Gmail users can finally enjoy the benefits of Split View multitasking. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Google finally lets Gmail users read their email while also displaying another app. Apple introduced Split View multitasking way back in 2015, but it’s just now coming to this popular email application.
Microsoft Outlook on iPad can at last show email next to a calendar. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Microsoft’s combined email and calendar application finally offers full support for iPad multitasking. Outlook now supports Split View, so users can have their mail and calendar open next to each other.
Split View is great, but it's way too hard to use. Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac
Apparently, some people really hate multitasking on the iPad. It’s easy to see why. All you have to do is accidentally drag a link in Safari, instead of just tapping on it, and you end up with a split-screen view, with that link in its own window. And getting rid of that window is a huge pain, even if you know how to do it.
Fortunately for people who hate iPad multitasking — which isn’t really multitasking, but is Apple’s term for the confusion of multiple-window views on iPadOS — Apple lets you turn off the feature. Here’s how to disable iPad multitasking (and why you might not want to).
By now, you know that you can use multiple windows from the same app in iPadOS 13, just like you can on the Mac. And you probably also know that it’s a pain to open a new window from scratch. You have to open the app, then slide the Dock up from the bottom of the screen, then tap the app icon again, then tap the little + icon at the top right.
But did you know that there’s an easier way to open a new window in iPadOS? You can just drag an item to the edge of the screen, and drop it there to open it in a brand-new Split View window. Let’s check it out.
A concept video shows an iPhone with iPadOS’ Dock and Split View. Photo: TechBlood
A new proposal imagines iPhones running next year’s iOS 14 able to display two applications side-by-side. Split View would enable users to, for example, look at a webpage while writing an email, and drag-and-drop items between them.
Watch a concept video of iPhone multitasking in action now:
Apple has dropped a series of how-to videos that help you get the most out of iPadOS. You can use them to master features like Slide Over, Split View, and brand-new gestures.
The iPad now has app windows. Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac
In the next version of iOS, the iPad will be able to open several “copies” of the same app. You can then switch between them, treating them just like any other individual apps, or you can combine these instances with other apps.
For example: You could have one “space” with your Mail app and your to-do app in a 50:50 Split View. And then you can have another space with a different instance of your Mail app and, for instance, the Notes app. Each version of the Mail app can show a different folder or message.
You can even have two versions of, say, the Maps app, sharing the same screen, showing totally different places. It’s a powerful addition to iPad multitasking. Let’s see it in action.
Chatting with friends couldn't be easier. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
Fortnite’s brand new Party Hub makes it easier than ever for mobile players to stay in touch with friends.
You can use it to chat to other players both inside and outside of the game. It will tell you which of your friends are online and let you start a party before jumping into a match on any platform.
Multitasking gives you the power to use up to three apps at once on iPad. Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac
iPad multitasking gets a boost in iPadOS, with tweaks and enhancements that make it easier to do more on Apple tablets.
If you use an iPad for anything beyond watching videos, you should be thrilled by these changes, which boost inter-app productivity. Here’s how to take advantage of the different flavors of multitasking in iPadOS.
View two documents, or one document and its preview, at the same time. Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac
Ulysses, the best long-form writing app on iOS and Mac in my opinion, just got a sweet update. It adds support for publishing to Ghost blogs, but even better for almost everyone is the addition of split-screen editing. This lets you view two Ulysses documents side by side, on the same screen. It might not sound like much, but it’s surprisingly powerful.