allow apps to run in the background. Rather it will be a server that 3rd parties will be allowed to use to push messages to your iPhone. Example: AOL could push a message saying that you have an IM. Then you open up AIM and get the IM.

Yep - far better on battery time this option. Windows Mobile's with background apps running all the time have very poor battery times.

 

[terrordemon]

fair enough, all i really care about is having push AIM (+ gtalk? why is there no gtalk app???)

though i would LOVE LOVE LOVE if the pandora app was able to run in the background. thats like the only one i really want to run in the background (+ having push aim/gtalk)

 

[aristobrat]

there will be a fix in the fall to allow for background apps? or for the aim app? and the "fall" just means the future? or do you actually know the fall

If you're interested in more info (along with some pretty pictures), check out this link:
http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/09/steve-jobs-keynote-live-from-wwdc-2008/

Scroll down to the part that starts at "10:59AM PT". They'll explain why they don't want background processes, how they will work around it, and when it should be available.

 

[nickspohn]

From what I understand, the update won't allow apps to run in the background. Rather it will be a server that 3rd parties will be allowed to use to push messages to your iPhone. Example: AOL could push a message saying that you have an IM. Then you open up AIM and get the IM.

Yep, he nailed it. It will be the same funtion pretty much.

 

[yyy]

Apple's solution of sending notifications to apps is nice but I believe that as technology improves, batteries will last longer and apps will get more complex so they'll be forced to allow background applications on the iPhone as well.

 

[firewood]

so from what i understand it is impossible to run ANY app in the background. is this correct?

Apple's own apps can run in the background. They likely don't want anyone else mucking with the "user experience" until they can figure out a way to prevent even joe dummy from slowing down and clogging up his phone or becoming a hidden spambot on the phone network.

 

[DreamPod]

Note that *Apple* can make apps that run in the background, just not third-party developers. Apple looked at how often Windows Mobile devices crash or run out of memory or just run poorly, and the reason isn't because it's Windows: it's because people are running anything and everything on their device, and all of them are running in the background. Third party developers aren't always careful with their programs, just having more programs running can cause stability issues, and of course there's the issue of everything needing memory and taking up some of the CPU and battery power. Yet everyone blames the operating system, it's just expected that if it's Windows Mobile, it's not very stable. Apple definitely doesn't want that image for the iPhone!

The solution Apple came up with doesn't allow developers to do everything they could with true background apps, but it does allow things like chat programs and reminders/alarms and stuff to work. Basically, instead of an App on the iPhone running in the background, the developer will have a server on the internet with a program running at all times. When it needs to, that server can tell your iPhone to make a noise, display/update a number next to the App's icon, and/or display an alert message on the screen (and when you receive that you can choose to run the App if you wish). Then when you run the App, it can contact the server to get the updates. That is what is going to be available to developers starting in September.

 

[yyy]

Apple's own apps can run in the background. They likely don't want anyone else mucking with the "user experience" until they can figure out a way to prevent even joe dummy from slowing down and clogging up his phone or becoming a hidden spambot on the phone network.

I don't think so - as far as I understand, every app on the iPhone can't run in background - Apple provides 3rd party developers with the same tools they use to build apps on the iPhone. Maybe applications which are necessary for the OS's constant functionality can run in background.

 

[slffl]

so from what i understand it is impossible to run ANY app in the background. is this correct?

so this means that traditional background apps, such as AIM, can only be used if theyre on your screen? so if i'm using aim, i can't do ANYTHING else on my phone?

does this sound terrible to anyone else?

Seriously. Get over it. Have you ever had an app screw up and all of a sudden when you type in email or sms there is a huge delay? That's what would happen if you let apps run in the background.

 

[DreamPod]

I don't think so - as far as I understand, every app on the iPhone can't run in background - Apple provides 3rd party developers with the same tools they use to build apps on the iPhone. Maybe applications which are necessary for the OS's constant functionality can run in background.

Not correct. Just try it yourself - run *any* app, then double-tap the home button. It'll bring up a little music-player menu, that's because that app was running in the background. And when you receive phone calls or email messages? Those are just apps running in the background as well. And when on 3G, you can browse the web while on the phone.

It's known as fact that the official SDK Apple gives to third party developers is no where near the full thing Apple has. That's why Jailbroken apps can do so much more (including running in the background)...they aren't hacking the device to add these features, they are just accessing the SDK libraries that Apple is withholding from official developers.

 

[Cousin Dirk]

Apple's App can run in the background... think about it, does the music keep playing when you leave the iPod App? Does your phone still check for emails when you're not got Mail open? That's the apps running in the background.

 

[markgamber]

Frankly, I find the speed, stability and battery arguments bogus. I've been using Windows Mobile software for years and sure, there are a ton of apps that suck and I wouldn't touch with your phone, but that's me. I have a set of apps I use constantly and they all work fine. No leaks, no instability and the phone chugs happily along even with all of them running in the background at the same time. I've also been using a Sprint Touch and the iPhone side by side since picking up an iPhone yesterday and neither seems all that great as far as battery life. I burned through half the iPhone battery in a span of three hours of continuous 3G use last night and I did about the same amount of damage with the Touch using Slingplayer over Rev-A EVDO. Which has been significantly faster than 3G, I might add. I can understand where the casual user could use some "steering" as far as what you can install and how it can run, but a policy of no background apps is going to irk every "power user" I know. Considering how hard Apple tries to present itself as "freedom in computing", it would be nice if it was more than just lip service and I could use my phone as I see fit.

 

[sidewalkscenes]

so every time i go from AIM to another app, does it sign me out? that's a little silly. i guess i was pretty spoiled by my sidekick. but having the iphone > having the sk3

 

[Cousin Dirk]

so every time i go from AIM to another app, does it sign me out? that's a little silly. i guess i was pretty spoiled by my sidekick. but having the iphone > having the sk3

I don't think it logs you out (although I think there is the option for that), but you do have to open the App again to check if you've been messaged.

 

[sidewalkscenes]

I don't think it logs you out (although I think there is the option for that), but you do have to open the App again to check if you've been messaged.

oh, i see. thanks

 

[FarSeide]

not having the background process is a great way to run apps on phones... way to go