iPhone News
Current consumer, business and technology news about the Apple iPhone multi-function
mobile device (cell phone, media player and Web browser). Constantly updated
from news sources around the world. For consumer news about cell phones,
see Mobilook's Cell Phone Consumer News.
New iPhone OS Rumored To Finally Allow Multitasking - Mar 11
Version 4.0 of the operating system for Apple's iPhone, iPod touch, and the forthcoming iPad will represent a major overhaul of the software and will feature a "full-on solution" to one long-standing gripe about Apple's devices -- their inability to multitask. At least that is the latest rumor making the rounds, as reported by the AppleInsider blog. The site attributes the report to "people with a proven track record" in predicting Apple's next moves. AppleInsider's sources offered no details, however, on how the company will deliver multitasking without compromising battery life, efficient memory usage, and security. Multitasking Manager Users will see a multitasking manager that "leverages interface technology" already bundled with the Mac OS X, according to AppleInsider. The site added that the operating system is still early in development and has a "way to go" before its ready for release. The lack of full multitasking on the iPhone is not strictly a technology problem. The current iPhone 3.x software is a multitasking operating system, but Apple artificially restricts third-party applications from running in the background. This is an intentional choice Apple made in version 2.x of the software as part of the security model. By cutting off apps when the user hits the hardware button or answers an incoming call, third-party apps cannot run in the background, which effectively eliminates much of the risk of viruses and spyware. No Background Music The downside is that users are irritated by the phone's behavior. For instance, users playing music via the Pandora music-streaming app, or listening to audio feeds of baseball games via the MLB.com app -- just the type of content that works best in the background -- cannot switch to games or productivity apps while listening to audio streams. Other apps that users want to be able to run in the background are instant messaging programs (other...
Apple's App Store Terms Are Stiff, But Does Anyone Care? - Mar 10
Apple tightly controls not only the approval of third-party applications for its App Store but also its developers. Apple's developer agreement says "Public statements regarding this agreement, its terms and conditions, or the relationship of the parties" require Apple's written approval. The Electronic Frontier Foundation made the iPhone Developer Program License Agreement public. EFF obtained the agreement via a Freedom of Information Act request to NASA, which recently released an app for the iPhone. As Apple readies its iPad for release -- at the same time a rash of competing tablets are expected -- the question of how much control Apple should have over developers is "particularly relevant," EFF Senior Counsel Fred von Lohmann said. He detailed several "troubling highlights." Restrictions, Restrictions Developers are banned from speaking about the terms of the agreement, even though the terms aren't defined as trade secrets. Apple imposes a gag order on developers apart from any trade-secret issues. By using Apple's software development kit, developers agree to distribute their creations only through Apple's App Store. Apple can reject an application for any reason, even if it meets all the formal requirements set up by Apple. Thus developers can sink hundreds of hours of development time into an app, have it rejected by Apple, and have no choice but to toss that work out. "So if you use the SDK and your app is rejected by Apple, you're prohibited from distributing it through competing app stores like Cydia or Rock Your Phone," von Lohmann said. The EFF also complained that Apple bans reverse engineering -- "including the kinds of reverse engineering for interoperability that courts have recognized as a fair use under copyright law." Apple even outlaws "enabl(ing) others" to reverse-engineer the SDK or iPhone OS. The SDK also appears to include a complete ban on tinkering with any Apple products -- not just jailbreaking...
SAP, Sybase Release Joint Mobile Apps - Mar 2
Sales and workflow apps developed on the Sybase mobile platform extend SAP CRM and Business Suite to iPhone and Windows devices.
Palm Sales Lower Than Expected - Feb 25
Tough competition from Android handsets and Apple's iPhone hurt Palm's quarterly revenue forecast.
AT&T To Offer Android Smartphone - Feb 19
Android phones are a growing competitor to the AT&T-exclusive Apple iPhone.
Trade Commission Investigates Apple, RIM - Feb 18
Eastman Kodak says digital cameras in the iPhone and BlackBerry infringe on its patents and the smartphones shouldn't be imported into the U.S.
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