iPad To open an app in split view, it has to be in the dock?

[Sirious]

If I decide I want to open an app in slide over or split view, it has to be in my dock. Is this correct?

If it is, firstly, that’s really annoying and secondly is there a way to change this behaviour?

 

[ApfelKuchen]

It may not be as annoying as you think (or maybe it is). The app that you add for Slide Over or Split View must already be on the Dock, but unless you change the default setting, the previous three apps you've opened are already going to be on the Dock. In my experience, that's usually enough to get things done. So, let's say you've been in a Safari session and decide to work with Notes (which isn't in the Dock) with Safari in a Split View:

Click Home button to switch from Safari to Home screen > open Notes from Home screen > slide up to open Dock > Slide Safari up from the Dock > Drag down on Safari Slide Over to convert to Split View.

Since you can permanently add a fair number of apps to the Dock, you may already have the apps you need to Slide Over/Split View already on the Dock.

Further, Split Views are preserved in Multitasking. Just open either of the two apps from the Dock or Home screen, or go into Multitasking (double-click Home button) and tap on that screen's view to re-open the Split View.

And an app open in Slide Over is persistent - if you switch to another app or existing Split View, just swipe from the right edge to re-open the Slide Over app.

Now, if your aim is to have things exactly as they are in macOS... no. You have some new moves and paradigms to get used to. Once you do adjust you may find this to be far more flexible and useful than you seem to think.

For more on how to do all this: https://support.apple.com/ht207582

 

[Sirious]

It may not be as annoying as you think (or maybe it is). The app that you add for Slide Over or Split View must already be on the Dock, but unless you change the default setting, the previous three apps you've opened are already going to be on the Dock. In my experience, that's usually enough to get things done. So, let's say you've been in a Safari session and decide to work with Notes (which isn't in the Dock) with Safari in a Split View:

Click Home button to switch from Safari to Home screen > open Notes from Home screen > slide up to open Dock > Slide Safari up from the Dock > Drag down on Safari Slide Over to convert to Split View.

Since you can permanently add a fair number of apps to the Dock, you may already have the apps you need to Slide Over/Split View already on the Dock.

Further, Split Views are preserved in Multitasking. Just open either of the two apps from the Dock or Home screen, or go into Multitasking (double-click Home button) and tap on that screen's view to re-open the Split View.

And an app open in Slide Over is persistent - if you switch to another app or existing Split View, just swipe from the right edge to re-open the Slide Over app.

Now, if your aim is to have things exactly as they are in macOS... no. You have some new moves and paradigms to get used to. Once you do adjust you may find this to be far more flexible and useful than you seem to think.

For more on how to do all this: https://support.apple.com/ht207582

Thanks for your reply.

It definitely is slightly annoying. The app I want to use either has to be in the dock or has to be a previously used app. I think it was better in the "iOS 9 way" where you could see all available apps for slide-over/split view, but oh well

 

[The Game 161]

If I decide I want to open an app in slide over or split view, it has to be in my dock. Is this correct?

If it is, firstly, that’s really annoying and secondly is there a way to change this behaviour?

I did like the old system better too.

I don't really use spilt screen ever now due to this

 

[silvetti]

You can just slide for the search, type the app name and drag from there.

 

[Mr.Blacky]

Thanks for your reply.

It definitely is slightly annoying. The app I want to use either has to be in the dock or has to be a previously used app. I think it was better in the "iOS 9 way" where you could see all available apps for slide-over/split view, but oh well

You can also hold an app icon briefly until it "pops" from the homescreen, start dragging it a little and while dragging it, open a second app and drop the first app on the left or right side of the second app.

And believe me, that isn't nearly as complicated as it sounds above!

 

[Abazigal]

I tried putting all my apps into folders on the dock. A little bit annoying initially (because I found myself constantly hopping in and out of folders), but that solves the multitasking issue.

 

[magicMac]

Thanks for your reply.

It definitely is slightly annoying. The app I want to use either has to be in the dock or has to be a previously used app. I think it was better in the "iOS 9 way" where you could see all available apps for slide-over/split view, but oh well

You’re right it is annoying and I’ve been saying this since iOS 11. I prefer the older method of split screen in iOS 10 personally. People jumped on liking the iOS 11 lock because it’s familiar and iconic from macOS but in my experience, certainly with the current implantation it is far less practical on iOS for the aforementioned reasons.

 

[az431]

You’re right it is annoying and I’ve been saying this since iOS 11. I prefer the older method of split screen in iOS 10 personally. People jumped on liking the iOS 11 lock because it’s familiar and iconic from macOS but in my experience, certainly with the current implantation it is far less practical on iOS for the aforementioned reasons.

The new way of putting apps in split screen is easier and takes less time. The old way you might have to scroll through a hundred apps to find the one you wanted to add, now it's just a question of opening the second app then dragging the first one that was already open from the dock.

 

[ZEEN0j]

The old method wasn’t very flexible. It would get way more complicated if they added more features to it. The new way is more natural in the way iOS works. And you could say it works exactly as macOS.

 

[pika2000]

It is annoying, simply because not all apps can be put side-by-side.
In iOS10, you don't have to worry about it since the OS automatically list only the apps that can be put side-by-side. Plus you don't even have to leave the current app.

