Mahdi Taghizadeh I'm who I'm!

Apple is making a mistake with iPhone OS 4 strategy for older iDevices.

Today, Apple unveiled the new generation of iPhone OS which is called iPhone OS 4. There are many new features that are in the box to let the end users have a better experience with their iPhones (and also iPads).

Here’s a list of what Apple offers in this new version:

• Multitasking
• iAd
• Game Center
• New APIs
• New Tools

Ok, so what’s wrong with all these new cool features? Why I’m writing this to claim that Apple is making a big mistake?

Apple explains OS 4 compatibility with old iDevices (iPhones and iPod Touches) here. Apple has dropped support for old 2G devices; no problem with that because Apple has already discontinued selling 2G series and it’s normal they no longer support it in the new OS release. But Oops! There are some limitations for iPhone and iPod Touch 3G too; they can’t enjoy the new revolutionary feature of Multitasking! Something that Apple claims they’re not the first in that but they’re the best:

“Now we weren’t the first to this party, but we’re gonna be the best. Just like cut and paste,” said Jobs.  ”We figured out how to implement multitasking for third party apps and avoid those things. So that’s what took so long. I’d like to demo it. We have a great UI.”

There is a big question for Steve Jobs; if you’re going to drop this important feature for 3G series why are you still selling that on Apple Store for $99? Apple claims that iPhone 3G hardware is not powerful enough to support multitasking but who believes that?

Before Apple unveils the new OS 4, my personal prediction was that Apple would limit the number of apps which can stay running in the background on older devices like 3G (e.g. 3 apps at most) and let 3GS series run more apps but I never thought that Apple wouldn’t support multitasking on a device it is being sold right now!

It’s really a down vote for Steve Jobs because I think 3G users number is more than 3GS users and many of them really don’t want to upgrade their devices just to receive multitasking feature (bear in mind, this is the feature that all rivals have already offered: Andriod, Windows Mobile, etc.)

From another point of view, there is another question in my mind: if Apple is going to publicly release OS 4 this summer (and even later in the fall for iPad) why did Steve unveil that 3 months earlier?

I don’t want to judge but I think this is because Steve Jobs is really worried about Google Nexus One and also Microsoft Windows Phone impact on iPhone users. He feels that he is losing the market if he sits and watches what his counterparts are doing for their users; and to be honest I should confess that Google and Microsoft are doing perfect.

Apple policy has been always letting users use their devices as long as they really need a major upgrade. If you are a Mac user you know that a MacBook with 2GB of RAM has a better performance than a current Windows 7 machine with 3GB of RAM and MacBook owner still can upgrade his RAM to 4GB or more and still enjoy his Mac! But now, Apple says: No! Upgrade your device and give me more money to use just one new feature that everybody else has been already offering in the market.

What’s your idea?