iPad Air just got old, SplitView only available on the iPad Air 2

[SquireSCA]

That is similar to the far flung islands in the South Pacific during WWII that encountered modern technology for the first time. So in much the same way as those "cargo cults" revered and worshiped pilots as gods, so too Apple fans see things like "cut n paste" as "magic".

I used to be frustrated by many Apple fans having a lack of appreciation of the value in anything that WASN'T done by Apple (cut-n-paste, 7" tablets, phablets, widgets, or now multiwindow and active styli). But I've realized that they need their hands held and shown the way. That's where Apple comes in.

Absolutely. It really frustrates me, although not as much as it used to... When I was an Apple customer, but found something better, and I would try to explain to them the differences and they just didn't get it... All they knew was what Apple told them, and if Apple didn't feel they were ready for that feature, then the feature wasn't worth having... And then a year later they would be all happy and smug when they were allowed to have that feature that I was telling them about a year or two prior... I would just shake my head at that point.

The iPad is a great device, but it is held back by the software in several key areas, and the reasons are simple... If it didn't have those limitations placed in there, then iPad sales would cut into Macbook sales...

They don't want it to be a computer in tablet form. They want it to be a media consumption device that relies heavily on cloud services. That keeps the sales of it from cannibalizing their laptop sales...

I guess that is what bothers me... I can appreciate it for what it is, but at the same time lament what it could easily become if they just unshackled it.

The Surface series is doing really well, because it bridges the gap between tablet and PC. I would love to see the iPad do the same... dock it and it's a computer that drives a flat screen and has a real keyboard and mouse and usb storage built into the dock... and then pop it out and take it as a tablet on the go...

 

[mncmoore]

Pity. I'm writing this on an Air 128GB, LTE/Wifi. It cost a grand. I'm not about to update. Not for quite a few years.

Me too. But there are so many reasons I need this feature. Hope to get 1/2 my money back on eBay. But I'll be getting the Air 3 or the pro depending how much it costs.

 

[SquireSCA]

I've avoided Android like the plague for multiple reasons. But, I've seen ads for Samsung phones before, so I have a general idea of them. I still am not sold on the idea of phones doing split screen.

As for the vertical implementation, a picture is worth a thousand words:View attachment 560445 I just think it could have been done better than this for portrait orientation, though this was probably easier for Apple to code. That's the only thing I don't fully like about the SplitView.

Honest question... What made you avoid Android like the plague, specifically?

 

[SquireSCA]

Right, I didn't know that they were doing it side by side in portrait, why not do it the obvious way?

I think the split view on a phone can work great depending on what you use the phone for.

Splitview works better on Android because Android phones and most of their tablets use the wider 16:9 aspect ratio... so in landscape mode it gives you a wider space to work with... 4:3 doesn't increase as much in landscape so it is still sorta squished... That is one of the issues with the 4.3 that Apple and 1970's televisions use... ;-)

 

[malih]

The iPad is a great device, but it is held back by the software in several key areas, and the reasons are simple... If it didn't have those limitations placed in there, then iPad sales would cut into Macbook sales...

They don't want it to be a computer in tablet form. They want it to be a media consumption device that relies heavily on cloud services. That keeps the sales of it from cannibalizing their laptop sales...

I guess that is what bothers me... I can appreciate it for what it is, but at the same time lament what it could easily become if they just unshackled it.

The Surface series is doing really well, because it bridges the gap between tablet and PC. I would love to see the iPad do the same... dock it and it's a computer that drives a flat screen and has a real keyboard and mouse and usb storage built into the dock... and then pop it out and take it as a tablet on the go...

It's not shackled, it's meant to be like that because iPad was not initially made to be a Surface style tablet, but nothing prevents Apple to change that...

I don't know if you're updated, there have been evidence from software code of iOS 9 Beta about a possibly an upcoming 12" tablet with keyboard from Apple, dubbed the iPad Pro.

 

[SquireSCA]

It's not shackled, it's meant to be like that because iPad was not initially made to be a Surface style tablet, but nothing prevents Apple to change that...

I don't know if you're updated, there have been evidence from software code of iOS 9 Beta about a possibly an upcoming 12" tablet with keyboard from Apple, dubbed the iPad Pro.

It is shackled in the sense that there is no reason why it can't do simple tasks that an other tablet, phone or PC can do, other than they restricted it in the software...

