Yeah, being able to scroll within the folders would be nice. I like CategoriesSB, but I like how easy it is to natively add icons to folders. I just jailbroke my 3GS w/ iOS 4 and all I did was put an extra CategoriesSB folder within the regular folder; they work well together.

That'd be just select applications, sir. But rotation lock is universal 🙂

Does the ENTIRE OS now respond to the accelerometer like the iPad, or is it still limited to select applications such as mail and videos?

Thanks for chiming in bizarrefoods — yes, we actually have noted that, although we didn't mention it in this particular piece. It is a pretty big change from the pop-up iPod controls from earlier iOS firmwares, though. Still getting used to it.

dont know if you have found this out. but when you double click the home on ios, and the "dock" comes up you swipe left and get ipod controls (or any audio in the background)

Well, there are a large number of jailbreak apps that allow a wide number of gestures as invocation methods. SBSettings and nearly every single app switcher app I've come across, for starters. Activator – the standard for assigning invocation methods – offers a big range of on-screen gestures and taps as well as hardware button options.
And with all of that, I cannot recall hearing a single instance of any users saying they've had any issues with apps or games, or these gestures in any way. The only conflicts I've heard of tend to be between two app switching apps if you employ gestures for both that are too close to each other.
I really don't find double-tapping the home button the fastest or easiest way to invoke an app. Much easier for me to double-tap the status bar, or make a quick downward swipe from it, and less wear an tear on the home button.

That's a great resource Thomas. I have to admit I really want to be a developer (lower-level, not graphic intensive games), but it just seems so hard to me (and I don't want to have a third-party company involved, which will cross-assemble). I am just now trying to teach myself Ruby, and I am finding that I am pretty slow at that. I would think that I could make something worthwhile given the stories you hear about pre-teen programmers, but their IQ is probably 2 standard deviations above mine. Thanks again for supplying this!

What awesome service you and the team provide!

I forgot about the SMS API, and I forgot that a given application will have to release an update for this new multitasking. I have to admit that burst my bubble a little bit. Dear developers, I'd be willing to pay more, or buy a slightly inferior product if it contains these APIs. I don't have a lot of time for games, so I'd love to play in short 3 minute bursts.

I can see the logic behind limiting the folders to 12 apps, but being limited (in general) still sucks. I'd rather see 12 at once, and then be able to scroll vertically through the folder if needed to go beyond the 12.

One last thing to address question 1:

Saw this a while back, and it might be useful for you ->
http://iphone.appstorm.net/general/appstorm-news/…

1) No sir. We both have valid UDID registrations with developer friends, but I've got nothing to teach 🙁

2) You could simply find a pure black wallpaper and set that as the background. I think DaringFireball posted one a while ago.

3) Can't answer that, as apps actually have to include the multi-tasking API's manually, and none of the apps I know of have updated with any multi-tasking features. That said, that should be how the changes should work.

Another thing to keep in mind is that Apple also launched an in-app SMS API. I have no idea why they didn't include this as a feature and I have no idea how it will look or work, but it is definitely there on the bullet point list of 1500 new APIs in iOS 4. So if developers choose to use this API we might well be able to answer SMS from within the currently running application. I hope this becomes a standard for non turn-based games.

I think the 12-app limit is probably so the screen still looks good, and because throwing more on there would blot out the whole screen, which might not have looked as good. I'm not arguing for the 12- app limit…just thinking out loud about why Apple might have implemented it. I think this is a case of form over function for sure.

1) How did you get the new GM are you both developers–if so, maybe you could talk about that… teach us sometime?
2) RE: Like the new default grey background much better than old black—Can I have my same 3GS background if I want?
3) RE Multitasking: To me this is the most important addition. Here is how I picture it: I am playing Asphalt 5, my wife sends me a text. OS asks if I want to close this notice or respond (note: that Asphalt 5 automatically paused). I respond. Asphalt 5 (backgrounds, but I can't hear it, and it doesn't take up my resources). After responding, I leave the SMS APP and relaunch Asphalt 5, which in under 3 seconds takes me to my paused state on lap 2/3 in 1st place, I then resume, and it was like I never left the game in the first place. Am I anywhere close to how it actually works?

Regardless of what Apple change/add/fix I will NOT be upgrading until I can jailbreak 🙂

I'm not sure how I'm going to utilize the folders yet. I have my screens sorted by app type (utilities, games, etc). I have two screens of games alphabetized currently, but since I can't put all 32 games in the same folder I'll have to be a little more creative about how I separate them – perhaps "Puzzle Games", "Kids Games", "Action Games", etc. Being able to put folders in the dock is going to be a nice benefit – I can have a "Messaging" folder for Mail and Messaging; a "Music" folder for iPod, Grooveshark, and Pandora; and a "Web" folder for Safari, Opera, and CloudBrowse.

I hadn't really thought about the 12 app limit until now. It's not a big deal but it seems random that they're limiting the number of apps in a folder to 12 – why not just let the user do what they want? Oh wait, we're talking about Apple, aren't we? 🙂

I will most surely be jailbreaking my iphone 4 ASAP I will miss many JB apps too much.

A couple examples:
SActivator, CategoriesSB, iconoclasm, iFile, Infinidock, Lockinfo, SBSettings, Winterboard.

Not to mention my theme I have made even though I have to redo it to the new resolution 🙂

I mean once you jailbreak you essentially have a little Unix computer that just happens to be a phone. I personally love that part.

I currently use double clicking for iPod controls (as clearly intended by Apple) and click and hold for backgrounding on my jailbroken phone. This is the second best solution, and since I do not want to give up the iPod controls, any negatives that holding brings up (voice control if held too long) are trivial in respect to the power it brings me. The fact that Apple thought to include iPod controls to the left in the multitasking dock, shows that they completely thought multitasking through. Of course they can thank the jailbreak community for doing all the leg work 😉