Multitasking has been one of the most requested features for the iPhone and it looks like it’s finally coming to the device. Apple is working to reveal the next Firmware Upgrade iPhone OS 4.0 which would include this feature, reports AppleInsider from trusted sources. The inability to multi-task has always topped the list of complaints on iPhone and now Apple is finally going to tackle the issue of running third party apps in background. This means iPhone user’s will now be able to do the “full on multi-tasking” .

Today’s iPhone’s 3.x.x software is a fully preemptive multitasking operating system but it artificially restricts apps (other than specific ones bundled with the system by Apple) from running in the background. Apple has always cribbed on poor battery life as the reason to not enable this feature. With the iPhone barely running for 6 hours under heavy use, according to Apple, running apps in the background would bring the battery life down even more.

Since Apple first introduced the ability to run third party applications on the Apple iPhone 2.0 controversies have been brewing with the multi-tasking issue, often reported as a technical flaw. The phone can run SMS, email, iPod, voice recorder and certain other bundled applications in background while another application is being used, but in case of a third party app, it is designed such that the app is shut down when the user tries to go to the home screen or accept an incoming call .

Jailbreaking your iphone was a common way to launch and run multiple apps at the same time, however by jail breaking the iPhone Security Model is compromised. This also opens doors to malware and piracy, which were handled previously by the default security system. With this multi tasking feature being a part of iPhone OS 4.0, it would no longer be required to jailbreak your iPhone for multi tasking.