iOS 4 Multi-tasking UI Suggestion

So I ended up getting an iPhone 4 on Oct 1.
I like it. Screen is gorgeous, it is faster, etc.
But one thing I don’t like about the iOS 4 is the way it handles multi-tasking:

1. Launch an application.
2. Launch another application.
3. Double tap the home button to see the application you are running.
4. Hold one of the application icons to quit the application.

Although it is great to move between application without reloading, it is a burden to close the application.

So after thinking about it, I suggest this workflow:
1. Launch an application
2. Launch another application, which will automatically quit the previously opened application.
3. If you want the application to keep running in the background, you double tap the home button.
3-1. You should see your current application with a lower opacity and a “+” icon.
3-2. You tap on the “+” icon to keep it running even if you go to the home screen or to another application.
4. Quitting the application should be the same way as in the current iOS 4,  except your currently running application won’t have a ” –” icon. (current iOS 4 doesn’t show the icon of current application.)

Here’s a quick mockup to give you visual sense of the flow…
What do you think?

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2 Comments

  1. 사용자의 사용빈도와 use case 와 무관하게, 나도 무조건 multitasking enforce 하는건 resource 낭비라 생각해.

    위에 방법도 좋고, multitasking manager 를 하나 setting 에 추가해서 multitasking 하고싶은 어플들만 select 해줘도 좋을듯..

  2. Worth a wry – cannot be worse than the current model. That should be taken out and shot.