iOS 8 Code Points to Multiple Options for Split-Screen Multitasking

[pdaholic]

I really don't care which company copies the other...I'm so balls-deep in the Apple ecosystem that it would be too costly for me to switch. So I say, copy away, Apple! Make my phone/tablets/lappy as good as or better than the competition!

In other words, I would like split-screen multitasking.

 

[Cloudane]

Steven Troughton-Smith, eh? He sounds like the ultimate Doctor Who actor

 

[seble]

I really don't care which company copies the other...I'm so balls-deep in the Apple ecosystem that it would be too costly for me to switch. So I say, copy away, Apple! Make my phone/tablets/lappy as good as or better than the competition!

In other words, I would like split-screen multitasking.

Basically, This!

 

[Menel]

Only on iPad Air 2:
Touch ID
A8 processor with 2gb ram
Split screen multi-tasking

They had to save something for the next iPad rollout.

Personnally, I don't think the split screen will get much use from the average customer. Touch UI and iOS are fundementally one-app-at-a-time experiences. A split screen will just be too cramped for most folks tastes and stubby fingers.

Not surprising.
Needs more RAM for this feature.

 

[heehee]

As far as I know, only Samsung Galaxy Note phones/tablets have that capability, and it's part of Touch Wiz, not Android. Furthermore, try using it, or ask how many people with those devices actually utilize the feature.

I have that feature on my Galaxy S3

 

[SactoGuy18]

My guess is that the feature will be "tested" in a later iOS 8.0 beta drop, but won't be released until the first major update for iOS 8.0--probably named iOS 8.1--gets released in March 2015. And iOS 8.1 will also get and updated Maps program with full transit information.

 

[gnasher729]

I don't see why it wouldn't work on the retina iPad Mini. They have the same resolution, and the only difference is the PPI but splitting the screen won't make UI elements any smaller. Developers would presumably use auto layout to determine breakpoints for where their interface would go.

There was one WWDC session informing developers that they shouldn't do layout for "iPhone" and "iPad", but for "compact" and "<don't know what they called it>". Presumably a split iPad screen would have two apps in "compact" layout. You would want an iPhone-like UI, not a shrunk iPad-like UI.

 

[qweenapps]

pretty nice

 

[sniffies]

Guys, don't you get it? The feature was not demoed simply because it's meant for the new 5.5-inch iPhone 6 and the next generation iPads. Not because it wasn't ready.

 

[willcapellaro]

Actually, try welcome to TouchWiz on select Samsung devices, most within the past year. Also, not a great implementation as the number of compatible apps was severely limited. But yes, your 'late to the game' implementation is understood.

Yeah, Apple could definitely improve on what Samsung does. That would be pretty typical and welcome.

Don't need to be first, just need to be best.

 

[OldSchoolMacGuy]

I think you're right... I wish my iPad 2 could do it but I am afraid it wouldn't work well enough for apple to allow it.

Even if they hardware itself would support it, Apple often limits new features on older products to help encourage people to upgrade to a newer device. At the same time, it keeps them from having to deal with tons of complaints when the older product with a slower processor can't keep up and provides a less than great user experience.

----------

Guys, don't you get it? The feature was not demoed simply because it's meant for the new 5.5-inch iPhone 6 and the next generation iPads. Not because it wasn't ready.

There is no way you're going to fit 2 apps on a tiny 5.5" screen at the same time. This is a feature the iPad will see, not the iPhone.

 

[Digital Skunk]

Actually, try welcome to TouchWiz on select Samsung devices, most within the past year. Also, not a great implementation as the number of compatible apps was severely limited. But yes, your 'late to the game' implementation is understood.

Actually two years ago is quite correct. Link

The implementation of it and the number of compatible apps is moot since the feature was TouchWiz specific and not something rooted in Android. No other mobile OS had side by side multitasking on a 5.5" device at the time. You had to get a tablet with TouchWiz or a full fledged Windows 8 running tablet to get the same benefit.

The people who keep passive aggressively bringing it up.

Apple iPhone and iOS users?

As far as I know, only Samsung Galaxy Note phones/tablets have that capability, and it's part of Touch Wiz, not Android. Furthermore, try using it, or ask how many people with those devices actually utilize the feature. Even on the Note 10.1 tablet 2014, it gets laggy.

