Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Hands-On With iOS 9's New iPad Multitasking Feature

MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
68,538
39,379



In iOS 9, the iPad is gaining a feature that will completely change the way a lot of us use our tablets, introducing functionality that will make it much easier to use the iPad as a serious computer replacement. That feature, which has been much-desired for several years now, is multitasking.

We went hands-on with iOS 9 to check out the multitasking feature on an iPad Air 2, and made a quick video to share what the new features look and feel like.


There are three different aspects to multitasking on the iPad: Slide Over, Split View, and Picture in Picture. Slide Over can be activated in any supported app. Pull over from the right side of the screen to the left to open up a second window, which takes up 1/3 of the screen.

This isn't true multitasking because it pauses the background window, but it's a way to quickly send an email or answer an incoming email without having to stop what you're doing. You can change the app shown in the Slide Over by swiping down from the top of the screen.

On an iPad Air 2, if you pull the Slide Over window further to the left, it'll enter Split View. Split View shows two apps at once and is a true multitasking feature. You can use both apps independently of one another and both are fully functional, with each taking up half the screen.

The third new multitasking feature is Picture in Picture, which works similarly to the picture-in-picture function on televisions. When watching a video or participating in a FaceTime call, the video window can be minimized to one corner of the iPad so you can continue to use other apps while you watch (or chat).

For now, all of these features are compatible only with Apple's apps, but third-party apps will also be compatible with multitasking with developer support. Slide Over and Picture in Picture work on the iPad Air, iPad Air 2, iPad mini 2, and iPad mini 3, but Split View feature is limited to the iPad Air 2, which has a more powerful A8X processor and 2GB RAM.

Multitasking is built into iOS 9, which is currently only available to developers. Apple plans to release a public beta of iOS 9 in July, with the official public launch coming in the fall

For more on what's new in iOS 9, make sure to check out our detailed iOS 9 roundup.

Article Link: Hands-On With iOS 9's New iPad Multitasking Feature
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2015/06/12/ios-9-ipad-multitasking-feature/
Last edited by a moderator:
It's a shame that Split View is limited to the latest iPad. And it's odd that Slide Over is different than Split View; I think that it should all be Split View, and you can resize the windows as you see fit. I guess we may see that happen in future hardware.
 
It's not the A8X processor that's needed for split view, it's the additional ram.
Apps like safari or messages don't even use half of the capabilities of the normal A8.
Thought you knew.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Billy95Tech
jayducharme said:
It's a shame that Split View is limited to the latest iPad. And it's odd that Slide Over is different than Split View; I think that it should all be Split View, and you can resize the windows as you see fit. I guess we may see that happen in future hardware.
Click to expand...

It's because when the "opened app" doesn't support split view, only we can do is slide over. That makes the slide over available anywhere.

Apple can't make the third party apps do split view automatically.. developers need to update it because there's lots of element in an app that needs to be automatically adjust it's location, resize, hide because of the limited screen, etc when doing a split view.
 
I want Picture in Picture on OS X. Sure, I can already resize a window, then move it around, but this is more elegant.
 
My guess is that the 6s+ will have some multitasking as well. (the picture in picture at least)
 
gerbilbox said:
I want Picture in Picture on OS X. Sure, I can already resize a window, then move it around, but this is more elegant.
Click to expand...
There are 3rd party that can do similar. My guess they will add the 'smart' resizing in the next next OS X version so as to not take the spotlight away from iOS on it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back