Multitasking Articles on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog

iOS 5 features: New Multi-Touch gestures for iPad 2

by Chris Rawson (Oct 12th, 2011)

In developer betas of iOS 4.3, Apple introduced new four- and five-finger multitasking gestures for the iPad. Those gestures didn't make it to the public release of iOS 4.3 for some reason, which was unfortunate because a lot of beta testers found them extremely useful. Fortunately, these new ...

New iOS multitasking concept video

by Dave Caolo (Sep 14th, 2011)

Apple fan Marcos Antonio de Lima Filho has mocked up a concept video demonstrating alternate multitasking-behavior for iOS devices. Instead of the single row of recently-accessed apps, Marcos' video shows two rows of app icons, top and bottom, with a pane of "workspaces" between them. Users ...

New 'iPad Is Amazing' ad touts iOS 4.2 features

by David Quilty (Dec 1st, 2010)

Apple's latest iPad commercial, "iPad Is Amazing", is touting iOS 4.2's new features including AirPrint, AirPlay, multitasking, and folders. Aimed at corralling holiday technology shoppers, this new ad definitely offers up something for everyone in the family. Just for the record, I will admit ...

What's new (and gorgeous) in iOS 4.2 beta

by Josh Helfferich (Sep 17th, 2010)

If you're as excited as I am about the iOS 4.2 beta being released, you probably spent the majority of Wednesday paging through all of the tech blogs and/or neglecting your responsibilities as an adult. For those of you who aren't able to experience Apple's latest firmware until November, I've ...

Skype for iPhone gets iOS4 background multitasking in version 2.1

by Steven Sande (Jul 21st, 2010)

The free Skype app received a minor update today, but the impact to iOS 4 users is going to be impressive. According to the release notes, you can now run Skype in the background on the iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS running iOS4. This means that Skype users can now receive Skype calls and instant ...

Navigon updates MobileNavigator with iOS4 multitasking, new maps and parking info

by Mel Martin (Jul 10th, 2010)

The popular Navigon app for the iPhone has had a significant update which is likely to please current owners and may get the company some new sales as well. New features include Live Weather (which gives the current weather wherever you're going), parking information, iOS 4 integration -- ...

Jobs: Use multitasking "as designed" and be happy

by Dave Caolo (Jun 30th, 2010)

Old school Mac users like me were trained to quit apps that aren't in use. Finished with Explorer? Quit it. All done using Photoshop? Command-Q. This habit came from a time when computers shipped with less RAM than the iPhone 4, and is very hard to break. Of course, your iPhone isn't running all ...

Pandora for iOS 4 hits the streets

by Mel Martin (Jun 21st, 2010)

Not a minute too soon! As expected, Pandora has updated the much-loved music app for the iPhone to version 3.1. This build will (drumroll) allow you to keep playing music when you move on to something else. Of course this will only work on devices that support multitasking on iOS 4, which means ...

Next update to Navigon app will multitask on iOS 4

by Mel Martin (Jun 19th, 2010)

Navigation is one of the iPhone app categories that will really benefit from multitasking, and Navigon will shortly release a free update to provide that highly desired functionality. You can leave the app when a call comes in, and when you end the call you'll still be navigating. Better yet, any ...

In praise of unitasking

by Dave Caolo (Jun 15th, 2010)

Weaning an addict isn't easy, and I'm addicted to information. For a data junkie, the Internet is irresistible. It offers innumerable incoming streams, and with tools like Web browsers, RSS, Twitter and so on, I can soak them all up. The by-product, of course, is distraction. I flip from one to ...

Multitasking in iOS 4 is not a magical sparkle pony

by TJ Luoma (Jun 14th, 2010)

As we wait for iOS4 to be released, I think it's important to try to help folks keep reasonable expectations for what iOS 4 will and won't do, especially as it relates to "multitasking." Apple has to take some of the blame for this hype, especially when it's listed as the #1 feature of iOS 4, ...

When Steve says "No" we hear "Maybe." Here's why.

by Erica Sadun (May 18th, 2010)

In a recent TUAW post, I wondered whether a closed Mac system might be in Apple's future in addition to the standard Mac offerings. Despite the existence of Apple TV, some are dubious. After all, Steve Jobs said no (or, more accurately "nope") to a correspondent who recently asked about a Mac App ...

iPhone OS 4 beta 3 adds orientation lock, iPod controls to multitasking bar

by Chris Rawson (May 4th, 2010)

9to5Mac reports that new features have been added to the iPhone's multitasking bar as of the release of iPhone OS 4 beta 3 earlier today. Swiping left from the multitasking bar now accesses a new set of controls. On the far left is an orientation lock, which disables the iPhone's auto-switching ...

Desktop for iPad plays some 'multitasking' tricks that are useful

by Mel Martin (Apr 22nd, 2010)

Desktop for iPad tries to bring a little (sort of) multitasking joy into your life. Through some split screen tricks, it can give you a browser and let you write an email on the same screen. Of course, you can cut and paste between the two. You can also use the split screen functionality to ...

iPhone OS 4.0: Enterprise Features

by Dave Caolo (Apr 12th, 2010)

Apple has posted an outline of what it believes to be the key enterprise features of iPhone OS 4.0. Third-party multitasking, enhanced security and mobile device management are among the marquee features. As a former IT director, I'm drawn in by mobile device management (MDM). Setting up ...