Apple Aiming to Make iPad More Mac-Like With iPadOS 16 Multitasking Changes

[juanm]

I bought my iPad with M1 last year hedging a bet software would make use of it. If its this year then all the better. I would really appreciate being able to manage the app windows the way I do on Mac. I dont need the full Mac experience but would like to adjust window size to my liking and have several open at once. Cant wait for Monday. Not too excited so I dont leave disappointed but ready none the less because I like this time of year.

What, you don’t like annoying windows that start floating around randomly and that are as hard as hell to get rid of?

 

[bcortens]

Like hopefully there's an option to resize and overlay windows.

I didn't even read the meat of the article when I posted that, but I did now and I'm glad it's mentioned lol.

This doesn’t buy you anything - what is the use case? It introduces a huge slew of UX problems for minimal/no gain. People asking for this seem to just want what’s familiar rather than what’s better…

 

[AlexESP]

It’s 2022 and some people still think it’s a good idea to have a traditional PC OS with touch controls. This was a discussion 10 years ago. Of course, no debate is closed, but to me it’s like thinking smartphones need physical keyboard and buttons.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Gurman has been saying this for 2yrs now. Nothing cometh yet.

After WWDC, Gurman's new focus is going to be the incoming September event later this year.

 

[StudioMacs]

This doesn’t buy you anything - what is the use case? It introduces a huge slew of UX problems for minimal/no gain. People asking for this seem to just want what’s familiar rather than what’s better…

Steve Jobs said some people like to be a janitor and clean up open windows and folders. He begrudgingly left that on the Mac.

 

[dannyyankou]

This doesn’t buy you anything - what is the use case? It introduces a huge slew of UX problems for minimal/no gain. People asking for this seem to just want what’s familiar rather than what’s better…

Well for starters, I'm guessing this will finally allow you to have more than one app open at once in portrait mode. Second, you're not confined to just 3 app sizes (meaning full screen, half the screen, and 1/3 of the screen). It gives you more flexibility.

Also, I think it could make things more fluid overall with multitasking, drag and drop, etc.

 

[allenvanhellen]

I actually don’t care about this. I use most apps on my Mac in full or split screen. The ones that I typically don’t use in such a way are file transfer, management, and processing apps (Transmission, SoulSeek, iTunes (iPod attached) and scripts, XLD (FLAC to ALAC), HandBrake, etc.), the likes of which just aren’t available on iPad OS. What I really want are apps like those and LOGIC, FINAL CUT, etc. (and a full version of GarageBand)!!

 

[Leon Ze Professional]

"The iPad’s next major software update, iPadOS 16, will have a redesigned multitasking interface that makes it easier to see what apps are open and switch between tasks, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the changes aren’t yet public. It also will let users resize app windows and offer new ways for users to handle multiple apps at once."

Ala Samsung DeX then?

 

[VictorTango777]

I'd prefer one robust OS that takes the best of iPad OS and MacOS that can run on various form factors, from tablets to laptops to multiple monitor desktop setups. This would also allow Apple hardware designers to come up with some new and interesting hardware designs, though probably not new for Windows users. The notion that Macs should never have touchscreens is silly and I feel like that mentality has held Apple back half a decade.

Macs should not have touchscreens because "gorilla arm" positioning of touch screen is not ergonomically friendly. And there is no way to position a screen in any way other than "gorilla arm" position. And it is impossible for Apple to design displays in any position other than "gorilla arm" position.

No matter how an iPad is positioned, it is always in the perfect position for touch input. It is impossible to put an iPad in an ergonomically unfriendly position for touch input.

MacOS should not support touch input because MacOS and Mac applications were not originally designed for touch input. Apple should not add any new features to MacOS because MacOS was not originally designed with those features. Application developers should not add any new features because their applications were not originally designed with those features.

If Macs had touchscreens, MacOS would no longer work with a keyboard and mouse.

 

[Digitalguy]

Run MacOS on it and end this nonsense...

