The iPhone will finally be able to multi-task thanks to new software unveiled yesterday that will allow users to run more than one program at a time. Its developer, Apple, is also stepping into the advertising business, introducing a platform for software developers to put adverts inside applications.
Steve Jobs, the chief executive, estimated that with 100 million iPhone and iPod Touches in use, Apple could soon be delivering 1 billion advertising impressions a day. Apple will sell and serve the adverts, and developers will receive 60 per cent of revenue.
The move pitches Apple against Google in yet another sector. Apple recently bought the Quattro Wireless mobile advertising company for a reported $275 million. Google has made no secret of its plans to dominate mobile search and banner advertising, but its acquisition of the leading mobile advertising company AdMob might fall foul of American regulators.
Multi-tasking, for instance when a user can listen to music on one application while working on a document in another, has been available on Palm and Google devices for some time. Apple has fought shy of the feature, arguing that it slowed down the phone and used up battery life. Users have previously had to return to Apple’s home screen, leaving the open program, before starting a new task.
The new version of the iPhone operating system software — called iPhone OS 4 — will be released in the summer almost certainly as a free download. It will also introduce multi-tasking on the recent version of the iPod Touch and, in the autumn, on the iPad tablet computer. Mr Jobs said that the company has sold 450,000 iPads since its launch on Saturday.
Mike Harvey, Cupertino, California
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