Apple Announces iPhone OS 4, Available in June

8th April 2010 - Apple has announced a new version of the operating system for the iPhone. Version 4 of the iPhone OS will offer a range of new features, including support for multitasking.

The new multitasking feature will allow the iPhone and iPad to run several programs at once. To switch between applications, you hit the home button twice. This brings up a list of running applications. However, this is not multitasking in the way a PC does it; only certain aspects of applications (such as GPS tracking or audio streaming) will be able to run in the background. Other functions of the program will be frozen, presumably to save resources. Although it is not true multitasking, it is a significant step forward which will be welcomed by application developers. Multitaking will be available in the iPhone 3GS and the 3rd generation iPod touch, but not older models of the iPhone or the iPod touch. the iPad will get a similar update in the Fall.

Apple is also focussing this update on gamers, with a new feature called Game Center that allows for online gaming and leaderboards, similar to Microsoft's Live service on their XBox 360 game console. Gamers can also be matched up with other players through the Matchmaking feature.

Apple has also announced a new mobile ad platform called iAds which will allow developers to embed ads within their applications. These new adverts will also be able to include an interactive component, so an ad for a move will be able to offer a game. Apple will sell and serve the ads, with developers getting 60 per cent of the revenue.

The new OS is available to developers today, and will be available to the public in June as an update.