For all of this power it allegedly has... You can't truly multitask... Split screen on this large retina screen should be a given...

And for the poor guy who shelled out a GRAND for an iPad Air 128GB/Wifi/LTE... A thousand dollars and they could only put a paltry 1GB of RAM in there? Really?

So now his thousand dollar tablet can't get the new features that a cheap Android phone could do a year ago? Really?

You don't consider that to be "shackled"?

This is what bothers me about diehard Apple fans... Sometimes you just don't get it, and your limited reference points make it hard to explain or educate...

I had the same debates with folks about copy and paste, sending MMS instead of email, and a long laundry list of other things that they claim they didn't need or want(despite the competition already having), who would then be elated and excited and bragging about those same items when they finally got them, 1-2 years late to the party...

 

[malih]

This is what bothers me about diehard Apple fans... Sometimes you just don't get it, and your limited reference points make it hard to explain or educate...

I had the same debates with folks about copy and paste, sending MMS instead of email, and a long laundry list of other things that they claim they didn't need or want(despite the competition already having), who would then be elated and excited and bragging about those same items when they finally got them, 1-2 years late to the party...

I never said I don't need or want the feature, I'm just explaining a possible reason as to what engineers at Apple thinking when building this, and that it is not initially the same as your thinking.

I believed initially Apple wanted to build a tablet with the thin body of iPad we see today, but there wasn't a powerful CPU that could run fanless so the iPad started by using less powerful CPU. No one have done tablet this way before and they started with a software design that you'd consider shackled.

But today things have changed, so they are only starting to do it now.

There's always the possibility of Apple adding Split View for the Air later maybe in iOS 10, or iOS 9.x, because then they may be able to optimize Split View better, to make it work with the dual-core A7.

I'm talking from a perspective of a software developer because it's my day job, and I'm not even building Apple software, but in general I understand there are limitations depends on your initial software design that's not as simple to change like flipping a coin.

 

[UAV]

splitview...humm were have i seen this before...oh that's right samsung did started it a few years back. welcome to the 21st century ipad users lol...

 

[BMox81]

For me it's a case of do I honestly need Split View? Probably not. My Air runs perfectly fine and does what it's required.

But do I want the Air 2 so I can perform Split View functions? Absolutely.

So it's a case of deciding whether I sell my Air and buy an Air 2/3 or do I just save my cash and use a perfectly good tablet as is.....

 

[SquireSCA]

I never said I don't need or want the feature, I'm just explaining a possible reason as to what engineers at Apple thinking when building this, and that it is not initially the same as your thinking.

I believed initially Apple wanted to build a tablet with the thin body of iPad we see today, but there wasn't a powerful CPU that could run fanless so the iPad started by using less powerful CPU. No one have done tablet this way before and they started with a software design that you'd consider shackled.

But today things have changed, so they are only starting to do it now.

There's always the possibility of Apple adding Split View for the Air later maybe in iOS 10, or iOS 9.x, because then they may be able to optimize Split View better, to make it work with the dual-core A7.

I'm talking from a perspective of a software developer because it's my day job, and I'm not even building Apple software, but in general I understand there are limitations depends on your initial software design that's not as simple to change like flipping a coin.

I hear what you are saying, but if you look at Apple's history I think you would draw some different conclusions...

Apple has an industry of innovating a device and it hits with a big splash. And then they milk it for all they can for several years while the competition catches up and passes them by... they they try to play catch up, but never quite do, because to beat the competition they would have to be less Apple, and more LIKE the competition... Apple is a lifestyle brand and they do their best to remain true to that.

And part of that is planned obsolescence. Building in hardware(lack of RAM) and software limitations so that when the new product or OS release hits, you will pony up premium prices for a unit that is at best, an incremental update from the one that you already own.

People are running Android Lollipop on 4 year old Droids. How many iPhone 3's are running 8.3? Or could, if Apple would even allow it?

That's the difference. Both platforms have the same roots in Linux. Both have similar processing power, although Android has the edge there... But one platform only offers the absolute bare minimum amount of RAM to make the current platform run "ok"... That platform also doesn't offer basic, common, industry-standard features that users want.

But people want Apple.... They want the image, the lifestyle, etc... so they pay top dollar for last year's tech.

It doesn't mean that the products are not good. They are. The quality is top notch, the designs are great. But they are often castrated in order to force people to upgrade sooner than they would otherwise need to...

