When you switch between apps on iOS, the apps you’re no longer using enter a suspended state. Technically, they’re not running and will not use your device’s resources. You can switch back to a recent app and pick up where you left off. Most apps will have the same document or email open that you were previously editing. Some apps, like Twitter and Facebook, will load fresh content. iPhone users tend to empty their recent apps and it’s pretty simple to do unless you have an iPhone X. The swipe up gesture in the app switcher does not quit apps on iPhone X. It simply takes you back to the home screen.
There’s one extra step to quit apps on iPhone X. First, swipe up on the home indicator and hold to enter the app switcher. When you see all your recent apps, tap and hold any one of them much like you would tap and hold an app icon on your home screen to enter editing mode.
You will see a red minus badge appear at the top left of every app in the app switcher. Tap it to quit the respective app. Repeat for all apps you want to quit.
Compared to other iPhone models running the same version of iOS 11, this method has one extra step. The extra step isn’t that big of a problem but users are unlikely to just stumble on to it. Again, the iPhone X’s size will be a slight hurdle because users will have to reach the top of the screen. Reachability might make it easier but overall, the user experience suffers. On larger iPhone models such as the iPhone 8 Plus, users can swipe up on an app from the bottom of the screen to quit it which is obviously easier than using two hands, or using Reachability. It’s odd that the red badge is placed at the top left of an app instead of being placed at the bottom where it would be much easier to tap.
While the method to quit apps on iPhone X is new, Apple has reused it’s editing mode gesture again. The tap and hold to enter edit mode has been part of iOS for years and it even works the same way on macOS inside the Launchpad. Apple should have also included a button to quit all apps since users are already reaching for the top of their screen. There is room and the concept isn’t novel. Android’s app switcher allows users to quit apps one by one but it also lets users quit all recent apps which saves time and is obviously more convenient.
