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iPad Better multitasking interface
- Thread starter Mr.Blacky
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Are we talking about the App Switcher here, or about multitasking? Two different things. The App Switcher I use all the time. Now that each app can have multiple windows, I usually have multiple open at a time. The App Switcher let me identify and switch the easiest way. I don't want anything more complex than it is now. Split View I use, but find the method of putting apps side by side not that great. I wish I could drag one app onto the other in the App Switcher, or unsplit apps right there. Slide Over I rarely use.
Multitasking as a whole needs a major overhaul. Apple should also implement something like Launchpad from MacOS. Just do a 4 or 5 finger pinch and you see all your apps as an overlay.
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It wouldn't really matter, if you have all of your apps in the dock. But if not, it more often than not goes something like this:
You have an app open. You want to open a second one to create a splitscreen, so you slide up from the bottom of the screen to show the dock. To bad the app you want to use isn't under the recent used section. So you go to the homescreen, open the second app, show the dock and then drag the first app on the screen to create a splitscreen.
OR ... you have an app open, do a 4- or 5-finger pinch to see all your apps and drag the second app on the screen to create a splitscreen.
You have an app open. You want to open a second one to create a splitscreen, so you slide up from the bottom of the screen to show the dock. To bad the app you want to use isn't under the recent used section. So you go to the homescreen, open the second app, show the dock and then drag the first app on the screen to create a splitscreen.
OR ... you have an app open, do a 4- or 5-finger pinch to see all your apps and drag the second app on the screen to create a splitscreen.
But then you'll have two launchers. Too confusing for people. What's the difference between Home Screen and Launcher? It will be two layers of rows with app icons that do the same, but at the same time aren't the same. I'd rather have the ability to combine apps (split view) inside the App Switcher. Simply launch the apps you need, then drag on top of each other in the App Switcher. Done.
I think iPadOS can easily handle different sized windows by now, just as it is on macOS. Imagine opening an app and then being able to resize its window any way you like and drag it to any portion of the screen? Then do the same with the second or third app and being able use them concurrently? That would be awesome. ?
It's not a question of could, but should. Personally, I hate window management in MacOS, and I first started using Macs in the 1990s. The constant need to resize windows is really tiring. And the arbitrary nature of it. Like when I have two OmniOutliner in front of me and want them to be the same size. How? Sure, on a large monitor it can be rather wonderful to arrange the windows you need in front of you, but with smaller screens like a MacBook Air, I find that it is much of a hassle dealing with document windows. (Funny how the Mac is more about windows than Windows. Haha!) I use full screen and split view more and more on MacOS. And when not, I use a window snapping app like Magnet. I think most people using iPads don't have the need to have so many windows open. Granted, some people might need it, and perhaps a three way view could be added, but making it more like the Mac? I choose the iPad because it is more relaxing an interface than a Mac.
Why would you have two launchers? Maybe I explained it wrong, but the overlay IS your homescreen basically.
So you have a home screen, and then an overlay of the home screen, which at the same time is also NOT the home screen. Conceptually it doesn't seem very sound, because then you'll have TWO layers of the same home screen that do different things. Sure, it gets the job done, but it will create more abstraction in the OS, another layer. I would rather iPadOS stays with the current concepts of Home Screen, Dock, and App Switcher. Drag out of Dock works most of the time, if you have show recent apps in the Dock enabled. And adding the ability to split view inside the App Switcher via long press and drag is easy. Done. And it doesn't add any new concept, or layer.
Because it is just that. The "pinch" (overlay) Home screen is for dragging into another app to split view. The real Home screen is when you swipe up from the bottom or press the Home button. That's where you can launch apps, delete apps, rearrange apps, long press contextual menu apps, have widgets, etc. So two layers that visually look the same, but represent something different. That becomes the confusing part. They look the same, but are not.
And if you add the ability to also launch apps with the overlay Home screen, it becomes even more confusing to the user. Because launching an app on the iPad has always been from the Home Screen. Now you'll have a "Home screen" when you pinch, and when you swipe up (or press Home button). But at the same time, the overlay "Home screen" is not the real Home screen, because it doesn't do all the other stuff of the real Home screen.
Then you must really hate, that you can drag from the bottom of the screen to show the dock in apps? And where did I say, it's ONLY for dragging apps into splitview?
Why would I hate that? It shows the Dock. It's part of the function of the Dock. It lets me easily switch favorite apps or drag apps for split view.
And if your overlay is not only for dragging apps into split view, it simply becomes another launcher. Like I said, it would duplicate function of the Home screen. Should we introduce duplicate function on iPad? I don't know.
It is conceptually better to transform the Dock to better accommodate the situation when an app you wish to split is not in the Dock, than it is to add another launcher overlay. Apple chose the three key concepts of Home screen, Dock and App Switcher as the main navigation elements -- and it already is much to have as the UI of the iPadOS, together with Control Center and Notifications. I find adding an overlay split-view aid / launcher to the mix will make the iPadOS messy -- but you may find otherwise, and that's okay. I personally think it is better to add functionally to the existing three key concepts, than to add another element to the mix.
