Multitasking coming to iPhone?

Jake Widman
Friday, 12 March 2010 13:29

Your IT - Mobility

Apple will reportedly introduce full multitasking in version 4.0 of the iPhone OS, due out this summer.

Since its inception, the iPhone's lack of multitasking -- the ability for third-party apps to run in the background -- has been one of the biggest frustrations of the device's owners (and one of the main reasons to jailbreak it).

The rationale for the restriction is that it inhibits infection by malware, since harmful software can't run without the user's awareness.

Now, according to a report on the news and rumor site AppleInsider, that restriction's about to be lifted.

Citing "people with a proven track record in predicting Apple's technological advances," the report says that the multitasking function will be based on technology already in Mac OS X.

Several issues still need to be resolved, however, and AppleInsider's sources say development of the feature has "quite a way to go."

For what those issues are, see Page 2.