Gotta keep those Apple shareholders happy!

 

[SquireSCA]

For me it's a case of do I honestly need Split View? Probably not. My Air runs perfectly fine and does what it's required.

But do I want the Air 2 so I can perform Split View functions? Absolutely.

So it's a case of deciding whether I sell my Air and buy an Air 2/3 or do I just save my cash and use a perfectly good tablet as is.....

Even without splitview, your current tablet will probably slow down on iOS 9...

 

[malih]

People are running Android Lollipop on 4 year old Droids. How many iPhone 3's are running 8.3? Or could, if Apple would even allow it?

I'm sure running laggy and unstable custom ROM (because my phone maker wouldn't release any more official software update) on my 4 years old Android phone is definitely better than those Apple users running laggy but somewhat more stable iOS 9 on their 4 years old iPhone 4S.

 

[SquireSCA]

I'm sure running laggy and unstable custom ROM (because my phone maker wouldn't release any more official software update) on my 4 years old Android phone is definitely better than those Apple users running laggy but somewhat more stable iOS 9 on their 4 years old iPhone 4S.

Source?

 

[malih]

Source?

I picked a very special website for the source http://www.androidorigin.com/apple-iphone-4s-ios-9-beta-1-update-review/

As for Android I don't need source, anyone knows no 4 year old Android phone get updated to Lollipop officially.

Please show me your source

 

[SquireSCA]

I picked a very special website for the source http://www.androidorigin.com/apple-iphone-4s-ios-9-beta-1-update-review/

As for Android I don't need source, anyone knows no 4 year old Android phone get updated to Lollipop officially.

Please show me your source

Interesting...

http://heavy.com/tech/2014/11/how-well-does-android-l-run-on-older-devices/

Galaxy S4 dates back to early 2013... I see people at XDA and others with rooted and unlocked older phones running recent versions of Lollipop.

I am surprised and glad that Apple is going to support an old phone like the 4S, even if it doesn't have a lot of the features of iOS 9...

 

[toke lahti]

You are likely to have a long wait for those instructions...

Really?
Why would it be something else than plain JB and simple string in right .plist?

 

[toke lahti]

..., so too Apple fans see things like "cut n paste" as "magic".

Which reminds me to ask: will there finally be copy-paste in iOS9's Calendar?

 

[SquireSCA]

Which reminds me to ask: will there finally be copy-paste in iOS9's Calendar?

You are joking, right? You can't copy and paste into the calendar? LOL

This is what I am talking about... That's been standard on every other OS for years, no?

My gripe with Apple has never been about their hardware, design, fit and finish, quality of materials, etc...

It's the software, the way that maniac Jobs ruled like a little whiney tyrant and dictates to his customers what they should want.

He must be rolling over in his grave now, after his "I will go thermonuclear on Android", and now his company is trying to play catch up to his nemesis...

What was his whole attitude about with Android, anyway? Google bought the company, and they continued developing it and they give it away for free... Did Jobs ever give a REAL reason why that bothered him so much? Was it as simple as he just didn't want his "premium" platform to have to compete with a free one?

 

[Nausicaa]

So at the WWDC they demo'd Splitview. But unfortunately it wont be supported by iPad Air. So how many of the people out there would be upgrading to Air 3 ?

Not me. Apple really pissed me off with this move. iPad Air isn't even 2 years old yet and it's already missing a major OS feature. I was also an early adopter of the original iPad which had an unreported, pitiful 256MB of RAM which led to serious performance issues early in the device's life cycle. I dealt with it an accepted it as a gen 1 quirk until I got my Air. I'm pretty much done with the product at this point though. Splitview should have come earlier and the Air should have had more RAM out of the gate, as it still suffers from app crashes on a regular basis just like my gen 1 device and it already missing a key OS feature. Really unacceptable. Of course people always defend these bare minimum system specs on Apple devices - it doesn't need it they say. Well, soon they will get similarly burned early in their device's lifecycle and maybe they'll see why it should matter to them more than Apple's profit margins.

I might consider a Pro if they really deliver something special, otherwise the Air is my last Apple tablet. Apple's products just aren't worth the money anymore, except maybe iPhone.