Better multitasking will make the iPad more versatile but far from a MacBook replacement. As long as it cannot run Mac software (including powerful ones like Parallels with Windows), that's a very different beast.
MacOS can be run easily on an iPad with Magic Keyboard. And it should not replace iPadOS, just be an additional option.
But that would cannibalize MacBook sales so not happening....

 

[Digitalguy]

Macs should not have touchscreens because "gorilla arm" positioning of touch screen is not ergonomically friendly. And there is no way to position a screen in any way other than "gorilla arm" position. And it is impossible for Apple to design displays in any position other than "gorilla arm" position.

No matter how an iPad is positioned, it is always in the perfect position for touch input. It is impossible to put an iPad in an ergonomically unfriendly position for touch input.

MacOS should not support touch input because MacOS and Mac applications were not originally designed for touch input. Apple should not add any new features to MacOS because MacOS was not originally designed with those features. Application developers should not add any new features because their applications were not originally designed with those features.

If Macs had touchscreens, MacOS would no longer work with a keyboard and mouse.

While I agree that Macs with touchscreen make little sense, the last sentence is just wrong. Windows 10 works great with keyboard and mouse and not so great with touch. What you are thinking maybe is Windows 8.
Having said that Macs could support the pencil, just like sidecar does, if Apple only wanted (but that might cannibalize iPad sales)

 

[dontwalkhand]

This is going to be exciting, and if true, I probably will just leave my MacBook Pro at home/the office, and just use my iPad everywhere. It is pretty much that already for me, but I mostly carry the MacBook Pro because of the ability to have multiple windows open at the same time.

 

[currocj]

Let’s all say it together: User Accounts

 

[bcortens]

Manipulating windows on an iPad Pro is tedious. I suspect there will be more variability with iPadOS 16 but windows manipulation will still be tedious. My vote would be for Apple to introduce an ApplePencilable Touchscreen iMac or MacBook Pro. Now that idea would be something I'd be willing to open my stingy old wallet for.

In other words, give the MacBook Pro some features that make it more like an iPad.

It’s really not - it’s not discoverable - but it is otherwise really good. The fact that it isn’t Mac like doesn’t make it bad - people seem to want a touchscreen Mac, which People like me who love the iPad would hate. I already don’t like the windowing UI on macOS and try and make it as iPad like as possible…

 

[alex2792]

This plus incoming regulations to decouple iPad from the App Store and we got a real laptop replacement on our hands!

 

[bcortens]

Steve Jobs said some people like to be a janitor and clean up open windows and folders. He begrudgingly left that on the Mac.

Which is why the Mac still exists, don’t make iPad OS worse for people who want to use it like a Mac most of the time.
Transforming UIs have been tried and failed several times now…

Well for starters, I'm guessing this will finally allow you to have more than one app open at once in portrait mode. Second, you're not confined to just 3 app sizes (meaning full screen, half the screen, and 1/3 of the screen). It gives you more flexibility.

Also, I think it could make things more fluid overall with multitasking, drag and drop, etc.

But what problem does any of that solve? I don’t know which iPad is limited to one app in portrait mode but mine (11” pro) does Split View and Slide Over just fine.
Window management on a touch device in portrait mode doesn’t sound fun it sounds tedious and terrible. Window management should be easy and fast not slow and fiddly, the current windowing system on iPad is fast and fluid and doesn’t require any work to make sure you don’t lose a window or get a window stuck under the keyboard. Floating windows doesn’t make app switching faster, having a bunch of tiny compact windows on screen or a few large ones overlapping isn’t going to make it faster to get what you need it’s just going to introduce visual clutter.

 

[GroovyCatticus]

Not following you on this one. You can resize the windows for Notes? How?

The floating quick notes widget on the iPad can be resized by using a pinch out/in. There are only two sizes however.

