iPhone SDK Honeymoon Over - No Background Processes?!
Don’t get us wrong, we’re still huge fans of the way that Apple handled the iPhone SDK. For the most part, Apple really took the time to analyze existing platforms and the manner in which surrounding development is handled. They improved upon many areas, created a phenomenal system and incentivized developers tremendously. Now that the SDK is in the hands of the public however, it has been picked apart and some sour grapes are beginning to shake lose. Namely, this little tidbit uncovered by developer Robert Balousek:
Only one iPhone application can run at a time, and third-party applications never run in the background. This means that when users switch to another application, answer the phone, or check their email, the application they were using quits.
This, people, is remarkably bad news. The quote above is pulled from the iPhone Human Interface Guidelines document available on the SDK site. Translation: no true multitasking. Of course we know that the iPhone can multitask; just consider the apps we have now, or use Sysinfo to take a look through the running processes and you can see. Apparently however, third-party app developers will not be granted the necessary rights for their apps to make use of background processes. To further explain what this all means to the layperson, Balousek quotes: "If you are running an application such as AOL Instant Messenger on your iPhone, every time you receive a call or browse away from the application you would be signed out, you would lose any unread messages, and your conversations would end." This stipulation impacts an enormous number of potential iPhone apps and seriously stunts development. It stands to reason that Apple will eventually provide a workaround; Symbian for example, grants developers rights to restricted attributes for additional fees. In the meantime, expect to see a good amount of core smartphone functionality omitted on initial third-party app offerings.
On Mar 8, 2008 @ 2:21 pm, TedB Said:
Well… the iPhone community complained about not having an SDK… and we got it…
Now we should complain to get this ruling fixed.. or at least adjusted….
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On Mar 8, 2008 @ 2:25 pm, Scott W. Said:
Ouch… Question: Are you able to run AppTap applications in the background right now?
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On Mar 8, 2008 @ 3:10 pm, Jeff B. Said:
There is no substitute to jailbreaking.
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On Mar 8, 2008 @ 3:18 pm, secretasianman Said:
Just jailbreak, or don’t buy an iPhone.
I personally prefer the boycott until Apple quits the control-freak mentality.
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On Mar 8, 2008 @ 3:26 pm, Galvatron Said:
no backround prcess tsk tsk tsk wow screwing over 3rd party developers AGAIN it’s bad enogh the firmware “updates” relock your phone and attempt to wipe out any 3rdpary apps on your glorifed peice o plastic. Now doubt is is designed o stun’t 3rd party devlopmen anso your “forced” to buy from their catolog HOW LAME
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On Mar 8, 2008 @ 4:09 pm, Wifiguy Said:
I think that the iPhone will get true multitasking in the next version. Apple has to make there dough.
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On Mar 8, 2008 @ 4:18 pm, Jake Said:
@Galvatron
thanks for ur opinion
we care oh so much
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On Mar 8, 2008 @ 4:26 pm, jam Said:
Android HOOOOOO
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On Mar 8, 2008 @ 4:27 pm, Justin Said:
I guess this ruins the AIM use on an iPhone. I’ve already switched to the Blackberry Curve, but this just makes me not want to ever go back.
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On Mar 8, 2008 @ 4:34 pm, Nick Said:
DEAL BREAKER! I use multiple apps on a regular basis on my BB Curve all the time. For instance, looking up an address in Berry411 and the mapping it in Google Maps all while running BeeJive and texting.
Besides, I have EDGE data now, Im not upgrading till the iPhone has 3G!
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On Mar 8, 2008 @ 4:51 pm, TxdoHawk Said:
Wow, who thought that was even a remotely good idea? I am totally disappointed. =(
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On Mar 8, 2008 @ 4:55 pm, TJ Joyce Said:
I don’t think this is entirely accurate. Example: Pull up and email and reply to it. Type a few sentences and then hit the home button. Open up SMS and start typing one, but don’t finish and don’t send it. Hit the home button again, do the same with a note, but hit the home button while the keyboard is still up. Now go back to mail and you will realize everything is right where you left it. Same with the SMS and the notes. Just because you close it down doesn’t mean it starts you over from scratch again. I think there are going to be ways around this that will be discovered as the dev. community digs a little deeper.
