Multitasking on Android
 

Some people claim you can, some deny.

Can you get real multitasking on Android? Defined as:

1. The system never kills any application without the user's consent
2. The multitasking screen is a place which is often visited without extra effort, so you don't forget about your running apps. For example during normal Maemo usage, you almost always go through the multitasking screen, so on Sailfish. And on webOS
3. You can easily either close or minimize apps (it doesn't have to be with one click, but without extra hassle. For example on webOS you need two swipes to close the app, but it's quick nevertheless). On MeeGo/Jolla - one swipe.

Is it achievable?

Re: Multitasking on Android
 

Yes and no.

Android uses a different paradigm for multitasking than traditional desktop operating systems, and does this for the sake of better power usage.

By default applications are stopped when they are switched away, and then they resume when they are in the foreground again. For more info on this, search for the Activity Lifecycle.

If an application wants to run background tasks it needs to implement a Service. These can do anything they want, but again, the OS can stop then for example if the device goes to sleep, and can re-start them if needed.

Services can force to run uninterrupted by using a so-called wakelock, that will prevent the start-stop behavior, but this can also prevent the OS to throttle CPU speeds, thus apps that use wakelocks can run down the battery easily (see Wakelock detector app for Android that helps identify battery issues by finding applications that do this).

Most of this forum hates this method of multitasking and prefer the old desktop style multitasking where you decide what runs and what stops. I think it is far from an ideal way to run things on mobile devices as they will inevitably cause battery issues.
Just see how the Jolla tablet's battery life is compared to even cheap Android tablets, let alone an iPad. The Jolla tablet can't even keep charge for 2-3 days if left untouched, while Android tablets can take a month or more to run down their battery if left turned on but not used.

But of course to each their own.

Re: Multitasking on Android
 

I'm not an expert on Android, but your post sounds like a clear no when you consider marmistrz's 3 requirements.

Besides, comparing Jolla Tablet - an Intel device without real support that's not going to get optimized - seems a bit off. Jolla (the phone) was always praised for its battery life, as SailfishOS uses some tricks to help the power consumption, like deep sleep of apps when the phone is locked (unless the apps use Nemo Keepalive which is not allowed in Jolla Store) where apps' processes are slowed down (big simplification). One could argue if that's real multitasking, but it's nowhere near iOS/Android - you're right about that.

EDIT: I would also like to know if what marmistrz is asking about is achievable using some tricks. I tried to use a recent Samsung phone in the last couple of weeks, after my Jolla broke, but had to go back to the N900, as multitasking is definitely not the case in the Samsung's flavor of Android and downloading random ROMs (with no source code origin verifiability) from shady forums is not my cup of tea.

EDIT 2:
To share my experience from the Samsung's Android (v5.1; others may differ):

1. No, the system kills it whenever it considers necessary.
2. No, there is no multitasking screen whatsoever - you only have a "recent apps" list, but you don't know which apps on the list are running and removing an app from the list doesn't necessarily kill it.
3. No, to close an app you must go to Settings -> App Manager, find a tab called "Running", find your app, click on it and press the "Stop" button. Minimization is done by pressing the Home button, but you can't be sure it will stay minimized (see above).

EDIT 3:
To expand on the tablet argument:
My HP Touchpad with webOS featured real multitasking and when in Airplane mode, it drew ~1% of battery per night, so it could stay up for a month as well. Unofficial Android on the same device under same circumstances couldn't stay on for two days. It's all about optimization.

Re: Multitasking on Android
 

google will debut andr*id N with new multitasking features like split screen that we saw in sams*ng crapdr*ids and picture in picture, i saw the video but its still no real multitasking. floating apps is somewhere close to real multitasking on andr*id i think.

Re: Multitasking on Android
 

Multitasking, meaning you decide when your app dies, can apparently be improved using apps or xposed modules described in this xda thread. I have not tried it myself yet but will give it a go and report back. Feel free to beat me to the punch!

http://forum.xda-developers.com/show...1396599&page=2

Re: Multitasking on Android
 

I'm pretty sure that the bad standby battery life of the Jolla tablet mostly comes from the Intel chipset, which just doesn't excel at power saving.
It's no wonder you don't see much Intel hardware in mobile devices.

Re: Multitasking on Android
 

In my experience all of this talk is anecdotal, at best.
On Symbian or Harmattan, I have had apps reload data, or webpages refresh when brought back into the foreground. I have experienced the same thing with Android.
I have never had apps close or disappear when put into the background on Symbian or Harmattan. That has never happened to me on Android either.
I have had processes continue to run after closing them on Symbian and Harmattan. The same thing has happened on Android.

Everyone uses their phones differently, and every operating system handles those needs uniquely.

FOR ME, I find that the "recently used" apps page (always one button click away), is as accurate as any other OS i have used at showing what programs are open. From this screen a simple swipe or tap closes that program.

I am NOT an Android "fan", but how it handles multitasking really isn't the issue that the "facts" point it to be. There are plenty of other MUCH better reasons to hate Android...

Re: Multitasking on Android
 

I have a super cheap Intel-based Android tablet that's forever stuck on Android 4.2, and it takes 4-5 weeks before it's drained if left alone, so I don't think it's related to the chipset, maybe the configuration.

Re: Multitasking on Android
 

Ok. I tried the app Ram Manager and I did not see a significant improvement in multitasking. It is quite possible I am not using it properly or perhaps my kernel does not support some feature. But this is my general observation. I could simultaneously run 5 to 8 apps and switch between them without losing current state. The ram consumption of these apps ranged in size of 30mb to about 200 mb. On inspection it appeared that when I used these apps I had about 1/2 GB ram still available. The android os would not let me use more and would begin to kill apps to maintain this amount of "free" ram. It usually knocked off the biggest ram user that had been dormant the longest (still less than a minute in time!). I tried a swapping feature on Ram Manager but it did not help. Again maybe I did not do something right. If anyone has any ideas to try let me know. My Note edge is supposed to come with about 3gb ram but a lot of that (about 2gb) is overhead. So maybe the new phones with 6gb to 8gb recently released or are coming out soon will have much better multitasking. (assuming same criteria of .5gb is usually free for other stuff). Boosting the ram by say 3gb should allow you to easily run 15 to 20 more apps simultaneously which should satisfy most folks here. (Although few will be happy with how it is done!) I'd like to hear how some of the other phones like the Nexus and One plus perform. Please do chime in!

Re: Multitasking on Android
 

Well, the problem is not the number of apps running at the same time.

Often I do it this way: open one app in the morning, use the phone all day (with this one minimized or used once or twice), and open it back in the evening.

Android would've killed this a long time ago.