 

[bcortens]

I’m really beginning to think people who want Mac style floating resizae windows don’t use modern iPad multitasking much - I agree it is not discoverable but it is very good once you figure it out. I also don’t think they have thought through the implications of manual window management on a device that needs to be fully usable with touch only.
I also think they dont understand what is really holding back iPadOS from a power user perspective - it isn’t windowing…

If we get windowing i doubt we get the real fixes (proper Inter-app communication, better system access, better file management, proper long running background tasks, virtual memory/swap). And everyone who thinks they will suddenly start using iPads if only they’d fix multitasking will still not use them because that was never the problem.

 

[rafark]

This coming from a company that didn’t have full screen applications for how many years?

Wdym?

 

[bcortens]

The floating quick notes widget on the iPad can be resized by using a pinch out/in. There are only two sizes however.

I wish this was more of a hot corner - launch a specified app I choose in slide over - rather than only being notes. Let slide over have the same size options as standard apps (1/3, 1/2,2/3) and that would be perfect.

Edit: I really dislike random 1-off UI systems that only apple gets to use when a general system would be just as good.

 

[darngooddesign]

Macs should not have touchscreens because "gorilla arm" positioning of touch screen is not ergonomically friendly. And there is no way to position a screen in any way other than "gorilla arm" position. And it is impossible for Apple to design displays in any position other than "gorilla arm" position.

My thinkpad has a touchscreen, I use touch for some things and trackpad for others. No gorilla arms over here.

 

[dannyyankou]

Which is why the Mac still exists, don’t make iPad OS worse for people who want to use it like a Mac most of the time.
Transforming UIs have been tried and failed several times now…

But what problem does any of that solve? I don’t know which iPad is limited to one app in portrait mode but mine (11” pro) does Split View and Slide Over just fine.
Window management on a touch device in portrait mode doesn’t sound fun it sounds tedious and terrible. Window management should be easy and fast not slow and fiddly, the current windowing system on iPad is fast and fluid and doesn’t require any work to make sure you don’t lose a window or get a window stuck under the keyboard. Floating windows doesn’t make app switching faster, having a bunch of tiny compact windows on screen or a few large ones overlapping isn’t going to make it faster to get what you need it’s just going to introduce visual clutter.

I more meant running 2 apps top and bottom in portrait. I didn't even remember you could do split view in portrait mode because it's such a lackluster experience. If I can run one app on top, and one app on the bottom, I'd use it more.

I use it more in landscape because it makes more sense.

 

[Karma*Police]

Macs should not have touchscreens because "gorilla arm" positioning of touch screen is not ergonomically friendly. And there is no way to position a screen in any way other than "gorilla arm" position. And it is impossible for Apple to design displays in any position other than "gorilla arm" position.

No matter how an iPad is positioned, it is always in the perfect position for touch input. It is impossible to put an iPad in an ergonomically unfriendly position for touch input.

MacOS should not support touch input because MacOS and Mac applications were not originally designed for touch input. Apple should not add any new features to MacOS because MacOS was not originally designed with those features. Application developers should not add any new features because their applications were not originally designed with those features.

If Macs had touchscreens, MacOS would no longer work with a keyboard and mouse.

So you think Apple should stand still? Gorilla arm is a myth. No one is saying a touchscreen should be the only form of input. I use my iPad almost exclusively as a laptop and so do most iPad users I know, and there’s a huge convenience factor in having multiple input options. I can’t tell you how many times I reach up to touch my MBP’s screen, only to realize it doesn’t accept touch input. In a way, it’s actually easier transitioning from my iPad to my Win 11 laptop because it has a touchscreen.

 

[smulji]

If Macs had touchscreens, MacOS would no longer work with a keyboard and mouse.

And yet the iPad lineup has a touch screen and works perfectly fine with keyboard and mouse. Interesting how that works. And so does Windows 11. Your logic is flawed.

 

[bcortens]

I more meant running 2 apps top and bottom in portrait. I didn't even remember you could do split view in portrait mode because it's such a lackluster experience. If I can run one app on top, and one app on the bottom, I'd use it more.

I use it more in landscape because it makes more sense.

How would you use the Keyboard with the bottom app?
I can imagine a kind of tiling system where you see the bottom app pushed up over the top app but that has its own UX issues.