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On Mar 8, 2008 @ 5:21 pm, Dr Funk Said:
I don’t see this as being so horrible. This is similar to the way that Palm handles it’s apps. Coding Multi-Threaded apps is not easy and can be a recipe for disaster. That is one of the reasons that the Palm platform is so stable. That being said, they should allow for an enterprise SDK(read more expensive) That will allow professional software companies(who know what they are doing) to code multi-threaded apps.
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On Mar 8, 2008 @ 5:32 pm, Dtest5477 Said:
I think this is a little knee-jerk type reaction, as TJ states thsi does not apply to all apps. think people need to relax and see the apps that come in June before ruling this a failure. As always though, if its not for you then so be it, RIM makes a good device as well.
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On Mar 8, 2008 @ 5:59 pm, Allan Said:
Jesus, did you even read the article?
“Of course we know that the iPhone can multitask; just consider the apps we have now, or use Sysinfo to take a look through the running processes and you can see. Apparently however, third-party app developers will not be granted the necessary rights for their apps to make use of background processes.”
So native apps are allowed to multitask, but third-party apps cannot. Sucks.
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On Mar 8, 2008 @ 6:40 pm, Galvatron Said:
yeah dtest butthis is getting old overhype the big letdown Imean comeon arn’t all the fanboys tired of the same old song?
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On Mar 8, 2008 @ 7:41 pm, kimosabii Said:
suckers you can multi-task on a sidekick.
apple sucks.
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On Mar 8, 2008 @ 8:17 pm, CarBob Said:
Galvatron,
I have to spend so much time trying to read your posts. How about using some punctuation
occasionally.
Keep on Crackin’,
- CB
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On Mar 8, 2008 @ 11:07 pm, Christopher Cox Said:
Okay the author of this article is exagerating big time. Show me a method in a jailbroken iPhone (barring terminal jobs and daemons) that lets you switch back and forth between running applications except for the double tap of the home button in the iPod application. Log out and lose all unread messages? Give me a break. Most likely the app will be able to suspend and save current data when something interrupts it. When you go back, your old messages will still be there. AIM disconnecting when you get a call? WTF are you talking about???? EDGE cannot do voice and data at the same time!!! I really don’t care what kind of multitasking you are doing, if you are on EDGE, you will not be able to remain connected when a voice call comes in any freaking way. The only thing that saves you is that the AIM server doesnt actually disconnect you unless your program sends a disconnect signal or you are not connected within a specific timeout. This means it can pick right back up where it left off when you come back to the application (and you dont initiate a re-connect). The ONLY disadvantage this brings from the norm are if you want to stay on AIM 24/7 in the background or other daemons. This will not be a show stopper for most people.
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On Mar 8, 2008 @ 11:15 pm, dario Said:
Show stopper? No. Palm all over again. Yes. But only for 3rd party software this time. So I guess it must be okay then. I guess the less than elegant Windows Mobile will have something over the iPhone for a little bit longer it seems.
Come on Apple, give me a reason to switch. You guys are getting worse than Microsoft.
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On Mar 9, 2008 @ 10:20 am, Galvatron Said:
@dario mo kidding they make M$ look like saints
they always have. jobs needs to stop acid triping , take some anger managment classes, and stop making promises they can’t keep wich makes them sound like demacratic politicians.
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On Mar 9, 2008 @ 10:53 am, hill Said:
Steve Jobs should have teamed up with VZW then all this Gestapo crap would make sense. Still happy I don’t have an iphone.
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On Mar 9, 2008 @ 10:57 am, Richard John Said:
So the best app at at the moment (MobileScrobbler) will not be possible with the SDK.. nice, Apple!
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On Mar 9, 2008 @ 3:41 pm, Christopher Cox Said:
@Galvatron
Holy crap man finally a post from you that I can comprehend!!! Is someone spelling for you? Or did you finally get some English classes? Anyways you still spelled “which” wrong.
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On Mar 9, 2008 @ 4:07 pm, Nathan Scheffey Said:
Christopher Cox is completely right, this is way overblown. Apple is telling developers to design their applications so that switching between applications feels seamless. Any app that “lost” all your unread messages or settings would just be stupidly designed and no one would buy it.
The ONLY potential app this could affect would be AIM, and I suspected there would be a lot of resistance to putting chat programs on a phone, as it has the potential to completely destroy the texting market. But we will see…..
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