No it doesn't . . . . not at all. Maybe on the S3 which had the feature added later, but the Note 2 runs smoothly, even with two apps and a floating window open.

Can Apple please fix iOS7's stability first? I mean really, my iPhone 5 just had a Springboard restart, on its own. (it was lying on the table, everything's fine, then suddenly I saw the Apple logo...). That is ridiculous.

Now I can get behind that. iOS7 looks REALLY nice and my iPod Touch is way smoother than I could've hoped, but it does from time to time force a restart or drops an app.

 

[Kwill]

Happy to hear that Apple is catching up to "The Next Big Thing."

 

[ThisIsNotMe]

If they would simply put a Picture-In-Picture option, that'd be great. Whatever app or video source you're watching can play uninterrupted while you work, in a little floating window you can move around and resize.

...this split-window implementation is a gobbledy mess.

Split screen on an iPad is perfect for 2x portrait orientated apps when the iPad is in landscape mode.

 

[kevingaffney]

Surprised at number of people who don't see the split screen as important. In evenings I use my ipad about 50% on a handful of forums! the rest of the time on sky go app mainly watching sports. For me it would be a giant step forward to have those two apps running side by side and I was disappointed it wasn't announced as part of ios8

 

[proline]

Why?

Because

a) it affects them directly and will change the way their apps work
b) it isn't the kind of thing that can be release without a beta (and no, it won't be coming later in the iOS 8 beta, if it were Apple would have had no reason not to mention it at all at WWDC)
c) this is the kind of feature that can only be released AFTER developers make the "adaptable interfaces" that Apple was telling them to at WWDC.

This is iOS 9 stuff and its pathetic that MR doesn't have the insight to see that.

----------

Even if they hardware itself would support it, Apple often limits new features on older products to help encourage people to upgrade to a newer device.

Conspiracy BS. Find some evidence. Apple limits new features on older products because either

a) the hardware won't run them well
b) accounting / legal issues (ie. adding a feature that requires expensive licensing to an old product can exceed the money Apple has set aside as per accounting rules for upgrades)

 

[MagnusVonMagnum]

Do Android zealots actually believe that Android was the first OS to do anything?

Microsoft didn't innovate at all. That didn't stop them from destroying the competition into the '90s. Google is clearly taking a page out of the history book from Microsoft's playing book and Apple is playing the same old game in had back in the '80s (i.e. come out with a few new cool products and then push for short term high dollars instead of a large market share that will sustain you for the long run instead). Google is pushing the envelope with self-driving vehicles for the Johnny Cabs of the future. Apple has decided to push overpriced bass-heavy headphones on the street corner instead.

My money is on Google 10 years from now, not Apple. Steve was good at innovating some new products, but since his departure from Earth, I haven't been "wowed" even once by Apple products. Certainly Johnny Five's "Golden Girls" pastel visual makeover of iOS didn't impress me much. They had their chance to go for market share at iPhone V1.0, but clearly even Steve couldn't see long term that market share is vastly more important for sustainability than high price sales to the rich. Sooner or later the mass market stuff catches up in features and overwhelms the low-market share stuff that will then have trouble attracting developers when they stand to make a LOT more money in a market with 10x the market share. Yeah, $2 fart apps don't take long to make for both systems, but wait and see what happens when Apple's market share drops below 10%. Look at the Mac in the '90s to see the future of Apple.

If Apple wants to do high-end, small market, it should be pushing the PRO envelope, not running away from it. It should be pushing new technologies in areas that won't see immediate sales (like Google is doing with self-driving cars). Without a long-term sustainability plan, Apple could disappear in a decade easily (just look what happened from their golden year 1980s to the 1990s and how they almost went under then).

 

[sk1wbw]

Microsoft didn't innovate at all. That didn't stop them from destroying the competition into the '90s. Google is clearly taking a page out of the history book from Microsoft's playing book and Apple is playing the same old game in had back in the '80s (i.e. come out with a few new cool products and then push for short term high dollars instead of a large market share that will sustain you for the long run instead). Google is pushing the envelope with self-driving vehicles for the Johnny Cabs of the future. Apple has decided to push overpriced bass-heavy headphones on the street corner instead.

