[mrtew]

When I got my iPhone4 I heard there were new AT&T data plans that were cheaper that didn't include unlimited usage so I checked my data usage history on AT&Ts website and found that my biggest month on record was only 60MB which is just a third of the lowest plan's 200MB limit and a fraction of the higher plan's 2GIG limit so I decided to save $15 and give up my unlimited plan forever.

Instantly I noticed that my data usage shot thru the roof and obviously I'll be charged for overages or have to upgrade unless I can figure out what's going on. I don't even hardly ever use my phone except when I'm at home on the WiFi. In fact I'm only in the U.S. for about 9 hours a day and I'm working the whole time in an area with almost no freaking signal!!! Is AT&T using a new formula to calculate usage? Is the iPhone4 doing something different? I haven't changed my push preferences or downloaded something that is constantly streaming that I know of. Is it the new multitasking that is leaving apps running in the background constantly updating maps or something??? Help!!!

[ghporter]

Multitasking seems to be getting you. I think a lot of people running iOS4 are going to be bitten by the same problem. I haven't found the "master control center" that lets you see what's running concurrently, or I'd point you to it, but I think that's the best place to start.

[ewiser]

Double click the home button to see what is running in the background. Touch and hold the app icon and then touch the -minus icon in the background section to kill the background running app.
Any app that you have used recently will be there. Kill all that you do not want to use again soon.

[MacinTommy]

I'd have to say that one of the next updates needs a better app kill system instead of having to kill each one individually. It's currently a pain in the ass IMHO.

[::maroma::]

I find the background app management to be pretty poor as well. Especially since we're now supposed to watch our data usage. I predict AT&T getting a lot of angry(er) customers about this issue when they see their bills.

[mduell]

Hmm, sounds like it needs an application manager of some sort.

Steve will never allow that in the App Store.

[ort888]

Maybe just a settings panel that lets us have some control over background apps. Such as limiting the number of apps allowed to run concurrently, the amount of data you want going up and down in the background, the amount that will show up in the little dock dealie, etc...

Not a task manager, but a little more control for people who seek it out.

[SSharon]

You might want to take your cell phone number off of that image.

[Cold Warrior]

Erring on the side of privacy, I've edited your picture to remove your phone number.

[mrtew]

Thanks, I didn't even notice my number on there! Can't believe it was up all day an not one person called me though ;-[ I always post my licence plate number on pictures of my car without fuzzing it out too and nobody ever follows me home and stabs me either!

I guess I'll have to switch to the 2GIG plan to avoid huge overage bills so I guess I'm playing right into AT&T's plans. I already called them and they can't tell me anything except that I can't switch back to unlimited data. I guess it will still be $5 cheaper than my old plan though so I shouldn't be too pissed.

[Wiskedjak]

Originally Posted by ghporter 

Multitasking seems to be getting you. I think a lot of people running iOS4 are going to be bitten by the same problem. I haven't found the "master control center" that lets you see what's running concurrently, or I'd point you to it, but I think that's the best place to start.

I believe that Steve said something about a "task manager" being poor design.

[SSharon]

Originally Posted by mrtew 

Thanks, I didn't even notice my number on there! Can't believe it was up all day an not one person called me though ;-[ I always post my licence plate number on pictures of my car without fuzzing it out too and nobody ever follows me home and stabs me either!

I was thinking about texting you after I posted, but I didn't know how you would receive it.

[ghporter]

Originally Posted by Wiskedjak 

I believe that Steve said something about a "task manager" being poor design.

I'd agree. It should be both obvious to see what's running and trivial to end an app that you don't want running-without any additional app. I think we had a discussion about how this might work before iOS4 actually came out, and I suggested one potential way to switch between and/or kill apps-a method that was not some sort of "task manager." But that's not the way they went anyway, and having to go through a number of hoops to identify and then kill apps you don't want running is not only a royal PITA, it's also "bad design."

[imitchellg5]

Originally Posted by Wiskedjak 

I believe that Steve said something about a "task manager" being poor design.

He said if you had to include a task manager, "you blew it." Funny how Apple includes a task manager...

[Wiskedjak]

so, I actually agree with both of you. I'm just getting increasingly tired with Steve's marketing speak of late.

[placebo1969]

I just checked mine. My last month was 673 MB. The previous few months were averaging about 100. Curiously, my February was 482. I still have the unlimited plan and was thinking about going to the 2GB one. I'll let it ride for a few more months to see. I guess I shouldn't be checking the Speedtest app several times a day.

[Oisín]

Strange—mine doesn’t seem to have shot through the roof like that at all. I usually average about 120–130, and last month’s, while higher, was still only about 190. On the other hand, I did travel a bit (where I turned off data roaming due to extortionate prices), so I should wait till August to check for sure …

[asxless]

I just checked our July bill and... The data usage for our iPhone 3Gs running iOS4 roughly doubled our typical prior months' usage

FWIW the Data Usage Calculator on the AT&T site is quite interesting. It only takes couple of hours/day of streaming internet radio to push the 2GB plan limit. I think we will be keeping our "unlimited plan" for awhile longer

asxless in iLand