iPad High time, iPad Air 2 must support desktop style multitasking.

I am quite happy with the way my iPad air handles everything. I also don't really have any desire to have multitasking on the current model (if they want to put it on the "iPad pro" then thats fine, but I'm really not interested in that either). I don't have any problems and am quite satisfied for apple to continue to update features and leave multitasking to my iMac and macbook air.

When I need to do serious multitasking, I use my custom built desktop with its 16 GB RAM, huge monitor, and crisp keyboard.

I didn't purchase an iPad to multitask and remain quite happy with what it can do.

BTW, my office desktop is a Windows machine with 2 GB RAM and it absolutely sucks at multitasking. More than two programs open and it hangs.

I think the iPad air 2 or any iPad for that matter, has been amazing. It wasn't designed to be a replacement for desktop usage, it was design to be a always on, pick up and use quick device.

When I want to do desktop stuff, I use my desktop. Both can coexist just fine.

Definitely. Being able to text while watching a video on iPad would be great.

Funny to reference Vista since it didn't run anything reliably. iOS is a different sort of beast. I wouldn't expect it to have the same multi-tasking features as a full blown desktop OS. However there's definitely a lot of room for improvement on Apple's behalf. For example I would love to see split screen mode so I could have a web browser open in one window and a word processor open in the other window.

iOS has certainly gone downhill in performance with each iteration. I am surprised that my iPhone 6 is choppy at times and while I don't have an Air 2.. when I played around with it, it's noticeably faster but it still has a bit of lag here and there. There used to be a time when iOS debuted on a new device and it was super snappy with no lag.

With that said, iOS is currently not designed for desktop style multitasking. I think it would be a mistake to add multitasking to how it is now. It needs to be redesigned with multitasking in mind.

imaccooper said:

I am quite happy with the way my iPad air handles everything. I also don't really have any desire to have multitasking on the current model (if they want to put it on the "iPad pro" then thats fine, but I'm really not interested in that either). I don't have any problems and am quite satisfied for apple to continue to update features and leave multitasking to my iMac and macbook air.

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I agree. This desire to have ten apps open at once bouncing between them or even worse, having multiple smaller windows open at the same time on a ten inch screen is just WTF, in my opinion.

The ipad was never designed to replace a full blown laptop or whatever. It's not for that. I'd rather they stick to keeping the best tablet ever and let the workhorse systems handle all of these high end apps and multitask stuff. Otherwise, the ipad becomes just another jack of all trades master of none device. That'd suck.

sanke1 said:

I remember Windows Vista and OSX 10.6 running perfectly fine with 2 GB of RAM or even lesser. I am using iPad Air 2 and with 2 GB RAM, it still freezes apps and refreshes them couple of times. Not as much as Air 1 but it does it.
From this we can clearly deduce that iOS software is clearly outdated for modern computing and tablet usage.

Does anyone else believe Apple should announce Windows or OSX style proper multitasking for their 2 GB models?

Or will announcing such thing will render their current iPhone 6es obsolete overnight?

The more I think, I start to feel pity for all those iPhone 6 users who have purchased the phone with least longevity.

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You forget that x86 (what your Mac has) and ARM (what the iOS devices use) are two different processor architectures that have different requirements on battery and CPU muscle. Just because the iPad Air 2 has 2 GB of RAM doesn't mean that you'll be able to start running a desktop OS on it.

That being said, at least as of the original iPad Air, the capability to vastly improve upon iOS-on-iPad's multitasking DOES exist and they should improve upon it.

Similarly, iOS-on-iPad is long overdue for multi-user support, given that it still uses UNIX and it's far more common for teams to share iPads than it is for them to share iPhones/iPod touches.

Huh?

sviato said:

Definitely. Being able to text while watching a video on iPad would be great.

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Can't you already do this? Just touch the notification and reply.

26139 said:

Can't you already do this? Just touch the notification and reply.

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But it blurs out the screen and the keyboard covers the bottom

?

sviato said:

But it blurs out the screen and the keyboard covers the bottom

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And the solution to that would be...split screen?

Can't we switch between apps and do this right now?

If covering part of the movie isn't an option, how would the method now not work just fine?

I have no desire to do 2 things at once on my iPad. None. I use 2 monitors at work on a windoze machine and that's great, but my iPad is used differently. The iPad does what it does so well that I'm amazed that people want to screw it up.

26139 said:

And the solution to that would be...split screen?

Can't we switch between apps and do this right now?

If covering part of the movie isn't an option, how would the method now not work just fine?

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Yes, on the top of the screen I can have the video going and on the bottom I can be texting a friend and commenting along as I watch.

26139 said:

And the solution to that would be...split screen?

Can't we switch between apps and do this right now?

If covering part of the movie isn't an option, how would the method now not work just fine?

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If you are texting or searching the web during a video or streaming TV(think commercials), then the movie should be in a PIP window. Have another option where it' a split screen. Boom, two option - A tangible % of the customers are much happier, and those who don't use it won't even know it's there.

