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iPad Split screen app multitasking
- Thread starter rovex
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They only said that the iPad version would be out in the coming weeks. While its likely they won't include that as a feature, we can't really speculate yet considering the iPad version wasn't even demoed or discussed.
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That's a Windows 8 feature. Apple would have been accused of stealing it if they implemented it into iOS 7. And something like that makes a lot more sense for Windows tablets because the screen sizes are so fragmented that apps have to be designed to work in different spaces. On the iPad, every single app is designed to work in the same dimensions so they aren't as flexible to running in obscure sizes.
They could just cut them in half theoretically. Im not sure about the dimensions but Im sure the could make it work. That would be true multitasking. Instead of switching back and forth from one app to another to get the information you need.
Yes, it could be something they're keeping secret for this Fall. We shall wait and see...
as for the above, split screen should not be an issue at all. A friend's android does it.
Highly unlikely will the iPad receive such a goodie.
1. It would have been demoed for at least five minutes in the Keynote as it'd greatly enhance the functionality of the iPad.
2. most WinRT vs. iPad ads list this "snap" mode a plus. (And they are right, I should add. I've used WinRT tablets and found the snap (dual-pane) mode absolutely great.) Apple could have easily stopped those ads by simply announcing / demoing the iPad's similar mode.
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Highly unlikely. As I've pointed out above, Apple could just make WinRT much-much less desirable by demoing something similar. Now, a lot of folks wait for the next-gen and, hopefully, higher-res screen Surfaces because of the snap mode only. Apple could have easily made the iPad for these folks as (or even more) desirable as the WinRT tablets. Apple may know very well they will be losing a lot of customers to WinRT because of the snap mode of the latter.
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You're right in that, when programming RT apps, you must use a given pixel width (320 pixels) for the snap app (the one in the left pane). That is, you cannot display arbitrary content there - there is no way of, say, dynamically downsizing an otherwise full-screen 16:9 view there.
However! This doesn't mean a full windowing system, like that of the absolutely excellent windowing tweak Quasar, couldn't be implemented by Apple. Then, the system would always just downsize the originally full-sized 4:3 windows. Two example screenshots I made running several apps at a time in Quasar on an iPad 3 (warning: large Retina-screen screenshots!)
http://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/13100693/html/042012RetinaHDVideoPlayers/jb/0526Quasarshot.PNG
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/81986513/092012/ASFWMVPlayer/IMG_1720.jpg
But they didn't show anything on the ipad at wwdc, which was a bit curious....
Again it's more unlikely than likely but as you say it would be a good feature to show during the next ipad event...
And more interestingly, looking back at wwdc 2012, the ipad was demoed alongside the iphone for io6. This year? not once.
Again it's more unlikely than likely but as you say it would be a good feature to show during the next ipad event...
And more interestingly, looking back at wwdc 2012, the ipad was demoed alongside the iphone for io6. This year? not once.
WinRT supports snap mode by default - that is, on all WinRT tablets, not only from a given manufacturer.
It also has a tremendous advantage of reusing the same view (the same work you've done to implement & build the view) on Windows Phone. That is, you kill two birds with one stone.
On Android, windowed / snap mode isn't standardized. Some manufacturers use it, even on phone-sized displays (see the S4's windowed video players), others don't.
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I wouldn't hold my breath. Apple does know power users love windowed multitasking on tablets. They also know all WinRT ads emphasize how much more productive RT's snap mode is compared to the one-app-only approach of the iPad. That is, they do know as soon as RT gains track, a lot of power users will leave iOS for RT. A simple announcement or screenshot ("and we're going to use multiwindow / pane multitasking on the iPad!") at WWDC would have sufficed to stop these folks wanting to leave for competing op. systems.
Considering Apple said all apps would have access to multi-tasking, and they haven't shown the iPad running iOS 7 yet, there's a possibility.
If Apple did implement it, I suspect they'd probably make it so the devs have to make a half-screen version of their app if they want the feature in their app.
If Apple did implement it, I suspect they'd probably make it so the devs have to make a half-screen version of their app if they want the feature in their app.
It's not full multitasking. Albeit I haven't personally tested it on real hardware (will only be able to install iOS7b1 on my iPhone5 - which is currently being repaired - next week the earliest, when I get it back), according to the current info I have on the new multitasking features of iOS7, it's in no way as powerful as that of, say, Windows RT. It only allows for updating / downloading info but not, say, video playback over AirPlay / wired TV output or camera recording.
Yes - it is one of the two alternatives (the other being is just rescaling the view, as does Quasar, practically showing the original 4:3 full screen in a smaller-sized window). As it requires explicit coding on the programmers' part (as is in Windows RT), Apple would have announced it on WWDC. Therefore, it can be stated for sure there won't be WinRT-style split multitasking in iOS7.