multi tasking

[nyc_rock]

Have any of you noticed the Iphone actually shutting down apps that are in the multitasking tray? I find that after a day of use, basically every single app I have used is in the tray in its "frozen" state. Is it supposed to shut down apps that have not been used for a while?

 

[stkywik]

I haven't taken any kind of systematic approach at figuring it out, but I have noticed that some apps start from the beginning after a while of sitting unused. Take, for example, Plants vs. Zombies. If I reopen it after having recently played it, it will reload from where I left off. After about a day or so, though, it will load from the start screen. I've never checked to see if it disappears from the tray, though.

EDIT: I just checked, and the icon was burried pretty far back in the tray (I hadn't played it in a while) and when I opened it, it loaded from the start screen. So, to answer your question, I think the phone will kill apps from their "frozen" state but not remove them from the tray.

 

[nyc_rock]

I haven't taken any kind of systematic approach at figuring it out, but I have noticed that some apps start from the beginning after a while of sitting unused. Take, for example, Plants vs. Zombies. If I reopen it after having recently played it, it will reload from where I left off. After about a day or so, though, it will load from the start screen. I've never checked to see if it disappears from the tray, though.

EDIT: I just checked, and the icon was burried pretty far back in the tray (I hadn't played it in a while) and when I opened it, it loaded from the start screen. So, to answer your question, I think the phone will kill apps from their "frozen" state but not remove them from the tray.

It really becomes a very un-managable list of apps, no? I go through it and start closing them out just to make it less cumbersome. I guess, when quick switching its fine since your last used apps are always first on the list, but having every app on your phone in the "tray" seems a bit over done.

 

[stkywik]

I agree. I rarely ever load an app from the tray. I have the app and folder locations memorized well enough on my home screen that it is quicker to go there than to swipe through pages and pages of apps to find what I want.

 

[ghostface147]

Well I am not sure if they close the apps per say, but if the phone runs out of memory, it will end the frozen state. However the icon will still be there. This can be verified by rebooting the phone and noticing that all the apps that were there before will still be there. They may have to reload their settings, but they will still be there.

 

[noaim]

all it is is a frozen state besides for some apps like pandora which can stay running in the background

 

[Ipheuria]

I thought the phone kills the app after 10 minutes of non use?? Just what I thought I heard could be wrong. I guess I'm not as hardcore a user but I have hardly had too many apps in the tray. I do periodically go through and close the ones I don't use often.

 

[stkywik]

I thought the phone kills the app after 10 minutes of non use?? Just what I thought I heard could be wrong. I guess I'm not as hardcore a user but I have hardly had too many apps in the tray. I do periodically go through and close the ones I don't use often.

I don't know all the technical details, but there are certain types of apps (like radio or GPS direction apps) that are allowed to run continuously in the background. Most other apps are given a time limit (I believe 10 minutes) to finish up any activities they are doing, like loading pictures, after the app is "closed" by the user. Those apps are then put in a frozen state for an undetermined amount of time so that when you open them back up, you start from where you left off.

In short, they are allowed to be active in the background for about 10 minutes, but stay in the frozen state for longer.

 

[noaim]

I don't know all the technical details, but there are certain types of apps (like radio or GPS direction apps) that are allowed to run continuously in the background. Most other apps are given a time limit (I believe 10 minutes) to finish up any activities they are doing, like loading pictures, after the app is "closed" by the user. Those apps are then put in a frozen state for an undetermined amount of time so that when you open them back up, you start from where you left off.

In short, they are allowed to be active in the background for about 10 minutes, but stay in the frozen state for longer.

ive never heard of this ten minute deal as far as I know they go into a frozen state right away no ten minute wait

 

[stkywik]

ive never heard of this ten minute deal as far as I know they go into a frozen state right away no ten minute wait

It was widely discussed when iOS4 was released. when an app is closed by the user, the app is given a certain amount of time (10 minutes, I believe) to finish any unfinished tasks (like uploading pictures) in the background before it is truly put in the "frozen" state. To you the user, it looks no different.

This is from the iOS4 guide on the home page of this site:

Task completion
There?s another API for task completion so that, for example, if you?re uploading a picture to Twitter and leave the app, it can register a thread to keep uploading the picture in the background while you do something else. That means the entire app doesn?t have to keep running, freeing up memory and lightening battery load, and even the thread will terminate when the upload is done.

 

[noaim]

It was widely discussed when iOS4 was released. when an app is closed by the user, the app is given a certain amount of time (10 minutes, I believe) to finish any unfinished tasks (like uploading pictures) in the background before it is truly put in the "frozen" state. To you the user, it looks no different.

This is from the iOS4 guide on the home page of this site:

Task completion
There?s another API for task completion so that, for example, if you?re uploading a picture to Twitter and leave the app, it can register a thread to keep uploading the picture in the background while you do something else. That means the entire app doesn?t have to keep running, freeing up memory and lightening battery load, and even the thread will terminate when the upload is done.

yes and it has to be written into the application for it to work like that I just tested it on 3 twitter clients and all three of them just froze up when closed didnt continue uploading my picture resumed when I resumed the application so i wouldnt say that it works like that unless its written into the application