Business Insider rumormongers that Apple might be considering some limited form of multi-tasking, perhaps as early as iPhone 3.0, which would allow 3rd party apps to run as background tasks. They point to two possible models:

1. Apple might allow users to select two apps that can run in the background.
2. Apple might selectively allow some apps to run in the background. We assume that developers could apply for permission to run in the background, and that Apple might approve or deny them based on the resources they need and how well they behave with the operating system’s stability.

Daring Fireball steps up to throw a combo of water and fuel on that particular fire:

I heard something very similar from a decent (but second-hand) source back in January during Macworld Expo. What I heard then was that Apple was working on a vastly improved dock for your most-frequently used apps, and that there'd be one special icon position where you could put a third-party app to enable it to run in the background.

Gruber also rightly points out that the iPhone 3G’s 128MB of RAM is likely the constraining factor to current generation multitasking and that won’t change with the iPhone 3.0 firmware. If reports of at least 512MB of RAM in a 3rd generation iPhone are to be believed, however, this could be a much more compelling and powerful feature.

A dock that slides up like a slot-limited version of Google’s Android app shelf maybe? And one that grants background permission to anything placed inside it? Yes please.

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Apple to Allow Limited Background Multi-Tasking for Apps in iPhone 3.0?

Reporting on an analyst briefing that took place at Apple’s Cupertino headquarters with Apple Executives — including Chief Financial Officer Peter Oppenheimer, if we’re reading it right — Apple Insider quotes this little nugget:

“iPhone is still in its early days and could gain share by: providing more functionality; lowering prices; growing geographically; or segmenting the market with different models.”

Of course, there’s nothing to say Apple will actually add features like a digital compass, lower the price to $99 on 8GB iPhone 3Gs, expand into China, or put out an iPhone nano or iTablet.

Scratch that there’s obviously a lot of reasons do at least some of those things, and likely over time, Apple will address every profitable avenue for doing all of them, and more…

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Apple Execs: Functionality, Price, Geography, Multiple SKUs All on the Table

In a move designed to make even notorious Wi-Fi stripper Verizon seem liberal by comparison, China Mobile’s outstanding demand that Apple strip the iPhone of both Wi-Fi and 3G if they want to sell to the worlds largest carrier just got an uncomfortable shot of “maybe” via Apple Insider:

while there’s no concrete information to suggest Apple would agree to make such concessions, references to “ChinaBrick” discovered in betas of iPhone Software 3.0 leave room for debate.

Also at issue, China Mobile wants control of the regional App Store. Without 3G or Wi-Fi, would there even be a point?

And we’d joked about AT&T…

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iPhone 3.0 “ChinaBrick” Reference Connected to China Mobile Demands for Disabling Wi-Fi and 3G?

Venture Partners guestimated, based on a survey from O’Reilly, that Apple has made “only” $20-$45 million from their 30% cut of App Store revenue since the service launched in July 2008.

To quickly recap, App Store developers can charge whatever they’d like for apps — including free as in $0 — and Apple will take 30% off the top, from which they pay storage, bandwidth, infrastructure, transactional processing fees, etc. Obviously 30% of free is nothing, but for $9.99 apps, they’d gross almost $3, and net… well, that’s anyone’s guess. (see above).

Techcrunch (via Daring Fireball) provides some interesting analysis on that point, and the larger point on just what Apple may be netting in total:

I think Liew's numbers are well below the actual revenue numbers, but no matter if its $50 million, $100 million or $200 million, that's not a huge amount of money for a company that has nearly $30 billion in cash in the bank. But going forward, that number is only going to increase both as the platform expands and as in-app purchases come into play. That's not bad for a company that just wanted to make enough money to keep the App Store running.

Parallels to the iTunes Music Store, and what it did for iPod sales, are thus as plentiful as they are well founded.

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The Great iPhone App Store Profit Debate

You’re the world champion, but some old-school commentators keep talking like maybe you’re yesterday’s news. They say you haven’t faced any real challengers lately, that you’re getting soft. They say that some new device is looking hungry.

But here’s the thing: you know you’ve still got it. You know it and you want to prove it. You want to fight. You want to fight now!

But the challenger just ain’t showing up. And worse, they ain’t even saying when they will finally show up. Makes you so riled you just want to SCREAM!

That’s the emotion TiPb’s Rene tapped into to help out editor-in-chief Dieter, and our siblings over at PreCentral.net, video up a little demandment for Palm.

Release the release date. The Palm faithful want it to show what it can do, and dagnabit, we want to see what it can do. Bring it on!

Eye of the Jobs, baby!

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Friday Fun Video: TiPb Screaming for Palm Pre to Bring it On!

We’d heard rumors about the iPod touch getting a camera already — makes sense and would tie it even more closely to the iPhone OS. HardMac (via MacRumors) is now saying the iPod nano will as well.

Sounds plausible as it provides an easy way for Apple to both strengthen ties within their ecosystem and incrementally update both platforms in time for the holidays.

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

iPod touch and iPod nano to Get Cameras?

PhoneArena (via Engagdget) was sent a tip that Best Buy has 3 mysterious new product SKU’s listed in their system as “PROJECT CHARLIE”. Why is this important and what does it have to do with iPhones?

ZOMG! We’re 3 weeks before WWDC here people! Everything is iPhone!

Okay, in all fairness, Best Buy is one of the very few big iPhone retailers (aside from Apple, AT&T, and Walmart) and even if they have no direct info from Apple, they could be prepping themselves for a similar launch as last year (iPhone 3G in 8GB, 16GB Black, and 16GB white).

But for the Lost fans among us — 3 SKUs, for the 3rd gen iPhone, 3 weeks before WWDC and iPhone OS 3.0? Cue creepy music

UPDATE: Our friend Phil over at WMExperts, throws in a plot twist: what if they’re new Windows Phones?!

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Best Buy Prepping for 3 New iPhone SKU’s Code-Named “Charlie”?