In iOS10, run first app, swipe from right border, select side-by-side app, done. This is very intuitive as you physically initiate things by swiping from the side, thus it is understood. The only downside is if you have a lot of apps, you might be scrolling a bit to find the side-by-side app (can be mitigated by a search bar).

In iOS11, run first app, go home, find and run second app, go back to the first app, initiate the dock, drag-n-drop the second app (assuming it is supported to do side-by-side). Such convoluted way, and it is actually less intuitive since you have to go home first if the second app is not in the recent apps. This only "makes sense" for macOS users that are used to the dock. But for a touch UI, imo iOS10 way is more intuitive.

 

[ZEEN0j]

It is annoying, simply because not all apps can be put side-by-side.
In iOS10, you don't have to worry about it since the OS automatically list only the apps that can be put side-by-side. Plus you don't even have to leave the current app.

In iOS10, run first app, swipe from right border, select side-by-side app, done. This is very intuitive as you physically initiate things by swiping from the side, thus it is understood. The only downside is if you have a lot of apps, you might be scrolling a bit to find the side-by-side app (can be mitigated by a search bar).

In iOS11, run first app, go home, find and run second app, go back to the first app, initiate the dock, drag-n-drop the second app (assuming it is supported to do side-by-side). Such convoluted way, and it is actually less intuitive since you have to go home first if the second app is not in the recent apps. This only "makes sense" for macOS users that are used to the dock. But for a touch UI, imo iOS10 way is more intuitive.

More taps/clicks isn’t always a bad thing. Instead of having one more menu to go to. You go home as we’ve done since the first iPhone.

 

[pika2000]

More taps/clicks isn’t always a bad thing. Instead of having one more menu to go to. You go home as we’ve done since the first iPhone.

Going home first to find the second app is unintuitive. I mean that put burden on the user to arrange the apps they would use side-by-side in a convenient location beforehand, which is ridiculous. The iOS10 way takes that from the user by providing a set list of apps that can do side-by-side, so user doesn't have to second guess which app can be used side-by-side. And the way it was initiated was by swiping from the side, which is intuitive in thought that the app will be on that side.

I actually use side-by-side less ever since iOS11 since once I go to home screen, search for the second app and run it, might as well just do it pre-side-by-side (switching apps back to back).

 

[Abazigal]

Going home first to find the second app is unintuitive. I mean that put burden on the user to arrange the apps they would use side-by-side in a convenient location beforehand, which is ridiculous. The iOS10 way takes that from the user by providing a set list of apps that can do side-by-side, so user doesn't have to second guess which app can be used side-by-side. And the way it was initiated was by swiping from the side, which is intuitive in thought that the app will be on that side.

I actually use side-by-side less ever since iOS11 since once I go to home screen, search for the second app and run it, might as well just do it pre-side-by-side (switching apps back to back).

The drawback to the iOS 9 style of multitasking is that sometimes, you end up scrolling a very long time in order to locate that one app you want to multitask with. And now with iOS 11, I can have the app on either the right or left side. Previously, it could only occupy the right side of the screen.

As with any paradigm change, the onus is on the user to optimise his app layout to make the new multitasking arrangement work for him. So if you know there are these few apps you frequently multitask with, put them in your dock (you don't need both, just one). Which will require you to be a bit more cognisant of which apps you actively use.

 

[pika2000]

The drawback to the iOS 9 style of multitasking is that sometimes, you end up scrolling a very long time in order to locate that one app you want to multitask with. And now with iOS 11, I can have the app on either the right or left side. Previously, it could only occupy the right side of the screen.

As with any paradigm change, the onus is on the user to optimise his app layout to make the new multitasking arrangement work for him. So if you know there are these few apps you frequently multitask with, put them in your dock (you don't need both, just one). Which will require you to be a bit more cognisant of which apps you actively use.

The previous method issue can be mitigated by putting a search bar on the carousel of apps so one can search a specific app.

And no, why it is the onus on the user? If I buy a smart device, the device better be smart, not having me to micro manage everything. This is where imo Apple forgot about their vision, Job’s vision, to make things for mere mortals, not nerds.

Heck, if you think it’s in the onus of the user, why even have a GUI? Just have command line OS while at it since it’s the “onus” of user to learn things, right?

 

[magicMac]

The new way of putting apps in split screen is easier and takes less time. The old way you might have to scroll through a hundred apps to find the one you wanted to add, now it's just a question of opening the second app then dragging the first one that was already open from the dock.

You have a point, but the scroll before was also in the order of most recently used and this seemed more intuitive to me because I didn’t have to open each app separately to get it into a dock first to start split view. Preference I suppose.

 

[Sirious]

• How about a 'launchpad' style interface that you can invoke (some how) where you can see all your apps and hold on one to use it next to your current app (basically the home screen lol)...

• How about an "All Apps" Mac style "stack" in the dock that shows up when you have an app open, which will show you all split screen-able apps (or all apps) as a list or fan...

There are many ways they could have handled this but they chose to do it in a way that is fun but not very practical.
I personally like the "All Apps" thing I just thought of