Of course, your iPad can already multitask. Very nicely, thank you. What it can’t do is display two apps at the same time. Fresh rumors posit that Apple’s upcoming iOS 8 will take iPad multitasking to the next level.
The battle for the soul of the desktop is being fought on the tablet. And, at least for the moment, Apple is decisively winning the war.
That, however, does not the company that Jobs built can rest on its laurels.
While Tapscape has written extensively about this year’s mobile operating system update, iOS 8, that’s mostly been about the iPhone. Apple rumorologist Mark Gurman balances that out just a little in reporting that iOS 8 for iPad will bring split screen multitasking a la the Microsoft Surface or Samsung Galaxy Tab.
Really? In truth, split screen multitasking on either of those devices is fiddly, inconsistent and — sprinkle liberally with crapware and voila! — the kind of half-baked functionality we’ve come to expect from Redmond and Sammy.
While there is a real need for quality, well-implemented split screen iPad multitasking, what we have to date. But not just on other platforms.
For example, split screen multitasking can be accessed in iOS 7 by jailbreaking. It’s there. It “works.”
Or, take the example of specialty apps like TwoView ($0.99), a multitasking dual web browser that requires no jailbreak. It’s relatively handy for bloggers and other web workers, but has limited appeal simply it’s only a browser.
iPad vs iOS 8 vs Multitasking
If iOS 8 brings split screen multitasking to iOS 8, that will be great. But it has to work very, very well.
What’s that mean? Seamless copy + paste across data types, user configurable data detecters (ie pdfs open in what app?) and a lot of other functionality we have taken for granted on the desktop.
However, if merely aping the desktop was the right way, Microsoft would be winning. Just as obviously, Android/Samsung don’t have a clue either.
And, we begin to see the level of complexity facing Apple — simple is very, very hard…
What’s your take?
Via MacTrast