iPadOS: 3rd party Windows App Support

[Ludatyk]

Granted, iPadOS hasn’t been out that long... but I’m just wondering why hasn‘t there been much support by 3rd party developers. And I get it... give it time, but the developers had access to iPadOS. At this point, PDF Expert and OneDrive supports it.

This feature doesn’t get discussed much... but I think this is the biggest feature for iPadOS. I love the idea of multiple windows across each apps.

 

[Smici]

For example, which app are you missing?

 

[Ludatyk]

For example, which app are you missing?

But that's the thing, I've got plenty of apps... I would love that majority of apps I download support it. But if I had to choose.

Google Drive
Dropbox
Microsoft Office Apps
Google Docs & Slides
Youtube (still no PIP, I doubt it ever supports the feature)
Chrome (Albeit, I use it sparingly... I'm on Testflight, Darkmode looks awesome!)
GoodReader
FileBrowser

Just to name a few.

 

[akash.nu]

It all depends on how the original apps are developed and if the developers actually considers multi window support to be a good enough feature to spend their resources on.

 

[VforVelveta]

But that's the thing, I've got plenty of apps... I would love that majority of apps I download support it. But if I had to choose.

Google Drive
Dropbox
Microsoft Office Apps
Google Docs & Slides
Youtube (still no PIP, I doubt it ever supports the feature)
Chrome (Albeit, I use it sparingly... I'm on Testflight, Darkmode looks awesome!)
GoodReader
FileBrowser

Just to name a few.

I’d expect the Microsoft apps to get support for it soon, since they we’re shown as part of the multi-window demonstration back at WWDC.

Google on the other hand I wouldn’t expect support anytime soon. Their office suite took quite a while before it ever supported split view, heck Gmail and Hangouts still don’t support it. Add the fact that docs/sheets/slides apps on iPad are hot garbage anyway, and I suggest uninstalling them and using the web apps now that Safari has much better support for them.

As for the rest, it should just be a matter of time. Implementing multi-window isn’t trivial, and with how rocky the betas were this summer I suspect some devs decided to wait until things settled down a bit before tackling it. If there’s one you’re really looking for, try messaging the developer and asking. I’m on a few testflight betas just from asking a dev a question that turned out to be in the next release, so they put me on their beta to help test it out.

 

[Ludatyk]

I’m on a few testflight betas just from asking a dev a question that turned out to be in the next release, so they put me on their beta to help test it out.

Without giving me any details about what features in next releases... I’m curious what betas are you testing out?

 

[AutomaticApple]

It all depends on how the original apps are developed and if the developers actually considers multi window support to be a good enough feature to spend their resources on.

Which is mostly not the case.

 

[akash.nu]

Which is mostly not the case.

Exactly! The use case of multi window for the same app support on a mobile device is pretty limited IMHO. Most people probably use 2/3 apps side by side but not multi window from the same app. If you know what I mean.

In fact mostly probably browser is the only app that needs this support. I’m sure there are specific use cases that doesn’t go with what I said but when it comes to generalisation I’d say use of multiple apps side by side is higher than multi window for the same app.

 

[Raicya]

Here is possible to open/start the following 3rd party apps, namely OneNote (after logging in with Microsoft-ID), GoodReader, OfficeSuite, Bluefire Reader & Adobe sketch (after logging in with Adobe-ID) on iPadOS 13.1.2.

 

[fredrik9]

Exactly! The use case of multi window for the same app support on a mobile device is pretty limited IMHO. Most people probably use 2/3 apps side by side but not multi window from the same app. If you know what I mean.

In fact mostly probably browser is the only app that needs this support. I’m sure there are specific use cases that doesn’t go with what I said but when it comes to generalisation I’d say use of multiple apps side by side is higher than multi window for the same app.

I don’t really get what you mean. Opening muliple windows of the same app is an essential feature of any real OS. I am grieving everyday that apps are not updated to support it. Though, as you say, many apps do not need it that badly, it would just be convenient if all apps supported it (except games and stuff). Some apps must have it according to me:

• Word processing apps (like Notes, Pages, Word, Numbers, Excel, Goodnotes, Outlook, Mail, Gmail etc.)
• Presentations apps (like Keynote, Powerpoint, Prezi etc.)
• Reading apps (like PDF Expert, iBooks, Bluefire Reader etc.)
• File manage apps (like Files, Documents by Readdle, Google Drive, Dropbox FileBrowser etc.)

Without this support from these third party apps the OS is simply crippled compared to Windows and macOS. I use my iPad Pro all day and really want to see this support now that iPadOS has made it possible. Even Messaging apps like iMessage and Facebook Messenger would benefit from multiwindow support so that you can have two conversations open at the same time without the need to switch back and forth.