iPhone OS 4.0 to Feature Multitasking, Updated UI; and Apple Tablet will be Called iPad?

Submitted by lalit on January 19, 2010 - 3:05pm.

It is rumored that Apple’s upcoming media event on January 27 will be used by Apple to showcase new iPhone OS 4.0 along with the highly anticipated tablet. BGR is reporting that they have received some exclusive iPhone OS 4.0 details from one of their trusty Apple source. According to the source, iPhone OS 4.0 will have following features:

  • There will be multitouch gestures OS-wide.
  • “A few new ways to run applications in the background – multitasking.
  • Many graphical and UI changes to make navigating though the OS easier and more efficient. We haven’t had this broken down, but we can only hope for improved notifications, a refreshed homescreen, etc.
  • The update will supposedly be available for only the iPhone 3G and 3GS, but will “put them ahead in the smartphone market because it will make them more like full-fledged computers” more than any other phone to date. Everyone is “really excited.”
  • The last piece of information is the most vague, but apparently there will be some brand new syncing ability for the contacts and calendar applications.

It is believed that Apple will use the iPhone OS kernel with a new UI for the upcoming tablet and if that’s true many of the iPhone OS 4.0 features mentioned above will be part of Apple tablet also.

It was also rumored few weeks ago that Apple would call the upcoming tablet “iSlate”. However, MacRumors is reporting that there is another possible name for the upcoming tablet “iPad”.  Like iSlate, Apple has applied for a trademark of “iPad” also, under categories of handheld mobile digital electronic devices in Canada, Europe, Hong Kong, New Zealand and Australia. Fujitsu owns iPad trademark in US, but it is possible that Apple will make a deal with Fujitsu like they did with Cisco when iPhone was launched.