Apple Launches Multi-tasking And Advertising Service for iPhone In OS 4.0

Apple has showcased some of the new features that will be included in the latest iPhone operating system (OS 4.0). One of the most significant new feature is a platform for mobile advertising called “iAd” which will be used to place adverts in third party applications. The iAd pitches Apple directly against Google search engine’s advertising model and will allow iPhone developers to pocket 60% of ad revenue from its service.

The most prominent feature, however,  is the implementation of the long-awaited multi-tasking service, which will allow users to run more than one program on the iPhone at any given time. Whilst already present in many other smartphone brands, multi-tasking has been conspicuously missing from the iPhone. The iPhone OS software will be released first for the iPhone and iPod touch, followed by the iPad, later this year.

Other new features include the ability to create specific folders to store third party applications downloaded from iTunes, enhanced mail service, which will gather e-mail from multiple accounts into one “unified” inbox, iBooks and more useful features for businesses.

Talking Point

Due to hardware constraints, some of the new iPhone 4.0 OS features such as multi-tasking will not be available on older iPhone models and as a result users who want to take advantage of such features will have to upgrade their iPhones. Does this mean that the release of the new iPhone 4.0 OS will coincide with the launch of a another iPhone model in the summer?