I find the MacOS messy with Mission Control, Spaces, LaunchPad, Dock, Full Screen Windows, Normal Windows, Finder. Don't get me wrong, I use all those things, I just find the iPadOS variant more serene and conceptually more cohesive, with no duplicate functionality in the core concepts.
But you can't choose to edit the homescreen or delete an app, while showing the dock in an app. So it's two different things. ?♂️ Also how would my concept disrupt your way of using multitasking on the iPad? You could still use it in the same way as always (just better ?).Why would I hate that? It shows the Dock. It's part of the function of the Dock. It lets me easily switch favorite apps or drag apps for split view.
And if your overlay is not only for dragging apps into split view, it simply becomes another launcher. Like I said, it would duplicate function of the Home screen. Should we introduce duplicate function on iPad? I don't know.
It is conceptually better to transform the Dock to better accommodate the situation when an app you wish to split is not in the Dock, than it is to add another launcher overlay. Apple chose the three key concepts of Home screen, Dock and App Switcher as the main navigation elements -- and it already is much to have as the UI of the iPadOS, together with Control Center and Notifications. I find adding an overlay split-view aid / launcher to the mix will make the iPadOS messy -- but you may find otherwise, and that's okay. I personally think it is better to add functionally to the existing three key concepts, than to add another element to the mix.
I find the MacOS messy with Mission Control, Spaces, LaunchPad, Dock, Full Screen Windows, Normal Windows, Finder. Don't get me wrong, I use all those things, I just find the iPadOS variant more serene and conceptually more cohesive, with no duplicate functionality in the core concepts.
What do you mean by you can't choose to edit the homescreen or delete an app, while showing the dock in an app? On the Home screen, you load the Dock and inside an app the Dock becomes a switcher to those apps and a split view tool. That's the function of the Dock. And in this case, the transformation of functionality of the Dock within an app is acceptable, because it feels like it's one Dock -- and it is visually -- that simply has contextualized function once you call it up inside an app. Yeah, yeah, an overlay launcher would to you be like a "contextualized" Home screen
but to me it feels very different.Sure, it wouldn't disrupt any current functionality, but like I tried to explain, it would add another thing to the mix. It would duplicate function. I rather iPadOS stayed with the three key concepts, unlike the MacOS where they kept piling on stuff. Functionally all this stuff in MacOS is great. But conceptually the MacOS is not cohesive anymore, and arguably not that simple. And I like that they tried to make iPadOS as cohesive as possible.
I will give you one example of MacOS that is not cohesive as it is on iPadOS. When you call up the Launchpad in MacOS, you can drag stuff from there to the Dock. But when you drag it from the Launchpad to the Dock, it stays in the Launchpad and you get a duplicate app in the Dock! On iPadOS, there's just one app. Drag it from the Home screen inside the Dock, it moves to the Dock. It's cohesive. And that's what I want iPadOS to stay. No duplicate things, like on MacOS. Yes, adding functionality galore is possible in iPadOS, as was done in MacOS. I just wish they won't. It's that simple.
What duplicate things? Also, why don't you have a problem with iPad OS having two different user interfaces for multitasking? One for fullscreen apps and one for slide over apps. Isn't that basically the same thing you hate so much?What do you mean by you can't choose to edit the homescreen or delete an app, while showing the dock in an app? On the Home screen, you load the Dock and inside an app the Dock becomes a switcher to those apps and a split view tool. That's the function of the Dock. And in this case, the transformation of functionality of the Dock within an app is acceptable, because it feels like it's one Dock -- and it is visually -- that simply has contextualized function once you call it up inside an app. Yeah, yeah, an overlay launcher would to you be like a "contextualized" Home screen
Sure, it wouldn't disrupt any current functionality, but like I tried to explain, it would add another thing to the mix. It would duplicate function. I rather iPadOS stayed with the three key concepts, unlike the MacOS where they kept piling on stuff. Functionally all this stuff in MacOS is great. But conceptually the MacOS is not cohesive anymore, and arguably not that simple. And I like that they tried to make iPadOS as cohesive as possible.
I will give you one example of MacOS that is not cohesive as it is on iPadOS. When you call up the Launchpad in MacOS, you can drag stuff from there to the Dock. But when you drag it from the Launchpad to the Dock, it stays in the Launchpad and you get a duplicate app in the Dock! On iPadOS, there's just one app. Drag it from the Home screen inside the Dock, it moves to the Dock. It's cohesive. And that's what I want iPadOS to stay. No duplicate things, like on MacOS. Yes, adding functionality galore is possible in iPadOS, as was done in MacOS. I just wish they won't. It's that simple.