Apple has given a preview of some of the 100 features that will be included in a new iPhone operating system to be launched later this year.

今年晚些时候苹果将会发布用于iPhone的新操作系统，日前苹果向大家展示了新操作系统100多项新功能。

Steve Jobs gave a demonstration of the multi-tasking feature

Apple founder Steve Jobs showcased seven of the features, including multi-tasking which will let users run more than one programme at a time.

The feature is already included in many other smartphones.

A mobile advertising platform is to be launched to allow the device to run ads on applications made by third parties.

iAd marks Apple's first foray（突袭，侵略） into a potentially lucrative（赚钱的，合算的） new market, and pits it directly against Google's search engine advertising model.

Apple will allow external developers to pocket 60% of ad revenue（税收，收益） from iAd.

The Apple boss said the iPhone OS 4.0 update will be released first for the iPhone and iPod touch, and then the iPad, later this year.

'Be the best'

Apple boss Steve Jobs gave a demonstration of the multi-tasking feature showed the online radio station Pandora running in the background playing music while a user could either read news online or deal with email.

"We weren't the first to this party but we're going to be the best," he said.

Some of the other features unveiled at the presentation at Apple's headquarters in California include being able to create specific folders to store third party applications downloaded from iTunes, homescreen wallpapers, enhanced mail which will gather email from multiple accounts into one "unified" inbox and providing iBooks which is already on the iPad.

Mr Jobs said mobile users spend more time inside applications than searching the internet.

Therefore it made sense to have adverts within the applications - or apps as they are commonly termed.

"It's very clear that [Mr] Jobs believes that ads in the context of apps makes more sense than generic（一般的） mobile search," said Tim Bajarin at consulting company（咨询公司） Creative Strategies.