My money is on Google 10 years from now, not Apple. Steve was good at innovating some new products, but since his departure from Earth, I haven't been "wowed" even once by Apple products. Certainly Johnny Five's "Golden Girls" pastel visual makeover of iOS didn't impress me much. They had their chance to go for market share at iPhone V1.0, but clearly even Steve couldn't see long term that market share is vastly more important for sustainability than high price sales to the rich. Sooner or later the mass market stuff catches up in features and overwhelms the low-market share stuff that will then have trouble attracting developers when they stand to make a LOT more money in a market with 10x the market share. Yeah, $2 fart apps don't take long to make for both systems, but wait and see what happens when Apple's market share drops below 10%. Look at the Mac in the '90s to see the future of Apple.

If Apple wants to do high-end, small market, it should be pushing the PRO envelope, not running away from it. It should be pushing new technologies in areas that won't see immediate sales (like Google is doing with self-driving cars). Without a long-term sustainability plan, Apple could disappear in a decade easily (just look what happened from their golden year 1980s to the 1990s and how they almost went under then).

Put your money on a company who’s main source of revenue is ads. Sure. And Apple has been doomed since 1980, too. Every year I hear this same stupid ass thing.

Self driving cars. Okay. Put your life in a car that you can’t steer, or brake. No thanks.

 

[Digital Skunk]

Split screen on an iPad is perfect for 2x portrait orientated apps when the iPad is in landscape mode.

I was going to say the same thing while I was sipping my coffee this morning.

Surprised at number of people who don't see the split screen as important. In evenings I use my ipad about 50% on a handful of forums! the rest of the time on sky go app mainly watching sports. For me it would be a giant step forward to have those two apps running side by side and I was disappointed it wasn't announced as part of ios8

Same here, when I used my iPad regularly, I used it to write up docs and emails, invoices, and inventory. Some times I'd have to login to a remote machine.

When I was replying to an email, it would've been nice to see the email next to my draft. More importantly, I'd love it if i could have information on the systems I worked with up as well. I can do and see all of that on a Note 2 with split screen and floating window.

 

[macduke]

You're right, it doesn't make any sense not to support the mini.

MacRumors is just repeating what Mark Gurman from 9to5Mac wrote when he "broke the story". It didn't make any sense when he wrote it, and it doesn't make sense now. (I'm still skeptical about his 489PPI 3x resolution iPhone 6 prediction).

But hey, if Apple does support split screen on both the Air and mini from the start, I guess he'll say that it was a last minute change Apple made to make him look like a fool.

I wouldn't disregard Gurman. I've worked with him before (I was a writer at 9to5Mac for a brief period of time a few years ago—I stopped because I didn't have time to keep up with it) and he has some pretty solid sources. That and the guy is a machine. He lives and breathes technology news. It's slightly scary.

As it pertains to split-screen multitasking, I think one of two things will happen:

1. New iPad Air with A8 and 2GB of ram which supports multitasking. Retina iPad Mini either doesn't get updated and gets a small price drop or lags behind in hardware with 1GB of ram. In this situation it might make sense for it to be iPad Air only.
2. iPad Pro is released with amazing specs and supports multitasking, lower-tier iPads do not.

 

[MagnusVonMagnum]

Put your money on a company who’s main source of revenue is ads. Sure. And Apple has been doomed since 1980, too. Every year I hear this same stupid ass thing.

Self driving cars. Okay. Put your life in a car that you can’t steer, or brake. No thanks.

Wow. Do you have any idea how many companies' revenue is based on ads? Every single media company out there from cable companies like Comcast to Satellite like Direct TV to The New York Times, magazines, etc. Those companies are worthless due to ads? And you are using words like "stupid ass" in your post?

Sorry, but anyone who can't see Google's absolute LOCK on the search engine market coupled with their massive branch-out into social media apps and quickly vying to replace Apple as the most valuable brand on Earth and dismisses them as some ad company has been spending too much time in Colorado, IMO.

 

[MacMan988]

Developers will have to go through a hard time in designing and implementing the UI if such a resizing capability is provided in iOS

 

[Ddyracer]

 

[Appel]

The new one hand mode on iphone 6 is ugly. But if you place one app on top of the other its rather nice. I think this multitasking will be added upon it. And probably linked to the dubble-tap touch id and will be launched with the new ipad 2 with touch id and then added to atleast iphone 6 plus. Seems possible.