But much like the fanboi reaction to Apple's glueing in RAM and Storage on macs - the fanboi's would rather dump on people's wishes and desires non stop, that dare to go against what apple is currently doing.

I'm sure there are a couple features in iOS that some fanboi's don't use as well. Do fanbois go into forums were they discuss those options and rag on them as well? Apparently, we are not allowed to ask/plead. We are only able to how and thank the gracious leader for what we have been sparing provided.

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Aspasia said:

When I need to do serious multitasking, I use my custom built desktop with its 16 GB RAM, huge monitor, and crisp keyboard.
...

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Who's talking about serious multitasking? You are coming with the wrong apple defense. We are talking about making streaming TV(commercials) minimized, as you check emails, text, look in IMDB. Were talking about typing in a response in macrumors, and looking up a juicy quote in split screen, and NOT having your macrumors post be lost to a refresh.

I would expect serious multitasking either. But non-serious? Hell yeah.

While it would be nice, for me it isn't necessary.

sviato said:

Yes, on the top of the screen I can have the video going and on the bottom I can be texting a friend and commenting along as I watch.

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I like the idea of the split screen option, or PIP for certain tasks. I find that I use my iPad more and more, but adding that capability would be great! As it stands now, there are times when I have one item on my iPhone screen and the other thing I'm doing on my iPad. Not an elegant solution!

You want multitasking desktop style? USE A FREAKING DESKTOP!
I don't get this A.D.D. obsession with wanting to text while watching a movie etc. on such a small screen. The beauty of an iPad is that you can concentrate on singular tasks.

Or you would all be back here complaining that its too hard to do things on a split screen because everything is so small. Theres a reason Apple hasn't done it yet. Making split screen work and work well would be very very tricky.

Yes!

jonnyb098 said:

You want multitasking desktop style? USE A FREAKING DESKTOP!
I don't get this A.D.D. obsession with wanting to text while watching a movie etc. on such a small screen. The beauty of an iPad is that you can concentrate on singular tasks.

Or you would all be back here complaining that its too hard to do things on a split screen because everything is so small. Theres a reason Apple hasn't done it yet. Making split screen work and work well would be very very tricky.

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I like this comment.

Though as long as whatever works for you doesn't negatively impact me, I'm good with it.

But seriously, why do people want to do so much on a small screen? I can't bring myself to watch more than a few minutes of video on an iPad.

sviato said:

Yes, on the top of the screen I can have the video going and on the bottom I can be texting a friend and commenting along as I watch.

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I don't think you've thought this through. Do you realize the video would be the size of an iPhone 4, probably smaller?

Yup

chabig said:

I don't think you've thought this through. Do you realize the video would be the size of an iPhone 4, probably smaller?

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Totally agreed here. Not sure what I'm getting here.

If I can't see the video still, why in the hell would multitasking matter?

chabig said:

I don't think you've thought this through. Do you realize the video would be the size of an iPhone 4, probably smaller?

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everyone is different. I personally could watch a video and surf the web on something the size of the note 4.

I had the Samsung Note Tablet for awhile. Now that device has some very cool features for taking notes and multi-tasking. When you pull the pen/stylus out it pops up a window that allow you to take a note or draw on the screen you are on and then send it. That Feature I miss.
However the total package of the Air 2 is where I am at now, and very happy.

I think the idea of putting in everything AND the kitten sink is a faulty goal. Its said again and again if you want full desktop use; get a laptop. What I want in my tablet is the middle ground of my small screen phone and my larger screen heavy MBP.

Battery life, weight and fluid quick access to Web, Mail, Games and Notifications thats all I need. But it would be nice to have the stylus of the Sammy Note.

chabig said:

I don't think you've thought this through. Do you realize the video would be the size of an iPhone 4, probably smaller?

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26139 said:

Totally agreed here. Not sure what I'm getting here.

If I can't see the video still, why in the hell would multitasking matter?

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Landscape apps stacked in portrait orientation. So the video on the whole top half and messages app on the bottom, except without the messages keyboard covering half the screen but split to the sides with the convo in the middle.

So I have through it through and it should be possible.

sanke1 said:

I remember Windows Vista and OSX 10.6 running perfectly fine with 2 GB of RAM or even lesser. I am using iPad Air 2 and with 2 GB RAM, it still freezes apps and refreshes them couple of times. Not as much as Air 1 but it does it.
From this we can clearly deduce that iOS software is clearly outdated for modern computing and tablet usage.

Does anyone else believe Apple should announce Windows or OSX style proper multitasking for their 2 GB models?

Or will announcing such thing will render their current iPhone 6es obsolete overnight?

The more I think, I start to feel pity for all those iPhone 6 users who have purchased the phone with least longevity.

Click to expand...

I'm not a computer engineer, but as a computer hobbyist, it seems to me such expensive, modern hardware should allow multitasking. My Galaxy note 4 can multitask effectively, but my Air can't... Doesn't make sense.

Instead of an incremental yearly update, Apple should focus on a major update every 18 mos. it's why I'm skipping the Air 2 and have my fingers crossed on the Pro model... I'll wait for the reviews before I pull the trigger though.