My 2010 iMac had tons of issues as well. Meanwhile my Windows desktop I built in 2011 still performs superbly and handles whatever I throw at it. Didn't cost more than an iMac or MacBook at the time, which surely would be having tons of performance issues by now just like my iMac. Apple's design and build quality are superior, but unfortunately everything else really just isn't anymore.

 

[malih]

You are joking, right? You can't copy and paste into the calendar? LOL

This is what I am talking about... That's been standard on every other OS for years, no?

My gripe with Apple has never been about their hardware, design, fit and finish, quality of materials, etc...

It's the software, the way that maniac Jobs ruled like a little whiney tyrant and dictates to his customers what they should want.

He must be rolling over in his grave now, after his "I will go thermonuclear on Android", and now his company is trying to play catch up to his nemesis...

What was his whole attitude about with Android, anyway? Google bought the company, and they continued developing it and they give it away for free... Did Jobs ever give a REAL reason why that bothered him so much? Was it as simple as he just didn't want his "premium" platform to have to compete with a free one?

Looks to me like maybe you regret your purchase of the iPad and your decision to return to iOS.

Clearly it's healthier for you to return/sell/gift the iPad and grab an Android tablet, less stressful too for users of this forum including you.

 

[dyn]

This is what I am talking about... That's been standard on every other OS for years, no?

Wait, what? There is an OS that has a proper calendar app? Woa, another one for the list of World Wonders!

Seriously, when it comes to a proper calendar app nearly every OS sucks at it. Yes they have the basics covered (you can add something to the calendar, view it and even have a notification) but that's it really. There are no filters, only a few view to choose from, nearly no integration with other software or the ability to share stuff with other software and so on. You're better off getting a proper calendar anyway and luckily nearly all of them do things like copy-paste, moving activities, integration with other apps, sharing stuff, etc. Some are even complete CRM apps, PIMs, projectmanagement software, etc. (having 1 app for an overview of both your appointments AND scheduled todos is just sooo nice).

It's the software, the way that maniac Jobs ruled like a little whiney tyrant and dictates to his customers what they should want.

Which is no different than any other company. Try pleasing every person on the planet... For one person iOS works fine, for the other it's Android and a third rather uses a normal computer instead of some gimmicky tablet/smartphone. Who cares? Just pick whatever you like and stop the whining already.

 

[SquireSCA]

I never understood the "It doesn't need it"...

1) It almost always DOES need it.

2) You spend that much money on a device, you want to use it for 1-2 years...

Looks to me like maybe you regret your purchase of the iPad and your decision to return to iOS.

Clearly it's healthier for you to return/sell/gift the iPad and grab an Android tablet, less stressful too for users of this forum including you.

I don't know why you think that. Why is this stressful to myself, or anyone?

I don't understand the fanboy mentality that if you find any fault with your team, that you should just go elsewhere.

Did you want a forum or lemmings and "yes men" who put blinders on and only regurgitate positive things about beloved Apple?

Sorry, I guess I don't play that game. I am positive and negative on anything that I buy or am a fan of. I don't subscribe to the notion that I have to "pick a team" and then ignore their flaws...

I like my iPad, but it does have some limitations that I wish that Apple would address... The frustration is that in pretty much every example, Apple could address it, easily, but they choose not to.

If I take your stance, then there is no reason to change or be better. If you are willing to accept getting screwed and held back and you keep spending money on slightly warmed over product releases, what is their incentive to be better?

Anyway, back to the discussion...

 

[SquireSCA]

Which is no different than any other company. Try pleasing every person on the planet... For one person iOS works fine, for the other it's Android and a third rather uses a normal computer instead of some gimmicky tablet/smartphone. Who cares? Just pick whatever you like and stop the whining already.

Let's be fair, there is a very different philosophy between how the two companies work and develop software. LOL

 

[dyn]

One aimed at usability, the other at datamining?

 

[nj-morris]

Splitview works better on Android because Android phones and most of their tablets use the wider 16:9 aspect ratio... so in landscape mode it gives you a wider space to work with... 4:3 doesn't increase as much in landscape so it is still sorta squished... That is one of the issues with the 4.3 that Apple and 1970's televisions use... ;-)

Oh yeah, and that's why they make square phones, right? Oh wait...
Half screen on a 16:9 or 8:5 screen would give you an 9:8 or 5:4 aspect ratio on each app. iPad uses 3:2, which I would much rather. Think about it. As I was trying to say, no mobile device uses more square aspect ratios for this reason.