The lowdown on iOS multitasking

[elbert]

This has been asked before here, but I feel it's time to revisit the subject once again with a new dedicated thread.

I was recently sent a link to this blog that thoroughly explains iOS multitasking. Essentially, it clears the misconception that if you don't kill the app from the multitasking bar, device resources are being consumed unnecessarily (i.e. shorter battery life, processor speed, memory usage, etc.)

It's a misconception that has bugged me for quite a while now, but not being a developer, I am not versed enough to explain it.

Here's the blog:
http://speirs.org/blog/2012/1/2/misc...titasking.html

Let me know what you think.

[oj88]

Granted that iOS handles apps and memory extremely well, it's still not perfect. There are situations that manually closing the background apps yielded favorable results.

A couple of observations I've made as a result of having too many apps in the background:

1. Youtube won't buffer beyond a few seconds worth of video
2. I find Safari re-loading already-opened tabs which I have just visited a few moments ago. I have about 6-8 tabs open most of the time

Both problems sorted itself out when I close the background apps. Can't argue with the results.

[elbert]

Are you referring to background apps or apps that are merely in the task manager?

What you are saying totally contradicts what this Distinguished Apple Educator stated:

Let me be as clear as I can be: the iOS multitasking bar does not contain "a list of all running apps". It contains "a list of recently used apps". The user never has to manage background tasks on iOS.

[oj88]

I meant apps in the task manager. Apologies as I am not a developer and the distinction between the two is not readily apparent to me.

[elbert]

that's the whole point of the article, to educate us non-developers on how it works

[oj88]

No argument there. Just citing a few personal experiences.

[Dekra]

Interesting...I always have this habit of 'killing' the apps on the task bar whenever I want to play 'big' games such as the Infinity Blade series.

[soloworx]

I believe the article is suggesting you don't have to "kill" the apps. Although there's nothing wrong with doing so if one is a neat freak — I keep a one-page home screen of apps (grouped in folders). Wish list: one button kill all.

[shiro_ian]

Thanks for sharing the article!

The explanation makes sense, but based on personal experience there are still times when not manually killing apps drains my battery too fast, compared when I manually cleanup every now and then.

The possible explanation for this, if I base it on the article, is that some of my apps might be running in the background too long, or even indefinitely.

Hmm, this makes me wonder, does keeping the Viber app on the background cause additional battery drain?
The article says,
"Apps that listen for incoming VOIP calls. If you use Skype on iOS, you can receive incoming Skype calls while the app is in the Background"

[iCaduceus]

Its says it the app store that Viber runs in the background without draining your battery, so you always receive incoming calls and message notifications.