Report suggests multi-tasking ahead for iPhone

Apple news site AppleInsider cited anonymous sources in reporting that the iPhone OS 4.0 release will allow users to launch and access multiple applications at once, including those from third-party developers.

The site reported that the next version of the iPhone OS will borrow elements of the Mac OS X interface to present and manage multiple active applications.

The current iPhone software is capable of multi-tasking, but the feature is accessible only on 'jail-broken' handsets in which the device's security controls have been modified.

The lack of multi-tasking on the iPhone has become a selling point for competing devices, such as the Motorola Droid.

Apple is widely believed to be targeting the new operating system for a summer release, as has been the case for all previous major iPhone releases and updates.