It wasn't clear from what was presented, but can you resize the windows freely and have them take up the entire screen?
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iOS 16 iPad - Stage Manager
- Thread starter miamialley
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Right, I saw that, but I wasn't sure whether you can adjust your various windows to take up the screen, or if there was an artificial limitation on window size.
There is an artificial limit on window size. The basic concept i think is: you can resize to a handful of predetermined aspect ratio, and The smallest window size is an iPhone app window size.
Here are two samples.
One interesting side effect is the full screen only application, such as games, aren’t able to utilise adjusting window size yet, and it is not yet Possible to just overlay another window on top of full screen only application easily. As we further down into beta cycle things could change.
Also, multiple windows feature has a toggle in control Center. Easiest way to trigger it.
One interesting side effect is the full screen only application, such as games, aren’t able to utilise adjusting window size yet, and it is not yet Possible to just overlay another window on top of full screen only application easily. As we further down into beta cycle things could change.
Also, multiple windows feature has a toggle in control Center. Easiest way to trigger it.
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I’m using it now, it’s a vast improvement over their previous efforts. Still nothing like real Mac windowing but a huge step up.
How is it useful to have a bunch of iPhones size windows? Now my iPad is going to be apps that are iPhone sized apps? I'm must trying to understand how it works and how I would use this.
If you have a secondary M1 iPad, you can get the beta and try it out when public beta is live.
TBH, you can resize windows to some extent, just not as flexible as it would be on desktop OS with larger screen and more optimised experience.
Also, you can still use iPad as it was 12 years ago: full-screen app only but with added perks of quick switch etc etc. It is a far cry from actual desktop OS though I have to say, and it is sad to see Apple holding back on features arbitrarily.
When using external monitor, can apps benefit from larger screen sizes in full screen mode? For example, what will happen when I use Sheets or Excel with external 27" 16:10 monitor?
Crazy having 4 browser windows open at the same time.
Installed the beta to give it a go.
First impressions, not positive. A large part of it could be simply because it’s a first beta and there’s still a lot of bugs to iron out. But I’m really not sure the entire concept is going to be a viable option for me.
I think the most difficult thing most people are going to struggle with is since it’s a familiar concept, they’ll expect it to work like it does on macOS (or any windowed OS for that matter). And it does not, at all. For starters, the resizing options are limited to preset sizes. But the weirdest thing IMO is how the windows behind the one you’re resizing move all over the place as you’re resizing the window. I find it frustrating because it’s moving the windows I just finished setting up to a different spot on the screen, thus removing my control over where I want the windows to be. There’s also tons of wasted space, on what is already a small screen.
To add to the confusion, the previous multitask interface exists while you’re in Stage Manager. So while in stage manager, you can still invoke the entirely other way to multitask. It’s convoluted to say the least, in its current state.
Again, my experience is that it’s VERY buggy at the moment. I would not advise to install it on your daily driver, copy and pasting causes resprings for example.
First impressions, not positive. A large part of it could be simply because it’s a first beta and there’s still a lot of bugs to iron out. But I’m really not sure the entire concept is going to be a viable option for me.
I think the most difficult thing most people are going to struggle with is since it’s a familiar concept, they’ll expect it to work like it does on macOS (or any windowed OS for that matter). And it does not, at all. For starters, the resizing options are limited to preset sizes. But the weirdest thing IMO is how the windows behind the one you’re resizing move all over the place as you’re resizing the window. I find it frustrating because it’s moving the windows I just finished setting up to a different spot on the screen, thus removing my control over where I want the windows to be. There’s also tons of wasted space, on what is already a small screen.
To add to the confusion, the previous multitask interface exists while you’re in Stage Manager. So while in stage manager, you can still invoke the entirely other way to multitask. It’s convoluted to say the least, in its current state.
Again, my experience is that it’s VERY buggy at the moment. I would not advise to install it on your daily driver, copy and pasting causes resprings for example.
iPhone Apps (like Instagram) can't be agrupped in Stage Manager.
It apppears in the app list, but you can't overlay it and it's fullscreened.
It apppears in the app list, but you can't overlay it and it's fullscreened.
I posted this elsewhere but fits here too!
I have to be honest I think external screen support is a bit "meh" - its really missing some kind of "snapping" feature.
I don't see too many scenario's where I really want "overlapping" windows - to be honest I'd like to be able to do what I can on Windows/Samsung DEX where I can just have 3/4 apps in a grid using all of the screen.
It seems currently like you can use one app full-screen but as soon as there's 2 they go into "Window mode" and its all but impossible to say get them to be 50/50 - maybe I'm missing something.
I have to be honest I think external screen support is a bit "meh" - its really missing some kind of "snapping" feature.
I don't see too many scenario's where I really want "overlapping" windows - to be honest I'd like to be able to do what I can on Windows/Samsung DEX where I can just have 3/4 apps in a grid using all of the screen.
It seems currently like you can use one app full-screen but as soon as there's 2 they go into "Window mode" and its all but impossible to say get them to be 50/50 - maybe I'm missing something.
Really hope it gets to a point where portrait style games can be used in stage manager
Is this real or photoshopped? If real how did you get rid of the stacks on the left & the dock at the bottom and why does the window on the far right have the resizing UI on the left hand side whilst all the others are on the right hand side.
Perhaps you might want to add a slide over window and a PIP video as well!
I think slide over has been removed in favor of the new methods. Cannot be recalled anymore.
PIP idk.
its not MacOS.
Its never intended to be MacOS.
This is a nod to "windowing" that still makes sense in the iPad environment.
If you want or require a MacOS style windowed environment.... well... you know.... but a Mac.
The iPad will always be a different experience than the Mac and they must always remain distinct so people have a choice what they buy.
An iPad with a Keyboard and mouse cannot and will not ever be directly comparable to a MacBook.
People buy iPads for their portability and simplicity of use. A complex multi windowed environment will just make it inaccessible for a lot of users and will be frankly unwanted.
This seems a decent compromise but as far as it needs to go.
I was joking about slideover in this particular case but surely slide over is still available when you are not within stage manager. My understanding was that the normal multitasking was left untouched?
If it has gone then what happens when you turn off stage manager? Also presumably those with pre M1 iPads will be able to continue using slide over?
Honestly the ease of slide over and split screen, especially for small screens is important whilst stage manager offers a different experience.
In regard to stage manger & without trying it yet, I feel like window snapping would be far easier and more user friendly with an option to bring any window to the front/on top of the other windows and then easily return to original window snapping if desired. Perhaps long press on multitasking UI or drag & drop to bring that window to the front. Of course manual window resizing (better suited to larger screens, external displays & ‘heavier’ multitasking) could still be incorporated alongside a window snapping option.
I will reserve my judgement until I actually try it out but eager to understand how it all works in the meantime.
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I love the new windowing system. I was always against making the iPad into a desktop OS but this is great because it’s optional. It may not be perfect but they will iterate on it. Also pleasantly surprised my A9 iPad is supported. It’s running great so far, no bugs. Just wish there was a calculator app and setting supported split screen and slide over.
Are you saying you are running stage manager on a non M1 ipad?
My understanding is that it isnt supported on annoying but m1 based iPads.
Having used it - it would be much better with Window snapping and I hope its something they add.
I really don't understand the "Window in front of a Window thing" I'm much more likely to want an App alongside (or above) another App
Here’s what I’m wondering - when you group multiple applications together, and you are using one application in the foreground (e.g. a text editor), do the other apps pause? Do they reload when you focus on their window, like a safari tab/window reloading after a few minutes in the big, in the current iPadOS?
If apps are kept alive/active while in one “group” or “stage” or whatever they’re called, that would be a HUGE improvement…
If apps are kept alive/active while in one “group” or “stage” or whatever they’re called, that would be a HUGE improvement…
Pretty sure this is why both disk swapping was introduced, and the feature is only supported on the fastest ipads with the most RAM too. The feature UX would degrade badly with too much reloading
I sure hope so… Anyway I’ll be waiting for public beta 2 or 3 before trying it out
This is for me one of the most annoying things on the iPad when I’m trying to use it for anything other than casual browsing or watching media..When connected to an external display you can only use the interface using a mouse/trackpad and keyboard. So I wonder why they don’t switch to the macOS interface for those apps that support it (Catalyst or SwitUI), that would make so much more sense. Even when the iPad is connected to the Magic Keyboard it would be nice to have that option.